The next day, I tried to focus on myself. I walked around LA, grabbed myself some lunch, ate it on the beach as I looked for apartments, and filled out job applications. Trying to act like I was happy building a new life without Gio in it.
Every now and then, my phone would ring. I didn’t have to look at the screen to know who it was.
I didn’t answer it, though. I told myself to be strong and fight the urge to pick up, even though I was battling with wanting to know if he was okay.
I carried on with my day even though it was a lil’ hard. I spent some money and even got a call back from one of the places I had just applied to for an interview.
Even though I was full of mixed emotions, I felt good about the call and the interview. A job was going to put me in the right direction, even though my heart wanted something else.
I spent the whole day at the beach, just about. Enjoying the weather and relaxing to the sounds of waves crashing against the shore. People were laughing, kids were running around with ice cream, a few couples lay out on the towels like it was perfect.
I watched them for a minute and smirked as I thought about Gio and me.
The beach used to bring us peace. He would watch me dip my toes in the water, and I would watch him smoke and not think. I pushed the thought out of my head and stood up, brushing the sand off my legs. I wasn’t trying to have LA haunt me with memories of that man.
By the time I got back to my parents’ house, the sun was going down. I kicked my shoes off by the door and went into the kitchen to pour myself some wine before going to take a shower and changing into an oversized shirt. As I laid across the bed, sipping and scrolling, my phone froze, and a call came through.
Gio, once again.
My chest tightened immediately.
I let it ring until it stopped, and I let out the breath I was holding until it rang again.
I rolled my eyes and flipped the phone over on the bed like that was gonna stop my heart from trying to beat out of my chest.
It stopped, then he called again. I knew the nigga wasn’t gonna give up.
I sighed, grabbing the phone and staring at his name for a long second before answering.
“What, Gio?” I said flat.
There was a slight pause before he spoke.
“Damn, girl, you really tryna leave me.”
Just hearing his voice made something in my chest loosen up, a bunch of feelings that I had kinda just gone away. I hated that.
“What do you want, Gio?”
He chuckled low. “You, I want you, and what you mean by what I want? I can’t check on my girl now? That’s crazy.”
“I’m not your girl,” I said quickly, reminding him of what he already knew.
“You are right; you are my wife.”
I sucked my teeth, trying not to blush even though he couldn’t see me.
“Boy, stop playin’ with me.”
“You know I’m serious, my luv,” he said calmly. “We’re just at a lil’ bump in the road right now.”
I leaned back on my pillow, staring at the ceiling.
“You got a lot of nerve to say that.”
“What?” he asked. “You acting like you don’t know me and how I feel about you—how I always felt about you, even when a nigga tryin’ to keep it P, you still know.”
I shook my head.
