“I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“Bullshit. Then, why aren’t you here then? You just gon’ up and leave me like that with no explanation or telling me where you at?”
“I’m a grown woman, and I can come and go as I please.”
I shook my head, trying not to let her quick ass responses drag me down to her level. “Just tell me where you are, and I’ll come to you.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“Why isn’t it? We need to talk.”
“I don’t want to see you.”
“Cass, stop being stubborn and tell me where you are. Did you get your own room here in the hotel?”
“No.”
“Did you get a room somewhere else on the strip?”
“No,” she replied, just as dry as the first time.
I drew in an exasperated breath while pinching the bridge of my nose. “Then, tell me where you are.”
“I’m at the airport, Hendrix.”
My eyes bulged out before frosting over with anger. “The airport? What the fuck are you doing there? Come back to the hotel so we can talk, Cass.”
“No. I’m going home, Hendrix. This whole thing was a?—”
“A what? A mistake?”
“You said it, not me,” she retorted.
I thrust out a breath. “Look, I already know you saw those whack ass photos, and before you go feeling a way, just let me explain. You at least owe me that.”
She scoffed. “I don’t owe you shit, nigga.”
“Just up and leavin’ like that with no explanation? You toxic as hell for that and you know it! How is it that the first time you hear or see something you don’t like, and you up and leave me for the streets without even hearing my side?”
“Why do I need to hear your side of anything with the truth right here in my face? I don’t have shit else to say to you, okay? Everything done in the dark comes to light, remember? And thanks to you I’ve got the whole fuckin’ world in my business because of your lies!”
“Cass, just let me fuckin’ explain. It’s not what it looks like, I put that on everything I love.”
“Oh, like how you love me, right? I don’t believe shit that comes out of your lyin’ ass face! Here I was trying to convince myself that I didn’t need to wait for the other shoe to drop with your ass, and boom, here we are. You know what? I hope you and that two-dollar bitch have a merry fuckin’ Christmas!” she snarled before hanging up in my face.
five
. . .
Cassidy
I couldn’t believe I was boarding a flight back home hours in advance of Christmas. I was surprised that the universe had obliged my wish and granted me the last seat on an outbound flight on Christmas Eve. I so desperately wanted to be sandwiched underneath the solace of my own sheets and completely close out the world, Hendrix included.
After hanging up on him, I put my phone on airplane mode ahead of boarding so I wouldn’t have to be bothered with the million messages flooding my group chat with my girls. Each of them had sent me the screenshots of the photos separately and then all together in the chat. They each took turns analyzing every detail of every picture and questioning where I was, what was I going to do, and if I was okay. They all got ignored.
Truth be told, I didn’t know what I was going to do or if I was okay about it. I couldn’t believe I’d gotten hung up on every word that fell off his silver tongue. I’d been blinded by the dick and in my eyes, he could do no wrong, but the pictures were there in my face. One was of him walking out of his hotel with some mocha-colored, skinny bitch with long, dark hair. Another was of the two of them standing besideeach other and talking, and the last was of her leaning up to kiss him. If it weren’t for the last one, I probably would’ve excused the first two, but seeing another woman’s lips on his—at what was reported to be booty-call hours—set a fire inside me that couldn’t be extinguished.You’re smarter than all this shit, Cass. What the fuck were you thinking dating a fuckin’ ball player?I asked myself before resting my head in between my palms.
The moment my legs propelled me through my front door; the waterworks started to pour. I’d barely kept it together in the backseat of my Uber on the ride home. All I wanted to do was shut out the world for as long as I could. Glancing down at my phone, I noticed the clock had passed midnight and it was officially Christmas morning. For months, I’d fantasized about waking up on Christmas morning with Hendrix by my side. I’d look over at him sleeping peacefully, and I’d cherish the moment of our first Christmas together. I would’ve done anything to feel his arm slip around my waist and spend the day in isolation, opening gifts and watching holiday movie marathons. Yet, I was home alone with a suitcase full of tears, humiliation, and regret. Although it was Christmas, juicy gossip didn’t sleep. I’d gone from a fly on the wall to having my name in everyone’s mouths. I had to face the fact that Hendrix and I weren’t on the island in our secluded villa. We were back to real life, and with real life came bullshit.
