“Where were you today?” Ciara asked me as soon as I pulled into the parking garage. I was staying with my brother until my place was ready, which wouldn’t be for another month or so. No way was I staying with my parents. Not when they weren't aware that I'd even left her. .
“If you mean where I usually go Monday through Fridays, then work,” I replied, wondering why the fuck that mattered. “You know I am pretty predictable,” I tossed in and laughed. I guess being predictable, yet inaccessible was wearing her ass down. Especially since I hadn’t actually spent the day at work if she did call or show up.
I spent it with Sanniyah and her son, Casper.
“Swoon, please. I’m not calling to argue,” she released, her background eerily quiet. Usually she was out and about with Nyasha and Salantha on a Tuesday, their usual girls day Happy Hour meetup time.
“Who’s arguing, Ciara? Anyway, what’s up,” I asked instead, resting my head against the headrest. No way I going inside so Rome could trip about her being on my line or worse. I guess for a girl like Ciara, a drama free life where I footed all the bills that also came with structure no longer suited the life she’d rather be living.
I could have easily required more of her, helped her land a gig given the industry I worked in, but it wouldn’t have mattered. Not when I realized what mattered to me didn’t matter to her and vice versa. I never went to industry parties or awards shows, even if the show was nominated. That shit was for show. I showed up with it the fuck mattered.
As for Ciara, she’d hound and hound me whenever I'd tell her I wasn't attending. Instead of just chilling, she'd go behind my back then hit Lindsay or Jude up to slide with them. Most times Lindsay said yes while Jude just blew her off gnat she was. Like Rome, he didn’t particularly care for her either and I didn’t care enough about what she wanted anymore to make them.Not when my predictable ass check took care of her and they clowned me for it every chance they could when she was publicizing her every move on social media with my money.
I’m hot, staring at my cell while she breathed heavily in my ear from her end as if I had betrayed her or didn’t hold up my end of the deal to be the supportive boyfriend despite her limited acting gigs she had booked or not booked over the years.
“Blaine called and reminded me there was a walk-a-thon this Saturday. We signed up to attend and we made a pledge,” she slid in, reminding me why it mattered if I showed up. “I can’t go there empty-handed.”
“No and you shouldn’t but what you can do is return a few of those purses. Yves St. Laurent, Givenchy, Chanel, Bottega—pick any one of them mothefuckers. Tags are still on them. Let’s not start with shoes.” The fuck did she expect from me? I was the ex now, right?
“How dare you?” she spat as if I called her up to dig in her shallow ass pockets. Blaine, her sister, was a philanthropist at heart. Sometimes I wondered how they were even raised by the same parents but then again, it was Blaine’s husband that brought that out in her. She somehow acquired a desire to change the world through his eyes while Ciara pretended to be generous with my money…out of my account.
“Look,” I said, looking out at the sky across the parking lot. When I did, I instantly wondered what Sanniyah was doing.
She refused to tell me where she was going after we’d picked up her up a pair of black and red Jordan Retro 1’s for her. I ended up grabbing pair of Air Max 97, gold and black for Casper when she walked out with only one pair. In a matter of an hour of meeting her, I could see that being prideful and stubborn confirmed that she was indeed my Firebell.
Once she stood outside pouting, I did Casper a solid while they waited with Leggo. I was a sneakerhead, so I couldn’t help but snatch up a pair Yeezy Easy Boost 350, some gold ones. This sneaker boutique, Tuck Gallery, was the shit. Not too big, but had enough to generate a buzz. When we approached it, she was so in her head, she passed it before I slowed her down. Then when she looked inside, her mouth dropped.
“I’m sorry, but we can’t go in there,” she said.
We had already agreed I would stay with her dog so she could when she backed away, shaking her head. Then it hit me. This was an exclusive store, if you will. No price tags in sight. It wasn’t the average Footlocker or Champs. Now, I while I wasn’t opposed to shopping at those stores, I wanted her and her son to have the best.
Once I was convinced that she was not, in fact, going inside, I walked inside and handed the sales associate my credit card. I watched her watched me through the glass door, pointing in her direction. She was terrified it seemed when I opened the door and took the dog’s lease, directing them both to go inside.
“But—”
“I mean it, Sanniyah. Go,” I said, firmly as she looked at me with questionable eyes.
“Besides, I owe you, remember?”
"Fine," she groaned, stomping off inside like she and Casper were twins instead of mother and son, causing me to chuckle.
Thirty minutes later, I spent less than a fourth of what I would have spent on Ciara, a tad bit infuriated that she didn’t feel like she or her son deserved them. They were fucking sneakers, not a me putting a down payment on a home.
But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I didn’t consider her feelings. Even after seeing the condition of her sneakers. Hell, or me car confirming that was indeed her car that was maxed to capacity with all of their belongings. Well, she didn’t confirm it. Casper did.
I began to realize even more that the five years of my life was a waste, while wondering why a woman like Sanniyah was struggling like she was. In a matter of a few hours, she'd somehow made an impression on me, even while being stubborn. She was feisty, loud, protective and a woman I’d be proud to fuck with on a more personal level.
But first things first. I needed to figure out how to pitch her as Firebell to the team once we started voiceover auditions. By then, maybe just maybe, she’d see me as an associate or even a friend.
“Tell Blaine I got her, Cee. Now judging from what time it is, you know what I’m going to do next,” I said, enjoying the fact she seemed to miss having a stable nigga in her life.
“Swoon, cut it out. I’m telling you I was just talking. I was frustrated. Like seriously, when’s the last time we fucked? I mean just fucked, clothes snatched off at the door, pussy ate like you’re starving, having me climb up the door and wall. Toes sucked, damn near paralyzing me,” she rambled on while I smiled because when I did stick dick to my woman, I came to put in work. “When was the last time, Swoon!” she screamed like a madwoman. “Exactly, no damn comment because you can’t remember!”
Actually, I did remember. It was our third year anniversary. I surprised her and took her to the Poconos. Lindsay had gone with her then boyfriend and that was all she talked about. She gave me her travel agent’s information and after one call just to inquire, we were booked.
Hell, the entire trip was on a whim to the tune of twelve grand. I wasn’t bitching about money, but we came back and instead of Ciara getting back on her grind, she got back on my account ordering more bullshit she didn’t even need or want. Just ordered it at my expense. And after I gave her good dick every chance she allowed me to slide up in her.
“It’s why I am over this and over you!” she hurled.
“It’s a good thing you are,” I released with a light snicker like I gave a fuck. “Have a nice, spontaneous, eventful and broke ass life, Ciara. I’m out,” I told her, pressing the end button. Strangely, when I did, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my body. If that didn’t seal the deal after packing my bags, I hope this last call did because it was definitely going to be the last fucking call.
That is until I received a notification from that not only were the shoes returned, but the refund was given in cash.
What the hell?
Damn it.
Sanniyah was playing with me over some fucking sneakers.
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