Page 69 of Feeling Blue

“Dumb ass always doing unnecessary shit,” he mumbled while tossing his bags into the backseat of his car.

Refusing to give in, Zurena walked back toward her car and was preparing to get in when she heard him behind her.

“But wonder why I won’t leave my baby mama for your ass. She’d never do no lil’ kid shit like this. Fuck you, Zurena.”

All the restraint she’d had was tossed to the wind when he downed her for his baby mama, when Zurena knew for a fact that she was a better woman than her and held him down through way more stuff than she ever had. The tears in her eyes clouded her vision long enough for her to punch him in the mouth. The moment her hand connected with his lip, the tears fell, and she was glad because she could see his hand coming toward her in enough time to duck.

It went downhill after that. They began passing licks like they always did, only stopping when they heard someone behind them.

“Stop before I call, Blue.”

Zurena and Rico both looked toward the voice, to find Forever standing there with wide eyes and shaking handsoutstretched toward them. Zurena wasn’t sure why she was reaching for her, but chalked it up to fear. Forever didn’t look like the type of woman who indulged in domestic violence. Probably had never even saw a fight in real life, let alone seeing a man hitting his woman.

Visibly shaken up, Forever kept her trembling hands facing them, palms out. “Let her go.”

Slowly, Rico’s hand released Zurena’s throat, and the moment they did, she took advantage and snaked out of his grasp before slapping him hard across the left side of his face. When he grabbed his ear and stepped away, she smiled. She hoped his ear would ring until he couldn’t hear out of it anymore.

“Don’t do that! I’m trying to help you,” Forever fussed.

“I don’t need your fucking help. Stay out of stuff that doesn’t concern you!”

Forever gasped, leaving her mouth open in shock. She remained that way, staring at Zurena like she’d grown two heads before finally rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

“You know what, you deserve to get your ass beat. Sir, I would tell you to finish what you started, but it’s against the law.”

Forever walked away without waiting for another word to be uttered in her direction. Once again, Zurena wanted so badly to hate her, but it wasn’t her fault. It never was. Her anger was just misplaced, and Forever was the easiest one to take it out on.

“That’s the shit I’m talking about now. Don’t nobody wanna be around your mean ass all day. Get the fuck out of here.” Rico stalked a few feet away before stopping and facing her again. “If she tells your brother, that’s what the fuck you get for coming over here in the first place.”

Feeling worse than she had on her way over there, Zurena watched him hit the locks to his car while walking away, still holding his ear. Her wet eyes rolled from him to the front door of Pat’s home, where Forever had disappeared to. Inwardly, she knew she was wrong and should just go home, but Rico was right.

If Forever told Blue about her fight with Rico, there was going to be some serious shit brewing, and she didn’t want that. He and Jugg would fuck Rico up bad about hitting her, and he was one of their closest friends. Them falling out because of her would be unnecessary and would only make her feel worse.

Putting her pride to the side, she got into her car and moved it out of the street before heading for the entrance to Pat’s house. Unsure of what she was going to find inside, she tried fixing her hair and clothes the best she could before entering. When the cool breeze and quiet living room greeted her, she took slow steps around, admiring his home.

“Looking for something?” A deep voice startled her.

Zurena looked away from the large glass sculpture, taking up the side of the television to find Pat standing near the bottom of the staircase with the neck of a beer bottle hanging between his fingers. His medium brown skin, low-cut black hair, and chill demeanor made Zurena feel self-conscious because she was sure she looked a mess. On top of that, she was moseying around his house uninvited and couldn’t think of one good reason she would be there. She’d never been there before, so nothing she came up with would make sense.

“Uh, yeah, umm, I’m uh, Zur.”

“I know who you are, Zurena.” His crooked grin relaxed her some. “Relax, I’m just here to help.” He held his hands up in mock surrender, that beer still hanging there comfortably.

Just here to help.

His words swam around her brain because they sounded so sincere, and after the day she’d just had with the man that was supposed to say those things to her, they sounded too good to be coming from a stranger… but was Pat really a stranger?

“I’m sorry. I just know I probably look crazy roaming around your house.”

“Nah, this home. You’re always welcome. You looking for Blue or Jugg? I can grab them for you. They’re in the back.”

“No, I was actually looking for Forever. Is she out there too?”

“Looking for me for what?” Forever sashayed her skinny ass around the corner, looking so perplexed that Zurena’s hand itched to smack her.

“I just needed to speak with you before I left.”

“No, you didn’t. You can go ahead and leave.” Forever walked to the big white sofa and sat down like she didn’t have a care in the world. Her phone was in her hand, and she hadn’t looked back in Zurena’s direction again.

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