Playing With Fire

Chapter 61: Father Figure

Chris:

I leaned against the wooden panel outside of Walgreens health store, as the breeze grazed my face and I smoked a paper rollup of tobacco. I hated that shit! But I inhaled in a haze of smoke that caused my throat to burn and then let my head rest against the wall as I waited patiently for Jen to come back out. Sporadic thoughts clouded my mind throughout the drive over here. And I was positive that I'd really done messed up this time around. I fucked up and I knew I had and honestly I didn't know what I was going to do to try and fix this mess I'd created and insisted on building upon. Guilt was with me from the moment I woke up this morning in a bed that wasn't my own. I still hadn't even allowed myself to think of Jhene or how she'd feel about it. I just couldn't accept the fact that I knew I'd hurt her, before she was even aware of it and if I told her what happened last night after I swore nothing was going on with me and Jen, she would never trust again. Shit, I wouldn't even trust me after this.

The jingling sound from the chime bell on the door signalled that somebody had opened up the shop door again. I looked over to see it was Jen finally walking back out with her arms folded over each other and an upset look on her face. I leaned up off the wall and took one last puff of the tobacco before I flicked the end away.

"...Did you get it?" I asked her through a cloud of smoke, she rolled her eyes and then held up the small chemist bag walking past me. "Well...did you take it?" I questioned following closely behind her.

"Yes Chris, do you want a fucking x-ray to make sure I swallowed too?" she said sarcastically as she opened up the car door and then slammed it shut getting in. I sighed and then dug in my pocket for my phone to check for the time, that's when I realised my battery was completely dead, must've drained out from last night. I kissed my teeth and walked around to the other side and then too, slid inside. I looked over at Jen and she turned her face away from me and leaned her head against the window. I sighed again feeling a little bad. I guess I could've gone about this whole trip to the chemist thing a little better than I did. This morning when I woke up and the realisation of what I'd done settled in, I made sure I took her straight to the pharmacy to get the morning after pill. It weren't outta malice or nothing it's just, I'd already fucked up enough by even sleeping with her yesterday, the last thing I needed was her to turn around and tell me she was pregnant a few months down the line. I was sure not to go down that road for a 3rd time. I asked her if she was on the pill or anything like that and she told me no and I was positive I didn't use any protection last night, so I took her to take the morning after pill, just to be safe. Of course that didn't go down to well with her, I guess she thought it was some kind of diss but honestly it weren't, I just didn't need another kid in my life right now and neither did she. I was thinking about the both of us.

"Are you alright?" I asked gently placing my hand on her thigh

"I'm fine" she mumbled subtly as she chewed on her bottom lip. She pushed my hand of her lap and then crossed both her legs and arms over each other in a closed off manner suggesting she didn't want any form of conversation with me.

"Are you sure? You seem a little mad" I said to her.

"I'm not mad, I don't care. I don't want another baby with you anyway" she replied coldly. "Can you just drive please?"

I sighed and pushed the key into the ignition pulling out of the car lot. "Uh, you don't mind if I make a quick run to my Mama's house do you? I gotta pick up my daughter. I'll just drop you home straight after" I said after a few minutes of silence. She rolled her eyes involuntary and shook her head no

"Just drop me to Danielle's now; I can call a cab from there to take me home" she responded. I scrunched my face up at her being so difficult. That made no damn sense. My mama lived not even 5 minutes away from this Walgreens, all she needed to do was chill in the car for a few minutes until I got Asia and then I'd drop her straight home after, Instead she wanted me to drive an extra 10 minutes until I got to Danielle's just for her to call a cab and pay money to drop her back home.