Ride Or Die Chick

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"I can't live without you, but I think I can survive without you." —Angel

The tape is noisy as I extend it over the large cardboard box. I use the automatic cutter built on the durable clear tape to stop at how long I need the piece to be and seal the ends. I put the tape down next to me and almost scream when I see my sneaker sitting next to the box.

I went to pack it three times and for some reason keep forgetting to put it in the box. For the last few days I've been packing up all my belongings to leave. The whole time I had conflicting feelings about it. One minute I was angry and dumping everything I owned in containers and boxes and the next I was crying, taking things out and thinking I was going too far.

But I told myself I had to do this. If Money thought I wasn't serious about leaving, then I had to show him I wasn't just all talk. The whole time I was here by myself I've been making phone calls for apartments. It was really hard with no income to show how I would be able to pay for my apartment. But a little money went a long way.

I spoke to my new landlord over the phone who told me, he didn't care about background checks and proof of income, but I would have to pay a little more extra for rent than others since he was taking the risk. I agreed, I just wanted to be out of here.

I sigh and use my fingernails to pry the ends of the tape off. I only peel it off the box halfway to toss the sneaker inside and reseal it, pressing my hand over the tape for a few seconds to ensure it stays down. The place was pretty much empty. I moved out most of the furniture, packed all of our kitchen silverware and dishes and even the tv in the living room.

Money would come back to a love seat couch, a bed, a fridge and a plant. He should be happy, it was more than enough. I was even leaving with some of the money we got doing stickups. Over one hundred something grand of it. I helped him get it, so technically half was mine.

Every single day Money had been sending me voicemails and text messages apologizing and saying how much he loved me and missed me. And at some points as pathetic as it sounded, I would replay some of the voicemails over and over or read the text where he told me he loved me multiple times.

I was so hurt, Money damaged me. If someone I've known for all my life could hurt me this way, I'd hate to see what the outside world could do. It was going to be really hard to separate from Money, I didn't think, eat or breathe anything besides him, but this was necessary.

It sounded outlandish for me to say, but maybe Money cheating on me was a good thing. Him cheating was forcing me to open my eyes and be independent. It was showing me that our relationship was probably even toxic—most likely just on my end, though. Money was like a God to me, but this just showed me a new him. The influence this man had on me was so powerful, I could be convinced money did grow on trees, if Benjamin Carter said it did.

Most of everything was already at the other apartment. The furniture and all the other heavy stuff. All I had now were the last five or six boxes. I wasn't taking the jeep either, Money could keep it. I hired a U-haul truck to move all my stuff and when I wanted to get around I'd use regular transportation. I wasn't planning on being out and about anyway.

I'm greeted by a knock on my open front door by the two workers who I hired to help fetch my stuff, breathing heavily. They'd been up and down the stairs loading up stuff in the truck for two hours. They were both young Caucasian men in there mid twenties. Tim and Gary, I think.

"Excuse me ma'am, are these the last of it?" The tall, chubby one with the glasses asks me, motioning to the last set of boxes sitting around me.

I quickly stand and smile, "Yes, these are it."