I said that last chapter would be my last update until I got the receipts on that book that someone said had the same character names as mine, but since I'm apparently not going to get it and people just want to talk in the comments for the sake of conversation, I'll continue.
Excuse Mistakes.
Rani.
I was relieved that my two best friends had resolved their issues and we could sit and have drinks and girl talk like nothing ever happened. I could see in Ava's face that she felt stupid and childish for her actions and I couldn't be happier. I thought I was going to have to slap some sense into her.
We sat at Xora's island while she made some drink she had seen on pinterest. She was always so extra, adding ice and garnishes to fancy glasses like she was supposed to be a bartender in another life, but I couldn't lie, the drinks were popping and definitely set the mood for a great night.
"So, what's new with everyone?" She asked as she sat beside me and stole a grape from my bowl. "I missed y'all. We haven't had a night like this in forever."
"I know right." I agreed and Ava smiled small. "Ave, you and Hanif broke up?" I found myself asking out loud even though I meant to keep the thoughts in my head. I sipped from the slim red straw tasting the bitter sweetness and waited for her answer.
"No." She laughed. "What made you ask that? You know that's my bae."
I rolled my eyes, because she was right. She was always stuck up his ass. They spent a lot more time together and seemed to be getting pretty serious. "I was just trying to figure out who had the hottest chick in the game wearing their chain." I said quoting a Jay Z lyric causing them both to laugh before Ava's died down as she checked the small silver necklace on her neck with a pretty cursive E pendent.
"His middle name is Eric. That's what everyone calls him." She answered and we nodded and continued to talk.
As I finished the last of the drink in my glass, and the chicken alfredo that we had been eating while still having our girl talk, something hit me. I felt stupid that it hadn't hit me sooner, but when I looked up and locked eyes with Ava realizing she was giving me the same look, I knew I was right.
Hanif's middle name wasn't Eric.
And I wasn't even sure if Hanif even existed anymore.
I knew her jealousy couldn't really be because of a man she thought looked good who Xora had slept with. Her jealousy ran so much deeper.
She was fucking Ezekiel.
Anthony.
I could feel the sweat seeping through the armpits of my white dress shirt and even though I wore a tie every day, I felt like I was going to choke to death. The lights seemed extremely bright and it was too quiet for my liking.
I had never been to court before. Not when I was the one going before the judge. I had only been for support, but to be on the other side of the swinging gate was a whole different game.
I had to stand before someone and convince them that I wasn't the monster that Cherise made me out to be.
I couldn't pretend like I wasn't hurt. I had invested years into my relationship with her and loved her. I was planning to give her the world. Anything she wanted and needed, she got. Her and my daughter. Yet, here I was. Trying to remove the what ifs from the back on my mind but the longer I sat on the wooden bench alone awaiting my fate, they kept resurfacing.
