"I paid the entry fee yesterday, and it's in May. Yeah, I'm ready to take on another competition." Azure balanced her phone on her shoulder while she listened to her mom respond to her, as she entered her apartment.
As usual, Shar and her friends had invaded the living room, staring at her as she sat a few of her groceries down on the island.
"I'm going to try something different this time" she continued on the phone, "My friend has been sending me inspiration pictures."
"I have to meet this friend." her mom responded.
Azure blushed, "One day" she lied, knowing it would never go down based off of the conditions of their relationship, "But I'll call you later mom, I have to start this paper."
The two said their goodbyes, and Azure placed her phone down.
Once she finally acknowledged Shar and her girls, she could see that one of her friends had been crying and they were all sitting around consoling her. She would usually wonder what's wrong, but they had grown so rude to her over time she simply didn't care.
"Girl, fuck his stupid ass" Shar told Diamond, "That bitch probably busted anyway."
"I just can't believe I dealt with him for that long and he does me like this. I swear, I'm going to fuck up whoever that bitch is"
Azure was interested into the conversation now, pretending to not listen as she prepared herself a fruit salad from her groceries.
"Can you quiet down?" Diamond snapped at Azure.
Azure chuckled underneath her breath, causing the girl to grow angry. Diamond rolled her eyes, deciding to ignore the girl until she spotted the familiar jacket that Azure wore. It wasn't a sports jacket you could just buy at any store, as it was custom made with a very particular person's initials on them.
Arising from the couch, she approached the island.
"Where did you get that jacket?" She scolded Azure.
Azure glanced at the jacket, and then back up at Diamond, "....why?"
"I just know it's not yours, so whose is it" Diamond said, fishing.
"It's mine, believe it or not." Azure smiled.
Technically it wasn't, but Nico had given it to her to have after he got a better one customized and Azure happily accepted it. It still smelled of vanilla and baby powder, and once Diamond got a whiff of the scent she was now sure of whose jacket it was.
Azure ignored the girl, next pulling out her laptop from her bag and sitting it down. Seeing the pink cover, Diamond immediately lost it.
"Bitch, are you fucking Nico!?" She spat, now fully aware of what she was seeing.
Her friends in the background were now fully into the conversation, dying to know the answer.
Azure scrunched her eyebrows at Diamond, "How do you know Nico?"
"That's my man, you hoe!"
For a minute Azure didn't know what to say, because she was shocked to know that she happened to know one of Nico's 'friends' as he called it. And by the looks of it, she believed that the two were much more as her tear stained face burned a hole through Azure. Azure was definitely pissed, but she learned to not give her roommate and her friends any grief off of her back.
"And what do you call your friend?" She asked, looking over at Shar, "And besides, by the way you're looking you sure that's your man?"
She had to admit even she was surprised at her comeback, but she was tired of being bullied, and over being treated badly in her own apartment. As far as she was concerned, the last weeks of the semester were counting down and she wouldn't have to see Shar ever again in her life.
Without anymore words, Diamond swung her body over the counter, grabbing Azure by her lengthy hair. Azure screamed out loud, and Diamond swung her onto the wooden floor. Shar and her friends didn't even bother to get up, just watching as Diamond beat the girl like she stole something. Azure wasn't a fighter, that was clear. She had a tight grip on Diamonds hair, but that was about it as Diamond released her anger into the smaller girl. Shar finally arose from the couch, deciding to break it up.
"Alright Diamond that's enough." Shar said, pulling her friend off of Azure.
Azure could feel the sting in her lip telling her it was busted, and her hair was all over the place.
"I told that nigga I was going to fuck you up" Diamond spat.
Azure climbed to her feet, next grabbing her phone and heading into her room. She couldn't believe what she had just experienced, and if this was what it would be like with Nico she didn't want any parts. Sharing a man with Shar was one thing, and now her friend. How small was the world? She couldn't catch a break, but that was exactly what she was getting ready to take from dating.
Face-timing Nico's phone, he answered on the third ring, only to be heated once he saw Azure's face.
"What happened!?" He barked, a bad feeling in his stomach. He hoped Juicy hadn't been as stupid as he thought.
"Your girlfriend is what happened" Azure snapped, "And she's still in my apartment. You know what Nico, if you're talking to her than I can't continue ~~"
"Azure, stop" Nico cut her off, not taking that for an option, "I'll be there in five."
Azure watched as the phone call went out, and she rolled her eyes and tossed her phone on the bed. She glanced at herself in the mirror that hung on the wall, and made an uneasy expression at her face. She had a busted lip, a bruise under her eye and a few scratches.
It wasn't bad, but it for sure wasn't pretty. She wanted to cry, but tears wouldn't come out. Instead she sat there listening to Diamond and her friends talk loudly about the situation. Before she knew it, she heard someone knock on the door and then it being opened, only for it to cause more commotion.
Azure left out of her room, to see Nico standing in the middle of the floor arguing with Diamond.
"You really come like that when this bitch call?" Diamond yelled, snapping her fingers, "Who the fuck is that bum ass bitch to you?"
The girls in the room just watched the two go back and forth, admiring Nico as he hovered over all of them, his scent filling the room as he looked good as hell in his workout gear. Shar remembered him from the school event, and was able to confirm that it was definitely him who was hugged on Azure that day.
"I told you if you touched my girl I was gonna knock yo ass out, why are you trying me?" He barked.
"Fuck her! And fuck you too, I will beat that ass again." Diamond promised.
"And you" he said turning to Shar, startling her, "How the fuck you let her big ass hit on that girl? You know Azure don't get down like that!"
Shar shrugged, "Maybe she shouldn't have a smart mouth if she can't fight."
Nico shook his head at Shar and knew she was a lost cost. Once he turned back to confront Diamond, he spotted Azure poking out of the hallway. Seeing her battered face and messy hair, he walked to over and pulled her into him.
"You okay?" He asked, checking out her bruises.
Diamond couldn't believe what she was seeing with her eyes as Nico seemed seriously concerned about Azure, he was even brushing her hair in place as he continued to ask her about her well being.
"I'm fine, I just want to go" Azure told him.
"Grab what you can, we'll come back to get the rest" Nico told her, "You're not staying here."
He didn't feel right leaving Azure to stay with Shar, who clearly was just as dangerous as Diamond. She hadn't even stepped in to help Azure until it was already too late, and he couldn't get down with that.
Nico followed Azure into her room, helping her gather some clothes to bring with her.
Diamond followed behind them yelling obscenities at Nico as he ignored her. Shar finally decided to step in, trying to lead her best friend away as Nico had clearly chosen and she was now embarrassing herself.
"Girl, Just let him go. Clearly he want to be with a bum, that bitch wear Ross, you Saks Fifth Ave sweetie." Shar tried to convince Diamond.
"You know what, you're right" Diamond listened, "Nigga gon be hitting up my phone for the pussy any day now."
"Sure is" Shar gave Azure a devious smile.
Azure didn't know it, but Shar's hate had grown for her once Kelz began to act like he was actually interested in what Azure was up to. It hadn't started until the two spotted her with her new man, who seemed to be the popular guy on campus. Kelz was hating hard for the rest of the day, as he kept going on about Nico and how he probably wasn't pleasing Azure, and how he didn't look like the type of guy who she'd go for. Since then, Shar couldn't stand the sight of her.
Nico's only response was to tell Azure to hurry up, as he grabbed two bags of clothing and told her to go in front of him. She did as he said, grabbing her items, including her laptop on the kitchen counter and she exited the apartment.
"When you get tired of that boring hoe, don't call me" Diamond gave him one last evil look as he made his way through the living room with Azure's things.
Nico gave her a taunting smirk as he grabbed the knob of the door, "Ain't shit about my bitch boring!" next firmly closing it behind him.
. . . . . . . . .
"I'm sorry about this shit" Nico said for the hundredth time as he cleaned up Azure's scratches, "Dumb ass bitch." he mumbled.
"It's okay." Azure responded, trying to hold back her tears.
She was upset about the whole situation, but didn't want to show Nico that she was.
Her throat was burning with a knot as she tried to hide her frustration.
Once he was done patching her up, Nico kissed her on her forehead, "Ima teach you to whip these bitches ass." he said, holding her head.
Azure smirked, but it quickly faded as she got up from the toilet and made her way into the bedroom. Nico knew she was upset, as all she did was lay in his bed and glare at the tv.
"Azure, I want to talk to you." Nico told her, sitting on the opposite side of the bed.
Azure turned over on her shoulder, "About what?"
"Us" he responded, not sure where he wanted to take the conversation.
"Nico, I don't want to talk about it. I already knew you were talking to other girls so it's fine." she lied.
It wasn't fine. It was the very thing that was killing her inside.
"But I haven't been fucking with other girls, that's what I'm trying to tell you. I've been dodging Juicy, that's why she mad as shit."
"Who is Juicy?" Azure said raising her eyebrow.
"My fault, Diamond" Nico chuckled, "I don't want you thinking I was fucking her too."
"But it doesn't matter, because we're just friends." Azure told him.
Nico didn't respond. He was lost in his thoughts, and hoped he didn't regret what he was about to say.
"What if I don't want to be just friends?" Nico finally spoke up.
Azure could feel her heart speed up, but she didn't want to get herself excited for what she thought she was about to hear.
"I don't want you to say that because you think I'm not capable to handle this."
"It's not that, I haven't dealt with anybody since I met you. And to be honest, none of them compare to you so why settle for less?"
Azure felt flattered by the way he talked about her, like she was the coldest thing walking. Even though she thought she was plane Jane, he didn't. He didn't see anything that others saw. He only saw her.
"So...you want me to be your girlfriend?" She asked in a low tone.
Nico nodded, "I do"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
"Nico" Azure smiled, "Are you sure?"
Nico laughed, next playfully mugging her.
"Actually, no, I'm not sure smart ass."
"That's fine" Azure shrugged, "Go be with what's her name ... koolaid?"
The two shared a laugh, and Nico nodded, "Yeah...Ima have to teach you some hands for that mouth."
And he was serious. He was tired of Azure being bullied because she wasn't a fighter. And while he didn't want her necessarily fighting, he wanted her to be able to protect herself if anything like that night happened again.
"Come here." he demanded her in a sexy tone.
Azure did as she was asked, rolling over closer towards him. He grabbed a handful of her ass, next kissing her passionately.
"Ouch." she backed up, touching her split lip that was bandaged.
"Sorry" Nico said realizing his mistake, "I guess I gotta chill huh?"
"I'm not going to class either" Azure let him know, "I'll get a doctors note before I walk on campus"
"You sure babe? I can rearrange a few things so I can walk you to your classes."
"Nico, no. You have to get ready for your fight, and you have yourself to worry about. I'll get my work from campus and submit it online."
"Alright" Nico agreed, "You ready to get some sleep?"
He didn't want to force Azure to attend classes, and he knew she was right about his own responsibilities. His dad had already been on his ass for not going as hard, so he knew the last two weeks before his fight he had to step it up. With Azure living with him now, he was going to have to try hard to not get distracted.
"Yeah, I'll talk to you in the morning."
Azure buried herself under Nico's covers, preparing to be knocked out in the next few minutes. After the day she had, she was ready to start a new one and forget about the tragic afternoon. She hoped that would be the last day she ever had to see Shar or Diamond, although she knew that wasn't realistic. Still, she dozed off to sleep with the hopes of a better tomorrow.