The Publicist

Time

August POV-

I yanked the lamp off the night stand and threw it into the wall. Glass and bits of dry wall fell to the floor. There was a noticeable hole where the lamp hit.

As much as I'm fucking trying and she do me like that?

"Fuck you. And fuck Trey!" I threw the baseball on the nightstand across the room towards the door.

"Hey!" T's mother ducked as the ball flew pass her as she opened the door.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

I sat on the edge of the bed. My breathing rapid. My skin bright red with anger. My eyes trying their best to restrain the tears and man up.

But as my breathing got heavy my tears couldn't contain themselves and I broke down into my hands that covered my face. While my elbows rested on my knees.

"August what is going on?"

"I'm trying." Was all I could say between sniffling.

She sat on the edge of the bed next to me and wrapped her arms around me. She laid my head on her chest.

"August T been telling me you been going through some stuff but you gotta stop all this. You gotta stop."

She patted my back. I couldn't believe I was this broken over Jazmine but I was. I was trying man and just knowing she left me that fast for Trey, I couldn't handle it.

"Now what's wrong?" She lifted my head up. She got some tissue off the dresser and handed it to me.

"Thank you." I took it and wiped my running eyes. I have never cried this much in my life, except when my brother died. And although this wasn't that bad, losing her did feel like a death.

There was silence amongst us. She waited patiently for me to tell her what ailed me.

"I messed up with my girl."

"Messed up how?"

"I messed around with one of my dancers and got her pregnant."

"Mm-mm-mm." She shook her head.

I looked down in a shame.

"You just found out?"

"Nah I've been known. My girl know too. I just been trying so hard to get her back and she's moved on."

"Can you blame her?"

I looked at her.

"Don't look at me like that. If the shoe was on the other foot, would you stay of she got pregnant by somebody else?" She looked at me with and "hmm-huh face", already knowing the answer.

I looked away toward the other wall.

"Don't look away now."

"I'm sincerely sorry though and I been telling her and trying to show her that."
I spoke with my back to her.

"When you do something like that August, no woman is going to get over that overnight, if at all. That girl needs time. Time to heal herself after that betrayal before she can even begin to figure out what she wants to do with you."

"Would you take a man back he did that to you if he was sincerely sorry and wouldn't mess up no more?" I asked her.

"Would you take a woman back she did that to you?"

I sighed. Wishing I could erase all of this.

"If I give her time she gon forget me Mrs. Holloway."

"Everybody comes in our life for a reason August. Sometimes it's to stay. Sometimes it's to make us a better person for the one we are supposed to be with. And I know you don't want to hear that, but Im being honest. We cannot sit up here and honestly say she is wrong if she walks away. She has that right. She's young. Does she have kids?"

"No."

"She has no kids and she deserves to have a relationship with someone with no baggage if she so chooses. To demand anything more, especially when if it were the reverse you would move on, would be selfish."

I started back crying. Knowing she was right.

"Now to be this torn up over somebody you had to have loved them. And loved them deeply. But you have to give her the freedom to choose freely without you forcing it. You chose to lay down with the dancer, and now the only fair thing to do, is to let her choose and be at peace with whatever decision she makes. But in the meantime stop this foolishness and take a bath. You smell like a wet dog." She chuckled and kissed my cheek.

"If you need me. I'm here. T's cleaning up your house. He'll be back when he's done."

She left out and closed the door.

I knew everything she was saying was right. I would give her that time and whatever she chose, and I'd force myself to deal with it.
😩

Jazmine POV-

I wiped my eyes as I cried into my pillow. I'm so sick of fighting with him over stupid stuff. And he is entirely disrespectful even after he did me wrong.

His number appeared across my screen. I was tempted to hit ignore, but instead I hit answer.

For some strange reason, no matter how angry I was at him, I still wanted to hear his voice. And no matter how tough I wanted to be, I deeply loved him, but I just couldn't be with him right now.

I picked up.

"You there?" He said.

"Yeah." I sniffed.

"First off I wanted to apologize for coming at you like that. If anybodies the hoe it's me."

He waited to see if I was going to say anything. I didn't.

"And umm, if time is what you need , imma give you that. You don't have to worry about me calling and stuff. I messed up. Big time and if you don't want me back ill just deal with it."

"I didn't say I didn't want you back August. I don't know what I want right now."

"I'm just saying if you choose. I won't be upset aight?"

"Okay."

"And if you want Trey then..." He sighed. "You don't owe me nothing."

"I'm not dating Trey. I told you that. We haven't kissed. We haven't slept together anything. I do not believe in homey hopping."

"Aight well I'll let you go. I love you and ...I hope you enjoy your trip."

"Okay."

"Aight bye."

"Bye."

I hung up and broke down. I just don't know how we got here. Why we had to be here. This hurt so bad. I wish it was a dream. But unfortunately it wasn't. 😩