Page 42 of And It’s Still You

I giggled. “Shut up. You get on my nerves.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“Now it is. You get on my nerves in a way where I don’t want you to stop. I missed you always teasing me.”

“It’s my favorite pastime.”

I believed him.

As Shea continued to massage my feet, I wondered what life would look like if we continued with how we were moving.

Would we be back together?

Would we stay together?

Only time would tell, but in the back of my mind, I was waiting for the ball to drop.

12

O'SHEA COLLIER

“I’m not with this shit, Onyx.”

“Yeah, yeah. I hear you. It’s necessary for now, so don’t start complaining and shit.”

“I’m not complaining. I’m keeping it real with you. You got ’bout . . .” I paused and checked the time on my phone. “Thirty minutes before I leave, so wrap this shit up.”

“Damn. Moya got you like that, huh?”

“She does, so let’s move.”

Without waiting for him to respond, I put my blunt out and hopped out the truck. Tre and Cyn were right behind me as we headed into the J warehouse where they had Hayes. I wanted to be in and out. It was the third night in a row that I had promised Moya I’d be back by a certain time and hadn’t been. I refused to go back into old patterns, especially when I didn’t have to. Before I let it come in between Moya and me, I would let Onyx handle shit without me. I’d rather sacrifice my relationship with him than her.

“O, hold up.”

I stopped in my tracks but didn’t turn around as Onyx approached me. Tre and Cyn headed inside the warehouse, leaving me standing there with my father.

“What? I’m ready to get this shit over with and go home,” I informed him.

“Please, don’t tell me you’re putting Moya before JMG again.”

“You damn right, I am. What? You thought because I was helping you that I would be all in for the time being? Fuck that.”

“All over some pussy?”

Before I could catch myself, I shoved Onyx hard as hell. He almost tripped but found his footing before he hit the ground. I stood tall as he got in my personal space. We were chest to chest, glaring at one another.

“Since that was yo’ first time trying me, I’m going to let it slide. Don’t ever try that shit again, O’Shea. I don’t give a fuck ’bout you being in yo’ feelings. I’m yo’ father. Show me some respect.”

“Miss me with that bullshit. Respect is earned, not given. You’ve been testing me this whole time, knowing I’m the child who stands on how they feel. I love you, Onyx. I do, but I love my family more. I’m working on getting that back, and I’ll be damned if I let you or JMG ruin it for me again. I advise you to keep Moya’s name out yo’ mouth, or shit won’t be nice.”

“Oh, so that’s what it is? Yo’ little ego still bruised from when she left you. Now, that she’s let you sniff her pussy again, you feeling yourself.”

My fists clenched. If it wasn’t for me hearing God’s voice, telling me to walk away, I would’ve rocked Onyx’s shit. The disrespect was becoming too much. He didn’t understand what it meant to truly love someone how I did Moya, and unfortunately, I didn’t believe he ever would.

I brushed past him, making sure to bump his shoulder, and walked away.

“O! Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”