Page 22 of Nostalgia
“Don’t call me that.” My voice was void of emotion. I wasn’t upset. In fact, I was elated. I got to get rid of this sorry piece of ass. I didn’t want anything to do with someone that could lie about a pregnancy or try to destroy someone’s life with it. Then she had laughed. I really didn’t want to have to deal with this psycho for any longer than I had to.
“What?” Her voice was sickly sweet.
I pushed her hands off of me. “If I actually believed your sob story about your pregnancy, I sure as hell wouldn’t be believing it now with the stench of alcohol on your breath.”
She blinked a few times before the words sunk in. Like she had forgotten she had lied about a pregnancy just a few short weeks ago. “I lost the baby.”
Fake tears filled her big, surprised eyes and I laughed. I wanted to pull my phone out and show her the video Aiyanna had brought to my attention. The video I would always keep on hand in case this crazy chick tried something crazier. “Get lost. I don’t do liars. I don’t hang around liars. And honestly,” I leaned in close to her. Grabbed her chin between my fingers. “You’re lucky I haven’t shared the video of you telling your friends about the plot about how you fake getting pregnant and then keep the guy with a sob story.”
She ripped her chin out of my hands and her face flushed red. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“When people ask why webroke upyou tell them that you lied,” Hatred burned in my gut. “You tell them you lied because if you don’t and someone comes to me with your bullshit, I will share the video of you being a liar with all of my,” I stopped and thought about the social media Ian had pimped out for me. “Is it ten thousand followers?”
She pulled her purse to her chest and fled the bar. I smiled and took the side exit into the alley. I popped my earbuds back into my ears and dialed the number of the girl I really wanted to speak to.
“Hello?” Aiyanna’s voice was strained and I could hardly hear her over the people chatting in the background. It sounded like she was in a tunnel.
“I came to see you tonight, but to my surprise, you hopped on a plane and went home.” I didn’t want to sound mad, I really didn’t but I couldn’t help the emotion from coming out. I had already started to take the walls down when it came to her and now I felt like I was the one being hurt. I felt stupid. “You ain’t leaving forever, right?”
“Is Derek Mule feeling insecure?” I could hear her smirk on the other end of the line.
“How do you know my full name?” I was surprised. Had she been digging up dirt on me? Something about that didn’t sit well. I didn’t want her to find out my past from a paper or an internet search. Though an internet search would take her a while, it wasn’t impossible to find.
“Ian showed me your social media accounts and asked my opinion on which shirtless pictures were better ofyou.” The phone muffled and I heard her speak to someone else. “No, thanks. I have an Uber coming.”
“You went home?”
“Uh,” she sounded like she was considering her words carefully. “Yes.”
“Why?” I didn’t know why it mattered. I didn’t know why it got to me. Maybe it was because I was jealous. I wanted to see her and make her laugh but here I was on the other side of the country trying to convince her that I wanted more time with her and I was doing a terrible job at it.
“Because I’m an aunt to twin little girls and I have never met them.” Her voice broke and I knew if I kept prying she would cry and I would never forgive myself.
“I want you to come back.” I was declaring it. I wasn’t going to have any regrets. I wanted to see her again. “I want to take you on dates. I want to kiss you again.”
“Oh woah,” Her voice came through loudly. I worried I had gone too far but then again, I didn’t really care. No regrets. “Are you feeling threatened by my sudden acceptance of my past?”
“Never.” I started to jog back to my apartment. It was a long run, but I knew it would pass by quickly as long as Aiyanna was on the phone. “I made the mistake of not calling you sooner and I don’t want to make any more of those. You opened up to me and my team. You laid it all bare for anyone to come and pick at. You inspired me. You made me want to be better. I may be dark and damaged but you went through things too. You went through worse.”
“No,” she whispered. I wanted to tuck her into my arms and just hold her. The note in her voice tore me apart. “I don’t know what happened to you, but just because I went through horrific things doesn’t mean that they were worse than what you went through. We will have plenty of time when I get home next week. I’m not moving away.”
“Aiya?” A man’s muffled voice came through the phone. “You grew up.”
“Derek?”
“Yeah?” I scrubbed my hand down my face.
“I have to go, but thank you for calling.”
“Bye,” I slipped my phone back into the band on my arm and picked up my pace. If I continued at this rate it wouldn’t be until the next morning when I got home.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Aiyanna
I hadn’t expectedanyone to pick me up from the airport. I had specifically told them not to do that. But here I was, watching my brother run across the parking lot toward me. His dark hair was long and in a ponytail at the back of his neck. He was massive. He obviously worked out more than once a day. His brown eyes were kind. The same brown eyes that had pleaded with me to stay hidden as dad beat on mom. The same brown eyes that had loved me and tormented me growing up. He was different but his eyes were the same. Kota opened his arms and I launched myself into them. Ten years gone. Ten years away from the people I had loved more than anyone else. The conversation with Derek disappeared as I inhaled the familiar smell of home. He smelled like beans and cornbread. He never stayed far from the kitchen when we were young.
“Are you ready for your hour-long drive back home?” Kota asked as he grabbed my luggage. I had brought my suitcases that weren’t name brand but they were still expensive and they certainly looked it too. I had tried my best to leave the wealth at home but it was hard to do. Everything I owned was valuable. Kota had noticed immediately. I knew what they would think and I knew they would judge and I wasn’t prepared for it. The thought left me feeling empty and raw. I felt exposed.
