Passion of the Streets

by A'zayler

  She sniffled again. “Okay.”

  Silence hung in the air as they both held in things that needed to be said. Jamil especially. He wanted so badly to ask her how the baby was and if she’d kept it, but that would only trouble him even more. Not knowing whether she was still carrying his baby had been weighing on his mind since she left. He was just too afraid of what she might say.

  In the back of his mind, her keeping his baby would signify she hadn’t moved on, or at least had no plans to do so as yet. However, if he asked her and she had indeed aborted it, that might be it for them, and he couldn’t handle that right then. He needed to keep the little hope he had for them while he was in Miami. That was pretty much all he had to keep him going.

  “How’s track?” he asked her.

  “Good. I have a race this Saturday at Howard University against Stacy Dunlap. We’re finally going to see who’s really worthy of that number one spot.”

  Jamil could hear the anxiousness in her voice, which in return made him a little hyper as well. “That’s what’s up, Gee. I know you’re going to do great. Is it going to be on TV?”

  “Yeah, it is, but I was hoping that maybe you could come.”

  Jamil sat up so on the side of his bed. “You really want me to be there?”

  “If you’re not, I don’t know if I’ll win.”

  Jamil smiled. She still loved him too. “Of course you’re going to win. You’re the best.”

  She paused. “Does that mean you’ll come?”

  Jamil didn’t know how he was going to make it work, he just knew he had to. “Hell yeah, I’ma be there. When you fly in? Let me pick you up.”

  “I get there Friday. My coach is coming with me, so you don’t have to pick me up, but I’ll send you my hotel information and you can stay with me.”

  Jamil could feel himself getting happier by the second. The thought of seeing his Gee had him on cloud nine. Her lips, her thighs, that smile, and her gorgeous face—all of those things bum-rushed his thoughts at once. It had been so long since he’d been wrapped up in her love, and to know it was only a few days away had him feeling different. So different that he spoke without thinking.

  “What about my baby, Gee? You still got it?”

  He could hear her clearing her throat, and it made him nervous. He could feel it. She was about to break his heart.

  “Gee . . . my baby . . .” He didn’t want to ask again, but now that it was out, he needed to know.

  “Yes, Milli, I have it. Check your phone. I just sent you a picture.”

  Jamil snatched his phone from his ear quickly and went to his messages. When he pulled up Gia’s name, there was a picture of a black-and-white ultrasound. He could see the baby’s long legs and arms, and he couldn’t stop himself from smiling.

  “Aww, man, Gee.”

  She giggled. “I know, right. It’s amazing. I just got that one yesterday.”

  “This baby got some long-ass legs already.”

  Again, Gia’s laughter floated through the phone. “Like Daddy.”

  “Damn.” Jamil sighed as he lay back on the bed staring at the picture. “Thank you, Gee. Thank you for keeping it.”

  “I told you I couldn’t get rid of something this amazing. It’s a product of me and you, the love we share. Even though you been acting like a butthole to me, I still wouldn’t do something like that.”

  “My fault, Gee. For real, I’m sorry about all of this. It’s just a lot going on right now.”

  “I guess, but I’ll see you next weekend. I have to go now.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m sleepy.”

  Jamil really didn’t want to let her off the phone, but he understood, so he did. After she told him she loved him and he reciprocated, he tossed the phone onto the bed next to him and closed his eyes. He couldn’t wait to be with Gee, even if it was only for a few hours.

  He had to think of something to get out of town for the weekend without Alira trying to tag along. He really didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but he most definitely would if he had to. Gee came before anyone, and that was law.

  “You left me outside to come and lie down?” Alira’s voice came from the door of his room.

  “I’m tired.”

  “From what? Georgia to here is not that far.”

  Jamil kept his eyes closed so that she would know he wasn’t listening. He knew the drive from Columbus to Miami wasn’t a bad one, but he was still tired. The fuck did it concern her for anyway? He’d gone home to check on his parents and meet up with Shock for a few days and had just returned earlier that day.

  That was his problem with her right then. Outside of her being thirsty, she was always being nosy. Worrying about shit that had nothing to do with her.

  “Milli.” His name rolled off her tongue seductively.

  Jamil hated when she called him that. For some reason it only sounded right coming from Gia, and every time Alira said it, it made him angry.

  “Get out. I’m about to take a nap.”

  He could feel her presence at his door for a few minutes before she sucked her teeth and left. The door slammed so hard one of the pictures fell off the wall, but he didn’t care. This wasn’t his shit.

  * * *

  “You sure you don’t want to ride with us, sweetheart?” Oni’s father asked her.

  When she turned around he was standing at her front door with her mother next to him. They were going to a cookout at one of his friends’ house. He had been asking her to come along all day.

  “I’m sure. Y’all go ahead. I’ll be here when you get back.” She gave them a reassuring smile to let them know that she was fine and they could leave.

  “Okay, baby. Just call me if you need anything,” her father said as he and her mother headed for the stairs.

  Oni was sitting on the small bench beneath her window staring outside. She had so much on her mind that she had no desire to do much of anything. All she wanted to do was figure out what was next for her so that she could get some sleep at night.

  Ever since the night she’d found out who Isaac really was, she hadn’t been able to rest. It was heavy on her mind because she didn’t know what to do. Initially she’d thought maybe telling Gia was the right thing to do, but now she wasn’t so sure.

  In no way, shape, or form did she want any harm to come to Jamil, but she didn’t want any to come to Isaac either. She was so torn. On the one hand, she was in love with a man and would be devastated if something happened to him. On the other hand, so were her cousin and best friend.

  Gia loved Jamil just as much as Oni loved Isaac. If something were to transpire between the two of them, then surely she and Gia would be inconsolable. She had been driving herself crazy trying to figure out what to do next, but she was lost.

  The only thing that was pushing her a little more toward telling Gia was the fact that Gia was pregnant. Oni didn’t want her to have to go through life raising her baby alone because something had happened to Jamil. She sighed and held her head in the palm of her hand.

  “How did I get myself into this?” Oni pulled at her hair lightly as she rocked back and forth.

  It was all so much. Almost too much. She had to make a decision. She wasn’t too involved with the scheme of things and how Little Monty—or Isaac, as she knew him—conducted business, but she was sure whatever she decided, she needed to act fast.

  She had been going over and over in her mind trying to figure out what would happen if she told Isaac she knew who he really was. What if he hurt her? What if he hurt her, Gia, and Jamil? Oni wanted to scream as she laid her head back against the wall. She was so overwhelmed.

  After taking a few deep breaths, she decided she would get out of the house and go shopping. Maybe some retail therapy would do the trick. Isaac had been calling her nonstop, and it was becoming harder and harder for her to resist. Busying herself in the mall would definitely do the trick.

  Once she’d gotten herself dressed in a cute little dress and som
e sandals, she grabbed her things and headed for the mall. She needed to get something for Gia’s trip anyway. She had called her the night before to make sure she was still meeting her in Washington.

  As soon as she got into the mall she almost regretted it. It was so packed that she could hardly move, but she was there now, so she’d might as well do what she had to do. One store after another, Oni shopped until she’d found exactly what she was looking for; a cute little romper and something for them to hit the clubs if Gia wanted to. All she had to do now was grab a pair of heels for her nighttime wear and she would be set.

  “Those are so comfortable. I have that exact pair in red.”

  Oni looked to the side to see a beautiful dark-skinned lady standing next to her. She was so pretty Oni almost neglected to speak back to her.

  “These?” She held up the tan pair of heels.

  The lady touched her shoulder and nodded. “Yes. So comfortable. I can wear them all night with no problems. They’re so comfortable I’ve even worn them to the club and kept them on for hubby once I got home.” She winked at Oni.

  “Oh well, I definitely need to get these.” Oni turned the shoe over and checked the price. “Damn. Never mind. These are out of my budget.”

  Oni and the lady laughed before the lady nudged her shoulder. “That’s why you get a man with money like I did. Girl, I don’t pay for shit. We’ve been together for years, and it’s the same old thing. He gives me that weak dick, I take it, act happy, and spend all of his money whenever I want.”

  The lady was being so forward. She was definitely Oni’s type of woman. “I like you.” Oni smiled.

  “Girl, I’m just being real. You give these niggas your heart and they do what they want. I learned a long time ago to never love a man more than he loves me. The moment you show signs of genuine feelings for their asses, they do you dirty. That’s why you always have to be smarter than them. Beat them at their own games.”

  “Even if you love them?”

  “Especially if you love them. Men aren’t good for nothing but money and kids. Don’t be a fool, sweetie.”

  “Well, I’m good on kids for now.” Oni shook her head.

  A faraway look appeared in the lady’s eyes. “I had one. She died, so now I just live for me.”

  Oni immediately felt bad for saying she didn’t want any. You never knew what people were going through.

  “I’m sorry,” Oni said.

  The smile was back on her face. “It’s fine, sweetie. I’m over it. Now I just use her daddy for his money.”

  “I want to be just like you when I grow up.”

  Oni and the lady both started laughing. They laughed together as the lady slowly moved toward the register.

  “Don’t be like me, baby. Be better.”

  Oni nodded and went back to looking at the shoes. They were the cutest pair in the store, but they were so expensive. She was just going to have to find something else. Since she was done shopping, Oni headed out of the store and bumped right into the man who was coming in.

  “Excuse me. I’m so sorry.” Oni looked up as the man tried to steady her.

  “Oni.” Isaac looked down at her. “You’ve been ignoring me.”

  Oni looked away and stepped out of his grasp. “I have to go. Sorry for bumping into you.” She walked away and he followed her.

  “Oni, wait!” He grabbed her. “You don’t love me anymore?”

  She took a deep breath, trying to her hardest to remain calm. She had no intention of crying in the middle of the mall, but being close to him brought back everything she’d been thinking about.

  “Of course I love you.”

  “Well, come see me tonight. Please. I have something I want to talk to you about.”

  Oni thought about telling him no but felt herself nodding instead.

  His lips brushed against her cheek quickly before he stepped away. “I love you.”

  Oni was about to tell him she loved him too, but the pretty lady from the store caught her attention. “See you later.” Oni waved at her as she neared.

  She smiled back. “Remember what I told you, sweetie.” She winked at Oni and turned her attention to Isaac. “Ready, baby?”

  If at all possible, Oni died right there in the middle of the mall.

  Baby? Isaac was the man the lady had been talking about in the store? How could that be? Was this the lady who had invited him to the party? All kinds of things floated through Oni’s head as she smiled at the lady and nodded again.

  “I remember. It was nice to meet you all.” Oni cleared her throat and walked away.

  When she looked back over her shoulder as she rode down the escalator, she saw Isaac still watching her. He looked like he wanted to say something so badly, but couldn’t. And to be honest, it was best that he didn’t. Oni didn’t know how much more she could take.

  She thought about everything the lady had told her, everything she’d heard Isaac tell her, and the constant pressure of needing to make a decision about it all. By the time she got home, she was too tired to do anything except fall into her bed and go to sleep.

  When she finally woke up, she had ten missed calls from Isaac and a few text messages. All of them were begging her to come over. She tossed her phone down just as it began ringing again. She stared at Isaac’s name before pressing the Answer button.

  “Oni, please,” he begged.

  “What do you want, Isaac?”

  “Please come over and let me explain. I’ll tell you everything, I promise.”

  “Why should I believe you? You’re nothing but a liar.”

  She could hear him sighing dramatically. “Please, Oni, just give me a chance.”

  “Maybe some other time. I’m a little busy right now.” Oni hung up before he could say anything else.

  She just needed some time. Just a little bit of time to get her thoughts together, then she would handle it all. Hopefully she wouldn’t wait until it was too late.

  * * *

  Finally, the day Gia had been waiting for was here. She and her coach had just landed in Washington and were preparing to check into their hotel rooms. She’d talked to her parents and Oni, and all of them were already in their rooms and waiting for her.

  Due to her coach’s strict orders, she was only allowed to see them for a few minutes before it was time for bed. He told her he wanted to make sure she was ready for her big day tomorrow. Like the understanding people they were, her parents and Oni all agreed.

  “Get some rest, Gianna. I’ll see you in the morning,” her coach told her as he headed down the opposite end of the hallway.

  “I will.” Gia used her key card to get into her room and set her bags down.

  As soon as she got settled, she grabbed her pajamas and headed for the bathroom. She couldn’t wait to shower after all of her traveling. The hot water felt just as good as she knew it would as she stood beneath the stream of it.

  Gia bathed quickly and wrapped herself in her towel. As soon as she stepped out of the bathroom, her eyes landed on Jamil. He was laid back on her bed in nothing but a pair of gym shorts. His chest was bare, showing off all of his tattoos. His long legs and long orange hair were spread out all over the bed as he lay perfectly still with his eyes closed.

  “Come here,” he told her without even opening his eyes.

  Gia’s heart smiled as she walked to him and straddled his lap. His hands went to both sides of her body immediately. He rubbed her up and down, squeezing in certain places and rubbing in others.

  “I missed you.” He finally opened his eyes.

  “I missed you more.” She leaned over and kissed his lips. “I didn’t think you were still coming.”

  Jamil reached up and pulled her towel away. “I wouldn’t have missed it for anything in the world.” He took a deep breath. “Getting an extra key to your room was hell, but I made it happen.” He chuckled.

  He stared at her naked body as he groped her breasts. He massaged and twirled her nipples as he be
gan to harden beneath her.

  “You ready to give me some pussy?”

  Gia nodded and eased up so that he could pull his shorts off. The two of them maneuvered until he was completely undressed. When she was comfortably back on top of him, she lifted some so that he could slide in. They both moaned upon connection.

  “Oh, Gee.” Jamil’s eyes rolled to the back of his head. “Damn, baby.” He continued to moan beneath her.

  Gia watched him as he pumped up toward her body with his hips. She might have been the one on top, but he was most definitely doing all of the work. She wanted to muffle her moans, but he felt too good. She was riding him as he slid inside her continuously, both of them relishing the feeling of being with one another again.

  “Move your hands and let me see your stomach, Gee.” Jamil moved her arms so that she was no longer blocking his view of her midsection. “It’s still flat.”

  “I know. That’s a good thing.”

  “Lift up.” Jamil sat up and laid her back down so that he was on top.

  Before sliding back in, he leaned over and placed kisses all over her stomach. Gia smiled as she rubbed her hands through his hair.

  “I love you, Milli.”

  “I love you too, Gee.” He plunged back into her, causing her to cry out.

  Gia didn’t know how much she had loved or missed this man until this moment. She watched as he pushed his locs from his face. The way he held his bottom lip between his teeth while he sexed her crazy. All of it was a dream, and she never wanted to wake from it.

  “Look, baby.” Jamil tapped the side of his rib.

  Gia’s eyes went to the bold letters in a neat bold script written across his rib. GIANNA. Gia smiled big as she realized he’d tattooed her name on him just like he’d told her he would.

  “I told you.” He smiled.

  Her eyes misted with tears as she nodded. For at least another few hours, the two of them went at it, making up for lost time. By the time they showered and prepared to get some sleep, it was almost two in the morning. Jamil snuggled up behind her before resting his face in her neck.

  “What now, Milli?”