Tough Love

Chap 43. • "Unforgiven"

Christopher Brown

"Aya, it's been three days. You need to talk to her." I pestered her for the thirtieth time today. She's been back and forth between my house and hers because she's been having nightmares, and can't even function straight. I literally had to force feed her because she wasn't eating and stayed cooped up in my guest bedroom.

"I can't, Chris. I hate talking about it, I hate thinking about it. I can't do it." She declined my proposal, although I wasn't really asking.

"You constantly ask me if Shayla's okay like I'm supposed to know. That's your girlfriend, I think she deserves to know why you walked out on her like that." I tried to convince her, but she ignored what I said, rolling over to face the wall. I sighed deeply and came over to her side of the bed, sitting in front of her legs.

"You spend every night over here because you can't sleep on your own. You don't even like me. I know it's bad if you got as far as convincing yourself that I wouldn't flirt with you, just for the sake of being in the presence of somebody else." I nudged her side, but she didn't crack a smile.

"What do I even say to her? 'Your brother tried to get me pregnant at 16 and abused the hell out of me'? Do I mention the abortion? My miscarriage? It's too much, I'm not doing it." Her lip poked out and it looked as if she were ready to burst into tears all over again.

"You know what, nah. I get it, you're human. There are things we can't do in life. Some things aren't possible for us. But you know what else you are?" I raised an eyebrow, only getting a shrug in return.

"You're the same human that worked her way into making a 32 song album. The same human who lost all that really mattered to her in life, but found ambition, perseverance, and hope in the middle of it. The same human who wouldn't let anything or anybody, including me, get in the way of what was important to her. You see the pattern here? People can have goals, but it takes a strong person to stick to them."

"I'm not strong, Chris. I'm just stupidly stubborn. I appreciate you trying to pep talk me, but you're not helping." Her voice cracked.

Then I got a crazy idea. One that could cost me my life. It would prove my point though.

"You know, you're being a real bitch right now." I simmered out, fearing for my life. There was a silence, until I felt her shifting under me.

"Being a what?"

"A bitch. You don't care about anybody but yourself, you're not even thinking about how Shayla might feel. That's a bitch-made move."

I'm not being honest right now, but I'm telling her what she needed to hear. What she was lacking was identification of self worth. I know she ain't no bitch, now she needs to show me that she isn't.

"Christopher, what the fuck is wrong with you?" Her brows furrowed deeply.

"Nothing. I just think you're a bitch." I shrugged and struggled to hide the fear that was beating in my chest.

My life flashed before my eyes as her palm met the side of my face roughly. The amount of force exerted to that slap in the face alone was enough to give me whiplash.

The slap was as loud as a clap and stung my face. It had been an open-handed smack and it had left a red welt behind. Just below my eye was a small cut where her ring had caught me. I staggered backwards, clutching my face, eyes watering.

"You see," I said on the verge of tears. "You're stronger than you think." I croaked out, a single teardrop slipping from the crease of my eye.

"Wait, you weren't being serious? Oh shit, I'm so sorry!" She rushed over to me, but I held my hand out to stop her.