All American 2

VIII

VIII

Heavy silence echoed throughout the condo. Low temperature air circulated noiselessly casting an almost eerie chill that seemed to penetrate every corner of the residence. The absence of sound and light left the impression of the home being vacant, but that was far from the truth. In the dark room a singular body sat on the leather couch. His arms rested comfortably against the top cushion, his feet planted firmly on the ground, his eyes were opened staring blankly at the ceiling above him as he absently twirled the 9-karat gold and resin Ellie Mercer ring on his finger. To anyone else, the silence would have been maddening, but to Kofi it had become his solace. Since Danielle had walked away from him five months ago, the silence had become his only source of comfort. The only reprieve he'd get from his current misery was when he slept, but even then he was constantly being tortured with images of her face. It had become so traumatizing he'd resorted to attempting to avoid sleep altogether but that only enhanced his guilt. He mentally recalled the few times he'd been so deprived of sleep he'd hallucinated hearing her stilettos entering his condo and each time he'd pray it wasn't all a dream he'd be left disappointed. She had left him, but it still felt as if it were a bad dream he was unable to wake from.

The weeks following their breakup his home had become a revolving door for visitors who'd dropped by with the intention of checking up on him but all they seemed intent on was bombarding him with questions that he was unable to answer. His brain would sizzle each time he'd mentally replay that night, wracking his brain at how the night had gone so wrong. His throat felt dry each time he was forced be asked to detail the events that transpired that night, and his ears felt as if they were bleeding internally each time he'd have to sit through his aunt's or mother's speech of him taking ownership of his own destructive behavior. In his own frustration he'd resorted to lashing out, saying things nastier than usual which ultimately had his teammates deserting him, but his family remained. During the beginning of Kofi's depression his mother would visit with her sister-in-law, cooking and replenishing the food in his refrigerator that had gone uneaten. Her visits didn't last too long though. One day, she'd attempted to do a bit of cleaning and had made the mistake of entering his bedroom and accidentally discarding items that had belonged to Danielle.

The containers she had trashed were empty body scrubs that had sat in his shower void of product, but to her son they held a significance place in his home. To any other person this wouldn't have been a big deal, but to Kofi the containers were the only thing besides his jacket he had left of her and his mother's audacity to trash them had him reacting in such a way he had her fleeing from his home with tears in her eyes, her heart pounding from the physical encounter she was unsure she'd be able to walk away from. Dova would stop by his home occasionally, content with sitting silently with him which he was grateful for. Unlike his mother his aunt understood his boundaries and other than to relieve herself she never wandered about his home or touched things disturbing them from where Danielle had placed them. The two would stare at each other for hours, piecing together puzzles she'd bring to keep him engaged. Anthony would drop by with his father to keep him company, but Joseph had given up on him entirely. Kofi's skin would singe with irritation each time his uncle would cast judgmental looks over his glasses at him, his head shaking in disappointment. Although he and his wife had left the event hours earlier than the others they had heard more than enough to piece together all that had taken place. Joseph was so upset with his nephew he couldn't even look in his direction without sneering at him, so he tried to avoid looking at him altogether ignoring him as if he didn't exist.