Sweet Nothing | Aaliyah x J. Cole

6

The next day, Jay arrives at the station early to get a head start on work. He'd attempted to work from home, but he'd found himself too tempted to call Liyah again. He'd needed some noise.

He has a small office on the third floor, just under the executive level, with a view of the busy DC streets below. He sits at the desk, the radio broadcasting the station's morning, more laid-back program.

Thankfully, the day's itinerary is just a continuation of the week's content. Now he just has to create a good mix from the new tracks the team sent, and top trending tracks. He'll be off tomorrow, to attend the club opening, and his friend, Ko Baine, will takeover Friday night, as usual.

Being free from the station would usually grant him a breath of relief. But knowing that he has to attend the opening, and likely without his date, it's like his clothes begin to shrink against his body, squeezing the air out of him.

He can't stop thinking about her.

The sweet smell of roses. The tightness of her honey canal. The high-pitched yelps she makes as her eyes roll back when he strokes her. The way she pulls his hair.

He leans back in the swivel chair, his hands balling into fists. If there's something wrong, why can't she just talk to me?

And what more could Liyah want, he wonders. He hasn't been giving his time or attention to hoes. He's invited her to this opening, to soft-launch her and finally introduce her to some people. He gives her shout-outs on the radio every now and then, and he knows it pays off.

They don't even argue.

It's Regine. She'd went to Liyah's shop last week, and ran her mouth. Telling lies. His mind flashes back to the conversation about it with Liyah.

Flashback

"One of your hoes came to my spot today," Liyah said as soon as Jay stepped inside. She closed the door behind him, and he turned to face her.

"Damn, that's how you greet me?" He laughed as he took in her slim silhouette.

She folded her arms over her sundress. "I'm not laughing."

He sighed, and kicked off his shoes as customary when coming over. She was so picky about her carpet. He kind of liked that about her.

"I don't even know what you talking about. It's hoes everywhere, man."

Liyah scoffed and tried to walk past him, but he stepped in her path. He must've said something wrong. He wasn't going to let her be mad at him, though.

"What is you talkin' bout?" He stuck his arm out to block her path. She let out a deep breath and looked at her freshly pedicured toes.

"This bitch made an appointment with one of my stylists, and sat in the chair talking about this well-known nigga she's been fucking, who turned out to be none other than DJ Ya himself," Liyah finally looked up at him. He caught a glimpse of something unfamiliar in her eyes.

It wasn't jealousy. It looked deeper than that. He couldn't admit to himself what it was, not yet.

He shrugged. "So?"

She chuckled. "So?"

"Yeah," He said, "So? I already told you I'm not fuckin' nobody else. Why would you believe that hoe?"

Liyah pushed his arm away and returned to her stool at the kitchen island where she was enjoying sushi before he knocked at the door.

He followed behind her, smacking his lips. "Don't push me, yo. Don't piss me off."

"You the one with the reason to be pissed off, huh," Liyah chided. It struck a nerve with him. He leaned against the island beside her and got in her face.

"I can prove it," Jay said, his long dreads hanging on either sides of his face.

She swatted him away, and put a sushi roll in her mouth. "Move, don't get yo hair in my food!" Her words were laced with humor. She was like that; she'd bring up something bothering her, and then pretended like it didn't.

He could tell she was trying to play it off now, but this was a hill he would die on.

"I'm for real. Show me the footage."

"The what?"

"Footage in the shop from the day she came in. Point her out. I can prove I'm not fuckin' her."

She looked him up and down for a bit, and he could tell she was checking whether he was serious. But he didn't budge.

"Fine," she put down her chopsticks and picked up her phone. She went straight to today's security footage and panned until she recognized the woman walk in. Then she paused, passed the phone to Jay, and went back to her meal.

He studied it for a moment, in silent disbelief.

"Case of amnesia?" Liyah mumbled, making him stand up straight again.

"I know her," he wiped his face. She looked up at him, almost with disgust on her face.

"Of course you do," she snatched her phone back.

"Yeah, but I ain't fucking her. I haven't touched her in months. Peep," he took a seat in the stool beside her, pulling out his phone. He scrolled until he found messages with a contact named Regine.

He showed her the messages, the last of which was from December. It was a message from her, asking why he was being a stranger. He'd left her on read. When it didn't look like Liyah was buying it, he pulled up Regine's Instagram account.

Liyah briefly glanced at the girl's page: beautiful, curvy, photographed in designer boutiques and on yachts. Jay's type. But surely it looked like the girl who came to the shop.

Then he showed her their DM's. The messages were the same, he'd left her thirsty ass on read.

"I met her at a Christmas party, fucked her one time and she been on the kid since."

She waved him away, making him retract his phone. "Yeah, whatever."

"Nah, it ain't whatever. I think you owe me an apology," he placed his hand under her chin, and lifted her eyes to his.

"Tuh!" She scoffed with a laugh. "No chance."

"Oh yeah?" He said, accepting the challenge.

"Oh yeah," she said firmly, challenging him even more.

"Say 'I'm sorry, Jermaine'," he commanded.

Liyah bit her lip as she watched his mouth. "Nope."

Jay got closer. "Say it."

She shook her head. Her scooped her off the stool and plopped her down on the counter like a weightless body. "Say it!" He said, pushing her dress to her hips. Her hands gripped onto his shoulders for support, and her pulled her to the edge. She spread her knees without resisting, but her mouth continued to say no as he pushed himself in between.

End Flashback

Jay is firm just thinking about it. Not even because of the way he'd dominated her and got the apology he'd wanted. But because of the look on her face when she'd realized he'd been telling the truth.

Nothing satisfied him more than being doubted.

That, and having peace. And right now, he doesn't feel peace.