Perfectly Imperfect

Chapter 12

Two Months Later

I've gotten closer to Monica and Diamond while Lay has been drifting further and further away from me. She was going out with her friends pretty much every night and after waiting around for 3 weeks and trying to reestablish our relationship, I gave up. After we had a big ass argument about her always being out, I stopped asking about it, it wasn't getting us anywhere but to more conflict and tension. Now, I basically only see her at practice or late at night it was frustrating as hell it was like our schedules were always conflicting. I spend most of my free time with Ari, Monica, and Diamond, or it's just me and Ari, she's been getting very spoiled as a result of the distance between me and Lay. Outside of that I'm in the gym or working with King, the best thing about Lincoln is I get to play year-round, other than a month off I'm always playing trying to improve.

It isn't all bad though, when we were together, we usually do something fun, like go to the beach or amusement park, but some way we always end up having at least one argument over petty shit. I hate it. Lay was my best friend before we got together, and I feel like this relationship is ruining the friendship we had. I assume her parents have noticed the change in our dynamic because they offered to watch Ari today so I can have some time to de-stress. I'm at the mall with Diamond and Monica since Lay decided not to come home last night, again, which says a lot since it's her damn house. She only sent me a text saying she was fine and was spending the night at a friend's house and she loves me. I'm upset, pissed off, and irritated cause I know by friend she was referring to her new best friend Anthony.

There's something going on between them, I'm not blind to it and I'm not stupid, but at this point I don't even care anymore. I love Lay more than anything, but I'm done with this shit, if this is love I want no part of this shit.

"Hey, stop thinking about that shit and relax" Monica says coming up to my side as we walk around Footlocker. Monica and I are in the kid section looking at shoes for Ari and one of her little cousins birthday, usually I love shopping for Ari but today I'm just not in the mood. Shit with Lay is rough, and I don't know what to do about it, when I tried it didn't work, and now when I'm not I just feel shitty. Me and Lay have never been in such a bad place even during our worst arguments, we always found a way to make up, now, I don't know.

I sigh irritated with myself; she doesn't give a fuck so why am I? Cause I love her dumbass that's why. "I'm trying but it's some bullshit" she smiles sadly and nods in understanding.

"I know but if she doesn't want to put in the effort to save your relationship it's something you might want to consider, but you can do it on a different day, when you both can sit down and talk. For now, just try to relax with some retail therapy and if that doesn't work you can tell me how I can get on Vinny's mom's good side. I know she likes you " Monica is right so I gave her a smile and put my arm around her shoulder. I give her the do's and don'ts of how to interact with Mrs. Amor, she's a bit of a hard ass but rightfully so, she's worked her ass off to raise Vinny and his brothers and before she got married, she was doing it all on her own. When she first met me, I had Ari and she thought that she was my daughter, we ended up talking for almost an hour after that about raising children and working hard. She gives amazing advice, but she doesn't like people easily, especially girls coming after her son.  We walk over to Diamond who was looking at some shoes while the sales boy fawns over, I've gotten used to this everywhere we go, she just attracts attention. She's just that beautiful you can't help but notice her when she enters a room.

"What you think?" she holds up some red and black Timberlands, sky blue, black and white Jordan 1's and metallic gold Nike Air Foamposite Pro.

Monica and I nod our approval and we look around some more before paying for our shoes and going to the food court. I decide to just get some chicken wings and fries since I haven't had much of an appetite lately and go to the table Monica and Diamond picked.