Her Vice

(13): Fort

"You got everything?" He asked as I wabbled towards him with a tub of ice cream, bag of hot Cheetos clenched between my teeth and an arm full of things that were going straight to my gut. I nodded before plopping down beside him. He popped Gushers in his mouth while wiggling his eyebrows, "Don't do that!" I playfully slapped his chest while hearing the rain patter against the window pane.
"Okay, okay I won't, now what's up shawty?" He smirked and pinched my side making me shake my head.
"You're a fool," I rolled my eyes. "But,uh, I haven't been a hundred percent with you."
"What you mean?" He grabbed my Cheetos from me, helping himself. I sighed and glanced up like the right words to say would be on display.
"A lot of things, I really like you Karim, a lot and I feel like if I'm going to commit myself to you I wanna be a hundred percent." He nodded while laying on my lap.
"Well, first thing is what I do. I'm a stripper," I watched his eyes grow wide and him turn his attention to me.
"What you mean?"
"Like that's how I get money, how I provide. I strip."
"So they wasn't fucking with my head," he mumbled to himself, lifting up and brushing his hair forward.
"Who?" I furrowed my eyebrows watch his face turn a billion shades of red.
"The dudes at the shop! You got me out here looking dumb as fuck, Trinity! Why you ain't tell me from the jump, yo? When I decided to move out here for your ass?"
"First off, I didn't yell at you so could you not." He scoffed.
"Whatever mang, this the worst of it?" I glanced away and he raised his eyebrows and directed my face back to his. "You gon answer me?" I pushed his hand away and his eyes and tone softened. "Sorry," I nodded with a clenched jaw.
"The other thing is...I have a child, she's three." He chuckled and held his head.
"Well, where is she?" He licked over his lips.
"She mainly stays with her father for...reasons."
"What reasons,T?"
"It's just easier that way, he's more stable for her. It wasn't the same as it was when she first went with him, it's getting better. I'll start being able to get custody soon," I smiled softly and he just stared at me, letting everything settle in. "Karim?" He ignored me and got up, walking away. "Baby?" I called after him, going into the room where he was packing his bag. My heart began racing, "Where are you going?" He ignored me and I made my way over to him. Standing underneath him, he glanced down at me irritation evident on his features. "Excuse me." He grumbled while throwing his bag over his shoulder. I grabbed him quickly, "Where are you going?" He glanced down at me and chuckled, pulling away and leaving out.

I felt my heart pounding in my ear. I should've just kept my mouth shut. Tears stung my eyes but I didn't allow them to roll. I was tired of crying. I sighed and made my way back to our room, turning the closet lights on. Brushing my fingers across his garments, grabbing my favorite oversized sweater of his and throwing it on my body. Practically drowning in it before curling in a ball on his side of the bed, humming a tune in my head as I rocked myself to sleep.

I had this scenario in my head that I'd wake to find Karim knocked out beside me, in a deep slumber as usual. That wasn't the case though, the bed was empty and cold. My mind started running with thoughts. What if he was cheating? Could I really blame him? What if he was officially done with me? How would I handle that? I rubbed my face,"This the shit ion got time for." I groaned and decided to get up after I realized it was well past noon.

Getting ready and trying to slip out of my funk but it seemed useless. I knew where I could most likely find him so I got my things ready and headed there. It'd end up being almost a two hour drive but what was I really losing. Once I got there I pulled myself together with the bit of makeup in my glove department and running my fingers through my tangled hair, "You can do this, Trinity." I mumbled to myself, tapping my acrylics on my steering wheel. I felt myself wanting to chicken out but I knew I couldn't. Peering at my phone seeing if he responded to anything I left him. Nothing. Turning my car off and going inside of the industrial building.

"Welcome to Inked, how can I help ya?" The tiny girl asked at the front desk, doodling on a pad.
"Uh. I'm actually looking for Karim..." She nodded slowly.
"I believe he's actually tatting someone now, but uh, I can leave a message."
"It's kinda important, can I wait for him?"
"Sure! You wanna wait right over there?" She pointed towards the small waiting room of oversized and sturdy furniture. I sat silently and tapped my foot anxiously, I didn't expect him to be done so fast. He came out after not too long, looking exhausted. I think he picked up on my staring and sighed, nodding for me to follow him and I did.
"Karim, who's this?" His coworkers asked with wide grins.
"Mind yours!" He waved them off and pushed me in a back room before closing the door behind us. "You think it's okay to just pop up out my work, huh? You mad crazy, yo!" I furrowed my eyebrows before laughing softly.

"I was making sure you was good, fam, don't throw this on me! Since you wanna storm out on me like a bitch-"

"You wanna repeat that?" He hovered over me.
"You think I'm scared of you, Karim, cause I'm not!" He cornered me into a wall and I felt my heart beating out of my chest.
"You know," he ran a hand over his face before chuckling. "I think we just need to split, know? Just go our ways." He hunched his shoulders. What he said didn't sit well with me and I slapped him. Quickly grabbing his wrists fearful of him hitting me back, "Let go of me." He grumbled through gritted teeth.

I slowly did and he clenched his jaw, "I'll be for my shit tonight." He walked out, leaving me there broken hearted. Why am I always ruining a beautiful thing?

Karim in multimedia.