Odell POV-
"You left out the locker room pretty mad yesterday bruh. I didn't know whether to stop you or get out your way." Victor, my teammate and mentor, laughed as we worked out in my home gym.
We would alternate. Some days he'd come over my house. Some days me, his.
We were focused this season. Him coming off an injury. We were putting in double the work to be lethal on the field.
That included workouts and drills at wee hours in the morning. On top of our practice with the team. We were getting ready to be a force to be reckoned with this season.
I sat on the bench, catching my breath.
"What was wrong?" Vic asked as he put down the weights and sat on the bench opposite of me.
"Me and K. We going through this transitional period and it's hard for both of us." I took a sip of water.
"Oh yeah, she was in England last year right?" He drank some water.
"Yeah. And it's like she came back. Moved with me. Started her company, and it's like when she gets in work mode I don't exist ya know."
"Well at least she's about something. Half these women just want to live off us."
"I don't have a problem with that. My problem is that she never turns off work mode. Here I am, every other game I'm away. I got shit with my endorsements and got to do stuff with the team and I make more time for her than she does me. Hell President Obama still takes Michelle on dates and he's the freaking president. You can't tell me there's no time. And it's making me like..." I sighed.
Victor looked at me knowing what I was saying. "Making you..."
"Yeah." I admitted. "I'm trying to fight it with everything in me. Because I'm a faithful nigga, but it's getting harder to resist temptation. It's like the first time we had sex in three months was the day before the game. And I'm trying to be understanding but it's only so much a Nigga can do own his own, ya feel me?"
Victor laughed. "Three months without sex? What the...I wouldn't have made it."
"You can't make it a day. That's why Anything you touch come up pregnant."
"Hey, I'm just doing the Lord's work that's why he put men here."
"You stupid man." I laughed at his foolishness.
"Well I hope y'all find some balance and work it out. How long y'all been together?"
"officially like this will be I fourth year this year. But you know we was best friends before that. In college."
"And you still ain't married her?"
"It's not me holding it up. That's another thing. Usually niggas run from marriage. Like your trifling ass." I laughed.
"What is marriage besides a piece of paper baby. You got my heart. Can't no paper top that."
He said dramatically.
"Oh that's what you feed em?"
"Damn straight. My heart for the day is all they need."
I laughed. "You are outta control Vic. Outta control. Anyway, like I said most men run away from marriage but here I am two, going on three years waiting. I feel like one of your damn sidechicks."
"Maybe you are her side dick."
I stale faced him. He laughed.
"Why she making you wait? Most chicks jump to get married?"
"First it was wait until she graduates. Now it's wait until her new line with Cam takes off. And I'm like tired of waiting man. I want a family. And I'm trying to do it after getting married, but she just keep giving me the run around. And that shit is frustrating. Sometimes I feel like I'm waisting my time."
"Has she always been like this?"
"Sorta. Like in college she would do things similar. School being the focus, but we worked it out. And then when she was in London, it was sorta the same thing, we had a big blow out but we worked it out. But it's just getting worse. And we talked about it but I just don't know man."
"Maybe y'all need a break. Decide whether this relationship is what y'all want. Because it seems y'all on two different paths to me. You want a family. She wants a career. And she doesn't seem like a person that's gonna compromise."
"I can't imagine my life without her Vic. She's as important to me as oxygen. Always have been. I don't know what I would do if we broke up."
"But if deep down you not really happy and she not budging, why are you still here? It's too many fucking women in the world that's gonna treat you how a star receiver should be treated. Ain't don't give me that time shit. You can meet someone today who'll give you everything a person you knew your whole life wouldn't."
"Look at Vic with the deep
Ass Instagram quotes."
"That's what I feed my married chicks. Gotta let em know I'm better than the husband."
"Nigga let's finish this work out." I laughed and shook my head.
I was laughing, but deep down inside I was asking myself- "why was I still here?"