VIII
Heavy silence echoed throughout the condo. Low temperature air circulated noiselessly casting an almost eerie chill that seemed to penetrate every corner of the residence. The absence of sound and light left the impression of the home being vacant, but that was far from the truth. In the dark room a singular body sat on the leather couch. His arms rested comfortably against the top cushion, his feet planted firmly on the ground, his eyes were opened staring blankly at the ceiling above him as he absently twirled the 9-karat gold and resin Ellie Mercer ring on his finger. To anyone else, the silence would have been maddening, but to Kofi it had become his solace. Since Danielle had walked away from him five months ago, the silence had become his only source of comfort. The only reprieve he'd get from his current misery was when he slept, but even then he was constantly being tortured with images of her face. It had become so traumatizing he'd resorted to attempting to avoid sleep altogether but that only enhanced his guilt. He mentally recalled the few times he'd been so deprived of sleep he'd hallucinated hearing her stilettos entering his condo and each time he'd pray it wasn't all a dream he'd be left disappointed. She had left him, but it still felt as if it were a bad dream he was unable to wake from.
The weeks following their breakup his home had become a revolving door for visitors who'd dropped by with the intention of checking up on him but all they seemed intent on was bombarding him with questions that he was unable to answer. His brain would sizzle each time he'd mentally replay that night, wracking his brain at how the night had gone so wrong. His throat felt dry each time he was forced be asked to detail the events that transpired that night, and his ears felt as if they were bleeding internally each time he'd have to sit through his aunt's or mother's speech of him taking ownership of his own destructive behavior. In his own frustration he'd resorted to lashing out, saying things nastier than usual which ultimately had his teammates deserting him, but his family remained. During the beginning of Kofi's depression his mother would visit with her sister-in-law, cooking and replenishing the food in his refrigerator that had gone uneaten. Her visits didn't last too long though. One day, she'd attempted to do a bit of cleaning and had made the mistake of entering his bedroom and accidentally discarding items that had belonged to Danielle.
The containers she had trashed were empty body scrubs that had sat in his shower void of product, but to her son they held a significance place in his home. To any other person this wouldn't have been a big deal, but to Kofi the containers were the only thing besides his jacket he had left of her and his mother's audacity to trash them had him reacting in such a way he had her fleeing from his home with tears in her eyes, her heart pounding from the physical encounter she was unsure she'd be able to walk away from. Dova would stop by his home occasionally, content with sitting silently with him which he was grateful for. Unlike his mother his aunt understood his boundaries and other than to relieve herself she never wandered about his home or touched things disturbing them from where Danielle had placed them. The two would stare at each other for hours, piecing together puzzles she'd bring to keep him engaged. Anthony would drop by with his father to keep him company, but Joseph had given up on him entirely. Kofi's skin would singe with irritation each time his uncle would cast judgmental looks over his glasses at him, his head shaking in disappointment. Although he and his wife had left the event hours earlier than the others they had heard more than enough to piece together all that had taken place. Joseph was so upset with his nephew he couldn't even look in his direction without sneering at him, so he tried to avoid looking at him altogether ignoring him as if he didn't exist.
Not only had he grown to enjoy Danielle's presence, but so had his wife and it was disheartening to know that Kofi had ruined something so beautiful due to his own selfishness. When he was with Danielle his nephew's optimistic mood was blinding, but now that they were no longer together it felt as if the pessimism had returned consuming him alive like an inextinguishable flame. During football season Kofi's appearance always took a dive, but now he looked almost unrecognizable. Due to his negligence his beard had grown out to a length they'd never seen, rivaling that of Isaac's and he'd actively stopped cutting his hair. Without weekly visits to the barbershop the curly strands grew out, tangling and knotting together in thick cords of locs that he allowed to fall freely over his eyes. What was even more shocking to Joseph than his nephew's appearance were the women that despite his caveman like appearance were still willingly throwing themselves at him. There had been many occasions where he'd be entering his nephew's home just as a handful of women were making their way out, satisfied smiles etched on their faces not the least bit taken aback by how terrible Kofi looked.
Although his nephew was unwell there was always a woman willing to put up with him, without a care that the intimacy was meaningless and that bothered him. Joseph knew the women were taking advantage of his broken heart, but he didn't think it was his place to voice his concerns. Kofi may have been close to him, but he wasn't his son. He had taken on a major role of caring for him as a youngster but now he was a grown man who was able to make his own decisions, and as terrible as he knew it would end for him being with them he kept his mouth shut hoping he'd see reason sooner rather than later before it brought him more problems than he was already dealing with.
The startling sound of Kofi's cell phone buzzing had his neck snapping forward, his brows furrowing at his peace having been disturbed. His eyes squinted as his vision struggled to adjust to the bright light on the screen of his cellular device. The number was one he didn't recognize, but he knew exactly who it was. For the past few months, he'd been receiving calls from an unknown number. Initially he had it in mind to ignore it, but the frequency of the calls had begun to irritate him until he ultimately decided to answer, and he was relieved that he had. His hands grew clammy as he quickly snatched the phone off the table, not even allowing the first ring to go through completely before his thumb swiped across the screen accepting the call. Placing the device up to his ear he could feel his heart thumping rapidly in his chest and his insides felt as if his intestines had formed coils in the pit of his stomach.
Kofi's eyes narrowed as he strained his hearing to detect a voice in the background, but all he was able to distinguish was a consistent whirling sound which he was able to distinguish as possibly being a standing fan. The silence stretched on for a while before Kofi's impatience got the best of him and he couldn't keep quiet any longer. "I miss you Chocolate." The caller would never speak to him, but he knew it was Danielle. Each time he'd call out to her his heart would do somersaults, and the caller's breath would hitch as if the person were seconds from introducing themselves, but they'd held back. It did bother him to not be able to hear her voice, but he found it comforting to know that even though months had passed she still thought of calling out to him, even if she refused to speak to him.
"I miss you so much baby." He whispered. Kofi tilted his head back, his eyes turning towards the ceiling. His hand curled into a fist as he exerted every ounce of self-control he had to not go on another emotion fueled rant and frighten her off as he did the first couple of calls they had. "I got a new ad coming out with Calvin Klein. It was supposed to come out later, but...but I asked them to push it for a earlier release so you could see it first." Silence. Kofi gritted his teeth as his vision grew blurry, his eyes welling with tears from her lack of response. Slowly, he could feel his resolve weakening. He'd rather her curse him out, shout, hell-he'd even take her threatening to send her sister to beat him up but her ignoring him was the slowest form of torture and he was sure she knew it too. Each time they spoke she'd hear how desperate he felt to have her back, and her refusal to speak felt ten times as painful as any injury he'd ever sustained. Danielle was acknowledging his existence by phoning him, but his pain was another story. Not once had she attempted to comfort him when he was inconsolable-which he expected, but she'd gone a step further and disconnected the second he began to unravel.
Kofi appreciated her calls, but Danielle was slowly bringing him to madness. Without her there he felt as if he was losing his mind. His career was excelling, and companies had been extending offers to work with him, but his personal life was a wreck, and he had no idea how to fix it. Kofi's teammates and family being upset with him didn't matter-they were always upset with him, but Danielle was another story. She wasn't someone who was contractually obligated to deal with him, nor did they share familial ties. If he'd done her wrong she wasn't expected to ignore it for the sake of them being family or making money together. Unlike the others, she had an advantage which gave her the upper hand in the situation. If she wanted to leave she could...she had. "I flew out to Italy to see your show. You did real good on that jacket." Keeping true to his word, Kofi had made the flight to Lucia's showcase. He was impressed by the designs, but he was left awestruck by the one she'd created. As he watched the model stalk the catwalk in the alligator pelt he felt a surge of pride rip through him, his excitement bubbling over as he heard the gasps from those in the crowd complimenting how greatly constructed the garment was.
It took every ounce of control he had to not rush the stage and announce his girlfriend having been the mastermind behind such an inspiring piece. He had no idea how he'd successfully managed to remain seated, but the second the show ended he was making his way backstage to see her only to be disappointed that she'd left minutes after the model had returned backstage. "Lucia said you worked on it for a long time." He ran his hand over his head, his fingers catching in the tangled mess of hair on his head. "I don't think it was better than mine." He said, a chuckle leaving his lips. "But it looked good, it looked real good. I loved it." The jacket that had been the talking point of the night was the same one he'd worn with the intention to highlight the garment. Kofi recalled curious eyes staring at him as he made his way through the crowd, the whispers of appreciation for his outfit filled his stomach with butterflies as the digested the dramatic outerwear. It was the first fashion show he'd attended and with his ignorance of etiquette he and P.K. managed to arrive later than they should have, which unintentionally put the spotlight on them. Reporters approached him curious to know how he'd managed to snag the exclusive piece, and he wasted no effort pushing praises onto her, being mindful to not delve too much into their relationship so as to not take the shine away from her in that moment. Danielle had worked tirelessly to perfect the garment and he saw firsthand how she'd stay up for hours, ignoring her hunger and need for rest as she sewed the pieces together in the space of his spare bedroom he'd converted into a tiny workspace for her. He'd never met someone more dedicated to their craft than him, but she proved otherwise. The times he'd complain for her attention was all due in part to her putting every ounce of creativity into her work and it didn't come as a surprise to him at how well it had been received.
"The guys been getting on me to ask you to make them one, but I told them you only made one for men. I told them only I was gone be able to have a jacket like this. That...that you made one only for me...just...just for me." Kofi's throat flexed, his hands grabbing onto his knee as he anxiously awaited a reply, a reply he knew that was never going to come. It felt as if the conversation was at a standstill, and he had no idea of how to proceed. They both knew he wanted to say more, but Kofi knew the second he did she'd disconnect the call disappearing into the night, the call being so brief he'd wondered if he'd dreamed it happening at all. "I brought you flowers but...but they said you left. I gave them to Lucia. Did she...did she give them to you?" Rustling on the other end caught his attention, his throat flexed as he swallowed hard. The blunt he'd smoked a few minutes ago left his mouth dry and his body shouted for the need for him to replenish himself with liquids, but he couldn't find it in him to remove himself from the couch, not yet. "Yes." Her voice was so low he was sure to have missed it if he hadn't been so intensely focused, but he had and he was grateful he didn't have the television on to distract him. Kofi thought he'd be satisfied to hear her voice, but now he felt even more distraught.
He was able to detect the sadness, the same misery he felt inside transferred over onto her, and it tore him apart that he was the reasoning behind it. "That's...that's good." He responded, his voice cracking as his bottom lip wobbled. "You been good out there? You...you been getting the money I sent you?" Each time the thought of Danielle crossed his mind he was reaching for his cellular device, depositing additional funds into her Cashapp. It had been a habit he'd been so accustomed to he hadn't even realized it was now inappropriate. They were no longer together, the need for him to provide for her was no longer, but it still burned inside of him, deeply engrained into his subconscious. During their time together she'd never vocalized the need for anything, but that didn't stop him from spoiling her. Lucia and the other workers were tightlipped about where she'd been staying, but it didn't stop him from sending out things to her. Over the past few months, he'd mailed out orders of jewelry, flowers, shoes, anything he saw that he thought she'd appreciate. During the brief moment they spoke Lucia was sure to remind him that Danielle didn't have a lack of anything, but he didn't plan to stop sending them. They weren't together anymore, but it didn't put a halt to the need to shower her with gifts, even if she had no need for them.
Danielle sighed, the action caused Kofi's heart to accelerate, his hands growing clammy from perspiration. "You don't have to do that anymore." She whispered. Her rejection of his gifts left him feeling dejected, his vision growing foggy with emotion. "I'm gone keep sending them. I know you don't want to be bothered with me no more but...but I'm gone keep sending them." He said stubbornly. Rejection wasn't something he was used to. When they were together, Danielle knew once he had his mind set on something he would zone in, knocking down walls, irritating people until his goal was achieved. His tenacity for having his way was one of the things that drew her to him. It was once a trait she admired, but it became their ultimate demise and she'd somewhat grown to resent it. She exhaled deeply, defeat in her tone. "Okay." Kofi smiled softly. He was relieved she hadn't decided to fight him on it, but he wasn't completely satisfied. The gifts he was sure to her, were a burden but he couldn't allow her to go on about her days thinking she'd been an afterthought. Even if her memories of him had faded and he was no longer the person she wanted to be with he would always go out of his way to let her know to him, she'd always be at the forefront of his mind.
"You been taking care of yourself out there right? Mama and Tiny...they, they worried. You ain't been taking they calls, and they just want to make sure you good." The mention of his sister's name had Danielle's eyes narrowing, her nostrils flaring as she exhaled angrily. This wasn't what she wanted to hear. She was unsure what exactly it was she wanted, but it wasn't this. When she'd dialed his number it hadn't been an accident. She assumed he'd be too busy living his life, but he'd surprised her when he answered. It was late in New York, and she expected him to be out with his friends or somewhere coaxing a woman to spend a few hours with him he'd be too busy to answer but shed been wrong. After Anthony had left he remained home, in the same spot waiting for her call. "They miss you and-." Danielle gritted her teeth, her hand gripping the phone tighter. "Don't. I don't want to hear about them." She said sternly. Kofi quickly nodded. Sitting up on the seat he gripped his knee, his nails digging into his skin painfully. "I'm sorry baby-Chocolate...Danielle. I'm...I'm sorry, I won't talk about them no more." He promised. For a second the phone had gone so quiet he was sure she'd disconnected. His eyes widened as he pulled the device from his ears, his hands shaking with relief that she hadn't decided she'd had enough of their conversation just yet. Placing the phone back to his ear he exhaled, his breath coming out shakily.
"We don't got to talk about them. What...What you want to talk about?" Danielle shrugged, her body settling into the couch as she readjusted her blanket. "Anything...anything but them." Kofi sighed, his head nodding. It was obvious she was still upset about everything, not that he'd assume she'd forget about the events of that night so soon, but it bothered him to know that due to his own transgressions he'd managed to make her hate his family Prior to their blowup, Danielle and his mother had been close, the two would have outings together and she'd even spend nights at her home long after his sister had vacated the house. Katrina had nothing but lovely things to say about Danielle and vice versa, but now in Danielle's eyes his mother was nothing more than a nuisance in the way her children were. If it wasn't Kofi calling her back-to-back and sending her money and gifts it was Tiny and Katrina texting and sending funny memes begging for her forgiveness. They were crowding her space, muddling her mind and she hated it. Katrina had been nothing but kind to her, but she'd placed herself in the crossfire when she'd failed to mention her daughter sleeping with her ex-boyfriend. The three had made her heart cold, and no matter how much Kofi tried to push his mother onto her she couldn't forgive her, not yet at least.
"I got my ring." He said glancing at his hand the housed a brand-new sterling silver NFL emblem etched on it detailing the previous year's Super Bowl win. "The team had a ceremony, and they had a lot of good food there. They even had those shrimp and lobster tacos you liked. I was the only person eating them, but I ain't care. They still was real good. You would've liked them." Kofi said, a smile etching across his face at how excited she'd been when she'd first tried them during their trip to Vegas. "They took pictures and stuff. You seen them? Manny and Bent posted them on they IG. I don't know if you still following them but-." Danielle nodded, her voice cutting him off. "I saw them." She mumbled. After leaving America she had unfollowed all the Prehnite players and spouses, blocking everyone except Emmanual and Bentley. She'd convinced herself that they provided good enough content that she didn't mind seeing their images on her newsfeed, but it was all a lie. Deep down, Danielle knew she'd only kept them to keep tabs on Kofi. The men mostly posted images of their families and images pertaining to their team, but occasionally they'd share images where he'd be included and she find herself staring at them for hours, dissecting his appearance. The man she once knew who took pride in his appearance had vanished, and now Kofi looked like someone else. She did like the locs, but she knew they hadn't been intentional. Instead of looking maintained his hair was matted, the locs free forming into a tangled mess that disguised his once handsome features.
"I wore a suit. Aunt Dova made me dress up even though I ain't feel like it. It was a Salvatore Ferragamo thing. Did you like it?" He questioned. Danielle sighed, leaning into the many pillows surrounding her. She had seen images of him in the suit, but she didn't think the cut was practically flattering for him. "The suit was nice. You looked bad in it." Her words cut deep. Kofi knew how detailed she was when it came to such things, and usually she'd find a way to soften her words of distaste but now she no longer had a filter. If she said he looked terrible, he had to admit that he did. "I...I wanted to wear jeans but P.K. and Mama-." Kofi halted, his head shaking that he'd managed to drudge up his mother once more. "It...it wasn't something I wanted to wear." He whispered. "I know if you was here you would've had me in some else. P.K. don't know how to dress me right." He complained. "The suit ain't fit right on me and-." Danielle rolled her eyes. "It wasn't the suit." She said. "You...you looked-." She sighed, her head shaking. "Have you...have you been taking care of yourself?" Kofi closed his eyes, his hands clenching. He hadn't been taking care of himself. Those days he barely ate, and his weight had dropped considerably. Dark purple bags hung under his eyes, and after hearing his aunt complain about how tired he looked he resorted to wearing sunglasses.
His heart tore that the one person who'd always complimented him now saw him as undesirable. "I...I been good. Aunt Dova and them been taking care of me." Danielle's eyes grew misty with tears. If she'd saw him months prior she would have been relieved he looked terrible, but now she wasn't so sure that was what she wanted. Kofi no longer looked like the man she once loved. His skin was no longer radiant, and the sunglasses did little to hide the exhaustion in his jerky movements. The suit swallowed his frame from the weight he'd lost, and she felt horrible that his lack of interest in his image were due in part to him being too preoccupied with their issues. "I don't like seeing you like that. That...that man isn't the one I love-." She grew silent. Danielle's heart raced, she'd almost told Kofi she loved him. Running her hands through her hair she exhaled angrily, her head shaking "I hate seeing you like this." She whispered. Kofi hung his head in disappointment. Those around him commented on his appearance, but it felt a million times worse coming from her. There was once a time he'd go the extra mile, primping himself excessively hoping for her to compliment how much she enjoyed his looks but that was now a distant memory.
With Danielle gone he didn't care, he had no one to impress so what was the point in making himself look presentable. Women still wanted a piece of him. It didn't matter that he was thinner, or he refused to manscape, they were still lining up at his door ready and willing to have him take them down. The woman he loved, the one whose opinion mattered no longer saw him as someone she'd want to lay with, and that was a huge hit to his ego. Kofi exhaled, leaning back against the couch he swiped at his bloodshot eyes, his face scrunching up in frustration. "I want you to come back home. I...I need you to come back." He begged. "I know I...I know I promised I wouldn't do this, but...but I need you home. I can't be away from you no more. Just...if you don't want to come back just tell me where you at then. I...I could come to you." Currently, he was the most miserable he'd ever been in his entire life, and he had no idea how to pull himself out from the darkness. Danielle had been his light, and in his own rough handling he'd managed to snuff out the only source of illumination. "You don't got to talk to me or nothing I just...I need to see you." Danielle nibbled at her lip. She had been debating on Facetiming him, but each time she shot that idea down. For months she'd been building a wall around herself, and the moment she saw him she knew the levees would break. The barricade she'd placed around her heart would come tumbling down and she couldn't do that, but he needed her. She could tell by his voice he needed her, but in her own need for self-preservation she couldn't allow him back. It had taken her months to hear his name before breaking into tears, and she couldn't allow that progress she'd made be threatened, not when he'd shown her how terrible of a partner he was.
"I...I can't." She whispered. Once the first tear fell it unleashed months of turmoil, her body shaking as she openly cried. Kofi's hand tightened around the phone, his own tears leaking leaving a trail of salty tears across his reddened face. "I'm sorry I hurt you Chocolate but I...I need you back. I promise I'll do whatever you need. I just...I can't keep living like this." He declared. "This...this shit don't mean nothing no more. I don't...I don't even feel like playing no more with you not here." Danielle's eyes widened in surprise. Kofi had threatened previously to end his career for her, but never to this extent. To him, football meant everything. It had been all he'd known since he was a child, all he'd strived for. Football to him was the same as what fashion was to her, and the thought of it no longer bringing him satisfaction without her in his life meant a lot. "I miss you Chocolate. Don't you miss me too? I know you probably been having a hard time sleeping too. Just...just let me see you baby." Danielle sniffled. She hated that he knew that she'd grown so dependent on him that without him the nights grew long. She'd toss and turn, her mind replaying the events until she eventually tired herself out. "I love you Danielle. I know you love me too still...right?"
She nodded, her hand clutching the blanket. There was no doubt in her mind she still loved him. The tiniest things would remind her of him and as she scrolled aimlessly through her social media accounts she would always find herself returning to his fan pages, smiling at how happy they once were. Although she wasn't as vocal about her distraught it was still very much there, tormenting her every day. "I...I can't-." She whispered. "I know you do Choc. Just...just tell me you love me one more time. I got to know you don't hate me." Danielle plucked at a loose string in the blanket. She didn't hate him, at least she didn't think she did however, she did hate that she loved him. "I...I don't hate you I just...I hate how you treated me." She admitted. "I...I did everything for you and you just-." Shaking her head, she clenched her hand so tight she could feel her nails painfully digging into the palms of her flesh. "You treated me so bad." Kofi nodded. This was the most they'd spoken in months. He'd mentally replayed her last words as she thrashed in his arms, hurting herself due to her own frustration at allowing him to treat her so terribly. In that time, he was sure she hated him. Her words were filled with nothing but venom and it did its job. Burrowing so deep in his veins he felt his blood run cold.
Now, that he knew she was willing to even hear his voice he knew that she may have hated him, but her love for him trumped it but he needed to hear her say it. He needed to know that he hadn't ruined it for them, that he still had a chance. "I know baby and...and I'm sorry. I'm...I'm paying for it. You not talking to me. Lucia won't tell me where you at and...and I'm going crazy without you. I need you Chocolate." Kofi didn't care that he was behaving in a manner that would have him growing to be the laughingstock of his circle of friends. At the end of them day they would come and go. due to his own reckless behavior people around him often abandoned him, but Danielle didn't. No matter how bad he treated her, she always weathered through it, making excuses for him even going against her own morals because she loved him. She brought out a side of him that he never knew existed, and even as he sat in the dark, crying out what felt like shards of glass he knew she wouldn't judge him for being at his most vulnerable. "Just tell me you love me baby. That's...that's all I want to hear and then...and then if you want me to leave you alone, I'll...I'll do it." He lied. Kofi had no intentions of leaving her alone, but if he had to manipulate the situation to get her to say those words he would. "I...I love-." Suddenly, the lights to the sitting area flickered on. Kofi jolted, his eyes widening as his neck swiveled towards the entrance. "What are you doing out here? Are you coming back to bed?"
Kofi froze, his eyes widening as if he'd been caught red handed in the middle of a compromising position. "Can't you see me on the phone?! Get the fuck out of here!" He growled, his face twisting into a snarl that had the woman scurrying back down the hallway, not bothering to address his forceful words. Turning his attention back to his call he inhaled deeply, his hands shaking in fear. He was sure Danielle had heard the woman, but he prayed she hadn't. "Danielle, you...you still there?" He questioned. "Are you fucking serious?" She asked. Her voice held an edginess to it that had Kofi shrinking as if she'd just struck him. "I can't believe you're begging me to come back, and you have a bitch over there!" She shouted. Kofi removed the device from his ears, his eyes squinting at the volume at which she spoke. "You know what?" She chuckled, her head nodding in defeat. "I should've expected something like this from you!" She spat. "Chocolate it's...it's not-." Kofi started. "I can't believe you just said all of that and you've got some bitch over there right now! Am I a joke to you?!" He shook his head, his locs swaying. "No! No, you not a joke! I meant everything I said! I want you back...I need you back! She...she just-!" Danielle growled angrily, her hand punching the pillow. "You don't need me back! What you need is a fucking therapist!" She spat. "You can't even go a few months without fucking someone else!" Kofi felt as if he were ten times as small. Her words were hurtful, but he knew he deserved them. "I can't believe I was about to say-!" Danielle dropped the phone, tossing the blanket aside she stomped towards her bathroom to give herself a moment to compose herself.
Kofi sat on the edge of the couch, his hands roughly gripping his hair as he impatiently awaited her return. As angry as he knew she was he'd messed up again and knew he couldn't disconnect the call to run away like the coward he felt he was. In his need to feel something he'd allowed himself to fall into his habits, phoning over a woman to occupy his mind for a few hours. This last-ditch effort to cleanse himself of his thoughts had led to him exacerbating Danielle's anger and he was sure she was completely through with him at that point. After what felt like an eternity, Danielle finally returned. Huffing loudly, she plopped onto the couch, adjusting the blankets before snatching her phone and resuming her call. "Chocolate? You...you still there?" He asked cautiously. "I ain't fuck her if that's what you thinking. I...I know that's what you thinking, but...but that ain't what happened." He lied. "She just...she just came over to keep me company 'cause I was lonely and...I still miss you. Chocolate?" Danielle sneered, her hand clutching the wine glass as she swirled the contents inside wishing it were his blood instead of the dark red merlot. "Please don't be mad at me. I meant everything I said. If...if you want me to tell her to leave, I will. Chocolate?" She chuckled, her head shaking. Danielle knew Kofi well enough to know that the woman wasn't there for a social call. Kofi wasn't someone who would allow a woman around him if it didn't come with the promise of sexual gratification. "When you were crying I actually felt bad. I thought that you had really learned your lesson, but I guess not." She mumbled.
Kofi shook his head, his eyes wide as he frantically searched for something to say to halt her from ending them indefinitely. "I did! I learned it, and...and now I'm ready for you to come home!" She scoffed her head shaking in disgust. "You didn't learn shit! If anything, you learned how to lie better! You're always lying to me, and I can't believe I almost fell for it!" She shouted, her bottom lip wobbling. "I'm so stupid! I should have learned the first time, but you...you're-! Oh my god I fucking hate you!" She screamed so loud it felt as if Kofi's eardrums had burst. "Calm down let's...let's just talk about this." He said weakly. "She don't mean nothing-." Danielle bit her lip so hard she was sure she drew blood, her temper rising to such levels she felt her stomach harden only furthering her irritation. "Neither did Monét right? Or Julissa's friend, or those other bitches you fucked right?!" Kofi's lid twitched, his teeth gritting tightly at the mention of the women she'd learned of. He'd managed to put them to the back of his mind, but now it was clear they were still on her mind ruining a possible reconciliation between them. "I don't know why I expected anything different. Your slutty sister couldn't keep her own legs closed and she stole my boyfriend, being a whore must run in your family!" The mention of Luke had Kofi's blood boiling, all sadness vanishing in an instant. "That nigga was never your boyfriend! You forgot what I said?! I told you that you mines Danielle! You forget that?!" He shouted angrily. "I don't give a fuck how many of the niggas you thought you had that Tiny fucked! Shit, Luke wasn't the first one anyway!" He spat.
Silence on Danielle's end had Kofi freezing. He hadn't intended to reveal his sister's past, but it was Danielle's insistence on Luke being with her that drove him to it. "What did you say?" Kofi's eyes shifted, his hand pulling at the end of his loc nervously. "It don't even matter no more. We...you got me, aight? Them niggas don't matter, they never mattered." Danielle felt numb. To learn of her friend's behavior had her reverting back to that night. Her skin itched as she felt what felt like millions of eyes on her, judging her for the company she kept. The girls she grown up with weren't like those women. They weren't the ones who clung to each other for superficial reasonings. Up until a few months ago, if you'd asked Danielle if she were comfortable allowing her friends around her boyfriend she's wholeheartedly say yes. Tiny's taste in men weren't the best, but she didn't have reason to think she'd be physically attracted to any of them. She'd heard stories about her sleeping with other girls' boyfriends, but she took it all with a grain of salt, not bothering to pay it any attention. The rumors were all farfetched and she had loyalty to her, there was no way she'd do something so heinous, but now that she knew better she wished she would've listened to them. "Who else did she sleep with that I dated?" Kofi huffed, his nostrils flaring with rage. "Who cares about that?!" He questioned irritably. "You got me now! Ain't nobody you know besides Monét stupid ass that I fucked!" Danielle's brows rose, her head tilting in disbelief. "If Tiombé wasn't your sister I'm sure you would have fucked her too!"
Kofi rolled his eyes, the joints in his hand and wrist popping as he rotated his wrist, clutching his hand into a tight fist. "You and your sister can't help but to sleep with other people's boyfriends and girlfriends, and I wouldn't be surprised if your Uncle Joseph was your actual father at this point!" Her salacious remark had him sitting up, his finger pointing at the television across from him. "Look, I know you mad, but don't go talking about my fucking Mama." He warned. "This between us, don't put my dumb ass sister or my Mama in this shit, you hear me?!" He shouted as veins extended across his forehead. In this confusion he could empathize with Danielle's anger towards his sister, but his mother was off limits. "I don't want to fight with you, not tonight, not ever again. Let's just...let's just forget about all that and move on. I want to be with you, I don't care about none of them bitches. You the only one I love, you the only one I'm gone ever love." Danielle scoffed. "If this is how you treat someone you love, I'm terrified of how you treat those you hate." She spat. Kofi cradled his forehead, his fingers rubbed at his temple that throbbed informing him of an impending migraine. "Danielle, I love you aight? We was just good. Why you...why you doing this to me right now? I don't feel good, I need you to come take care of me." He whined. Silence had him removing the receiver to ensure the call was still live since she'd gone mute again. "Chocolate? Baby? You still there?" His heart thudded in his chest in anticipation only to drop with her next words. "Ask that bitch to take care of you. Don't expect a call from me again ever, I'm blocking you." She spat before disconnecting the call altogether.
Kofi's eyes widened, his finger quickly tapping the number only to be disappointed at being sent directly to voicemail. For the next fifteen minutes he became possessed, dialing the number again and again, sending voicemails and text messages that ranged in emotions. It felt as if his world had come crashing down once more and he no longer had control of himself. As he continued on his mission to bother Danielle he sipped from the bottle of liquor beside him, draining it in record time. It wasn't until his final call that indicated the voicemail box was empty did he admit defeat. "Fuck!" He shouted, launching the phone across the room only to strike against the screen of the television. Lights flickered on the screen indicating it as now damaged beyond repair, just like his heart. In a matter of minutes Danielle had managed to make him feel so many emotions at once it felt as if he were spiraling out of control. Just as she had when she'd entered his life, she made an exit that was unforgettable, leaving him tongue tied wishing he could have said more. He sunk down on the couch pitifully hating himself replaying their conversation on if she meant what she'd said about not calling him. Judging by the tone in her voice he knew she was, but he wasn't ready to admit defeat just yet. When his eyes landed on the cellular device a few feet away from him he sat up, rushing over to snatch it off the ground. After tapping the screen he'd come to realize the front was shattered now unable to be of use, the image of Danielle's smiling face now distorted.
The image of a reflective of his own inner turmoil. The woman he loved was etched so deeply into his heart it was impossible to get her out, while broken the pieces were still able to paint a vivid image of its owner. Sounds from his bedroom had his jaw clenching tightly. Before Kofi had left the bedroom, he'd given clear instructions for the woman to remain there and allow him a few hours to be alone. After the hours long sex that they'd had she was content enough to not follow him, but when she'd heard his conversation she decided to reveal herself. She knew what the purpose of her being there was, and she had no qualms with that, but to hear the man who'd just given her back-to-back orgasms pleading to another woman with her still in his home set her ablaze with jealousy. It was embarrassing to say that Kofi couldn't care enough to remember her name, but to hear him groveling to someone else was like smearing crap on her face and calling it war paint. He'd surprised her at the timbre in which his voice carried, but as she traveled back down the hallway elation filled her. She may have been chastised, but she'd been successful in ruining whatever the 'Danielle' girl thought she had with him. Tossing the phone noisily onto the table Kofi grabbed the bottle of Hennessey, throwing it back as if it were nothing. He hadn't eaten since the previous morning and his stomach surged in protest.
Reaching into the drawer of the end table he snatched a translucent pill bottle from inside before tossing the brightly colored Ecstasy pills into his mouth swallowing them dry. In his early days of partying, he grew reliant on stimulants. The drugs were meant to calm one down, providing them a euphoric sensation that would enhance the senses, but due to constant overuse they began to have an opposite effect on him. Kofi would become combative and aggressive. The psychedelics would have him experiencing hallucinations that would have him lashing out on the first person he saw, pounding them mercilessly with his fists only to forget about his actions the morning after. He'd since grown out of his use of the drug. Only relying on them when the occasional ménage à trois was to present itself and he'd want to feel the ultimate satisfaction from the encounter, but now after such a horrible conversation he didn't want to feel anything. All he wanted was to relieve his stress and not worry about anything else he had going on. Plopping down on the couch he closed his eyes, his hands planted on his knees as he regulated his breathing waiting for the effects to kick in which he hoped wouldn't take long because he was ready to relax, and he planned on enjoying every twist and turn the ride would take him on.