Pine (Urban)

Three | Tai

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My hair bounced up and down as I jogged lightly on a treadmill in Esporta. The true-crime podcast I was listening to was starting to heat up when a familiar scent filled my nose.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see my ex-Chris standing on the side of me with a goofy-looking smile on his face as if he and I were on speaking terms.

The only thing I hated about coming to the gym was the chance encounter that I'd run into him. Had me thinking of ending my membership and going over to crunch.

I stopped the treadmill and my jog slowed down into a walk before stopping altogether. I hit pause on the podcast and began stretching my arms.

"What do you want?" I questioned and he placed his hands up as if he were trying to surrender the fight before one could be had.

"I was just saying hi" Chris replied. The goofy smile never left his face and I couldn't believe I had wasted so much time on him.

I remained silent and he sighed and folded his arms while keeping eye contact with me like that was going to help him out.

"You have an entire baby on the way. You shouldn't even be speaking to me" I said poking my finger in his face.

The goofy smile never left his face. You would think he'd even feel a bit guilty at what he had done, but nothing.

"Tai, I fucked up. I fucked up badly and that's why I had to leave. You think I want to be with her?" He questioned me.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my water bottle out of the holder.

"I don't care. Do you think you coming over here and messing up my workout is going to make me forgive you? You're a slut and not cute enough to have a side hoe" I snapped.

Chris' face twitched with anger as he took a step back.

It was obvious my words had stung, but it was the truth. He and I had only gotten together because I was able to look past his looks.

Once you give a mediocre guy a chance they start treating you like you're average and you were the one chasing them.

I genuinely thought he was a good guy. Things were good at first, but you can only hide who you are as a person for so long.

"That attitude is why you're going to die alone. Black women can be so bitter" Chris muttered.

I looked his beige ass up and down as I sipped on my water bottle and swallowed hard.

I contemplated dumping water on his head but decided against it. He wasn't worth it and his words didn't sting.

I knew that's what insecure men told themselves to make them feel better about being inadequate.

My biggest regret was wasting two years on him. That was two years of bad sex, two years of half-assed love, and two years of making excuses for why he couldn't be what I needed him to be.

The other woman had really saved me from wasting any more time on him. Seeing him standing in front of me with that goofy look on his face, showed me how big of a bullet I had dodged.