Love and Loss

16. I Promise

11:57 pm
Atlanta, GA
Cameron

"I don't know man. What am I even doing out here?" I asked, more to myself than to Aiden, as I spoke to him over the phone. 

I folded up a t-shirt I had pulled from my hotel's drawers and placed it in my duffel bag.

"You out there fighting for your girl." Aiden said simply.

"That's the thing, she not my girl." I shook my head, putting another shirt in the duffle. "We had a moment tonight. It was one of those 'It's finna happen' moments, when you know shit is gonna go down."

"Did it?"

"Fuck no." I grumbled, still feeling some type of way about the whole ordeal. "She told me and I quote, 'It's so complicated." I carried my tone higher, trying to mimic her voice.

"You wildin" Aiden's laugh sounded through the phone. "I mean she's right though. It is complicated."

I smacked my teeth, "Man I'm not tryna hear that."

"I know you not, that's why I'm telling you." He said, making me sigh. "Y'all lost a baby together. Didn't speak for five years, and are finally back on good terms. Not to mention she has a boyfriend and y'all just started talking again. Shit's complicated."

I nodded slowly, knowing he was right. A lot of shit had happened between us and everything was moving pretty fast, at least on my end. But I couldn't help the feelings I had for her. They came so fast, like they never left.

"I'm not sayin' give up, you know I'm rooting' for y'all. I'm just sayin' to take it slow, let the shit happen, don't force it. If it's meant to be it's meant to be."

I sighed, rubbing my hand down my face. "You're right. I fuckin' hate you."

Aiden laughed, "Don't hate the playa, hate the-"

"Don't finish that fuckin' sentence." I warned, making him laugh. A beep on my phone, signaling someone was calling me made me look down. Deija's name appeared across the screen, making something inside of my light up. "Yo, Deija callin' me, I'll hit you back later."

"Aight, tell my sis I said hi."

"Got you." I picked up the phone and pressed accept, putting the phone up to my ear. "Deij, it's only been half an hour. You miss me already?" I teased her, chuckling a little. 

Instead of the usual sassy remark I was expecting, the phone went silent, making me scrunch my brows.

"Deij?" I asked, worriedly. "Deij, are you okay?"

"No." She finally responded, her usually soft voice coming across as scratchy and hoarse. She sounded as if she had been at a concert screaming her lungs out all night. Suddenly, a loud sob sounded over the phone as she cried make me jump into action.

"Deija. Deija, what happened?!" I walked towards the small countertop in my suite, grabbing my keys from off the table and sliding my feet into the Nike slides I left by the door. "Deija, love, please talk to me."

"I need you, Cam." She cried out, her voice filled with so much pain it made my heart clench. "Please, I need you."

"Where are you?" I asked, grabbing my hotel key and walking out of the room quickly. I began to run down the hall, opting to take the stairs instead of the elevator, since it would be quicker.