The world is chaotic and cold. No love to give and no warmth to feel. It was easy to live in that kind of world when it was the environment you were raised in-it's just sad for the ones who were thrown into the mix without warning.
The only advice...
"Fuck you mean leave you alone? I ain't heard from yo' ass in days, so no I'm not gon'—"
"I'm fine, though so you don't have to worry." She cut him off and her voice came out annoyed.
There silence on the other end then she heard Kel chuckle, sending a weary chill down her spine.
"Zuri, don't play wit' me right na'. You think shit sweet but I'm not fuckin' around. You don't just go ghost on muhfuckas—I don't give a fuck if you was on cloud nine, let me know so I'm not sittin' hea' worryin' about yo' ass! You lucky I ain't popped up on yo, yet."
Kel spoke calmly into Zuri's ear but she knew he was anything but calm. Zuri hated that he was upset with her but things needed to change and she didn't know how to go about it.
"Kel.." Zuri started but tried to find the right words to say. She could hear his breathing through her ear and she wanted nothing more than to cry and tell him where her head was at, at the moment. But she couldn't. Instead she did what had to be done.
"I can't do this anymore." That expression, it was easier said than done, was a complete lie because her heart shattered and her bottom lip quivered. She quickly bit to not provoke the tears.
"Hell—fuck is you sayin'? Man, I'm on my way—"
"No! Kel, I-I just...I need space. I'm not—can you please just let me be." As the words poured out like silk, the further she feel her heart being ripped from her chest. But she quickly realized she was doing this to protect them both.
Silence again fell between the call and this time she could hear Kels breathing quicken.
"Zuri, let's talk about this. Can I please come over? This shit came outta nowhere cause we was just good—more than good a few days ago." He pleaded. Zuri closed her eyes and swallowed her spit before clearing her throat.
She took a deep sigh and finished what she had to say. "I'm sorry, Kel, but I can't. I uhm, I gotta go." Before he could respond she ended the call and tossed her phone to sighed.
Even though it hurt like hell, she kept repeating to herself that it had to be done.
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"Tone, I can't come in today. I even wrote it on the board."
"And I get that, Zuri. But the shop busy as hell and I can't get around ta' doin' last weeks reports. You know when it get like 'dis, we gotta be the firsts in hea'."
Zuri was currently arguing with Tone about her schedule. Since she was now the co-owner, it was mandatory that she came into the barbershop at least 5 days out of the week and Zuri wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the opportunity she was given so she took the toll as being a 'boss' seriously. But some things had to be sacrificed when being your own boss.
She was running a business alongside Antonio, so even if she did go into the shop 5 days throughout the week, when it go busy, the ones in charge were the ones that had to step up first. It'd been like this for awhile now though. Zuri not having any time to herself because she was constantly working and ontop of that, finals were approaching. She was nothing more than stress but she felt like she had something to prove. But she didn't know who anymore.
