Even When It's Wrong

by Nicole Jackson

  “Aw, this nigga on some friendly shit,” Kells griped.

  Slowly, Omari twirled me around. Softly he caressed my face, as he sang the song to me, although he wasn’t much of a singer. “Aint no doubt about it. Lord knows I really mean it. I’d rather die before, before I’d lie to you. Never wanna leave ya. Aint no life without ya. Never gonna leave. Never gonna go. Nouhhhh, no, no, no.”

  I was cheesing hard, before closing my eyes. Never in a million years, did I think that life could be like this. I felt love all over me, and it was something that I instantly prayed never went away. Ever.

  “True love won’t lie,” I sang along, forgetting where I was for a second.

  Leaning down, he covered my mouth with his, kissing me deeply, sealing the deal. We were in this for real.

  ******

  “Look at all these drunk muthafuckas,” Keyasia mumbled, playfully elbowing me, as we sat at the ledge of the pool.

  “I know,” I pouted. “Everybody is drinking, but me.”

  She cut her eyes at me. “Yeah, I wonder why.”

  I shrugged, gazing around, refusing to address that comment.

  “Oh, don’t get quiet now.”

  “Whatever,” I laughed.

  “Omari, Mya is trying to dive in the pool again,” she lied, causing his head to shoot up.

  “What?”

  She giggled uncontrollably. She thought that it was hilarious how he’d gotten so mad simply because I’d dived into the pool. His ass practically dragged me out, and pulled me to the side, going off about his baby. So, now I was basically banned from swimming, and Omari would go into a frenzy anytime somebody would tease him about me taking another dive.

  “It aint that damn funny,” I chided, just before someone’s cell rang.

  Me and Key both glanced down, because there were several phones sitting next to us, as practically everybody there was in the pool, including both of our men.

  “Aint that your man’s phone ringing?” she glanced up at me.

  “Let me see.” I lifted the phone, knowing damn well that it was his.

  Key’s nosy ass leaned over, checking out the screen. “Skyy is trying to video chat with him.”

  “I see.” I frowned.

  “Shit, let me see that.” She grabbed the phone. Aiming the phone at the ceiling, she answered, which meant that Skyy wouldn’t immediately know who was picking up.

  “Omari, why are you playing?” Skyy questioned.

  Slowly, Keyasia panned the camera onto our faces. “Hey,” she sang.

  Skyy frowned. “Where is Omari?”

  “Why? Is there something I can help you with?” Keyasia questioned, obviously trying to antagonize her. I was grateful that she was doing the talking, because I probably would have allowed my emotions to get the best of me, and lost my cool in front of everybody.

  “Uh, no, you cannot,” Skyy snapped.

  “Uh, do I detect some hostility?”

  Skyy sucked her teeth. “Look, I don’t know why yall playing on his phone, but I have something important to discuss with him. So, could you please pass him the phone?”

  “He’s in the pool,” Key informed, flipping the camera for a second for her to see him, before flipping it back to us. “We’re here celebrating his woman’s birthday. So, he’s pretty tied up. Perhaps you should call back during regular business hours, Ms. Important.”

  “Look, let me tell you something. I am not to be played with. So, if you wanna keep that cute little face intact that you use to thot around on the Gram with, I suggest you watch your walk, bitch.”

  “Nu uh,” Keyasia faked being appalled. “Girl, your buy-a-nigga ass really tried it. Calm down. You need some anger management. Making all these threats, and stuff. But if you did your homework you’d know that I don’t fight no more. I got several bitches on speed dial that’s trained to go. Fuck around and end your entire existence with one phone call, bitch.”

  “Well, do it then, hoe!” Skyy barked, as her face turned beet red.

  I sat shaking my head, knowing that Key was getting a rise out of fucking with her, while Skyy raised up her blood pressure.

  “Girl, chill out. Didn’t Mya already whup your ass, before she drove off in your rental car?”

  “FUCK YOU BITCH!” Skyy roared, and I ended the call.

  “I got that hoe hot,” Keyasia tittered.

  “I see. Now, I’m finna have Omari’s ass hot, when I charge his ass up.”

  Key grimaced. “But why?”

  “Because.” I bucked my eyes. “That bitch is still calling him.”

  “Yeah, but that wouldn’t do nothing but ruin your birthday. Don’t let her win like that. Address this shit another time, besides I think that you really need to consider why she’s still calling, or at least find out. She could just be trying to hold on, or it could be because he has stuff in her name. So, think before you act.”

  “Yeah, okay,” I grumbled, as I glared at Omari. It was as if he could feel me watching him, as he glanced my way. Although, I was scowling at him, he gave me the warmest smile.

  “Yeah, see there,” Keyasia spoke up. “There you go, right there. The universe sent you a sign, real quick. That nigga aint worried about that hoe.”

  I nodded, realizing that she was right. I’d be a fool to allow someone who wanted to be in my position be the reason that I wasn’t happy in it. Skyy had clearly caught me slipping, but her hating ass would never win.

  Chapter 25

  Mya

  I believe mornings were beginning to be the part of the day I hated the most. Every damn day, I woke up, feeling sick to my stomach. Then I would heave it all into the toilet, until I had nothing else to give. So, like any other morning, I’d just finished throwing up, and I was now brushing my teeth again.

  It was Wednesday, and I was supposed to be at school, but had decided to sit that one out. Luckily for me, I only needed two credits to graduate, and was in so good with those two teachers that I could miss as many days as I wanted, if I turned all assignments in on time, and completed every test. I’d slickly sat them down, letting them know about my pregnancy, and my supposed daily challenges of getting to and from school, which they were both empathetic to, and totally understood that absences would occur often.

  Anyway, I was strongly considering going back to bed to take a nap, until I heard my favorite line.

  “I tell these hoes quit playing with me. I beat the pussy up, and then I stand in it,” Omari rapped, which I thought was odd, because he’d just left, claiming that he’d be back in a few hours.

  So, I switched into the living room to find Josairah, and Keyasia sitting on the couch. “Hey, what’s up?” I spoke.

  “Ewe. That was dry. You sick this morning?” Josairah questioned.

  Keyasia looked me up and down. “That baby wearing your ass out?”

  “Girl,” I sighed, rolling my eyes, before sitting on the couch as well. I hadn’t confirmed my pregnancy with anyone other than Cavalli and Omari, but Josairah and Keyasia kept insisting that I was, without one confirmation. “Where’s Daynah?”

  “She’s in the shower,” Josairah volunteered.

  “I’m saying, you aint pregnant?” Keyasia pressed, studying me closely. “Cause you glowing. I know that pregnant look, and you definitely have it. You all bare faced with your lil’ Nike short set on, looking like ya ten. That’s probably what made that nigga wanna shoot a baby up in ya.”

  I giggled at her crazy ass, until something dawned on me. “Wait. Omari aint in here?”

  “No,” they both answered in unison.

  “So, how did I hear him rapping? Yall was playing his music?”

  “Oh, he was on TV,” Keyasia offered casually.

  “What?” I whipped my head around.

  “Yeah, him and Melo’s video was just on. You was looking cute, girl. And I was too, if I do say so myself,” Key boasted. “The only thing fucked up about the video is the fact that Lil’ Amir’s ugly ass was in it.”


  I gave her a funny look. “What’s your problem with Amir? He seems pretty cool to me.”

  Josairah smirked. “He’s her ex.”

  “Ooh, now it makes sense. And I can see you going for him. You obviously have a type.”

  Key rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

  “Anyway.” I waved her off. “Yall gotta rewind it back. I gotta see this.”

  Josairah lifted the remote rewinding back to my baby’s video. As promised, he’d gone out of his way that summer to get me back to Houston. He’d driven down, and picked us up himself. We had Auntie Micko thinking that we were at Lonny’s, while Lonny’s mama thought that she was at the crib with us. All the while, we were in Houston having a ball. When Omari had expressed the fact that he wanted me there on the set, I didn’t think that it included getting camera time, but I’d gotten plenty. The craziest part was that Omari had Meeka blocked on Facebook, and she knew nothing about the video. In fact, she has so little interest in his music that she never listens to him or watches his videos on YouTube, which all worked to our advantage. Eventually, she found out about the video, but by then I was able to lie and claim that they’d filmed the video after I came back from Dallas. She was pissed about not being invited to the shoot, and didn’t like that the video’s director kind of made it seem like I was Omari’s love interest. But looking back on it, I think that Meeka didn’t dwell on it too much, because that was around the time that me and Omari both were getting to the point of not caring if everything about us came out. Maybe it was something that Meeka could feel, and steered clear of it, in hopes of sparing herself the heartache. But oh well. Shit, she’d caused me plenty of heartache and pain.

  Nonetheless, looking at Omari on BET Jamz felt surreal. I knew that this was a huge milestone for him, and I hated that we weren’t sitting there together to witness this for the first time. I had to call him.

  “What’s up, My?” he answered on the first ring.

  “Mari, you hear that?” I grabbed the remote, and increased the volume on the TV. “That’s you on BET Jamz!”

  “No bullshit?” he asked excitedly.

  “Yesssss!” I celebrated.

  “Melo told me that it would be on there. Record it for me, bae.”

  “I will.”

  “That’s what’s up. When I get back I’ma post that shit on Facebook.”

  “As you should.”

  “Yeah, that’s what’s up, that’s what’s up,” he repeated, sounding like he was processing what this meant for him…to him…for us. “But yeah, man, you got your I.D. ready?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “I told you. I got Jahrein’s mama to hook us up. I be talking about getting on Josh’s level, but Big Jahrein ‘nem are caked up on another level. They got businesses everywhere. All legit. Anyway, she got you some check stubs, saying that you been working for a company of hers for a year. Then she made some for me from a different company, saying that I’ve been working there for three years. And since they have property, she also hooked it up, so that I can say that I lived on one of the properties for three years. Shit, she even know a way that my felony won’t show up, by getting me a out-of-state I.D. She’s like a fucking magician.”

  “For real?” I smiled. “That’s good. But why did you ask me if I had my information? You decided where we’re moving to?”

  “Yeah. Honestly, I already got Jahrein’s mama to do everything. She’s been talking to them on our behalf, and submitted all our information. We got approved. All the paper work is handled, and we just need to stop by with copies of our I.D.s, and pick up the keys.”

  “So, you didn’t even wait to see if I’d like the apartment, Omari?”

  “Girl, chill out.”

  “Uh huh,” I sighed. “So, when are you picking the keys up?”

  “We picking up the keys today.”

  “What time,” I yawned.

  “Right now.”

  “Huh?”

  “Meet me downstairs in the lobby.”

  “Ok-ay,” I hesitated, not expecting that.

  “Come on, girl. Hurry up,” he pushed.

  “Alright, alright. Let me grab my bag, right quick,” I told him, reaching for the Chanel bag he’d bought me for my birthday.

  “You leaving?” Josairah enquired.

  I nodded, as I stood up. “I’ll be back in a little while.” With my phone still up to my ear, I stepped out of the loft. “Bae, I’m getting on the elevator. I’ll see you down there.” I ended the call. I quietly thought about where the hell we’d be moving, while the elevator lowered, until I was on the ground floor. As soon as the doors opened, I found him standing there. “Damn, you moved fast,” I commented, stepping into the lobby. “And why didn’t you just wait in the car?”

  “For what?” he opened his arms.

  “I thought you said that we were heading to pick up the keys?”

  “We are.”

  “Okay…so, why get out the car?”

  “Cause the office is right around the corner in the next hall, Mya.”

  “What?” I grimaced. “The hell are you talking about?”

  He smirked. “The office is right here.”

  “Right here?” my eyes widened. “We’re moving here?”

  “Yeah.” He nodded.

  “What?!” I jumped up and down, before I caught myself. Then I tried to play it off, pretending to be nonchalant about it. “I mean, that’s cool.”

  “Cool? Yeah, right. You excited like a muthafucka. Talking about you wish that we could get an apartment like this one day.” He stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Well, now you know that we aint gotta wait on shit like this.” His eyes wandered up and down my body, before focusing on my face. “You can have whatever you want now.”

  ******

  “Bitch, this view,” Jayde took a puff off the blunt. “I can’t get enough.”

  I smirked with a nod, as I gazed out at the surrounding buildings, and the busy streets below. We were chilling on my balcony, enjoying the beautiful day.

  “Well, you gon get enough of clutching my weed. Pass the blunt, man,” Cavalli chided.

  “I know, right,” Nerie co-signed.

  “That shit is loud. I feel like I’m getting a contact.” I waved the smoke away from my face.

  Cavalli pursed her lips. “Bitch, you just jealous that you can’t hit it.”

  “So,” I snapped. “Yall shouldn’t come around, tempting me.”

  “Well, you should’ve kept ya legs closed. That aint our faults.”

  “Fuck you.” I gave her the finger.

  “But all bullshit aside,” Nerie spoke up. “Mya, I am loving your spot. Who helped you decorate?”

  “Nobody.” I shrugged. “I sat on the internet getting ideas, and then I had Omari to pull out that wallet.”

  “Well, you did that, bitch,” she complimented.

  “Thank you,” I smiled.

  Everyone who’d stop by to visit would tell me how they loved the décor. I fell in love with the way Daynah had their spot fixed up, but had to consider the fact that we’d eventually have a little baby around. So, I stayed away from extremely light colors, and ended up with a suede gray sectional that was accentuated with white and shimmery metallic silver throw pillows. Then I had a huge furry gray and white throw rug sitting underneath a white and crystal studded mirrored ottoman. Then to set everything ablaze I got multiple of the same medium sized mirrors to perfectly line the wall, giving off the illusion that the wall was somehow designed with mirrors installed. In the dining area with had a huge round glass and mirror table surrounded with white and mirror couch chairs. To offset that I had a gigantic floor to ceiling mirror leaning against the wall. Even in our bedroom I’d stuck to the same color scheme with white and crystal studded upholstered California king sized bed, with all mirror dressers. I called myself going for the super contemporary feel, and I think that I’d really tapped into that whole vibe.

  “How much is yall rent?”
Nerie pried.

  “More than you can afford,” Jayde chimed in.

  “None of ya business,” I replied.

  “I’m just saying. Yall skipped right over a normal apartment, and got this shit. You gotta have real money to be here, and I aint know Omari was doing it that big.”

  “Well, now you know,” Cavalli scoffed.

  “Whatever,” Nerie rolled her eyes. “All I know is that he gotta be seriously chasing these checks.”

  “Yeah well, perhaps that’s the reason he’s currently out of town, doing some shows with Melo. I’m sure that pays,” Cavalli uttered sarcastically.

  “Hey, in my defense, I didn’t know that he was gone doing shows. I thought that he was going state to state on some other shit,” Nerie clamored. “But yeah, Mya, how do you feel about him being away, and probably around a million bitches?”

  I shifted around in my chair. “The same thing you do when your nigga walk outside, and gotta encounter other people. Keep fucking living.”

  Nerie tittered. “Oh, you so sensitive, right now. I was just asking. I mean, I know that those rapping niggas be some of the biggest hoes…and we all know how Omari is.”

  “No, you know what you heard or thought,” I corrected her. “But what he did when he was with anybody else has nothing to do with me.”

  Sometimes I had to question how she saw me, and my relationship since she knew that Omari was once with my mama. Yes, both Cavalli and Jayde had known as well, but both had expressed that they didn’t care, and it wasn’t their places to judge. But me and Nerie had never had that conversation, and I sometimes questioned if she was coming at my sideways, because of her views on the situation.

  “So, you’re different?” she asked.

  “That much is obvious,” Cavalli spoke up. “Mya knows that I was the main one advocating for her to move on, and leave him alone. But come on. Look where he has us resting our heads. Did you catch all those bags we got in that room?”

  I cut my eyes at her. She was always using the word ‘we’ when it came to the loft or my bags, and stuff. We’d been staying on our own for two months now, and she probably didn’t know what her apartment looked like, anymore. She slept in our spare bedroom, which had a cute daybed in it, right then. Omari was pretty cool with her being around regularly, because he’d been traveling often, and didn’t want me to be at home completely alone.