When Jaida Met Kadeem

36

Chapter One Hundred and Nine

I strode down the road my arms wrapped around my upper body protectively as the light evening breeze brushed over my skin, I did not know where I was walking to but somehow my legs did. A string of images began to flicker through my mind like short movie clips, all starring Shauna and Kadeem, all things I had seen with my own eyes, the affectionate gestures, the comments made by my male friends regarding how close they were and the possibility of them sleeping together, I remember the confidence in Jurrel's tone when he announced this and I remember thinking nothing of it, we were all a very tight-knit group, public displays of affection that could sometimes be interpreted as something more was something we were all guilty of.

I trusted them.

I trusted him.

Suddenly I was taken over by a sudden surge of anger which caused me to stop on my tracks as the images that travelled around my head began to make my head spin as they circulated at a faster pace, things were happening too fast, I could see Kadeem kissing Shauna with the same urgency he kissed me, touching her in the same swift and skilful manner, Shauna panting and moaning quietly in response, staring up at him with the same dazed expression as she anticipated his next move.

I almost shuddered in disgust as I stood in the middle of the street, going unnoticed to the people who walked past me. I remained there for a few moments, rooted to the concrete, unable to move...almost as if I was paralysed with shock and embarrassment as the signs were there, the signs were always there I just chose to trust Kadeem. If he loved me, why did he sleep with her?

"Where are you?" I heard Rex's voice demand on the other line, I frowned at the sound of his voice before removing my phone from my ear I did not even remember answering the phone. I stared at my iPhone in surprise before hearing the deep rumble of Rex's voice seep through the speakers. "Jay?" he called expectantly.

Where was I, again?

He repeated my name about three times before I snapped out of the temporary daze I had slipped into once more, I placed my phone to my ear once more. "Just down the road, near the food shops," I responded in a slow, measured voice. "I'm going into Chicks Chicken, I'm hungry." I announced realising at that moment just how hungry I was, it was a startling, sudden pang of hunger that reminded me I had been starving myself for the whole day. The restaurant was three shops down from where I was standing on the long high road.

"Since when did you like cheap chicken?" Rex enquired, he sounded worried.

"It's one of the only shops open," I explained as my eyes settled on the red and yellow Chicks Chicken Logo, the shop was brightly lit and filled with a handful of people, who lingered near the entrance of the shop.

"A'ight, I'm coming yeah?" Rex told me.

"Please, hurry up." I replied suddenly feeling desperate to see him, for him to suffocate me in one of his comforting hugs and for me to inhale his familiar scent, I suddenly felt a wave of affection surge through my body. I could honestly say I loved this boy, he was the only stable, consistent male relationship I have ever had, our friendship was not perfect but our feelings towards each other have never changed, I love him and although he doesn't always tell me he does, I know Rex loves me too, because he shows me he loves me with the little things that he does, like what he did that night, he came after me.

Kadeem didn't. But Rex did.

Kadeem would constantly remind me that he loved me, over and over again, those sickly sweet promises of our future will sprout out of his mouth like a waterfall of rainbows, butterflies and sparkly fairy dust. It was like something out of a fairy tale. Kadeem was always the good guy with the best intentions. But what has he actually done in my life, apart from cause me all this stress, anxiety, heartache and a sad, hopeful love story that has continued for six, nearly seven years...when is it going to end, already? When are Jaida and Kadeem finally going to get their happy ending?