Page 2 of Inadmissible
“My bad, Ma,” RJ said through his chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head. “You ready?” he asked, putting his eyes back on Taj.
“Um, yeah. Uh . . . Can I use your phone real quick? My battery died and I wanna let my brother know you’re coming over.”
“Yeah, sure.”
After putting in his passcode, RJ handed her his phone. She excused herself and stepped on the porch. As quickly as she could, she went through his messages, finding nothing suspicious. She went to his contacts, and though a few names had emojis, nothing looked out of place, until she got tohername. Heractualname. Last they discussed it, RJ told her that her name in his phone was Bae. When Taj went to the contact named Bae and noticed it wasn’t her number, her heart dropped.
She went to his call log, and there were several calls to and from Bae. When she went back to the text thread, she noticed her name and Bae were two separate text threads, and that was when the truth was confirmed through their conversations. RJ was, in fact, cheating on her.
Leaning weakly against the front door, Taj pulled in what she needed to be calming breaths.
“Not again,” she whined.
Taj waited until her tears had dried up to go back inside. After telling RJ that she was ready to go, she gave Viola a tight, lingering hug. After whispered thanks, Taj released her and told her goodbye instead of see you later like she usually did.
The entire twenty minute drive to her home, RJ’s words went in one ear and out of the other. She didn’t even bother trying to pay attention. All she did was stare out of the window willing her tears not to fall. When he finally parked in front of the apartment she shared with her brother, she told him not to bother cutting the car off because he wouldn’t be joining her that night, or ever.
“Why not? What’s wrong?”
“Ask bae,” was all she said as she opened the door.
“I’m trying to,” RJ replied, gripping her arm and pulling her back into her seat. “The fuck is wrong with you, Taj?”
“I know you’re cheating on me, and please, don’t lie. I saw the shit in your phone.”
His body deflated into his seat like a balloon. “Taj,” he called softly. “I can explain.”
“There’s literally nothing you can say, RJ.”
“It was a mistake.”
“A mistake?” She laughed. “Cheating is never a mistake. It’s a choice. And seeing as your last message to her was that you lovedher and couldn’t wait to see her tomorrow, you’ve obviously been fucking with her for a while. You make a mistake every day you’ve been talking to her? That’s what you expect me to believe?”
Sucking his teeth, he avoided her eyes. “I don’t know what to say except I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, you are.”
Scoffing, Taj hopped out of his car and slammed the door. Each step she took away from him became shakier and shakier. By the time she made it inside of her apartment, she was a blubbering mess. At the sight of Taj sliding down the front door as she sobbed, Tyler hopped from his seat and jogged over to her.
He lifted her as if she weighed nothing and pulled her into his arms.
“What’s wrong? Who did it? Who I need to fuck up?”
“H-he cheated on me,” she cried, holding her brother tightly.
“RJ? Maaan,fuckthat nigga, Sis. He wasneverworth you. I’ma let you cry tonight to get that shit off your chest but that’s it. Matter fact—” Tyler released her and headed outside as he said, “I’ma beat his ass for making you cry, and then I’ma let you beat his ass too.”
“Tyler, wait!” Taj yelled, running after her brother.
She knew Tyler would make good on his words because he’d always been a man of action. Quite frankly, RJ wouldn’t be the first man Tyler beat up for hurting his sister. RJ was so caught up in his phone that he didn’t notice Tyler running toward him until Tyler yanked his door open. Had RJ not been wearing a seat belt, Tyler would have pulled him out of the car. Instead, he punched him twice on the side of his face as RJ feverishly threw his car in reverse. Taj watched as he swerved out of the parking lot. Tyler pulled his sweats up and took his time walking backover to her with a frown, and as hurt as Taj was, she burst into a fit of giggles.
Tyler’s expression softened by the time he made his way back over to her.
“Nigga lucky he had that seat belt on,” Tyler grumbled, making her laugh even harder.
“I’m convinced our parents should’ve had you tested for some kind of mental or social disorder when we were kids.”
“They ain’t have to have me tested for shit to know I’on play about my little sister. Anybody can get it when it comes to you, and that’s on me.”
