Page 86 of Obsessive Love

“Bitch nigga!” Starburst screeched and flew out of the kitchen behind her. “Bitch nigga!”

“Home,” Watermelon said from on top of the fridge. “Home.”

I finally got enough strength to get up and grabbed my phone from the table. I dialed Hood’s number and put it on speaker.

“What’s good?”

“How long do I need to be alert if I have to use my EPI-PEN?” I asked as I sat in Fable’s empty seat. I hadn’t had to use my EPI-Pen in so long that I’d forgotten the rules.

“You used it?” he clarified.

“Yeah, a little while ago,” I answered.

“Go to the ER,” he sighed. “Even if you used it, you need to be checked out.”

“Nah, I ain’t doing all that,” I said, shaking my head.

“Go to the arena then; I’ll meet you there.”

“Not doing that, either.”

Hood sighed like I was about to piss him off, but I didn’t care. “Alright, how about this? I need to run some stuff by you anyway, so why don’t I stop by tomorrow morning?”

“That’ll work,” I agreed.

“Cool, I’ll stop by tomorrow. But legit, Pyrite, if you aren’t feeling like yourself, call back or 911; Xoey plus twelve will get them folks to you fast.”

“Alright,” I laughed. “Let me get off here and get in the shower. I’m sweating and shit.”

“Alright.”

We hung up, and I continued to sit there. I felt alright, but my mind was racing with what Fable said. I picked my phone back up and called Xoey plus twelve; her ass had some explaining to do.

“Hello?” she answered, cheerful as hell.

“Ay, what did you tell Fable?” I said, getting straight to the point. “She talking about I got a girlfriend and shit.”

“You do,” Xoey replied, and I stared at the phone like she was crazy.

“I ain’t got no woman-”

“Fable,” she interrupted me. “She’s your girlfriend or future wife. I don’t know how to call her. You Stone men are fickle when it comes to titles.” Xoey still felt a certain way about Amethyst sending Yale away.

“Sis,” I groaned, then laughed. “Her crazy ass thinks you mean someone else.”

“I know,” she laughed. “I saw her face when I told her you had a woman. She was pissed.”

“Why would you do that shit, Xoe? I was starting to get through to her.”

“She only got mad because she’s jealous,” Xoey replied. “She likes you, probably loves you if you want to be honest.”

“Man-”

“Yeah, it's love because ain’t no other explanation for what she’s let you get away with,” she interrupted me to say. “So I’m pretty sure I did you a favor.”

“She tried to kill me,” I said, and the line got quiet. “Hello?”

“Man, I love her!” Xoey laughed. It took her a moment to get herself together. She was laughing so hard I knew she was crying. “What do you mean she tried to kill you?”