Page 94 of Obsessive Love

“You know nothing about my friend if you think that,” she argued, shaking her head. Her phone rang, and she pulled it from her pocket. “It’s Fable, I’m going to answer, but please don’t say anything.”

“I won’t,” I said, nodding.

Yamari swiped the screen and then put it on speakerphone. “Hey, Fable, what’s up?”

“Nothing,” she answered. I could hear her banging pots and pans around and imagined her in the kitchen, probablystanding at the stove, hands on her hips, with her notebook on the counter next to her, as she read it over to make sure she was doing everything right. “I’m making breakfast and decided to call you since Pyrite isn’t here.”

“Where is he?” Yamari asked as she smirked. “Hiding from you, possibly killing him again?”

“No,” she laughed. “He said he had to run some errands before the tournament started tomorrow.”

“Has he eaten anything you’ve made since the Epi-pen battle?”

“Yes,” she replied. “He did take all the seasonings out of the pantry, though, and replaced them with new ones.”

“I don’t blame him,” Yamari said and stuck her tongue out at me. “I wouldn’t eat shit you made for years.”

“Thank goodness you aren’t Pyrite then,” Fable replied and sighed. “I wish you were here.”

“Why, what’s wrong?” she asked, her face twisted like she was concerned; then she looked up at me and lifted her brow.

“I just miss you,” she answered, then sighed. “I fucked up, Mari.”

“Hold on, love.” She put the phone on mute and looked at me. “Listen, you might be my friend, but she’s my best friend. I need to talk to her in private. Give me a minute, and I’ll find you when we’re done.”

“Alright,” I nodded, even though I didn’t want to leave. I hated that Fable sounded so sad. She really did miss her friend, which was the reason I’d flown Yamari into town. She needed her own people, someone to talk and vent to who was loyal to her first. My people loved her, but they were my people first. She needed someone solely on Team Fable, and that was Yamari. “I’ll be at the court making sure everything is set up. It’s through those doors down there.” I pointed to the doors so she would know where to go.

“Okay,” she nodded.

I left her at the storefront and headed to the courts. The Queens were getting in one last practice before the tournament tomorrow. They were trying to figure out how to move since Legacy would be out for another few days and could miss the opening game. She’d been attacked recently, and a few of her nails had been ripped from the beds. Her recovery would take time, but no one was rushing her. She’d been through a lot over the past few weeks, and we only wanted her on the court when she was mentally and physically ready.

“They look good,” I said to Diara as I approached her. She looked over her shoulder at me; her eyes didn’t hold the usual spark they had when she was doing anything with basketball. “They don’t?”

“No, they do,” she said, turning back to watch them walk through their offense. “Even with Legacy possibly being out, they are working through the kinks.”

“Then what’s with the face?” I asked, and she shook her head. “Nah, Ara, talk to me.” I touched the small of her back and led her to the bench. “What’s the problem?”

“I umm,” she paused and shook her head before squaring her shoulders. “I need to step down as coach of the Queens.”

“Why?”

“I need to leave,” she said, refusing to meet my eyes. “I don’t know if or when I will be back.”

“Nah,” I said, shaking my head. “That’s not about to happen. Tell me what the problem is so I can fix it.”

“It’s Theo; he’s been calling me, talking about he’s coming home,” she said, finally looking at me. Her eyes watered, and I saw how afraid she was for the first time. “He said he’s coming to see me when he gets out.”

“Diara-”

“I won't be here if he gets out, Pyrite; I can't be,” she said, shaking her head again. “I spent two years in a marriage I shouldn’t have been in. I worked with the police to lock him up; he was supposed to stay gone, and now he’s talking about he’s getting out. I can't be here for that. I can't put my life in jeopardy like that.”

“I know,” I said, nodding. “Listen, before you decide, let me talk to some people. Find out what’s going on, and then we can talk.”

“I don’t know.” She shifted her weight from foot to foot like she was ready to run.

“Give me until tomorrow,” I damn near begged. Her shoulders dropped, and I knew I would get my way.

“You have twenty-four hours, and then I’m gone,” she said, nodding.

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