Promise

Chapter 9

Jay made me block Destiny from every social media app. I didn't protest. I had no business following her anyways. My curiosity had only gotten me into trouble and I needed to stay in my lane. For now, just focus on not getting Jay mad so we could be happy together. I liked when he was happy. When we were happy.

"I'll be here to pick you up," Jay said.

We had both just gotten out of practice and he'd dropped me off for my shift at work.

"You remember what I told you right?"

I sighed and nodded my head up and down.

"Don't talk to Lawrence and text you as soon as I'm off," I repeated the rules he'd given me on the drive over here.

I expected Jay to kiss me but instead he only went onto his phone. I got out of the car and walked into work.

"Hey," Naomi said as I walked into the break room.

"Hi," I said. I clocked in and grabbed an available walkie from the table.

"I finished the chemistry homework if you need to see it. I know you were struggling in class today."

"Thank you."

For once I was doing less of the talking and Naomi was initiating the conversation. Naomi noticed this and stared at me curiously.

"Can i ask you something?" I asked.

"Go for it," she replied.

"Does Jay have...like, anger issues? I mean how often do you see him get upset?"

Naomi looked down and bit on her nail.

"My brother just as a lot of emotion inside of him that he doesn't really know how to handle," she said.

"Because of your mom?" I questioned.

"What did he tell you?"

"He told me she was a drug addict and stole from your dad."

Naomi nodded.

"She did," she said. "My dad was messed up for a while."

"How so?"

Naomi paused as if she'd shared more than she wanted. She opened her mouth to speak however was interrupted by my manager Steve walking in.

"Hey, ladies," Steve said. "Amore, could you go to your station please."

I nodded and he walked out.

"My break is long over," Naomi said. She stood up.

"What were you going to say?" I persisted.

"I don't really like telling my family business like that."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. She kept starting to tell me her business but as soon as my question were getting answered she'd leave me on a cliffhanger. I was sick of it.

"Why won't anyone just tell me?" I asked throwing my hands in the air. "I'm so sick of being in the dark. This is my relationship I deserve to have some clarity."

Naomi blinked and sighed. It wasn't a sigh of reluctance but one that she seemed tired of holding in.

"When Mom left, our dad was angry of course," Naomi started. "He never took it out on me but with Jay...with Jay he would always start arguments with him. Sometimes they'd escalate if you know what I mean. Our dad was depressed and drank he couldn't control himself."

"That's not an excuse," I said bitterly. "Why Jay? It's not like he made your mom leave."

"I don't know. Maybe because Jay was always trying to be positive our dad saw that as an annoyance and took it out on him. It didn't stop until my dad found my mom on the streets one day and convinced her to get help. She was in rehab for a year and moved back in with us. Jay only hates her so much because he blames her for our dad beating him while she was gone."