Page 20 of The Hellcat Barbies: Zora
He shook his head, stepping forward like I would miraculously change my answer. “Zo, come on, baby. We got history. We’ve been through too much for you to stand here acting like I’m some random nigga off the street. You know I love you.”
“Love? Negro, please.” I barked out a laugh. “You’on know the first thing about what the fuck love is. You loved what I gave you, what I carried, how I held you down… and you threw it away for a cheap fuck, so don’t stand in my face and talk that love shit to me.”
“People make mistakes,” he shot back quick. “I made mine, but I’ve been trying to get right. I been thinking about you, thinking about us—”
“There is no us,” I cut in. “You’re thinking about me now because you lonely. Because you see somebody else where you used to stand. That’s not love, Malik… that’s your ego, and you need to get the fuck over it.”
His mouth opened, but I raised my hand to stop whatever he was about to say. “Save it. Whatever you thought you were gon’ get coming here tonight, you wasted your time. I’on want you back, and I damn sure don’t need you.”
His mouth twisted, and I could see the shift clear as day—the fake calm slipping, the jealousy spilling out.
“This about that nigga who just left here?” His tone rose, sharp and ugly. “You letting some random dude slide in while you acting brand-new with me? He’on even know you like I do.”
My blood spiked, but I held his stare steady. “Don’t speak on what you’on know, Malik. He ain’t some random, and even if hewas, he still wouldn’t fuck me over the way you did. So don’t stand in my doorway jealous about a man who doesn’t have to beg me to let him in.”
He stepped closer, voice low, like he thought he scared me. “You really just gon’ replace me like that?”
I let out a humorless laugh, shaking my head. “Replace you? Nigga, you can’t replace something I already threw in the trash.” Before he could spit out another word, I gripped the door, swinging it wide. “Get the fuck out. Now.”
He hesitated, but he knew better than to try me. After a beat, he finally backed out, still muttering under his breath.
I slammed the door and locked it, leaning against the wood just long enough to catch my breath. My fists stayed tight, my chest still rising hard, but none of that was about him anymore. Malik was my past, a mistake I buried a long time ago, and letting him linger in my doorway only reminded me of everything I’d outgrown.
The part that burned was Semi leaving before I could show him that. He didn’t need to walk off with Malik still standing there. He didn’t need to question if I was still tied to something I’d already cut loose.
Malik was the past. Semi was the problem I wanted to have—even if I kept lying to myself like I didn’t.
***
After the night I had, I went to take another shower and decompress. Steam still clung to my skin when I dropped onto the edge of the bed, with my phone still in my hand. I dialed Tiana first, knowing she’d plug Nia in.
“Wassup, Zo,” Tiana answered. “Why you calling so late? I thought you were having company?”
“Hey, y’all,” Nia announced when she got on the line.
I sighed, sinking back against the pillows. “Y’all not gon’ believe the bullshit that just happened.”
“Oh, this already sounds messy. Spill it,” Nia said.
“Malik showed up,” I said flatly.
“The fuck you mean Malik showed up?” Tiana damn near yelled.
“Exactly what I said. Nigga knocked on my door tonight while Semi was here, talking about he wanted to talk.”
Nia sucked her teeth so loud it made me roll my eyes. “See, I told you he was trifling. He just out here embarrassing himself now.”
“Trifling and bold as hell,” Tiana added. “Girl, Semi better than me, ‘cause I would’ve had Malik picking his teeth up off your porch.”
I rubbed a hand across my forehead. “Semi didn’t do that. He just… left. He told me to deal with Malik and hit him when I got rid of the bum-ass energy.”
There was silence for a second before Nia’s voice slid back in, sharp. “And you mad he left.”
“I’m not mad,” I blurted.
“Yes, you are,” Tiana co-signed. “If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t be calling us about it, Zo.”
“Exactly.” Nia laughed. “You’re in your feelings, and it’s not about Malik. It’s about Semi leaving… you wanted him to stay.”
