“Hmph. I hear you. What’s up? You’re not just calling me to say hello. Do I need to come up there? Is it Dio?”
Chevy was very much on point. He never missed a beat and was always ten steps ahead. I wasn’t sure whether his upbringing shaped him that way, but it was both a gift and a curse. I wanted to ask him something but didn’t want to make him feel uncomfortable. Yes, I could have gone to Zaria and asked her, but I knew that with him, he wouldn’t sugarcoat it. However, I needed to warm him up first.
“No, you don’t need to come up here. I just wanted to talk to youis all.”
“I’m listening.”
I found myself getting comfortable on my couch as I thought about how to lead into the real question I had. “Remember our conversation about Dio? You said Dio is much like you but on a smaller scale. You said you would kill for Zaria and—”
“I would. Listen, the love Zaria and I have is something you and Dio will never know about. Stop comparing what you two have with what Zaria and I have because they are not the same. If you continue to think like that, you are preparing your mind for something you will not get. I’m not saying Dio is a bad person, but Dio is different. Samara, you are dealing with a man who’s seen shit you couldn’t imagine. He’s everything he says he is. If you don’t believe that, then why are you with him?”
“Because I love him, that’s why!” I snapped.
His breathing became heavy. “Samara, I get it. I’m trying to be cool, but watch how you talk to me.”
Chevy sounded upset, and that wasn’t my intention. For a second, I thought I stopped breathing. “I’m sorry,” I started. “What is an Orange Light Special?” I blurted out.
I heard nothing. The phone went silent. I rose up a bit. “Hello?”
“Shit!” I heard him mumble. “I’m here. It’s um,” he paused again.
“Chevy, just tell me.”
Now it made sense why Paige and Alyse tried to keep it a secret. It was clear the girls didn’t know about it until it was their time. However, I had been with Dio for a year and hadn’t experienced this moment. It began to make me believe I wasn’t worthy of one.
I could hear Chevy taking a deep breath. “I can’t tell you that. What I will say is this: when and if it does happen, I don’t want to hear about it. Give Dio time. If you two are meant for each other, it will happen.”
“Okay,” I mumbled.
I started to think Chevy had forgotten I could still hear him when he began to ramble. “Little fuck nigga. How the fuck? Calling me asking me about a fucking OLS. Goddamn Dio.”
I laughed. “Chevy! I’m still on the phone.”
Suddenly, the line disconnected. I looked around my apartment until my eyes landed on the painting I did of Dio. A smile eased on my face because the day that was created was the day I knew for sure I loved him. Now, I was sitting alone in a space we had shared for months. I looked at my phone, then at his number, and hit the call button.
“Hey, baby,” he whispered.
“Dio, why are you whispering?”
“Mars, I’m kind of busy right now. Let me call you back. I love you,” he whispered, then hung up.
My head flew back. I went to toss my phone beside me when a notification from the Orange App popped up. I clicked on it to see Jesaiah hadsent me a DM.
I moved from the DM to check his page.Member of Chi Kappa Chi, founded in 1939. Number Three.There were countless pictures of the fraternity, him, of course, some lady who sang jazz music, and drawings. I closed out the app and tossed my phone. I lay back thinking.
Is Dio cheating on me? Why was he whispering? Why Is this guy so persistent in talking to me?
I didn’t want any other nigga because I wanted my nigga. However, the way the stars were aligning indicated that my time with Dio was coming to an end.
PERCY
Dio slowly walked up after hanging up on whoever he was talking to and sliding his phone in his pocket. “I’m not about to take flowers off a dead person’s grave!” Dio shouted.
I stopped and looked at him. “Nigga, we been thinking of ideas for two hours. What else are we going to do? You heard Dean Big Brother God’s Gift,” I replied.
I only said his name because something about it agitated Dio.
Dio crossed his arms over his chest. “We’re going to make her ass some paper ones.”
