Extraordinary Love

Chapter 22

Song: You Should Be Here by Kehlani

Aaliyah

If there was one thing I could do, it was hold a grudge.

Karrueche and I haven't talked in almost a week. I wasn't proud of myself but I may have had a few more choice words I wanted to share after that disagreement in the lunchroom. I just didn't take to disrespect kindly, especially from someone that I trusted. I told Karrueche about Desi in confidence. She didn't know the whole story but she knew that I had a kid that I had guardianship of that lived with a family member now. She thought that Desi was my sister, through my dad. Though I didn't say that explicitly, I didn't correct her either.
Though she may not know everything, it was low as fuck of her to throw it back in my face.

Work was tense. Neither of us would even look in the other's direction. Kae even moved desks, which was petty because if anyone should be mad, it was me. The tension was even getting to Derek. He had barely spoken to me unless he had to, which was very unlike him. We were friends. He was uneasy around Kae too which made me feel slightly better, though he talked to her more than he did to me. They might have had an awkward aura about them but it felt like he picking sides, and he wasn't siding with me.

To make things even more complicated, Chris has been completely in his head since the whole news about Robyn and Aaron. He'll be right next to me but in his head, he's still in the past, miles away. I can see that it's on his mind but I didn't want to pressure him into talking about it if he wasn't ready.

He had been holed up in his studio preparing for his upcoming show. To be honest, I thought he was just using it as an excuse to avoid reminders of Robyn every five minutes.

I wasn't going to let him stay holed up forever though.

I rang the buzzer at the front door of the Royalty Galleria. I wasn't even sure if he was there, to be honest. He had been off the grid so I just assumed I'd find him here. The lights were off inside, the curtains were drawn. I waited. No answer. I rang again. I waited a little longer. Still no answer. So I buzzed and I buzzed and I buzzed until an irritated Chris appeared at the door. It was the first time he didn't seem necessarily happy to see me.

"No hello? I haven't seen you in almost a week."

He walked off towards the back. I followed him, carefully stepping around the piles of canvases and numerous boxes in the dark. I was scared to bump into or step on anything, as I definitely couldn't afford to buy or replace it.

I caught up to him when he reached the studio. It was better than the gallery but still had supplies everywhere.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, looking at the canvas in front of him instead at me.

"I missed you. You've been stuck in here like a hermit—"

"I have a big show coming up. I'm busy."

I was not feeling his tone or defensiveness. I didn't know what had gotten into everyone lately but I wasn't the bad guy.

"I know but I just thought—"

"Just thought what? You know what?" he threw down the palette and brush. "I can't concentrate. Can you just go?"

Go. Just go. Just go, just go, just go.

He was pushing me away after I opened myself up to him, bared my soul. He had me at my most vulnerable and now he didn't want to be around me?

He might as well have snatched my chain like Rashad did New New.

"I thought that maybe you had some other things going on and maybe needed some company so you didn't have to go through it alone but I think we both know that this isn't just about your art. Is it about Robyn?"

His eyes snapped up, chest heaving. "You need to leave."

"You know what? I think I will go. I'm sorry to have bothered you... It's obviously about me then. If you couldn't handle that I had a kid, you could've just told me. You didn't have to get my hopes up and say you'd like to meet her. You could've just been a man about it. Goodbye Christopher."

I needed to get out of there as fast as I could. I couldn't let him see me cry. I just needed to focus on the minefield of boxes in between me and the front door.

Before my hand could grasp the cool metal of the handle, he was already in front of me, blocking the exit. I cursed his long legs, how he crossed the room with ease. I tried to sidestep around him but he caught my arm, pulling me back. We played tug of war, me pulling away from him and him pulling me back to him.

"Aaliyah, wait. Wait! Please!"

The break in his voice made me take a look at him. The irritated man that asked me to leave was no longer there, now replaced with a boy who looked like his heart was about to break and had tears forming in his eyes.

"Look, fuck, I'm sorry, I just— I'm trying so hard to keep it together, for you and for myself. I know the last thing you need in your life right now is another problem to worry about. I want to be your rock—"

"You are my rock, dummy. What I need most from you is to be there, not to push me away. I've been pushed away enough already. I need to know you'll be there because I'm here for you."

I brushed away the tear perched on his cheek.

"I'm just afraid that you might not be once you know the whole story."

"Look at me. Though the good, the bad and the ugly, okay? Lay your cards on the table."

Questions:
1.Any characters you'd like to see more of?
2. Is there a specific day you think I should try to upload? Or just publish them as I finish them?
3. What do you think happened between Chris and Robyn?
4. The next chapter will be really long if i keep it as is (easily 3000+ words). Should I break it up or are you guys okay with a long one?

I also going to try and switch up the storytelling style next chapter so we'll see how it goes. I hope to try to make it more vivid than when Aaliyah was telling Chris about her past. Ready to learn about the drama between Chris and Robyn? Be warned, it's not pretty.