Paths

TAKE CARE

It had been three days since Nairobi last spoke with Kaier, and her days of being in her hometown were quickly dwindling down. When she left his house he had let her know that he had to go out of town for business with his father. He promised her he would be back in time to see her off to college, but they hadn't had any communication since. Both of them wanting the other to reach out first.

Nairobi didn't want the two of them having sex in the moment to confuse the platonic friendship they were trying to build. While Kaier was afraid that trying to have too much communication with her would make her distance herself from him. The past few weeks she had been setting all of the boundaries between them.

They both knew that it wasn't just as simple as having a one night stand. There was a lot of feelings involved, a lot of fresh feelings and neither of them knew how to navigate it. So for now they figured it was a unspoken rule that they were giving each other space.

As much as Nairobi thought that she would regret sleeping with him the next day, she didn't. She knew that it probably wasn't the best idea, but the reality was that with her leaving they didn't really know what the future would hold.

Kaier however, did regret it.

Sex with Nairobi was never just sex for him. He loved her. And having sex with her after his birthday only amplified the regret he had for letting her go. In the past few weeks, he had begun to cope with the fact that they were no longer a couple. But the day she spent with him on his birthday coupled with the hours they spent making love afterward. Only set him back to where he had started.

The work trip with his Dad and brother had turned more into an opportunity for him to drink and smoke his problems away. After the first few drinks he had when they first arrived, he found himself blocking her number so he could refrain from drunk texting her.

For as long as he had known her, Nairobi was the answer to all his problems. She always knew the right thing to say, and if she didn't being in her presence made the problem go away anyway.

Now, she was the problem, and he didn't know how to remedy it.

Kaier found himself on his brothers instagram account watching all of her stories. He watched her with Shadae and Raelynn, partying and doing the usual activities they dragged her out to do.

He was trying his best not to be reckless, so he found himself finding comfort in Chicago.

Apart of him felt guilty about it, because of what she posted. But outside of Noah who he didn't want to constantly bother he really had no one else. His brother and father weren't exactly interested in hearing about his girl problems most of the time.

Although Nairobi assured him he was free to talk to who he wanted. Kaier made sure to let it be known to Chicago that talking about Nairobi was completely off limits and a for sure way to turn him off.

For the third night in a row, he found himself beside his father and Kane one too many shots. "Here." Kane laughed passing him another. He grabbed it from him and instantly threw it back.

"Wassup with you?" Kane questioned. "Yo ass drinking like a damn fish. You and Nai beefing again? Y'all was just coo last weekend at your party."

Kaier shrugged.

"Nah. We cool, I'm just trying to give her some space and shit." He responded, slightly slurring his words.

"So is yall together or not? Y'all niggas confusing me." He continued. Usually, Kaier refrained from talking about personal business with his brother because they never agreed. But the past few days Kane had been noticing his depressed demeanor. Kaier was always distant and to himself, but as of lately, he seemed like his brain was somewhere else.