𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧❀✿ (Duke Dennis Fan Story)

12 flowers

It's been months since I've last spoken to Zuri. I was just randomly thinking about her. I haven't seen much about Justin or Zuri in the blogs lately. The last thing I heard was that they moved to another state and bought another house. I'm still disappointed in myself for entertaining her. Next time, I'll just wait for the girl to be single.

My mom is doing better, Naomi is doing good, I don't know where Luther is, and I'm now a supervisor at my job. I also moved into a new home myself. I haven't been talking to any other girls lately. I know I can, but not right now anyway. It's just me and Milo. I don't follow Zuri anymore and my since deleted her number, but she isn't blocked on anything.

Me and Zuri never kissed or anything yet at all, so for me to feel the way I felt in that time was crazy. I just felt her emotions from the way we talked and hugged. My heart raced when hers were racing. She was the peace to my soul. I don't even think she wanted to marry that man, she was just guilt. Whatever the case, she still said yes and it broke me.

"Alright, sir! You're all ready to go," I said, handing him his keys.

"Thank you! Nice working with you,"

"You too, man. Have a nice day,"

It feels good knowing I do my job right every time and people are satisfied. This is my second home.

"Duke, can you come here for a second?"

"Yeah,"

"Uh, you have 7 voice messages. Why haven't you been opening them?"

"For some reason I keep getting spams. It ain't nothing to freak out over, really,"

"You know if the messages get too full, we won't have enough for the customers. We have to make sure the messages are clear. Just check through em real fast come back, okay?"

"Cool,"

"Oh, and I put your mail by the desk,"

"Thanks,"

I went scanning through my voice messages and a couple of them were just spams and then there were from customers. Just the usual. I came across one voice message, but they took forever to say anything. I heard some ruffling but then they said never mind and hung up...it was from a lady. Hmm. I don't know what that was about, but okay.

I got a notification on my phone, but it was a memory of Zuri and I. Yes, I still have our pictures in my phone...I don't know if she deleted ours, but I'm not ready to let go of the memories just yet.

"You still miss her, bruh?" Said Micheal.

"What?"

"I know you do. I see the picture on the screen,"

"I just miss what we had,"

"Just talk to her,"

"It's been three months. She probably already got her dress,"

"So? Never hurts to try,"

"No. I said what I said, Mike. What she did hurt my heart, all the way to my veins...I can't just hit her up and act like shit cool,"

"I can see in your eyes you miss that girl. I haven't seen or heard you go crazy about anyone yet since Zuri,"

"But what I look like going back when I told her not to contact me?"

"Oh, boo! You would have been deleted those pictures and shit by now, but you didn't,"

"She's probably getting ready for her wedding,"

"Duke, you're taking this harder than I thought. It's sad to see you so down," he said, shaking his head and leaving my office.

What if the silent voicemail was from Zuri?

~~~~~~~~

"I just don't know. The dress is too tight," Zuri stressed.

"We can make it looser for you,"

"Please..."

"Okay,"

"And can we change not make it so long?"

"Yes,"

"Thank you,"

Planning for the wedding and getting fitted was all too much for Zuri and she didn't even know if she wants to get married. She has been thinking about her decision months now and she isn't so sure anymore. Occasionally she still thinks about Duke and how things would be different. She only said yes to Justin because she was stuck and had known him longer. She wanted to reach out to Duke so many times, but was afraid she'd get turned down. She did try to leave a voicemail, but failed. She sat down in a chair and took out her phone and called Ivy.

"Wassup," she said.

"Hey. What you doing?"

"Riding around trying to find the nearest building to jump off of,"

"Huh???"

"Girl, my day has been going bad!"

"Not as bad as mine," Zuri said.

"I told you to call it off. Zuri, if you're not happy, just lay it all out! What happened with the voicemail?"

"I left one, but I didn't say anything. I froze..."

"Oh my God! You had one job! One job!"

"And I blew it! I'm afraid of what he might say,"

"It never hurts to try. Just trust me and just try!"

"No, I'm not gonna do that. I'll just write him a letter instead,"

"Even better,"

"Because I already did it,"

"When?"

"A couple days ago. Then I did the voicemail thinking he would get the message earlier, but I froze and couldn't do it. Ivy, Duke was such the perfect man and I messed it up,"

"Well, Zuri, Justin is the only guy you've been with for so long. I understand why you said yes, but was confused because you had a guy even better. I understand both sides. He shouldn't have been messing with a woman who was already taken anyways and you shouldn't have allowed it to happen. But...if you miss him that much, I suggest you break things off with Justin and get back with Duke or find someone else if everything fails,"

"I will not miss anymore opportunities...this whole thing is stressing me out anyway. They can't get my dress right, Justin is STILL disappearing, and I don't like his mom. This whole thing is a joke!"

"Exactly,"

"I think imma do it. Only one condition,"

"What?"

"You help me move my things into my new place back in South Carolina,"

"Wait, what?"

"I never stopped looking for houses back home. I just got approved for a home and I'm moving back. This is my only shot,"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"