“Saint. Just the person I was looking for.” She grinned. I looked at her, confused. She was dressed in one of my jerseys with a pair of black leggings.
“Why the fuck are you looking for me?”
“I came to support you. Did they stock the suite with my aloe vera juice?” She asked, looking up at me.
“Mariah. We’re not together anymore. You’re not welcome in my suite. Just go home. The things you left at my house have been boxed up, and I’ll have Kam drop them off to you soon. And stop being shady towards Blessing on social media. You did that shit just to get posted on that lil ass page. Goodbye.”
“So it’s true.. you’re fucking that bitch.” She scoffed, pulling her phone from her purse. She unlocked her phone and turned it to face me. “I was sent this video the other day. I figured it was just a one-night thing, but clearly there’s more going on.”
I pressed play on the video, squinting at the screen. Someone had recorded a video of Blessing and me kissing at Rumors the other night. For the angle of the video, I could tell it was recorded from inside the section. I knew exactly where the video had come from.
“So what, Mariah. Yes, I’m seeing Blessing now. Why is that your business?”
“It’s only been a couple of weeks since we broke up, Saint! The only reason you’re moving on so fast is if you were already seeing her. End it before that video leaks, or I’ll report Blessing to her employer,” Mariah spat.
I sucked my teeth and smacked the phone from her hand. “Get the fuck out of my face, Mariah. I’m warning you now, find something safe to do. If that video gets leaked, you’ll see a side of me that you’ve never seen before. Stupid ass girl.” I pushed pasther, heading to the security desk to get her removed from the stadium.
“Uno fucking out!” Dru yelled, slapping a card on the table. Everybody groaned, complaining because this was his fourth time winning since we’d started playing after dinner.
“Nigga you’re cheating. Stand up and pull your pockets out.” Chanel said, patting his pockets.
“Right, ain’t no way he won back-to-back like that. You can’t play shit else.” Messiah chuckled, picking up all the cards.
“Why y’all in here being so damn loud?” Blessing stepped into the entertainment room with her hands on her hips. She’d been in the kitchen, baking Sage’s birthday cake for her birthday party tomorrow. Her shirt was covered in what appeared to be flour. “Y’all better not wake my baby up.”
“Bae, she’s good, she can’t even hear us. You finished with the cake?” I asked, motioning for her to come to me. She climbed into my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“Aye, don’t start that kissing shit in front of me,” Messiah warned before getting up from the table.
“You would’ve hated to see what the fuck they were doing in the club last weekend,” Dru mumbled.
“Stop being messy, Dru.” Blessing rolled her eyes, giving him the finger.
“What the fuck went on in the club last weekend?”
“Nothing.” We both responded simultaneously.
“Man, come on, Kaia. I’m finna bounce before they piss me off. You so hot in the ass. That’s exactly why you got a damn baby now.”
“Messiah, please, I’m literally 25. Bye Kaia. See y’all tomorrow.” Blessing said as they left the room.
Once we heard the front door close, the rest of the room burst into laughter.
“I don’t know why you even said that, Dru. You know how sensitive that nigga is about his sisters.” Chanel said, mushing his head.
“Hell yeah, you remember when he caught me staring at her at that block party a few years ago.”
“Wait, you were at the block party? I don’t remember seeing you there.” Blessing asked, eyebrows raised in confusion.
“Mhm..” I hummed, thinking about the day I first laid eyes on her.
Flashback – Four Years Ago
“Damn, this bitch jumpin’,” I said, slapping hands with Dru. The block was packed, music was blasting, and kids were chasing each other with water balloons. Every year, Messiah threw a block party to celebrate Labor Day. The scent of barbecued food on the grills filled my nostrils. I rubbed my stomach. I couldn’t wait to get a plate.
“Hell yeah, you know the hood gone come out every year. You don’t need to be out here too long, though. You know how they get when the kids go inside. I don’t need shit happening to you before the draft.” He said sternly. I nodded, understanding what he meant. As soon as the kids went inside for the night, niggas acted like they didn’t know better. I’d skipped the last two parties, and I was glad I did. Both ended with somebody being shot.
“Wassup, superstar!” Messiah greeted me, pulling me into a hug. “I didn’t expect you to show up. You know we proud of you,right? Nigga you finna be in the muthafuckin’ NFL. Don’t forget about us.”