I stared at the money in my hands, my heart doing that stupid thing again. This was a lot. This was more than I expected.
"Thank you," I said quietly.
"You ain't gotta thank me." He finished his drink in one gulp. "I shoulda did right by you from the jump."
We sat in silence for a minute, the weight of everything hanging between us.
"I know you with him now," Rah finally said. "And I know I ain't got no right to be mad. But that don't mean it don't hurt, seeing you with my homie. Knowing I'm the reason you ain't mine no more."
"Rah..."
"Nah, it's cool. I get it." He stood up, pulling out his wallet and throwing some bills on the table. "Just... be careful with him, aight? Trigg a good nigga, but I don't want you getting hurt again."
"I can take care of myself."
"I know you can." He walked around to my side of the booth and held out his hand. "Come on. Let me walk you to your car."
I took his hand and stood up, and we walked out of the bar in silence. When we got to my car, he pulled me into a hug, with his arms wrapped around me tight.
"I'm sorry," he whispered into my hair. "For everything."
"I know."
He pulled back and kissed my cheek, his lips lingering for just a second longer than they should've. "Take care of yourself, a'ight?"
"You too."
I got in my car and drove home, the envelope sitting in my passenger seat, my heart and mind racing the whole way.
* * *
When I pulled up to my house, I saw somebody sitting on my porch.
My stomach dropped when I realized who it was.
Trigg.
He was leaning back against the railing, his long legs stretched out in front of him, scrolling through his phone. When he heard my car door shut, he looked up, and even in the dark I could see his jaw clench.
"Where you been?" he asked as I walked up the steps.
"Out."
"Out where?"
"Why you worried about it?" I crossed my arms, the envelope tucked under my purse. "You ain't my man, remember? So where I go ain't none of your business."
He stood up then, all six-four of him, and walked over to me, his light brown eyes locked on mine.
"Don't play with me, Ya’Mya. I been calling you all night. You ain't answer. You ain't text back. So, I'ma ask you again, where the fuck you been?"
"And I'ma tell you again, that's something you ask your woman. And I ain't your woman." I tried to walk past him but he stepped in front of me, blocking my path.
"You got a smart ass mouth, you know that?"
"And you got commitment issues. We both got problems."
He stared at me for a long moment, and I could see his jaw working, them dimples popping in and out. Then he tilted his head, his eyes narrowing.
