A GIRL LIKE ME

•Chapter 26

Jayde stayed at her mom's place for a few weeks, trying to get out of this funk she was placed in. Breakups are Jayde's nightmare , but she was used to it. She stayed up all night the night of they broke up wondering what she had done wrong and why he didn't want her anymore. She'd cry , sleep , wake up again , cry some more and repeat until the sun came up. She felt too tired to take care of kids , so her mom stepped in like she always does and made sure everything was okay—Jayde just wanted to be left alone.

She felt like she couldn't face him again after that. That night replays in her head of Julian telling her that he wanted to be single. Jayde didn't want anyone asking her what happened or mention his name. She tried to keep her cool , but she'd just break down again at the dinner table and dismiss herself not eating for the night because she was just too sad.

"Come on Jayde , you have to eat something." Marilyn stood at her door holding a bowl of chicken doodle soup and cornbread that she made from scratch. She knocked on the door. "Can I come in?"

"Yes." Jayde said , which was the first thing she said in weeks.

Marilyn slowly opened the door and closed it so they could have privacy.

Jayde sat up on the bed , starving as soon as she smelled the soup. She dug in as soon as her mom gave her the bowl.
"Glad to see you finally decided to eat. I knew you couldn't pass on this." Her mom smiled at her.

"Thank you mom." Jayde said with the food stuffed in her mouth.

"Anytime baby. You wanna tell me what's wrong? It's okay if you need more time."

"No I'm ready to talk. I'm okay , I think." Jayde sat the Hal's eaten bowl down and sipped her water before she began to speak. "Julian broke up with me. He said something about him wanting to be single and we grew apart and just a lot of things."

"Oh my goodness. I'm sorry Jayde."

"No mom don't be sorry for me. Maybe he saw things in a way I didn't see them. I thought we were okay and—I'm not trying to cry." She said as her voice cracked and her face grew hot.

Marilyn rubbed her back and fanned her face. "Shhh. Calm down. You can talk to me later. I'm tired of seeing you cry, it hurts me just as much. I don't want to see you like this."

"I know. I'm trying to get better I swear I am. I loved him and for him to just not want to be with me anymore, it hurts. I would've done anything for him and he doesn't get that." Jayde ended up crying after trying so hard not to. Marilyn cried with her.

"Things will get better for you. I promise sweetie."

—

Julian took his time to get ready for his date with Darling. He felt like it was wrong , but after all he was a single man. He made sure his hair was cut and his face was trimmed , sprayed on a new smell good and even bought a new outfit. He thought he was fly.

Julian took his time to get to her house , because he realized it was in a well known area and he had to make sure he wasn't in the wrong neighborhood. He didn't have beef with too many people , but his uncle and big brother did and they know who Julian was.

Julian stood outside his car , waiting on Darling to come outside the apartment complex. There was a group of guys standing around in front of the apartment, shooting dice. Julian kept his eyes on them noticing one of the guys was Jaylen.

"Gimmie that shìt nigga, you don't know what you doin'." He said to one of his other friends.

Darling came out of her apartment and made her way down the stairs.
The guys paused in the middle of the dice game just to talk to her.