“Open it,” I said.
She opened it slow and when she saw the bracelet she went still for a second. Rose gold pandora bracelet that she mentioned she wanted. Of course she could buy a million of her own, but I’d heard when they are gifted to you, they hold a sentimental value.I wanted to make memories with this woman, and do nice things for her.
I had bought 3 charms and added them. A boxing glove, a microphone, and a number one.
“The boxing glove is a symbol of how we met and my career.” I said. “The microphone is you, it symbolizes you speaking. And the number one is because you’re going to win this election and because that’s what you are to me.”
She looked at the bracelet for a long time, and then she got up from her seat and came around the table and kissed me right there in the middle of that restaurant. I kissed her back, and didn’t give a damn who was looking.
When she sat back down her eyes were bright.
“What are we doing Xavier?” she asked and I immediately knew she meant our relationship status.
I thought about Brielle standing on her porch the other day when I’d popped up to warn her. I thought about everything that was still unresolved and everything that was still sitting on me that I couldn’t put down yet.
“We’re enjoying each other,” I said. “I really like you Kyla. I don’t want to complicate things by putting a label on something before I know I can fully show up for it the right way.”
She looked at me and I could see the disappointment move through her face and I could also see her decide not to make it into something bigger than it needed to be right now.
“Okay,” she said. She nodded once. “I can respect that.”
“Thank you for not making me feel fucked up about it. I care about you too much to possibly set you up for a disappointment. I’m really not wanting to come off as an asshole cause I love being with you.”
“You’re not an asshole. You’re honest.” She picked up her wine. “I just hope you figure out whatever you need to figure out before I get too far gone.”
I looked at her across that table and thought that she might already be too far gone and that the feeling might be mutual but I kept that to myself.
“My fight is in three days,” I said.
“I know.”
“I want you there. I need you there. You my good luck charm.”
She tilted her head. “As the woman you’re interested in or as the photo opportunity.”
I laughed because now after what I’d just said to her, she was always going to be sarcastic when it came to us doing things with one another.
“As the person I want by my side,” I said. “That’s the only reason I’m asking.”
She looked at me for a second and then smiled.
“You know I’ll be there. I’m gonna support you, just like you support me.”
—
We went back to my place that night and what happened between us was different from the first time. Less urgent. More deliberate. It felt like two people who were starting to understand what they were to each other and were choosing to roll with it anyway. We fucked til the sun was damn near up. This time, I felt like Kyla thought she had something to prove. She did all kind of shit that she didn’t do the first night, and a nigga was falling deeper.
When I woke up she was gone.
I reached over and the bed was empty and cool. I checked my phone and saw that she had sent a text. Her ass pulled a hit and run on me like I’d done Brielle at Simone’s house. This shit didn’t feel good at all.
Kyla: You were sleeping so good I didn’t want to wake you. I got a long day ahead of me. Talk soon.
I stared at that text for a second.
I called her. No answer.
I texted back. Nothing.
