You're sure you look crazy as hell, venting to a dog about how much of a mess you are, but it's one of the perks of having pets. They love you unconditionally, will never judge you unless you do something really stupid like pet another dog, and can always lend an ear when you're freaking out.
Zeus was your silent therapist during a lot of your shitty moments with men in your teenage years.
And now you're rubbing your temple and staring at King as he lies limp in your arms, asking him why your stupid ass called N'Jadaka only to hang up like that. It no doubt let him know you were lying about Kayla, if he even believed you in the first place. You don't think he did, he's good at reading people.
The silence is deafening, and you use the time to throw some clothes on and freshen up, lamenting at the fact that the blazing heat of the summer is going away soon. All things considered, the heat never really leaves around here but there's something about the end of summer that puts you through a funk.
Your phone rings and you answer it quickly, not even looking at the screen to see who it is. At this point you're finding it hard to care about anything.
"Kay-"
"What you mean, 'fuck,'?" barks N'Jadaka like you hadn't hung up on him a full 15 minutes ago.
"Nothing," you say tiredly, fiddling with the frayed edges of your denim shorts.
"Don't play with me, _____," he says. "Where you at?"
You go to answer but he cuts you off with an amused, "Oh right, you don't have a damn car, broke ass."
"I can't stand you!" Sometimes you wonder if he just says shit to make you laugh, except it just makes you want to dot his eye. "Come take me to CVS, and shut up. You're paying for everything I pick up today."
Scoffing, he shoots back, "Like I don't pay for everything you got, anyway."
"You don't! Everything in my savings is mine."
"And everything in that checkings is mine."
The two of you argue about the worth of that claim for what feels like half an hour, only stopping once your apartment door opens like it wasn't locked. It was, but he always has you doubting everything to the point you don't know what really went down or not. Honestly, it seems like some weird manipulation tactic. You know he's somehow unlocking your door without you hearing the noise of a key but every time he berates you for leaving it open.
King does his normal thing, be ignored by N'Jadaka as he runs in circles around his feet. You watch, captivated, at the way he just stares down at your excited puppy until he sits at full attention. He never sits for you yet, too occupied with trying to see if something is in your hands when you point at him. Patiently you wait for N'Jadaka to reward King in some way for sitting, and sure enough he bends down to rub his head with both hands.
"When you're done making my dog like you more than me, I'm ready to go."
He sucks his teeth at your childish quip, watching you clip the leash onto King's collar and grab your purse. The only thing you could muster as far as your face was a little lipgloss. You wonder if your lack of makeup is bothering N'Jadaka at all, as if you care, but you note that the absence of it is making you look more tired than usual. The bags under your eyes have been brutal the past few days and you just want the shit to pass so you can go back to feeling like you want to be outside rather than underneath the bed.
-
"You good?"
