The Air I Breathe

Chapter 1 - All Choked Up

(Author's Note: This takes place in 2015 after Age Of Ultron debuted in theaters.)

Italics = thoughts
Bold italics = flashback

GWEN'S P.O.V.

The sun rose illuminating the sky and my bedroom with its golden rays and as of 4:05 a.m., I am officially 28 years of age. I'm still trying to figure out if that's a good thing or a bad thing because as of 12 hours ago, I'm also a newly single lady. Thanks a lot, Beyonce! And the way it happened couldn't be any more unbelievable if I wrote it myself! And being a freelance writer, that's saying a WHOLE LOT!

-

12 Hours Ago

I was on my way to visit my boyfriend, Michael, at his place in Soho. He told me he came down with the flu so I was bringing some homemade soup to cheer him up. This wasn't the first time I played nursemaid for him; then again, those times he wasn't exactly "sick". It was just a clever excuse to get me to come over because he always loved my "bedside manner"... if you get my drift. We had keys to each other's places so when nobody answered my knocks, I let myself in. Now, he wasn't what you'd call a slob, but he wasn't a neat freak, either so when I noticed clothes strewn across the floor, I wasn't too alarmed... that is, until I saw a red pencil skirt draped over the back of the couch in the living room.

"He better be auditioning for the next season of RuPaul's Drag Race or I'll make him wish he was!" I think to myself.

I followed the trail of discarded finery to his bedroom where I heard the unmistakable sounds of knocking boots. In about two seconds, boots ain't gonna be the only things getting knocked if I have my way!

"Okay, Gwen. Just think about this rationally. I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for him cheating on a Nubian goddess like me. And there is... He's a MOTHERFUCKING, TWO-TIMING SNAKE!" I think to myself. I can feel my blood boil but before I completely blow my top, I take a deep, cleansing breath... THEN I KICK IN THE DOOR LIKE A DAMN S.W.A.T. TEAM! I knew those karate lessons would come in handy.

"AAAHHHH!"

You should have seen it! Michael got off of his side piece so fast, he fell out of bed backwards, nekkid as a jaybird! Slammed his head on the floor before he shot up to look at me.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" Michael shrieked as he scrambled to cover himself up. Like I haven't seen his Johnson already!

"I should be asking YOU that!" I shout with my right hand holding the thermos full of soup and my left hand on my hip.

"Baby? Who the hell is this?" The... woman... asked Michael.

"'Baby'? Bitch, I'm his girlfriend! The woman whose pictures he's obviously put away so you wouldn't know he's taken! And you!" I turn to Michael. "I came over to take care of you because I thought you were sick! But I see you got someone else to play doctor with you!"

"Sweetheart, I can explain..."

"Shut it! You can keep your 'sweetheart' and your 'baby' and any other pet name out of your damn mouth!"

"Now, look..."

"No, YOU look!" I'm about to shut this bitch down somethin' proper! "I got no beef with you. It's up to you to keep it that way." The look I gave her told her I don't play. She closed her mouth REAL quick!

"What?! It takes two to tango! How come she gets off?!" My, now, ex-boyfriend yells.

"Okay, 1... from what I've seen and heard, you BOTH got off! 2... she may have put her goodies on display, but you were in a relationship! It was your responsibility to say no! That's on you, not her! And 3..." I unscrew the top to the thermos and taste some of the soup... the scalding, hot soup before setting it on the table by the door. "It'd be such a shame to waste all this soup. Oh! Before I forget... here's your key back. You can drop mine off in the morning. Have a nice life!"