"Needed me. . ."
-Rihanna💋
Chapter 16:
Ariel
Ring, ring! Ring, ring!
The shrill sound of Ariel's cell phone woke her up out of her peaceful sleep. She could hear the calmness of the rain lightly hitting against the window pain, as thunder rumbled in the grey sky.
She rubbed her eyes, trying to adjust her sight to the dim light peeking through the blinds.
Shifting slightly in the bed, Ariel felt a gentle squeeze around her waist which caused her to look down. She was wrapped tightly in August's tattooed arms, with his face snuggled deep in the back of her head.
She glanced at her digital alarm clock, which read 7:42 a.m. She groggily reached for her phone, but August immediately tightened his grip around her waist pulling her back into him.
She smiled to herself, noticing how he didn't want to let her go as he remained sleep, and it made her feel safe and secure.
Ring, ring! Ring, ring!
Ariel reached for her phone again and this time succeeded, as she glanced at the screen seeing that it was Jarod calling.
"Shit," She whispered.
Ariel looked over her shoulder seeing that August was still sleeping, and slowly eased his arm from around her body as she sat up sliding her legs off the edge of the bed.
He let out a slight groan, as he reluctantly rolled over on his side. Ariel sighed deeply running her fingers through her hair, as she quietly walked out of the bedroom silencing the volume on her phone.
Exiting the apartment, she stepped out into the isolated hallway of the building gently closing the door behind herself. She leaned against the wall, staring at the incoming call contemplating on whether or not to answer.
She hadn't spoken to Jarod since their physical altercation, and she wasn't interested in hearing what he needed to say. They were officially over as far as she was concerned. August had her heart now, and she was proud to say that she has finally moved on.
Ariel would always have love for Jarod because of their long history, but their relationship saga had unfortunately come to an end in her book. After a third call popped up across the screen of her cell phone, she sighed deeply finally deciding to answer it.
Fuck it.
"Hello?" She answered rolling her eyes.
"Yo' Ariel I really need to talk to you, please," Jarod stated with urgency.
She sucked her teeth, "About what Jarod? We're over,"
"Look I know 'dat aight," he replied aggressively before sighing deeply. "I just really need yo' help right now, please,"
"What you need my help for?" She questioned with a slight attitude.
"I can't tell you 'dat over da' phone." He said. "Can I see you?"
"No you can't see me,"
"Why not?"
"Cause I..." She paused, hesitating to tell him about August. "Cause I'm with someone else now and he's over here,"
Jarod was silent for a second, before letting out a frustrated sigh.
"Fuck!" He hollered angrily through the phone.
Ariel rolled her eyes shaking her head, as she waited for him to calm down.
"Look mayne', I don't give a fuck who you got over there, aight." He replied bluntly. "Can you just come outside, please,"
"Wait your downstairs?"
"Yeah I was already on my way over when I was callin' you. Look I need to talk to you,"
She sucked her teeth sighing in annoyance, "Yeah I need to talk to you too, stay out front I'll be right down."
Without waiting for a response, Ariel hung up the phone and went back inside of her apartment. She quietly peeked inside her bedroom checking to see if August was still sleeping, and he was.
She went into the bathroom and handled her daily hygiene. After she was finished, she quickly threw on a plain fitted wife-beater, along with a pair of black leggings, and a oversized black pullover. Sliding her black Ugg boots on and pulling her hood over her head, Ariel then left the apartment.
She took the elevator down to the first floor of the lobby then exited the building. She stepped out on to her stoop and instantly got caught in the rain, as she clinged to the hood of her pullover for more coverage.
Ariel glanced around for Jarod's car but it was nowhere in sight. Just when she was about to get upset, an all black Tahoe with tinted windows pulled up in front of her building.
She squinted her eyes, trying to make out who the unknown driver was behind the dark glass. The passenger seat window rolled down revealing the driver's face, it was Jarod.
"Get in," he instructed.
Ariel hastily made her way to the truck and hopped inside, Jarod then pulled away from the curb merging into traffic.
"I thought I told you to wait out front," she stated with an attitude removing her wet hood from her head. "Now I'm fucking soaked,"
"I did wait, but I had to circle back around tho'." He simply told her. "My fault about 'dat,"
"What da' hell is going on with you Jarod?" She asked harshly, getting straight to the point. "Your blowing up my phone at 7 in da' morning, showing up unannounced and shit,"
"I know. I just, I just really needed to see you," He stated sincerely.
She scuffed shaking her head, "You know I don't have time for 'dis. I have a boyfriend and I need to get back before he wakes up. And you have a wife and clearly serious issues,"
"I don't have no fuckin' issues," He replied defensively.
"So what's your fucking excuse 'den?" She asked raising her voice. "Cause after everything 'dat happened between us, we're so beyond fucking over 'dat we need a new word for over--"
"--Can you just give me a min' to talk? Damn," He snapped irritatingly.
Ariel's cell phone rang. It was August calling her. She knew that he had noticed her disappearance and was calling to see where she had went.
"Shit!" She exclaimed frustratingly.
Jarod glanced at her, "What?"
"He's calling me now." She said with worriedness in her tone. "He knows 'dat I'm gone,"
He sucked his teeth flagging the situation, "Just don't answer it,"
Ariel sighed as she reluctantly sent August to voicemail.
She tucked her phone back in the pocket of her pullover remaining quiet, as she waited for Jarod to speak. He stressfully rubbed the back of his neck as he guided the truck through the wet streets of Brooklyn.
"Look, I know 'dat I've hurt you a lot over da' years." He began. "And after what I pulled with Kelsey, I sho' as hell don't deserve to ask you for shit."
"No you don't," She said smartly.
"But besides Miami, your da' only other person 'dat I can trust, and..." He trailed off sighing deeply.
"And, what?" She questioned in annoyance.
"And I just really need you right now,"
"You know 'dis has to stop. Da' calling me, and da' popping up, begging me to be there for you when you feel like it's convenient." She stated angrily. "I've moved on with my life, I have a boyfriend now. Okay? He doesn't know about you and I don't ever want him to know about you,"
Jarod quickly glanced at her with a surprised, sadden expression before turning his attention back to the road.
"I'm not poppin' up cause it's convenient, Ari'... Jamie's dead."
Ariel was at a complete loss for words as she stared at Jarod speechless. A sickening feeling instantly plagued the pit of her stomach, as tears began to pour from her eyes.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing, and by the torment displayed on Jarod's face, she knew that the devasting news was very much so real.
Her heart broke for him, because she knew that there was nothing she could say or do to make his pain go away. Jarod pulled into a secluded alley up the block from her apartment and cut the ignition off.
Rain drops gently hit against the roof of the truck creating a natural sound of music, filling the silence between the two. Jarod sighed deeply slouching in his seat as he glanced down, before finally responding.
" 'Dats not even da' half of what's goin' on ether. Somebody is tryna' kill me too,"
"What?" She exclaimed shocked, "Who is trying to kill you Jarod?"
"I can't tell you who it is," He said shaking his head. His right temple vein pulsated threateningly as his chest heaved in rage. "But just know 'dat it's da' same muh'fuckas who killed Jamie tho',"
"When did all 'dis happen?" She asked confused, sniffling and wiping her tears away as they continued to fall.
"Da' night of our argument." He said as a single tear trailed down his cheek. "I had gotten da' call when I was leavin' yo' crib,"
Ariel scuffed in disbelief, as she covered her mouth in utter shock glancing out of her window. No words were able to be spoken, as all she could do was cry.
She was astonished that Jarod had a hit over his head, and the fact that his younger brother had gotten caught up in his beef, was way too much for her to bare.
" 'Dem niggas killed my brother mayne'," He stated full of sorrow, as he shook his head tearing up. "Shot him straight in da' fuckin' head."
"I'm so sorry, Jarod." She told him sadly, as she reached over and embraced him tightly. "I'm so sorry..."
Jarod broke down crying as she consoled him. It tore her up inside to see him so weak and vulnerable, because she knew that this pain would last forever.
With Ariel loosing her own father, she knew the feeling all to well and hated that Jarod had to share the traumatic experience. Holding her ex-boyfriend and hearing him break down caused tears to come to Ariel's eyes even more.
"Shh', it's all right. Let it out, baby, let it out," Ariel whispered as she pulled Jarod's head into her chest.
Jarod was always so boisterous, so hard; now his spirit was half gone. He held onto Ariel, trying to feel her heartbeat through their embrace while he wept on her chest, mourning the death of his brother and the loss of his sanity.
Ever since Jamie had been killed, his head wasn't the same. His baby brother was gone, and Ariel had no idea that Jamie's death had been at the hands of August and his crew.
"He was my brother, Ari'. My baby bro'," Jarod sobbed.
"I know..." She whispered softly. "I'm so sorry,"
Ariel and Jarod released one another. They locked eyes, and for the first time there wasn't even the slightest bit of animosity between them.
"I need you, Ari'." He told her sadly. "I need you to help me,"
"Yeah, of course," She said sympathetically nodding her head.
Gathering himself, Jarod sniffled loudly as he slightly flicked the bridge of his nose and roughly wiped his tears away.
"I gotta' go away for a while," he said glancing down.
"Where?" She asked.
"A mental institution out in
Jersey." He said. "I just gotta' lay low there for a few days cause 'dats da' only place 'dem mu'fuckas won't think to look for me,"
"Okay. So what do you need me to do?"
"I need you to be da' one to check me in, just in case 'dem niggas come up there searchin' for me,"
Ariel sighed deeply stressfully running her fingers through her hair as she shook her head glancing out of her window.
"When?"
"Tonight, at 10."
------
Ariel walked into her home and heard her shower running. She was glad that August was still there. After the morning she'd had, she needed him more than ever.
She took off her oversized pullover and Ugg boots, revealing her fitted wife-beater and black leggings. Walking into the bathroom, she pulled back the shower curtain and admired August's toned tattooed body as he washed himself.
She stepped inside of the shower in her clothes and all then held on to him tightly. She hoped that he wouldn't make her regret her decision to be with him. She was taking a chance on him, trusting someone other than Jarod for the first time in her adult life.
"Hey, what's wrong? Ya' gettin' yo'self soaked ma," he whispered in protest, yet he never let her go.
Ariel had no regrets. She knew that he was worth the risk. She could feel his love for her even in the way that he held her. Deep inside her heart she knew that he would never hurt her.
She just hoped and prayed that she could keep herself from hurting him by helping Jarod.
*****
Jarod
Since the huge blow up between Ariel and Kelsey the other night at his strip club, Jarod hasn't been able to see Kelsey due to all of the unexpected drama going on in his life.
He knew that she would be upset about his disappearance, and would be even more livid once she found out that he has to leave for a few days, so he needed to do some extreme damage control.
He had to get things straightened out with her about Ariel, because she was going to be the one to help him lay low for a while until this street war that he had found himself in dies down.
Walking into her apartment, Jarod made his way down the hall and entered Kelsey's bedroom. She was busy cleaning up her room, so she didn't notice his sudden emergence.
"Wassup' Kelz'," He greeted Kelsey by her nickname, causing her to glance up in his direction. "You aight?"
She sighed deeply taking a seat on her bed running her fingers through her hair.
"What kind of evil bitch did you use to fuck with?" She said
referring to her black eye and busted bottom lip as she shook her head.
"Let me see," he instructed as he lifted her chin examining her face. "Damn..."
"Are you fucking serious?" She said angrily slapping his hands away. "She punched me in my fucking face,"
He sighed deeply taking a seat on her bed, "I mean, shit, you pulled out da' marriage license on her--"
"--So! What she did is fucking ridiculous are you kidding me," she exclaimed in disapproval.
Kelsey had absolutely zero regrets in exposing her ID to Ariel because she felt like she had no other option. She felt like Ariel was blatantly disrespecting her by talking to her like she was a random side ho, and she needed to know the truth.
Jarod knew that if Kelsey were to ever see Ariel, then she was going to say something. She had given him way too many chances to tell Ariel the truth and he didn't do it, so Kelsey did.
"I just had enough and I had to tell her," she said.
"Well, can I play devil's advocate wit'out you sayin' I'm takin' her side?" He asked as she nodded. "She's held me down for two years, Kelz'. She's disgustedly hurt,"
"But why would she hit me though--"
"--Who are you!? She don't even know you other 'den da' chick 'dat I've cheated on her wit'," He stated harshly slightly raising his voice. "What are you talkin' about yo'? And I'm not tellin' you 'dat you shouldn't have did 'dat. All I'm tellin' you, is you shouldn't be shocked 'dat you got jabbed,"
It's was very apparent that Jarod has forgotten that he's been the one telling Kelsey for almost a year, him and Ariel are over.
Kelsey wasn't going to take the blame for breaking up their relationship.
According to him, that happened a long time ago. So of course she was pretty shocked when Ariel came at her, because it was Jarod who made this whole mess, not Kelsey.
"But I didn't cause 'dis though--"
"I'm in da' middle of just loosin' my brother and tryin' to end things wit' her to make you happy, but I don't feel like you understand 'dat--"
"--I do Jarod, I hear you,"
"To me it sounds like you only thinkin' about yourself. Your not thinkin' about me, da' shit I'm goin' through, 'n how all 'dis shit has been affectin' me or nun'--"
"--I am thinking about you and what your going through,"
"--'Den stop worryin' about Ariel cause we not together no more." He stated frustratingly. "So what I need you to do, is put yourself a
lil' bit on da' back burner, just a lil' bit not all da' way,"
"--But 'dats what I've been doing 'dis whole time though,"
"--Look, you want out?" He questioned curiously.
A brief moment of silence fell upon them as they stared at each other.
"What do you want, Jarod?" She asked sincerely as she slightly frowned her face.
"I'm here," He said reassuringly. "I'm not goin' nowhere. She's gone, I lost 'dat. From what she told me, she's gotta' boyfriend 'n shit now, so, she's moved on. 'N I'm just tryna' move on wit' you."
Kelsey gave a half smile, "Okay, I understand."
"There's also one last thing, I'm goin' away for a few days to lay low, and Ari' will be helpin' me out." He honestly admitted. "But besides 'dat, you ain't gotta' worry. Aight,"
She nodded, "Aight."
*****
Ariel
Sitting on the bathroom countertop in front of the mirror, Ariel sighed deeply as she frustratingly tried to cover up the bruise on her forehead with make up concealer.
The domestic marks from her abuse was still evident after four days of the incident, and Ariel was still having an extremely hard time covering up the bruise.
She sucked her teeth glancing down applying more product to her beauty blender, as she gently dapped the concealer on to her forehead.
Feeling a sudden presence behind her, Ariel noticed Nina watching her through the reflection of the mirror. She had a serious expression on her face, as she leaned against the door frame with her arms folded.
She had stopped by to get the rest of her belongings, since the two of them had came to an agreement on her moving in with her babies father, while Ariel got to keep the apartment.
"I'm tryna', cover 'dis bruise up but it's a tough one, since I ran out of my other stuff." Ariel stated as she continued to apply more product.
Remaining silent, Nina walked fully into the bathroom eying Ariel intensely.
"Yeah, what else are you tryna' cover up Ari'?" She questioned suspiciously, knowing that Ariel was hiding more than just a bruise.
Ariel closed the cap on her
concealer as she began to go through her make up box, "If only I had sum' more of 'dat tattoo foundation 'den--"
"--Stop." Nina stated abruptly, catching Ariel off guard as she glanced in her direction. Tears began to pour from Nina's eyes. "Jarod did 'dat to you, didn't he?"
"Why are you crying Nina!?" Ariel snapped harshly with an attitude. "You really think I would let a man hit me, fa'real? I can't believe you would even say sum' shit like 'dat--"
"--Why are you lying to me!?" Nina exclaimed angrily. "I know you, your my cousin!"
Ariel sighed deeply as she glanced down in defeat remaining silent. Nina scuffed in disbelief as she immediately became furious.
"Yo', I'm bout to kill his ass!!" she yelled beginning to storm out of the bathroom, but Ariel stopped her.
"--No you are not!!" She told her sternly as she quickly hopped down from the countertop. "No you are not Nina!! Your not gonna' do anything because he's not worth it,"
"How could you let someone do 'dat to you--"
"--You of all people should know 'dat you don't, let it, happen!!" Ariel yelled frustratingly.
Nina stared at her in dismay as tears continued to slide down her face in turmoil. She gripped her hair in defeat as she shook her head glancing away.
Ariel sighed deeply regaining her composure as she ran her fingers through her hair, allowing a brief silence to fall upon them.
She looked at Nina sternly.
"Nina I'm done with him." She said truthfully, her voice steely and despondent. "Alright? I'm done with him."
She walked out of the bathroom entering into her bedroom as Nina followed behind.
"Where are you going?" Nina asked wiping her tears away.
Ariel threw on her leather jacket, "I gotta' go handle something," she replied, glancing at the time on her DVR that read 10pm. "Just make sure you lock up on your way out. I'll talk to you later."
Without waiting for a response back from Nina, Ariel exited the apartment closing the door behind herself to go meet with Jarod.
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Copyright © 2019 by Ariel O. Jones
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Printed in the United States of America
First Printing, 2019
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