Unexpected

XXXII

" Where have you been Ms. Nadia?" Jay asked me eating his pizza.

" I been working a lot." I said not bringing up how his father has been real distant towards me.

" Oh so you're making your money."

I chuckled, " Yea I'm making my money. What have you been up to?"

He shrugged, " Basketball pretty much. What is pops doing?"

I looked for Eli and seen him getting the soda. We were at an arcade because Jay said he missed me and I missed him as well.

Once he made it back to us, Jay grabbed the soda out of his hand.

" Thanks pops. I was thirsty."

Eli chuckled, " No problem. We are leaving in 30."

" Okay." Jay said with sad look.

" We can always come back." I said giving him a napkin for his face.

He wiped his face and got up, " I'm going to drive."

" Okay, I'll be with you soon." Eli said eating his pizza.

He ran off and it fell into an awkward silence. I grabbed my phone out scrolling through social media.

" Thank you for coming to hang out with him."

I looked up at him and now that I actually look at his face, he looks sad and tired.

" No problem. Missed my little man."

He gave me a small smile and made his way to Jay. I don't understand how we went to good to bad in the matter of days.

++++++++++++++++

It's been 3 days since I last seen or heard from Eli and honestly I was at the point of not even caring. After that night I tried to get back to our regular routine with each other but I can tell that we weren't there anymore. I am hurt but I know that I didn't do anything wrong.

" Babe, I'm home!" I heard Nia saying coming up the stairs.

" In my room."

" Awe Nadia."

I bet I looked a mess. I was at the break up stage even though we didn't break up. Movies, snacks, tissues, you name it.

" I'm fine, I think I got a cold or something."

She laid next to me and grabbed the hot Cheetos that I were eating, " Don't lie to me. Still no talking."

I shook my head and tried to keep the tears from falling.

" Nia to be honest, I feel like I failed as a girlfriend. Obviously he's going through something and I can't be there to comfort him. I feel like I should of tried harder but I was scared that I was going to push him away. But that already happened."

" You didn't fail because you did try. And that's the only thing you can do when someone doesn't want the help that you are trying to give."

I nodded taking in her words, " We haven't had a real conversation in days and it has me thinking how quick he would give up on us. Like this is a issue that we will continue to have if we don't communicate and I bettered in that for him and now he doesn't want to the do the same."

" People need to help themselves before they try to do for others. He needs to become stronger than he is now."

" Thank you Nia."

She smiled, " Of course. I'm here anytime."

+++++++++++++++

Next Morning