Noelle.

SIX.

Keith.

"I have to go, Keith, and you should too" Aria spoke coldly. She stood up from the bar stool across from me and I gently grabbed her right arm, standing up now. "Aria, I didn't come over here to get shut down. I feel like you not even trying to hear me out" I retorted. I drove 25 minutes during my hour break to talk to her before she went to pick Noelle and Nani up from the airport.

"What is there to hear, Keith? Your actions told me everything that I needed to know. What more is there to be said? What more is there for me to listen to?" She blurted, turning to face me. I could see the hurt on her face and it broke my heart a little. Aria is a relaxed woman, never got riled up nor raised her voice unless she felt the need to, which still was rare.

She's always been so gentle, even when I would continually hurt her. Even when I'd ghost her, or choose other women who I knew I didn't care for the way I did for her, over her. I never thought I'd see the day where I'd feel heartache the way I did the very last time she decided that she wanted to cut all communication with me a few months ago.

The thought of me hurting her never crossed my mind, not in a million years. I continued to abuse the love that she gave me because I knew it would always be there. I wanted to do what I wanted to do then come back to her when I pleased, knowing that she gon' always be there. Knowing that ima always have access to her.

She stared me in my eyes as I towered over her 5'6 frame. She stood firm in our short stare off until her eyes started watering, "I have to go get Leilani and Noelle, and you have to get back to work" she re-iterated, gently pulling her arm from me as she walked towards the stairs in her home, basically telling me to let myself out.

I watched her go up the stairs then sighed deeply, making my way to her front door. I let myself out and made my way back to my job. That visit ain't go at all how I planned it, I really fucked up this time. After driving silently, I realized that my eyes were watering. I never imagined not being able to go back to Aria.

It sound horrible, but now that I'm older, I'm ready to settle down, and I wouldn't want to do that with nobody but her. I done had my pick of the litter, and instead of having just one, one good one, great even, I wanted my cake and to eat it too.

Traffic was kicking my ass and I was holding back tears, stomach growling and all. My little sister and niece were in town and I wasn't in the best mood. I didn't have enough time to stop and get me something to eat but knew I had frozen chicken nuggets in the mini fridge near my desk and decided on eating a sad meal for a sad day.
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While out with Javier and Jeremiah, Noelle just so happened to be at the same bar as us with Aria, Aria's sister Alonna, and another one of their old friends named Emani. I waved my little sister over, happy to finally see her again. This wasn't the place where I intended to meet back up with her for the first time in years, but something was better than nothing.

Off rip, I could see a little tension between her and Jeremiah but she's an adult and can handle herself. Noelle wasn't one to be swooned by a man, she was dominant and knew exactly what she wanted. If I'm honest, I invited her over cause I really wanted to see Aria, as much as I love my sister and missed her, Aria was on my mind heavy after our unfinished conversation earlier today.

Something about seeing her cry in front of me today shook me up. When my sister and her friends came over, I glanced at Aria, my gaze pausing on her as she avoided eye contact with me, as if I didn't even exist at the table while Noelle introduced her friends to mine. I eyed Aria as she smiled, shaking Javier and Jeremiah's hands, her dimples prominent on her cheeks. I watched her, her black tube top paired with a pair of satin pants and black combat boots. Her sheer long sleeve coverup hanging off one shoulder and a black and grey Dior purse hiked up on her shoulder.