DAWG

Nine

Promise began to laugh to conceal the irritation that so desperately made her want to lash out.  "You're an ignorant asshole, Zayne."

"I'll be that as long as you know I'm not claiming your kid."

Promise nodded her head, her eyes glued to the back of his light jacket. "I don't believe any of it.." He continued to utter angrily. She just wanted him to close his mouth, but she was trying to stay calm. She didn't want to fly off the handle too quickly.

"Yeah, well you believe it only takes one time and two people to make a baby, right? Again, I'm not lying on your little dick Zayne,"She rolled her eyes.

He turned around and furrowed a lone eyebrow," Yeah, okay. Why not bring him then?!"Zayne's voice carried through the air, making Promise glad they were alone.

"Clearly, I was preparing myself for your little temper tantrum ahead of time. He doesn't need that!" She'd hit another nerve because he was towering over her again, his chest heaving up and down. Promise didn't flinch this time - she could see it - FEAR. She'd realized he was afraid the moment he mentioned some of the things his father soiled his mind with.

"I've seen this before, I know the routine and I know you're lying!" Zayne grasped her chin, piercing her eyes with his own. She pushed his hand away, "You just don't want to believe me!" The picture she tried showing him before nearly remained forgotten, but it dawned on her that this moment was fitting to put his doubts to rest.

Promise untucked the photo and forced it into his view. "Does this look like a come up?" She witnessed his irises darken and grow wider by the second. "Where are the lies in his face, Zayne?" Her tone turned softer, a fresh batch of tears threatening to spill over.

He slowly latched onto the picture, tugging it so that she'd release it. "I told you that I know what I see everyday, and it's you all over again." She wrapped her arms around herself to ward off the cool breeze. Zayne was stuck, his feet were moving while he paced, but other than that he was on autopilot.

An uncomfortable quietude consumed them. Promise couldn't tell what Zayne was thinking. His eyes had been fixed on that picture ever since he'd set sight on it. The tension was still thick, without any hints of it dying down soon. "Damn," he huffed, his hands on top of his head while he looked into the night sky. "I can't do this!" He shouted. She flinched, not because of his voice, but for obvious reasons.

She knew it.

She should've expected it, but it didn't hurt any less.

"So that's it?"

Zayne watched her for a moment before his stare settled on the picture again. "Zayne," She called to him. He purposely ignored her. She scrubbed her hand across her head with a roll of her eyes. "I'm trying to talk to you...ignoring me is childish, but then again I'm learning not to expect much from you."

She wanted him to know that everything wasn't about him and everybody wasn't out to get him. He frowned with his attention focused on her again. Her feet carried her until she was standing in front of him.