Lyric

When your man has a chance to go into professional basketball, you don’t nag him as he’s trying to get ready for the draft. And I knew all about that, so I fell back, gave Chance as much room as he needed to train and get himself in top shape for the draft. But that was all over, my man was coming to see me today.

Finally, we were going to put our love out in the open and I couldn’t wait. It had been months since I had seen seen my baby. When the season started he was so busy I hardly saw him. Then his team went to the championship and won. I was there but I didn’t get much time with Chance.

He was in a million interviews and then he became MVP of the game. His family was there so I gave them their space.

But after that things got even crazier. He declared for the draft, had to go to Arizona to trail and I haven’t seen him sense. Now he was the star potential of the draft but we still had to keep everything quiet. He said if anything got out about us and the lines got drawn back to Rya then the press would have a field day.

“I don’t want no bad publicity at all boo. I’m just going to be working out and getting ready for this draft.” That’s what he told me, and I loved that he was taking this seriously. Chance wasn’t the type to buckle down and do stuff but with basketball he had turned into a different person. All over his Instagram were videos of him working out and eating these crazy healthy tasteless meals. He would only text his trainers and me, no one else. I felt like these were the sacrifices we needed to make and a story we would tell for years about how we built our empire.

“Chance. I really want to support you but I’m prepared to leave school and go wherever you're drafted.” I practiced my speech when I heard the door slam.

“Lyric! I saw him!! ”

“Who?”

“Him…”

“Chance?”

“Her head whipped around the corner so fast I thought she was on skates.

“Hell no…” She shook her head. “HIM… P. The guy that saved me.” I felt my heart sink further.

“Where…”

“He’s in my fucking class.” Now I wanted to throw up. I thought tearing his name off the card would ensure she never saw his fine ass again.

“What happened?” I pretended to give a fuck as she started to explain but she started to cry.

“What...what’s wrong.”

“He didn’t recognize me. He acted like he didn’t know me.”

“Aww well, It’s okay girl. At least you got to see him.”

“Fuck that. He didn’t just not remember me but he was rude...told me to…” Before she could finish there were knocks at the door.

“Ugggh. I can never get a story out.”

“It's probably for me.” I tried to stop her but she was already halfway to the door.

“Naw I’ll get it. If it's one of those Jehovah’s Witnesses I’m going to... “ As she opened the door all the color drained from her face. Chance, my baby, was standing there in the flesh.

* * *

I had it all planned out in my head. Chance would walk through the door and push past her. Picking me up he would plant a big wet kiss on my face and Rya would pass out, cry, or pretend to fight us as he carried me outside to a brand new BMW where he would thank me for being by his side. I waited and watched for my fantasy to play out.

“Yes...how may I help you?” She asked him with her voice colder than a sheet of ice.

“Hey Rya” He asked glancing from me back to her. “How are you?” She didn’t say a word.

“Hold on. I’ll get your stuff.” She ran off and returned a second later with a box. He put out his arms to grab it but Rya dropped it at his feet instead.

“Oh...so it’s like that.” With her hands on her hips Rya watched as he fumbled and grabbed the overflowing box of his things.

“No other way to have it.” I waited for him to acknowledge me. Tell her that he didn’t give a damn about her and he was in love with me.

“Is there somewhere we can go and talk?” This was it, he was going to let her down in private then I could tell her to pack her shit in public.

“Nope. Get out my doorway, you're letting the cold in.

“Damn you don’t want to know about me and the draft?” He looked surprised like he was insulted that she didn’t care.

“Nope, don’t want to know shit about you. Please...move…” But Chance wouldn’t budge, he stared down at Rya.

“So you just gonna kick me to the side. You don’t love me no more?” She looked at me and her face registered complete boredom.

“You know what. Lyric...lock the door when Chance leaves please. I’m going to go take a shower.” She didn’t wait for me to respond. Instead she marched back to her room and closed the door. It wasn’t even a slam, she just left. She was playing this game well like she was simply done with him.

“Wassup?” he whispered to me.

“Wassup...what you mean wassup?” He didn’t answer me. Instead he shrugged his shoulders, and turned around laughing as he walked out with the overflowing box of clothes. He acted like he could just walk away from me and not give me any kind of explanation on why I hadn’t seen or spoken to him. He couldn’t have been training that damn hard.

“Excuse me...what the hell?” he motioned for me to come outside in the hall. I did as he asked closing the door behind me. But he still whispered as if we were inside the house and Rya could hear. Why did he still care about her hearing anything?

“Look… I told you we gotta keep it cool.”

“But why. Were both grown.” I told him pushing my titties into his chest. I missed being chest to chest with my man and his arms wrapped around me.

“Because I told you. I’m trying to make sure I get drafted with no bullshit.” I was so tired of hearing about him and this draft. He couldn’t take a piss without considering this basketball draft. He had to know if something would help or hinder his draft position, but why did I have to be neglected?

“I just miss you and…”

“I tell you what. Just meet with me later. Come to my hotel and we can chill.” That instantly sounded like a good idea. I was waiting on him to act like he wanted me. We hadn’t been together in months and I was starting to think he was lying to me about all the time he was spending on training.

“I miss you…” I told him rising on my toes to give him a kiss but he backed away.

“Naw not out here. Don’t want her coming out and starting shit with you.”

“Boy please, this is my place. I’ll put her ass out.” I wanted to, I had thought about it a few times but I needed the money to help pay the mortgage. But now that Chance was going into the draft that wouldn’t be a problem anymore.

“Naw baby. It ain’t that serious. Have pity on her you know…” He gave me a kiss on the forehead. “I’ll see you tonight,” he said with a wink, and disappeared down the hall. Back inside the apartment I acted like nothing was wrong.

“What did he want?” Rya was right in my face, her arms crossed as soon as I walked through the door.

“I wanted to ask him about my brother. You know he’s going into his senior year. Wanted to know if he had any pull with a recruiter.”

“Oh...his bum ass don’t know shit.” I wanted to choke her for talking about him. “Unless it’s the outlines of a bitch’s pussy, he’s clueless.” Rya laughed, going over to the refrigerator. I hated how she stood at the door looking in the fridge like she could take something. Nothing in there belonged to her. She wasn’t even going to eat anything.

“Just because y’all aren’t dating doesn’t mean you gotta shit on him. He knows basketball.” She spun around on her heels with her mouth slacked open.

“So now your defending him?” I had shown too much, let her comments hit me too deep to now backing me into a corner. But I was a cat, I had impressive skills for maneuvering.

“We all became friends. I can’t help it that I grew close to him too.”

“I can’t believe this shit. How are you close…” she stopped talking mid-sentence but I needed her to keep going.

“You and Bryson stayed friends after he broke up with me. That’s how you were able to slip up and tell him that I had been fucking somebody else the entire time we were together. That’s why he took my damn engagement ring back.” I was still mad about it. I couldn’t even breath I was so mad to even have this conversation with her.

“I’m sorry about that Lyric. I told you it was a total mistake.” I still didn’t understand how she made the mistake but I knew that it was done on purpose. She wanted Bryson for herself and what woman wouldn’t. He was fine and paid, a black software developer with an algorithm he was developing for a real estate website. Then he talks to Rya and all of a sudden he wants to call off our engagement. Now my meal ticket was married to somebody else and pumping her ass full of babies while putting diamonds on around her neck.

“Some mail came for you,” she changed the subject, pointing to a huge envelope on the table. She switched the subject that quick but I didn’t give a damn about that mail, I already knew what it was.

I grabbed the envelope, peeling it open as she rummaged around the refrigerator. PAST DUE was up at the top of the first page in red. I immediately stuffed the papers back inside.

“Well, let me go get dressed. We still going to that party right?” She smiled, dancing around like nothing was wrong. To me the world was crumbling, but at least I got to see and hold my baby, he was going to help me with all of this. I grabbed the envelope and headed to my room.

“Yep we’re still going. I need to get out and shake my ass.” I told her, laughing. It was time for me to celebrate with her for the last time.

“Hey…you do know I didn’t mean that all those years ago right? I’m really sorry. Your not still mad are you.” I laughed some more. “Hell no I’m not mad girl. Now go get ready.” I shooed her off as I went to my room. I definitely was passed being mad, I was This bitch was going to be out of my life real soon.

 

To Be Continued