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“You mean, other than prey on my little brother for a come up?” Kimberly responded, my face immediately scrunching with confusion as she used the most arrogant tone to say, “Yeah, I see right through your bullshit,Shakira.”
Initially, I was led to believe that Kimberly just saw me as a distraction. But learning the real root of her dislike for me truly had me flabbergasted, the way she’d said my name eliciting a humorless chuckle as I repeated, “Prey on your little brother for a come up?That’swhat you think I’m doing?”
“That’s what Iknowyou’re doing,” Kimberly insisted. “It’s what all you Instagram hoes do. Find the professional athlete who just can’t resist you, make them think you’resoin love, and then bleed them dry before moving on to your next victim.”
There was so much wrong with what she’d said that I found myself speechless, my attempt at a response starting and stopping at, “I…wow.” But the fact that she had the nerve to stand there and look proud about her false claims allowed me to find the words to tell her, “I honestly don’t even know what to say other than you’re trash as fuck for making such a gross assumption.”
Snapping her head back in shock, Kimberly repeated, “A gross assumption? You’ve literally spent the last few years bouncing from athlete to athlete, but now I’mjust… making shit up?”
Yes.
The answer was yes.
And to prove that, I asked, “Other than your brother, what athletes have I dated, Kimberly? Please name them for me since you knowsomuch about my relationship history.”
“Well, there’s Enzo Shaw, for one.”
“No, not for one. He’s theonlyone,” I emphasized, the subtle look of surprise on Kimberly’s face making it obvious that she wasn’t expecting to hear that. But even with the new information, she still didn’t back down which meant neither was I, getting right up in her face to say, “Just because the internet wants to link me romantically to every sports playin’ nigga that I’ve ever shared space with doesn’t mean that shit is true. And even if Ididdate them all, it’s wack for you to assume it was only because I was trying to exploit them.”
To be honest, she could feel however she wanted to feel about who I had and hadn’t dated. But to claim that I was out here taking advantage of people without actually knowing shit about me was crossing the line. And it was unfortunate that instead of just accepting the truth and owning up to how wrong she was, Kimberly chose to dig herself a deeper hole when she asked, “So why Snoop then? If it’s not at all about his money?”
“I’m sorry, but do you even know your brother?” I asked with a baffled frown. “Cause if you did, you would realize just how disgusting and stupid your question is.”
“I knowexactlywho my brother is,” Kimberly argued. “But what Idon’tknow is why you’re with him other than the fact that he’s a millionaire.”
There wasso much more to Kendall Dogwood than his money.
Like,somuch more.
And even though him having it was obviously a plus, for Kimberly to act like that was the only thing about him that I could possibly be attracted to was honestly comical, my reasons for loving Kendall bringing an easy smile to my face as I shared, “First of all, your brother is fuckin’ fine. Like, top two and not two. But he’s also a gentleman, and a sweetheart. And I can honestly say I’ve never felt more secure in a relationship than I do with him, never felt more…accepted, more cherished. I mean, the love he pours into me on a daily truly makes me feel like there’s nothing in this world I can’t do. And I can only hope I make him feel the same way.”
Kimberly could take my explanation or leave it, but it was what it was. And honestly, by that point, there was really nothing more left for me to say which was why I started to head back into the house until Kimberly blurted, “He seems happy with you,” her words prompting me to turn back around as she added, “Happier than I’ve seen him in a while.”
“And for that reason, you should be happyforhim instead of… whatever the hell this is.”
I truly didn’t have the words to describe the egregious ways in which she was behaving. But Kimberly still understood what I was saying enough to try to justify it when she responded, “He’s my little brother. Being protective of him is all I know.”
“Well a huge part of being protective of someone is being able to recognize what theyactuallyneed protection from.”
I might not have grown up with any siblings of my own nor fully understood the plight of being a big sister, but I knew what it was like to care deeply about the well-being of others. And I knew how it felt to be worried about them potentially being mistreated, allowing me to empathize a little when I told her, “I’m not sayin’ you don’t have a right to be curious about my intentions, especially with Kendall’s stature considered. I mean, I’ve seen what some womenand menwill do for a come up, and that shit isnastybusiness. But I promise you, that’s not what this is, Kimberly. What Kendall and I have is real.”
At first, she didn’t say anything back. And really, I didn’t need her to say shit since me and my feelings for her brother weren’t going anywhere regardless. But Icansay that I was surprised to hear her finally admit, “I believe you. AndI… apologize for presuming otherwise.”
Getting an apology out of her shouldn’t have felt like such an accomplishment, but it did. And even though I wasn’t about to act like that shit was worth celebrating since that was the least she could do, Ididoffer her a half-hearted smile when I told her, “I appreciate that.”
Kimberly smiling back at me felt so weird.
Like, lowkey eerie.
So eerie that it made me uncomfortable to the point of evoking a nervous giggle as I said, “Now you done talkedwaytoo much shit about me for me to consider you anything close to a friend,but… maybe we’ll get there in a few years.”
“I respect that,” Kimberly responded as we both started to head back into the house. And considering how close Kendall was to the door when we got inside, I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d been eavesdropping the entire time, the sight of him bringing an amused grin to my face as he slipped his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and asked, “Everything good?”
I knewIfelt a little better, but I couldn’t speak for Kimberly, instead peeking her way to ask the same question her brother had. But once she responded with a smile that allowed me to get a good glimpse of her dimples, it was clear we were at least in the same book now, making it feel like a true achievement when I answered, “Yeah.We’re good.”
