wasted love

new skies

20 months

With one foot hitting the concrete in front of the other Ana paces herself as she turns the corner on to the next neighborhood. She inhales and exhales short breaths to keep her heart rate steady as she continued her evening run. Ana's eyes look up at the horizon seeing the beautiful sky.

Different shades of orange, purple and bits of red covered the Los Angeles skyline. Giving her a sign of peace and new beginnings.

Ana smiles and pauses in her jogging to catch her breath and have a drink of water. Her music pauses in her headphones and she takes a second to scroll through her messages as she sat on the edge of the curb. Her face lights up seeing her inbox flooded with congratulating messages and kind words from her friends and family. In just two short days she would finally be graduating school with a degree in science and technology engineering. It had been a very long four years with one of them being filled with nothing but drama thanks to her now ex boyfriend.

Her smile fades quickly as she thinks back to her time spent with Adonis. Anastassia hadn't spoken to or seen Adonis since that night when he stormed in and beat her causing her to miscarry their first child.  He had sent her a few gifts and flowers in the weeks following but Ana tossed them out just as quickly as they arrived. She got a new phone and new number before moving to a new part of the city where she wouldn't have to see anyone connected to Adonis. Her friendship with Princess had ended since last she heard Princess was still dating Hood.

Her and Mariah had reconciled since Mariah found a new man, and apologized for coming on to Adonis even after they had began dating. Ana forgave her but continued to keep her at arms length and away from any man she was interested in. Jackie was still her closest friend that she ran to when feeling any ptsd from what took place. The only people who knew what happened that night were the people who were there.

She planned to keep it that way.

Ana places her phone back into the pocket of her leggings and continues to jog down the street, loving where she was in life and looking forward to the future.

+++++++

"Let me get a large strawberry milkshake, a bacon burger extra cheese, large onion ring and a peach cobbler."

"Anything else?" The waitress ask.

"Nah. Y'all getting something?" Hood ask while pointing to East and Adonis.

"Just give me the steak, well done. Potatoes on the side." East responds while typing away at his phone.

Adonis shakes his head and hands the menu back to the waitress before looking out the large window they sat next to.

"What got you so occupied?" Hood ask East who hadn't stopped typing on the phone since they sat down.

"Man... Jackie tripping. She talking bout her mama keeping my son tonight and she know good and damn well I was coming by to spend some time with him. She get on my fucking nerves bruh."

"I still can't believe you got that girl pregnant." Adonis says.

"Shit happens. It's hard to pull out when the pussy good."

"Trust me I know." He mumbles before looking away again.

"Let that girl have a night off. You know her bestie graduating they probably bout to kick it." Hood responds only referring to Ana by bestie to keep from triggering Adonis.

"You ain't gotta keep avoiding saying her name around me." Adonis mumbles. "I know she graduating..."

"I'm just tryna make sure. Don't need you tryna shoot me and shit."