Chapter Ava Reynolds
AVA REYNOLDS
The next afternoon, I walked down the hall toward Sincere’s condo.
Luckily, things hadn’t been weird between us. After that failed kiss at Ace and Slick’s retirement party, we didn’t let it ruin our friendship.
We were having lunch in his condo because he was working from home that day.
I lifted my hand to knock, but the door opened before I could.
Reek stepped out.
He looked entirely too good. He paused when he saw me and grinned. “What’s up, Ava?” As he greeted me, his eyes dragged over me so long that I noticed.
“Hey,” I replied, holding his gaze.
He leaned in slightly, close enough to feel intentional, then straightened and kept moving. “Enjoy your lunch.”
And just like that, he was gone.
I stood there for a second, annoyed with myself for replaying it. Once again, I couldn’t tell if Reek was flirting or just being Reek. He never crossed the line far enough to be sure. And he never followed up with action, if he was flirting.
Either way, I knew I couldn’t handle a man like him. He was too rough around the edges for me.
Inside, Sincere looked relaxed in sweatpants and a fitted tee. He was sitting at the island with his laptop in front of him.
“Uber Eats is about fifteen minutes out,” he said. “You want a drink?”
“It’s only noon.”
He looked at me over his glasses. “And, nigga?”
I giggled. “A mimosa is cool.”
As he left the stool and moved around the kitchen, I immediately noticed the pep in his step and the smile on his face when neither of us were saying a word.
I leaned against the island, watching him with a curious, taunting smirk. “So… what happened with you and Rhythm after you took her home Thanksgiving night?”
He froze for half a second. Then he exhaled and laughed. “Damn. Straight to it, huh?”
“I know you, and you look different.”
I didn’t just know him. I adored him. I loved him. So, yes, I knew almost everything about him.
He poured the champagne, added juice, then finally met my eyes. “We slept together.”
I nodded slowly, bracing myself. “Okay.”
“She’s dope.” This nigga was blushing. He was excited about her.
His voice quickened as he started to ramble.
“Like… really dope. Our vibe is so natural, it’s scary.
We get along like we’ve known each other for years, like we’ve been on the same wavelength the whole time.
It don’t feel forced.” He caught himself mid-sentence and paused. “You good?”
I forced a smile. “I will be.”
Then he started to look sorry for me. “You sure?”
I made my smile grow wider, despite feeling the ache in my heart. “I’m happy for you.”
He studied my face, then nodded. “Yeah. Anyway.” He cleared his throat over the tension we were trying to ignore. Then, lucky for both of us, his phone rang. “This is business,” he told me as he looked at the name flashing on the screen. “I gotta take this.”
I shooed him away, and he stepped out of the kitchen. The moment I was alone, the smile fell.
I let the tears come quietly, pressing my lips together so no whimpers slipped out.
I knew Sincere and I couldn’t be together. And I really was happy for him. He deserved the world after what Tempo had done to him. But I wanted my own version of that. I wanted my own happiness.
I wasn’t jealous. I wasn’t mad. I just felt…
empty. And the emptiness wasn’t only about him.
It was about me. I didn’t know who I was anymore.
School had been my thing. That had been my identity.
When my father died, and even though the man turned out to be a sadistic motherfucker, losing him still ripped a hole in my life.
It took away whatever direction I thought I had.
Now my identity felt like it belonged to everyone else.
I was Zahra’s little sister. I was being protected in Zahra’s big house with Zahra’s rich husband, surrounded by security.
Everybody meant well, but it still felt like I was living inside somebody else’s life.
And men didn’t even try because I was “Saint’s little sister.” That title came with assumptions, fear, and rules I didn’t make. Most men stayed away because they were scared. The ones who did approach me wanted clout. Nobody ever just wanted me.
Meanwhile, everybody around me had marriage, children, careers, and purpose. Being in rooms full of people who were growing and building constantly reminded me of how stalled my own life felt. I was grateful. I was safe. I was loved. But I was stuck.
I wanted my own life back. I needed more than being protected. I needed more than being somebody’s little sister.
I needed something that was mine.