When I woke up the next morning Toni was still lying next to me and had conveniently found a way to be completely wrapped up in my comforter. I crawled to the end of my bed and slide down onto the floor. I walked into my bathroom and looked in the mirror. My hair was puffed into a ponytail that was barely holding its shape. I pulled the elastic band off and shook it loose and then pulled it all together again leaving a curly puff sprouting from the top of my head and a few curls that couldn’t reach the elastic band hung around the back of my neck. I turned on the shower and adjusted the water before I went back in my room to get clothes. Toni was still asleep so I didn’t bother her.
After I finished my shower and dressed I grabbed my laundry bag and phone. I decided to go wash clothes because I needed something to keep me busy. A few minutes later I made my way down the hall and up the stairs to the second floor and pushed the door open to the laundry room. It was empty but one of the dryers was running. I emptied my clothes onto the floor and began separating them noticing that I had two of Xavier’s shirts mixed in with my stuff. So much for not thinking about him. When I was done I opened two washers and dumped my clothes in along with a detergent pod shut the lids and swiped my key card to start the washers. I jumped up on the folding table that was in the corner, slide back until my back was against the wall, crossed my legs letting my knees fall to the side and then unlocked my phone.
My phone had been silent all nigh so t I had 3 missed calls from Xavier and two text but I didn’t read them. I didn’t have the energy to deal with him right now and he would know it because I always kept my read receipts on.
“Dang who peed in your cheerios.” Devon said when he entered the laundry room.
I looked up and faked a smile. “Nobody, it’s just too early to be up.”
“Then go back to sleep genius.” He said, pulled open the dryer and stuck his hand in side and caught one of his shirts to see if it was dry. When he was satisfied he picked up the duffle bag sitting in front of the dryer and pulled the contents out and dumped them into the bag before he lifted and zipped it.
“You didn’t steal any of my boxers did you? I know how you get down.” He said jokingly.
“I sure did, got ‘em on right now.”
“That’s cool, I’ll be down there later to get ‘em back.” He said and then lifted the strap to his bag and pulled it over his shoulder.
“Whatever man. You know Lex is having no parts of that. She’s crazy.” I said thinking about Devon’s girlfriend who had caused a scene about him more times than I could count with the latest ending with a call from campus security. He was cute and all but not worth a trip to the campus security office so I didn’t get it.
“You’re right, she’d kill you and me both.” He said and laughed. “I wouldn’t set you up like that.”
“Preciate it, Dev. I don’t do crazy.” I said and laughed.
“I’ll let you have it. I’m out.” He said and left the laundry room.
I was alone again with only one thing to occupy my time, the crushing feeling that I had been Xavier’s fool yet again. It made me feel sick to my stomach and emotionally I was all over the place. Within seconds I was hurt, sad, angry you name it I was feeling it but more than anything I was mad at myself for letting him back in again only to let me down the way he always did. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the wall. I had no idea what was next but what I did know was that I had no plans of seeing or talking to Xavier anytime soon.
Xavier Lee
I turned the volume up on my headphones so loud that I could feel the vibrations in my head. I just really needed an escape. The team was hype because of the win we had just secured but all I wanted to do was go to sleep. Christmas break was almost over and I still hadn't heard from Kya. Based on the updates I was that I was getting from Ethan through Toni she still had no interest in dealing with me at all. All over some lies and bullshit. I swear if I knew then what I know now I never would have dealt with Tori like that. The more I thought about it the more pissed I got. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back on the seat, two more hours and then I'll be back in my room.
Trey said something and fell down into the empty seat next to me but I couldn't hear him because my music was too loud so I pulled my headphones back around my neck. He repeated himself.
“Aye man you straight?”
“I’m good.” I said hoping to avoid a conversation. Based on how shitty I was playing and my overall attitude I was pretty sure everybody knew I had something going on but I refused to talk to any of them about it. My problem, my business.
“You sure bruh. You were off your game tonight?”
“Just one of those nights.” I said.
“Alright you know I got you.”
Trey stood up probably sensing that I wasn't in the mood for a conversation and joined the rest of the team in the back of the bus so I pulled my headphones back over my ears and got lost in the music.
I kept checking my phone as if expecting to get a call or message from Kya even though I knew better but something in me kept hoping. When I finally did get a text message and realized that I was from Tori I immediately got pissed all over again and wanted to throw my phone as hard as I could. I couldn’t believe that this girl was crazy enough to keep this lie going. She kept blowing up my phone calling and sending text talking about how sorry she was for telling Ky, and begging me to talk to her so that we could make plans for “our baby.” She had to be insane if she thought that I wanted anything to do with her or her imaginary pregnancy. Especially after the reaction that I received the second that word got out that she was pregnant. People around campus starting breaking their necks to get to me to tell me how she was the biggest hoe on campus and for me to get a paternity test. I messed up with this one and I knew it.
What was I supposed to expect from a girl that initiated oral sex with me at a party the first night we met and after a few drinks let me smash in the car on the way to her dorm. I laughed when I thought about how pissed she got that I would never let her stay overnight with me. Keeping her out of my dorm was probably about one of the smartest things I did do when it came to her. She was the type of girl that would have waited for me to fall asleep and then had pictures all over Instagram of her in my bed. Whatever sympathy I had for stringing her along was dead the moment she fronted Kya pretending to be pregnant by me. I had made a lot of stupid decisions in my life but Tori had to be the worst. I swear if I could do it all over again I would have never messed with her at all. Saying Karma is a bitch is doesn’t do this situation justice.
By the time we made it back to school and I was alone in my room I shut down. I was totally drained. I hated traveling for games when we didn’t stay overnight but I was glad to be back in my dorm. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone except the one person who was currently refusing to talk to me. Ky hadn’t said a word to me since the night I left her dorm room after Tori stated this insanity. No calls, no text basically shut me off completely.
This was really starting to piss me off but I couldn’t blame her. Once again I had her stuck in the middle of my bad decisions and Tori was the worst of every bad decision that I had ever made. She was definitely lying about this pregnancy thing, she had to be. There was no way she could be, but Kya wouldn’t talk to me long enough for me to prove that to her.
It was late and all I wanted to do was crash but I needed to shower first so I turned on the water and got it as hot as it could go and then let the bathroom fill with steam before I stepped in. The water was so hot that it almost burned but it felt good. I closed my eyes and stood under the water hoping that it would take some of the stress away. My life was spinning out of control and the only person that I could blame was myself.
I had been laying in my bed staring at the ceiling for what seemed like hours when I heard someone knock on my door.
“Aye what’s up?”
“What up E?”
“Look you’re my peoples and I respect your
space but right now I think you need to talk.”
“I’m good.”
Ethan sat down in my computer chair and leaned back. “You are far from good. You’re not talking to anybody, you’re playing like shit, you damn near made James cry to tonight in the locker room and bruh that was funny as hell but you’re killing the team vibe so let’s talk.” I thought about the way I laid into James for getting on my nerves before the game tonight and laughed. I hadn’t really meant to break him down so bad but hell he asked for. He was always talking shit and tonight just wasn’t the night.
I laughed. “Hell he’s too damn sensitive. I don’t have time for that.”
“You’re right but seriously bruh what’s good?”
I shook my head. “I basically screwed myself.”
“Tori?”
“Yep, I can’t even believe this shit.”
“So what’s the deal with that? You sure it’s not yours?”
“Hell yeah, can’t be. Last time I actually hit that was at the Kappa party so there’s no way.”
“Yeah that’s been a minute and you sure you haven’t since then?”
“Let’s just say the servicing has been one sided since that party.”
“So what are you gonna do, just wait it out?”
“That’s all I can do.”
“What about Ky?”
“That’s dead, she won’t talk to me at all.”
“She’s coming to my New Year’s Eve party.”
“Word, you talk to her?”
“Nah but Toni asked her to come and Ky promised Toni that she would.”
“That’ll change the second she finds out I’m gonna be there.”
“She knows and she still said she’d come.”
“I guess that’s start.”
“You just need to talk. I know this is messed up but if you’re sure it’s not yours then it will eventually work its self out. She can’t be made about a lie.”
I laughed. “You don’t know Ky.”
“Well if nothing else you’ve got the party. She’ll be there, you’ll be there hell you never know just go all in.”
“I don’t think there’s anything I can say or do to change her mind right now.”
“You never know bruh. She’s just hurt right now but when you love somebody the way she loves you it doesn’t go away, hell you know that.”
“She’s damn sure doing a good job of pretending then.”
Ethan laughed. “Nah trust me, just give it time and stop fucking with James before you make him quit the damn team.”
“I got you.”
“I’m about to crash so I’ll get up with you tomorrow and remember it’s not over till it’s over.”
“Preciate it.”
Let the countdown begin. Ethan’s New Year’s Eve party was giving me the opportunity to be around Ky now all I had to do was figure out how to make her talk to me and maybe I could fix this mess.
Chapter 9
Kya Renee
“So do you want to talk about it?” My mom asked and then walked into my room an sat down on the foot of my bed, I had been home for winter break for almost two weeks and had been hiding out in my room most of the time. I knew that it was a matter of time before my mother finally broke down and said something. I’m sure she was praying for it to be about Xavier so that she could get her ‘I told you so’ over with.
“Talk about what?” I asked briefly, looked up from my phone and then back at it. I had been listening to music while on and off Instagram and Twitter most of the day.
“Whatever has had you moping around here for the past two weeks, your father and I both have noticed it.”
“I haven’t been moping.” I said without looking at her.
“You, sweetheart, are a terrible liar and yes you have. You’ve been home for two weeks and aside from a few visits from Toni and you taking gifts to Leigh the only thing that you’ve done is lay right here in this bed and play on that phone all day.”
“Its winter break. The operative word being break. So that’s exactly what I’m doing. Taking a break.”
“Well call it what you want but it looks to me like your hiding out.”
“Why would I be hiding?”
“I don’t know hun, that’s why I’m asking” My mother said coyly.
“I’m fine. I promise.” I locked my phone and then dropped it in my lap.
“Okay but if you change your mind then I’m here.” Don’t hold your breath!
“Mom, I’m good.” And smart enough to keep this as far away from you as I possibly can.
She stood, smiled at me before she left my room and pulled my door closed behind her. I was extremely relieved because I had made it two weeks without having to talk about Xavier, even after she discovered an unopened present from him that his sister Leigh had given me when I stopped by to see her purposely after I knew that he had gone back to school for his game.
The unopened present that I was hiding in my drawer because I just couldn’t bring myself to open it. It was pointless anyway because no gift could make the situation go away and I just didn’t see the point in torturing myself. I picked up my phone again and restarted the song I was listening to before I began scrolling through Instagram pictures but my mind was all over the place again. Dang it, I had to think about him and that darn present. I dropped my phone on my lap, leaned over towards my night stand, stretched my body until I could reach the draw and then pulled it open.
I lifted the small silver credit card sized box and held it in my hands. It was perfectly wrapped with shiny silver wrapping paper and satin ribbon that formed a perfectly proportion bow on the top that fell off the sides. I knew that he most definitely didn’t wrap it because I had received too many of his poorly wrapped gifts in the years past. I tried to imagine what it could be but I was still torn about opening it because I didn’t want to feel anything for him so I reached over and dropped it back in the draw and closed it again. Not tonight. I picked up my phone and decided to call Toni. I needed a distraction and I figured that she could keep my mind off of Xavier.
“Aye boo, what’s good?” Toni said cheerfully when she answered.
“What’s up with you?” I asked.
“Bored out of my mind. I’m so ready for New Year’s Eve, so we can get turnt.”
“Is there ever a time when you’re not thinking about a party?”
“Girl we are young and dumb so partying is our one and only priority.” Toni said and laughed which made me laugh. “So you’re still coming to Ethan’s New Year’s Eve party right?” I thought about the party that Ethan was throwing for his teammates and friends. He and Toni had guilted me into being there but the down side was that Xavier would be there also.
“Yes, Toni, I’m coming.”
“Good because you can’t bail on me. I can’t be alone with Ethan’s parents without a support system.”
“Are you nervous about meeting your in laws?” I asked teasing Toni.
“His mom’s white boo, I don’t know what to do with that.”
“You’re dumb.” I said and laughed. “They are just parents, all you need to do is prove to them that you care about their son and all is well.”
“Girl I know but, you never know so I need you there Ky. You better not bail on me.”
“I said I’ll be there, girl chill.”
“And don’t worry about Zay. I’m sure he’s too afraid to say anything to you anyway but if he tries I got you covered. I’ll go all ninja on him.”
We both busted out laughing. “I just can’t with you but it’s good to know you got my back.”
“Girl you know how I roll. I need to use these ninja skills on somebody. Sooooo, did you open it yet?” Toni asked.
“Nope.”
“Have you talked to him?”
“Nope and I don’t plan to.”
“Has he called or anything?”
“Nope, and I’m sure he won’t.”
“He’s been asking about
you.”
“I don’t know why.”
“Well based on what Ethan says, he’s sticking with the ‘it’s not his’ thing and he hasn’t seen or talk to Tori since she came by our dorm. Ethan thinks she’s lying. Apparently she was with some other guy so he thinks it could be his and not Zay’s.”
“I doesn’t matter.” I said “If it’s not her it will be someone else. It’s just time for us to move on.”
“Do you really want that though?”
“What I want is to be happy and it doesn’t seem like that ever happens when I’m with him.”
“Well then happy you shall be, if it’s the last thing I do.”
“That makes me nervous.”
“Trust me girl. I got you.” Toni said.
“I miss you crazy.”
“You will see me in two days and we are going to bring in the New Year right.”
“That makes me even more nervous.” I said and then laughed.
“And you should be boo.”
“You are too much but I’ll see you Friday.”
“Yes you will.”
“By girl.”
“Bye”
I felt a little better but was not looking forward to seeing Xavier on Friday. I was bound and determined to avoid him at all cost.
Xavier Lee
I was finally going to get to see Ky tonight even though I knew she was probably still not going to talk to me at least I would get the chance to try. I wasn’t really in the mood to be around a bunch a people but Ethan’s New Year’s Eve party at his parent’s lake house was probably the only chance I had of getting near Ky any time soon. She had promised Toni that she would come so I was hopeful because she knew that I would be there which meant that she knew that she would see me at some point and yet she still promised to be there. I swear I hope she didn’t change her mind.
I needed to find a way to talk to her and figure this thing out. She hadn’t called, text or even opened any of the text I sent her. I know for sure because she made a point off keeping her read receipt on all the time, she wanted people to know when she was ignoring them. People meaning mostly me. This whole Tori thing really had me screwed. I couldn’t believe that I let myself get caught out there like that. I needed to talk to someone who could possibly understand what I was dealing with so I called my aunt. She would definitely give me an ear full but she would also tell me what I needed to do.
Kya & Xavier: It's Always Been You (Life As We Know It Book 1) Page 12
