29. Blessing
ONE MONTH LATER
“Ugh, I missed y’all. I’m so glad the holidays are over.” I smiled, tucking my legs underneath me as I took a seat on the sofa.
“Bless, we literally just saw you on Christmas.” Chanel snickered.
Saint and I had a small get-together on Christmas with our small group of friends. Everybody showed up except for Symone. We weren’t surprised; she’d been so distant lately.
“I know, but it hasn’t just been us three since that day my windows got busted out. Have y’all heard from Symone? I reached out to her a few times and never got a response, but she’s been very active on social media.”
“Girl, I guess we got left in last year.” Taryn laughed.
“Fuck her then. I’ve never been pressed about a bitch being my friend.” Chanel said, rolling her eyes. “I told y’all her vibes were off when I saw her in the studio with Lil Ricky.”
“I don’t get the whole secret boyfriend thing. Especially if she’s fucking with Ricky,” I added.
“She posts pictures of him to her close friends,” Chanel scoffed. “Never a full picture, though. Always a hand or a piece of his chest. She’s secretive for no reason.”
“Her close friends? I must not be in it,” I said, scrunching my face up.
“That’s so weird. Taryn, are you in it?”
“Nope.”
“Oh, look, she just posted again,” Chanel said, turning her phone towards us.
My stomach dropped. I snatched the phone from her, zooming in on the tattooed torso. “Bitch… that’s my fucking man,” I yelled.
My heart slammed into my chest as I stared at the photo. This had to be some sick joke. There was no way her secret “boyfriend” was Saint.
“Nah, Bless, you trippin’. Moo would never do you like that.” Chanel said, taking the phone back.
They both examined the picture while I sat frozen. Tears burned my eyes.
“No… that’s him. I know his fucking body.” I laughed bitterly as I stood. “This nigga got me fucked up.”
I slid my feet into my Crocs, grabbed my keys, and headed for the door.
“Girl, wait, where the hell are you going?” Taryn called, rushing after me. Chanel was right behind her.
“To the training center,” I responded, climbing into my car. They got in without hesitation.
“Bless… wait a second for real. You sure that’s him?” Chanel asked, fastening her seatbelt.
I nodded, quickly pulling out of the driveway. “That’s him. Those tattoos. On my parents, I’m finna fuck both of them up. Played in my fucking face. That weird ass hoe begged us to forgive her, knowing she was fucking my man. MY FUCKING MAN.” I slammed my hand against the steering wheel.
“That’s why she didn’t show up to the party,” Taryn muttered.
“Peep this though. When we were in Willow Creek, we kinda argued about her. He claimed he didn’t like her because she’s messy.
” I shook my head. “I asked that nigga multiple times if there was anything he needed to tell me. He lied straight to my face.” My tears fell faster than I could wipe them away.
“Wait, didn’t she run into him while y’all were at the casino out there? That sneaky ass bitch probably followed y’all.” Taryn said.
“I’m so sorry for bringing her around. I swear I didn’t know.” She added.
I pulled into the parking lot and parked right next to Saint’s Range Rover. I wiped my face, then swung my door open, scraping it against his on purpose.
Coach Charles was seated at the front desk. “What’s up, ladies?” He greeted, looking up from the newspaper he was reading.
“Hey Coach, I just need to talk to Moo really quick.” I nibbled on my bottom lip, fighting back tears.
“He’s in the weight room. You can go right in.” He said, pointing to the doors.
I nodded, going straight there. I spotted him as soon as I walked in.
He was standing with a couple of his teammates, drinking from his tumbler he kept filled with ice water.
His sweat-drenched wife-beater clung to his chiseled chest. Even though I was pissed, I couldn’t deny how fucking good he looked.
His eyes locked onto mine as I approached the group.
“You fucked that bitch Saint?” I asked, shoving his chest. His solid frame didn’t move an inch.
“Fucked who? What’s wrong, baby?” He questioned, grabbing my hands.
I backed away, shaking my head. “Don’t fucking touch me, Saint. You had me around that bitch Symone knowing you fucked her!” I pulled my phone from my pocket, tossing it at him. It hit him right in the mouth.
Rome rushed over, getting in between us.
“What the fuck is going on?”
“He fucked Symone,” I said, my voice cracking. “Did you know?”
Rome sucked his teeth, shaking his head. “Nah, Bless. That’s foul as hell, Moo.”
“Bless chill. Let me explain.” Saint pleaded, reaching around Rome to tug my arm.
I jerked away from him as tears streamed down my face. “No, stop touching me! I asked you, Saint! I fucking asked you, and you lied to my fucking face, knowing this shit would hurt-” I sobbed so hard I couldn’t finish my sentence.
“Come on, Bless,” Taryn said, picking my phone up off the floor.
“Baby, wait—”
“No! Back the fuck up, Moo. I can’t believe you did this shit! I should knock you the fuck out!” Chanel snapped, pointing a finger in his face.
“Aight, get her home. This is not the place for this. Come on, Moo.” Rome said, pushing Saint back.
“Stupid ass nigga.” Chanel mumbled as we left the weight room.
Coach was coming in as we walked out. “What the hell is all the commotion?” He questioned.
I kept walking, not bothering to respond.
My mind spiraled the whole way out. When did he even have the time to be with her? How long had they been playing in my face?
The moment I saw his truck, something snapped inside of me. I dragged my key across the side of his car, but that didn’t stop the ache in my heart.
The air in the house was thick with tension.
I stood in the foyer, arms folded across my chest. My heart was pounding.
The girls were with Messiah. Bringing them with me would stop me from leaving.
Shit wasn’t supposed to be like this. For Christmas, we surprised the girls with their own rooms here, fully decorated with things they love. All this. For nothing.
Saint stood a few feet away from me, eyes red, jaws clenched. “Bless baby… please,” He said quietly, “Just sit down. Just hear me out.”
“I don’t wanna sit. I don’t even want to hear this shit.” I snapped. “Just say what you gotta say so I can bounce.”
He sighed, running a hand across his face. “I fucked up. I know that. But this shit isn’t what she’s making it.”
I laughed dryly. “Then what the fuck is it, Saint?”
“I never cheated on you.”
“But you fucked her?” My stomach twisted.
“Yeah. I fucked her.” He said, staring down at me. “But that shit was a while ago. Before us. Before everything.”
“Then why did you allow me to build a friendship with her? You let me look stupid. If this shit is old, then why is she posting pictures of you two? Like you’re her nigga. This bitch making shit up?”
“Because the bitch is bitter. Mad because I cut her off.”
“This makes no sense. When did you even have time to fuck her? You and Mariah were together for a year. So you were cheating on Mariah with Symone?”
“No—wait, just listen, Blessing. I was not cheating on Mariah with Symone. Mariah and I broke up a lot during our relationship. When we would break up, I’d spin the block and fuck on Symone.
That’s all. The last time I even touched Symone was back in August. It was never anything serious between us. We just fucked, and that was it.”
I stared at him, my eyes stinging with tears. “You’re lying.”
“I swear on everything. On my daddy. On us.”
“Nigga don’t put shit on us!” I snapped, shoving him.
“We’re supposed to be a family, Bless. Please don’t leave me, baby. I’m sorry. Please just don’t leave me. I need you. I need us. The girls. Please don’t take my family from me.”
“I’m supposed to stay because you begged me?” I scoffed. “I did that last time and look how that turned out.”
“No. That’s not what I’m saying. Just don’t leave until you know the full story.”
“Talk.”
“She snuck into my room during an away game.. That game where I scored the touchdown.”
“She what?!” I yelled, shoving him again.
“When I walked into the room, I knew something felt off. Thought I was tripping. I woke up in the middle of the night to her grabbing my dick and kissing me.”
“And you chose to keep this shit from me! I’ve been around her since then!”
“I threw her out the room and threatened to press charges on her.”
“But you didn’t because you didn’t want me to find out. You’re such a fucking liar.”
“That’s not all..” He scratched his eyebrow, looking away from me. “In Willow Creek at the casino, she followed me into the bathroom and cornered me. Questioned me about making this official with you and asked why I never chose her.”
“Wow. You’re a liar. A fucking liar. I asked you, Saint. I fucking asked you! You sat in my face and told me it was nothing!” I shoved him repeatedly until his back hit the wall. My face was drenched in tears. “Why Saint?”
“I didn’t want to lose you. I knew I would lose you if you knew the truth.
I’m sorry, Blessing. I was scared. I wasn’t expecting this shit to blow up in my face.
I was trying to handle shit without it getting back to you because I knew this was how you would react!
I just got you. I can’t lose you already. ”
“Well, congratulations nigga. You lost me.” I mushed him and turned to leave.
He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me into him. “Blessing, please. I know I fucked up. I promise to do whatever it takes to fix this. I can’t lose you. I’ll get a restraining order and change my number.” His arms tightened around me. I could feel his heart pounding in his chest.
“You should’ve done that from the jump. I was humiliated all over the fucking internet. I lost my fucking job! The job I worked so hard to get! I lost it all behind you. But it never mattered because I love you! All you had to do was tell me.” I peeled his arms from me. “I need time.”
“We don’t have time, Blessing!” He stepped in front of me with watery eyes.
“Saint no. Please just let me leave.” I cried. The tears in his eyes pulled at my heartstrings. But it wasn’t enough to make me stay.
He dropped to his knees in front of me. “Bless, please, baby. I can’t let you walk away from me. Not like this.” He clutched his chest. “You makin’ my chest hurt. I will die if you walk out that door!”
I sucked my teeth and walked around him. “Fuck you, Saint.”