Time Can Only Tell

Chapter 16

Monica

As I headed up to the boys apartment, I was trembling. I haven’t talked to Zaire since we had that argument. Well, if you could call him almost breaking down a door an argument. Anyway, yeah I haven’t talked to since then and that was almost three days ago. I expected him to continue calling and texting me, although I didn’t exactly plan on responding to his attempts. I was just trying my best to leave him out of this drama.

As the elevator came to my stop, I slowly walked down the hall towards the apartment door. I have no idea what I’m going to say to Zaire or how this is going to go, I’m just winging it and hoping for the best. I knock on the door lightly hoping no one would hear me and I could abort this mission and think about how I’m exactly going to go about this sticky situation I put myself in. A couple more light knocks and Zaire opens the door in all his shirtless glory. How the hell does he or anyone expect me to think clearly when a perfectly toned eight pack is in front of my eyes?

We’re both just standing there at the door staring at each other. The emotion displayed on his face is annoyance and irritation. I hate that I’m the recipient of the look that’s on his face, yet I’ll brought this whole situation upon myself, no one else is at fault here.

“Can I talk to you for a second?” I said finally dropping my gaze from his face.

He hesitated for a moment and ran his hands along his face in a frustrated manner before he opened the door wider so I could step inside. As I stepped inside the apartment, I saw Tristan sprawled over the couch playing what I’m guessing is Grand Theft Auto Five. The throw pillows are thrown all over the floor and Gatorade bottles and empty pizza boxes scattered along the coffee table. The living room just looked like they sat there on the couch playing video games and eating pizza.

“Um, Tristan? Tae ‘s waiting down stairs for you.” I said as I followed Zaire to his room.

A few seconds later I heard the front door close and I knew we were alone, which meant I should probably start explaining my actions now.

“You said you wanted to talk, now talk?” Zaire said coldly without even looking up at me, he just sat on his bed gazing at the wall in front of us.

I walked towards him and sat right beside him. How am I going to say this?

“Uhh... I came over here because I wanted to explain my actions for the last week or so.” I said and paused because I expected him to respond. I expected him to yell, snap or something. Instead he stayed still and kept his eyes focused on the wall.

“I just needed some time to think something through and I didn’t want to bother you with my problems, so I went silent on the world for a while” I continued

“Really, I hadn’t f*****g noticed. “He snapped

“Don’t be like that Zaire; this is already hard enough for me.”

“Don’t be like what? The way you treated me for two weeks. Now, this is hard on you? Try being ignored by the person you love more than anything in this in world. All of sudden, they just disappear and won’t communicate with you no matter how hard try?” Zaire yelled and began pacing around the room.

“I know what I did was wrong, now and I’m sorry. That’s the only way I felt like I could deal with what was going on. I felt closed in without any other options.”

“How about f*****g talking to me, Mon? You know that’s what you do in a relationship, you talk. You had a problem you should feel comfortable enough to come and talk to me about it not cut me and the rest of the world off.”

“I just couldn’t talk to you about it; I didn’t want to worry you. You already have so much on your plate and I didn’t want to add more to it.

“Let me worry about what I can handle. Did I tell you I was struggling with all the things I have going on?” he asked

“I didn’t ask for my health, I expect an answer.” He said in a demanding voice I knew not to test.

“No” I said looking down at my feet

“Okay then why would you even put yourself in the mind frame on thinking that coming to confide in me would somehow put necessary weight on my shoulders?

“I just thought that...”

“Wrong, Mon. You weren’t f*****g thinking. You just assumed that I was some regular nigga who wouldn’t care to notice that something was really bothering my girl and that if you ignored me I would go away and leave you. That’s not how I do s**t. I love your difficult ass and all you had do is let me help you, but you were too damn stubborn to see that.”

“I was scared Zaire and no I wasn’t thinking clearly. Yeah, I should have handled things better I do know that. I’m not used to people caring whether or not I talk about what’s wrong with me.”

“Well, get used to the s**t cause that’s how it’s gone be from now on. You got a problem you come to me about it. Ion care that you think you could be worrying me or whatever. I need you to upfront with me.” He said as he finally stopped pacing and sat back beside me and lifted my chin up to look at him.

“You’re not mad anymore?” I questioned

“Hell yeah I’m still mad. I’m pissed, but that’s not what matters now. What matters is that you gone tell me from start to bottom what’s going on.” He said seriously

“Umm… I kinda of thought that I was pregnant.” I said with my eyes squeezed shut not wanting to see his reaction.

“Continue” he said

“You’re not going to scream, yell or throw something?” I asked opening my eyes

“Not until I hear the whole story so continue.”

“Okay, so yeah like I said I thought I was pregnant. I took like two home pregnancy tests and they came out positive and I was scared as hell. I couldn’t believe that I was pregnant you know. We use protection every single time we have s*x and I’m on the pill. I felt like my life was shattering right in front of my eyes. I couldn’t end up another pregnant young mother alone in this world. That’s exactly what I fought so hard not to become. I respect single mothers who raise their kids alone in this cruel world, but I saw first-hand what I struggle is like with my mother growing up, then my sister. I just want more for myself then that. I want more for us than that. After I cried myself to sleep for a week straight, you came threatening to break s**t down and I knew I had to tell someone it was killing me keeping all these emotions and thoughts bottled up. So I told Tae and she helped me gain some of my sanity back and together we figured everything out. I ended up taking a real pregnancy test and I found out I really wasn’t pregnant. You have no idea how much weight was lifted off of my shoulders.”

“So you’re not pregnant?” he asked

“No, Zaire I’m not pregnant I just thought I was.”

“All damn, you had me scared for a moment. You should have told me when the thought first popped up in your mind. Baby, if you were pregnant it would have been just as much my fault and responsibility as yours. It takes a sperm and an egg to create life and I’m positive you couldn’t have shot your own club up.”

“I’m sorry I kept this from you” I said looking into his eyes. His eyes always had this calming effect on me.

“We good. I’m sorry I almost broke down your door and I’m sorry you had to go through that alone. “

“It’s okay.” I said looking down

“No it’s not Mon. I should have been there and you should have told. You gotta make a deal with me that no matter what going on we have to talk to each other about things. I know I sound like a sprung nigga yet I give no f***s. We in this s**t together.” He reached over and held my hand

“Deal, Zaire” I laughed and leaned over to kiss him on the lips I missed so much.

A couple days later…….

Arianna

I’m sitting in a booth at the back of the library, waiting on Tristan. I swear he’s late for everything except football practice and games.

“Hey Aria.. I mean Tae” I hear a voice say as I look up from my American history book.

“Oh hey Alicia” I greet her. I’ve been seeing a lot more of her ever since we first met. Whenever she sees me she speaks and vice versa. We haven’t hung out or anything but we talk causally.

“Hitting the books hard I see?” she says pointing to the stack of books on my table

“Kinda, I’m waiting on my tutoring student to get here.” I told her. She doesn’t need to know exactly who that student is. That information is on a need to know basis, and she ain’t on that list.

“Oh, you tutor. I didn’t know that, I actually been looking for a tutor myself. My mid-terms were looking crazy and I gotta get my grades up. My parents talking about snagging my car if I don’t.”

“I can refer you to someone if you like. I know some great tutors from the school sponsored program.”

“I was kinda hoping you could do it.”

“Uh.. Alicia I’m kind of busy. I have my own school work and I have to help my student. So I don’t think I can do it.”

“Not to mention you have Tristan to run behind.” She said lowly almost in a mumble

“How did you know that Tristan is my boyfriend?” I said. I look at her face and she looked shocked at I heard her.

“Girl, everyone on campus knows you got number 3 on lock. Pretty much every girl on campus envy’s you.” She said nervously playing with her hair

“I don’t think so.”

“I’m telling you Tae, these chicks wish they were you. Before you came along Tristan was fair game, he never made any commitments to any other girls. No matter how hard they tried.” I saw I bit of jealously in her eyes for a moment. But it disappeared so fast I figured I just was seeing things. She had no reason to be jealous of me or my relationship.

“I wouldn’t know about that because like you said that was before I was here.”

“Yeah, so what’s your secret? Are double jointed or can fold yourself up like a pretzel” she puzzled

“What?” I looked at her like she was crazy. I have no idea what hell she’s talking about

“I was joking, Tae.” She laughed a laugh that didn’t exactly reach her eyes.

“I’ve see you later, smooches.” She disappeared.

That was weird.

I suddenly I felt two strong arms come around my waist. I knew it was Tristan by the feeling I got. Whenever Tristan held me or touch me the butterflies in my stomach started going crazy and I instantly feel safe and secure.

“Wassup booh?” he said and kissed my cheek

“You’re late.” I simply said as he sat beside me.

“Practice ran over. I’m sorry.”

“Did practice really run over or did you just forget about this session?”

“Okay maybe practice didn’t run over.”

“What am I going to do with you?”

“Simple, you gone love me. Now let’s get to study time so later on we can get some US time.” He smirked and ran his hands up my upper thigh until he reached HER. He slowly ran his fingers across HER. I let out a shaky breathe and tried to suppress the moan that threaten to slip out. He dipped her fingers inside my panties for a moment and right then and there I knew I had to stop him before he had me screaming in this library.

I grab his hand and drug it away from me reluctantly, cause like R Kelly says My mind is telling me no but my body my body's telling me yes. I knew I shouldn’t have worn a skirt, Tristan getting very acquainted with my body lately. When I say acquainted I mean he has been touching, grabbing, rubbing, and even licking places I have didn’t even know I had. Having me feeling things I never thought I would.

By the time I had composed myself enough to look at him, he sat there unbothered by what just happened while I’m beside him squeezing my thighs together to get myself under control. He still had that smirk plastered on his face, but other than that he looked like he didn’t just have his hands in my panties.

He’s gone be the death of me, I tell you.