Fooled by Perfection

Chapter 42: I Quit

Saturday morning, I got up early with a lot on my mind. I wanted to wake Dezman to talk to him about what I was thinking, but he was sound asleep. I went, and I got dressed for the day, and when I finished with that, I came back to the room, and he was still sleeping. I called his name to tell him that I was leaving, but he didn't respond, so I just kissed him anyway. I grabbed my Dooney & Bourke bag, put everything in it, and then I left.

I stopped for breakfast, and then I headed over to the salon so that I could have a conversation with everyone there. I had done a lot of thinking, and I made the decision that instead of coming back when my hand had healed over, I'd just stop working there all together, or at least for now, until after I have the baby. I figured it would be better in the long run for me because I wouldn't be too tired. I'd have more time to spend with Dezman, and I'd also have more time to dedicate to my fashion dreams.

When I got there, Larry wasn't there yet, but everyone else was, and there were only two clients sitting under the dryers. Everyone was shocked by my presence and thought it was a pleasant surprise. I decided at that exact moment to tell them that I wasn't going to be coming back. They all became sad over the news, and I felt like I had to fix it, so I told them that I'd still be coming in to see them, and that seemed to cheer them back up a little bit.

Pablo asked why I was leaving, and I told them that I was pregnant and had already had a lot going on. He wanted me to assure him that it wasn't for any other reason, probably thinking the other stylists had something to do with it, but I told him that I loved the salon and that I had no negativity towards it. He seemed to accept my answer, and everyone walked up to give me a hug, as if I would never be back, and it made me emotional.

I didn't leave the salon after sharing the news with everyone; I hung around for awhile just to chitchat. Dezman called me, asking where I was, and he told me how it messes up his day if I'm not the first thing he sees when he wakes up. I knew that there was some truth to that, so I apologized to him, and I told him that I tried to wake him up before I left but that it wouldn't happen again. I then asked him what he had planned for the day, and he told me that he and the crew were going to go down to a spot and do some boxing, and that I could stop by if I wanted to.

Before I could tell him about my decision to stop working at the salon permanently, Larry walked in, so I told him that I'd talk to him later. After hanging up with him, Larry approached me, asking me if it was true that I was leaving him. I asked him who had told him the news, and he showed me a text from Breisha that said "Ciana's leaving" with a sad face attached at the end of the message. I shook my head, yes, and then I explained to him that I wasn't really leaving. I told him that it just meant that I wouldn't be a hair stylist anymore. He told me that he didn't want me to leave, but that he was happy for me, and then he told me that I better not lose contact with him, or else he'd hunt me down. I couldn't help but think that the last thing I needed was someone else trying to hunt me down.

Shortly after speaking to Larry, I left the salon. I called Dezman to see exactly where this boxing place was located. When he didn't answer, I called Shonda, and she told me the name of the place, and she gave me directions on how to get there.

When I walked through the door, I could see that there were a good number of people there, but it wasn't crowded. The boxing gym is huge on the inside, and it has everything that you would need to train and test your fighting skills. I saw Anthony first, over in one of the corners, hitting on one of those teardrop punching bags that hangs in mid-air. Teek was in the ring, sparring with one of the guys that do tattoos at Doc's with him and Dezman. I saw Squirt in another corner of the gym jump-roping while looking at himself in a mirror while he did it. I laugh to myself because something in general about Squirt was just so funny to me.

I kept making my way around the outside of the boxing ring until I saw Dezman. He was hitting on one of those heavy punching bags. As I approached him, I noticed that he stopped hitting the bag, and he was peeking around it, looking at me in a funny way. I knew that he was trying to play with me, so when I got to it, I peeked around it, and I met his eyes.

I laughed at him, and then I went to walk around the punching bag, but then he walked around it too, and now we were on opposite sides again. I then quickly tried to go back to the other side of the bag, but he was too fast, and he moved again. I peeked around the bag again, and he was looking back at me, and I could tell that he was enjoying doing this. When I thought I could fool him again, I reached for him in hopes of grabbing on to him, but again, he was too quick, and he moved out of reach. I yelled out his name as I continued to try to catch him. He started laughing and backed away from the bag. I was able to run up to him, and he stayed put for me to finally grab him. We were both laughing a lot at this point. I asked him why he was doing this to me, and he responded, "You know why," as he rubbed his thumb across my smiling lips.

We then went and sat on a bench that was in the gym. He takes the fingerless boxing gloves off his hands, and he pulls out a bag that he had inside of his gym bag, and out of the smaller bag, he pulls out two sandwiches. He asked if I had eaten, and I told him that I was going to go eat after I left here. He then asked if I wanted one of his sandwiches, and I placed my hands across my heart, and I said, "Baby, you would give me one of your sandwiches??" He doesn't say anything; he just looks at me as he takes a bite out of the one that he currently has in his hand. I told him that I just wanted to have a bite out of the one he was already eating, just to taste it. He handed it to me, and when I took a bite, it was really good.

We started talking, and I told him that I quit my job as a hairstylist. I told him how emotional it made me.

*Dezman*

Emotional? Why??

*Ciana*

Because! I have an emotional attachment, duh baby.

*Dezman*

I don't know about all that, Ciana, but I know you gon' be feeling those nights when you ain't gotta work anymore and you can just chill out.

*Ciana*

I knew that was true too, but I was still sad about it. I changed the subject, and I asked him how long he was going to be here at the gym, and he told me he'd be here for a long time.

He then tells me that he'll be at my place later tonight because he and Teek are going to Doc's. I felt my stomach start to turn at the thought of knowing that he was still willing to put himself in danger, and I wondered if he was going to stop. I didn't say anything, though, still not wanting to rat on Shonda.

I take the last bite of what is supposed to be a "one-bite sandwich." At this point, Dezman had laid back on the bench. I climbed on top of him, and I told him thanks for the lunch, and we shared a kiss. We both look over when we hear Teek yell out Dezman's name. He is leaning over the ropes of the boxing ring, saying...

*Teek*

Bruh, you next. Time to get that ass beat, boy. I'm on fire, I'm telling you.

*Ciana*

He backs away from the ropes and starts bouncing around the ring, moving his head around as if he were cracking his neck or something. I look back at Dezman, as he's looking at Teek like he's crazy, and I couldn't help but laugh at his facial expression.

*Dezman*

Teek, I don't know what you on that got you thinking you could beat my ass, but I'm coming; believe that. I gotta let this shit settle a lil bit first, though.

*Ciana*

"Yeah, because that wouldn't be something to see. Sandwiches all over the ring. Ew."

He takes his thumb, and he wipes away what's probably a little piece of bread crumb on the corner of my mouth, and he says...

*Dezman*

You mean a sandwich.

*Ciana*

I knew that he was just messing with me, like always. I rolled my eyes at him, and I got off him. I told him that I had to go so that I could go home and work on some of my hand exercises before going into the boutique a little later this evening. I told him that it would just be for a few hours. I kissed him one last time, and then I left.