Show Me

XVII

"Why the hell not?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"Come on Zeke. For one, he's my boss, technically. What if it doesn't pan out and then he thinks I'm gonna be awkward and incapable of doing my job because I like him, or what if he did by chance like me back, and then we can't separate our relationship from business?! Or what if he doesn't like me back and I lose my best friend! You see? There's too much risk," she said, chewing on her bottom lip.

"Sereniti," Zeke straight faced her, calling her by her middle name. "You sound pussy," he said simply, making her friends gasp. They never heard them interact before and didn't know they said that to each other very often.

"I do not!" she sucked her teeth.

"Yeah you do," he chuckled. "No matter if that nigga like you or not, you need to own up to what you said, E'ani. You done said it already, there's nothing you or him could do to change that now, but what you can do is clear the air and let whatever happens happen. For all you know that nigga madly in love with you and you wouldn't know because you don't wanna speak up. And as far as being awkward and business goes you should know yourself better than that. You need to give yourself more credit than that because no matter what goes on, if it's one thing E'ani Anderson gon do its make some fuckin money, so you need not worry about that. What you need to do is own up to yo shit, because you like this nigga right?" he raised his eyebrow and she nodded. "Aight then. Man up," he shrugged.

"God damn," Sincere said as he finished talking.

As they hadn't known her as long as Zeke had, obviously, they didn't know that when E'ani went through periods of self doubt, or being severely indecisive to the point where she just shut all options down, like right now, she didn't need to be babied. Her friends were taking it easy on her, because they didn't know babying Yanni gave her more opportunity to wallow in whatever it was she was struggling with.

Yanni needed tough love. She always had. That's how she and Ezekiel were raised, their parents always gave them moments to cry, but after that moment, dry your tears and get back up. Yanni couldn't count the amount of times she'd fall as a child on runs, hurt herself and cry. But instead of ending the run then and there, her mom or dad would watch her, let her have her moment and they were back up and running again.

As an adult, that mentality never changed. Even after her situation with Devin. She allowed herself a week to cry and feel sorry for herself before actively looking for therapists, seeking out ways to better herself. Although it took a very long time and a very deep and painful process, that tough love mentality saved her from an even deeper depression than what she was experiencing.

So now, as she faced another turning point, although not life altering to some, she needed to apply that same principle to herself, and Zeke knew it. He gave her her moment to cry, he gave her her moment to feel unsure and afraid, but now it was time to get leave her pity party and be exactly who she knew she was.

"You're right," she nodded, looking up at the ceiling momentarily, "You're right and I hate you," she sighed.

"Yeah, get it together," he chuckled. "But I gotta go, my son is hungry, again. Don't sit there and mope no more, I'm serious Yanni. I love you, I'll talk to you later, Cinderella," he laughed loudly again and she sucked her teeth with a roll of her eyes.

"I love you too," she grumbled, hanging up the phone.

"So you telling me, all I had to do to get you to get it together was call you a pussy?" Sincere squinted her eyes. "I could've done that three days ago!" she threw her hands up, causing both Yanni and Nyx to bust out laughing.