Page 28 of Trust Issues
“I like it. It’s just not my fave.” She shrugged and picked through the bag of groceries Naima was trying to put away. I’d never seen such a tiny person inhale so much fucking food and never gain a pound. She must have been magic.
“We’ll change that tonight,” I said with confidence. Kyle curled her top lip at me and reached for a bag of tortilla chips and a jar of salsa from the groceries.
“You can’t eat the food before I can put it away, Kyle,” Naima complained with a heavy frown.
“Challenge accepted,” Kyle laughed walking out of the kitchen.
“I have got to speed up the process on my house in LA. I can’t handle Kyle. I don’t know how you two do it.”
“How we do what?” I asked Naima. My eyes were fixed on the hazel-eyed, loc-wearing pain in my ass sitting on the couch in the living room, sharing tortilla chips with Barkley.
“Hang out so much. Kyle is my girl. She’s my ace but I won’t be sad when I move out.” She nudged me and I snapped back to our conversation. I heard everything she said but I may have been preoccupied with the troll in the living room.Maybe.
“You and Kyle get along better than I’ve seen her get along with anyone.”
“I know. You two have something different though. You bring her down to earth and keep her ass on earth. You know sometimes Kyle can get ahead of herself and everyone else. You’re the only person I’ve seen who keeps her in check. You give her everything she gives you.” Naima’s words didn’t settle well with me. In fact, they made me feel suddenly claustrophobic. I was surrounded by thoughts that made me uncomfortable as hell.
I helped her put the rest of the groceries away and then I headed to the front door. Barkley rushed over to me and stood on his hind legs begging for attention but I had to get to my own apartment. Kyle’s lips fell into a frown as she regarded me. Her eyes probed me for answers.
“Let me go check the light bulb in my fridge. Kyle, nineties sitcoms tonight?”
“Yeah, of course. Have snacks.” She was her usual crass self but I could tell something about me leaving jarred her. It had the same effect on me but I was about to be crushed by my own thoughts so I had to get out of there.
…
KYLA
“Max ran out of here like something I said offended him,” Naima said. She walked to her room and I followed.
“Who knows what offended him. He’s like a little girl. He gets offended by everything.” I paused a beat and folded my arms. “I take that back. I know little girls who aren’t nearly as offended by shit as Max is.” I didn’t know what his problem was but I didn’t care. I was still chewing on inviting Austin to my place and granting him a do-over.
“Did you do something to him before I came home?”
“Me? Why would you ever assume that? I’m nothing but an angel to that man. He always finds some way to attack me though.” I sat on Naima’s bed and crossed my legs. My eyes wandered around her room to all the boxes and bags she had stacked neatly against the far wall. As much as I loved my solitude, I’d miss the hell out of Naima when she left for LA.
“You have no idea how much work I need to get done tonight. I want to get ahead of this album release and I just got word of a surprise pregnancy that’s going to make the internet explode. I need to get proof though. I’ll be on the phone all damn night but hopefully, I can get the confirmation I’m looking for and run the story tonight.” She rambled on and on and I felt like she was making excuses not to hang out with me. I knew that absolutely wasn’t the case though. That was me projecting on to her because I knew without her or Max to hang out with I’d be faced with the possibility of calling Austin.
“So, what I’m hearing is you won’t be hanging out with me.” I pouted and swung my leg back and forth. Naima looked at me and rolled her eyes so far up into her head it was a wonder the girl didn’t get a migraine.
“Everything isn’t always about you, Kyle. Plus, I’m not gonna be here when I chase down the story. I’m going to Cadence’s house. She had a date but he canceled last minute so I’m going to keep her company. That way she doesn’t drown her sorrows in liquor and call me at one in the morning.” Naima started gathering her laptops and putting them each in bags then she gathered her notebooks.
I watched her for a few seconds with narrowed eyes then I said, “Wait, Cadence called you at one in the morning? Why am I just now hearing about this? Also, why didn’t she call me?” I was more curious than anything else. It seemed like a new friendship was blossoming rapidly before my eyes.
“I don’t know, Kyle,” Naima laughed. “Stop worrying about it. Plus, you have Max and I know you two are hanging out tonight so stop acting like you’re whining over me leaving.” She played with her hair in the mirror then looked over her shoulder at me. “Does my hair look okay?”
“Girl, you’re going over Cadence’s house. Why do you care?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugged and tossed her shoulder-length crop of curls this way and that. She finally decided on a half-up-half-down puff.
“Fine, Naima. Leave me here to wrestle with the decision of calling Austin by myself. Go.” I waved her off dramatically then flopped backward on the bed. Her eyes grew wide and in seconds she was by my side.
“Did you say callAustin? I thought he didn’t make it past round one with you.”
“He didn’t but he’s called me for three days straight trying to get a do-over. Most guys just leave it alone when I cut them off. Not him though. I don’t know…I kind of like his persistence. He’s bordering on annoying but what man isn’t?” I held a pillow in my arms and rested my chin on it.
“Kyle, I don’t think a truer statement has ever left your mouth. I’m about done with men altogether. They just let you down. I know I tease you about your bible book of standards but I really do understand. In this day and age, who really has time to waste figuring out if a guy is Mr. Right?”
“Yeah. That’s exactly my dilemma. Do I go for it with Austin?” Naima opened her mouth to speak but I was on my feet gesturing dramatically. “Do I take a chance on granting him a rare second chance with Kyla Bradshaw? Or do I tell him he made his bed and now he needs to lie in it? Maybe I’ll miss out on Mr. Right by shunning him?” My mind was running a million miles a minute and I didn’t know how to slow it down.
