Glass Heart

▪15

Its been 4 days since the dinner at Joyce's house and since then, as promised, Sage and Kareem have started to take things slow.

They had a re-due first date then dinner the next night. When Kareem told her how he wanted to take his time with her, he meant that.

The time him and Sage spent together, he found it easy to be himself. He could have fun and joke around, not having to worry about being hard all the time.

And as for Sage, she found comfort and protection when with Kareem. She found herself not having to worry about what if something goes wrong because she feels like he'd protect her no matter what.

They could have a good time together and joke around but could also have serious and meaningful conversation. They could depend on each other and with how they were taking things slow the second time around, they were both on the same page.

Making things deeper between them.

After work, Sage found herself pulling in front of Jamies house. She sighed and hoped they wouldn't argue this time but knew they probably would.

She knocked on the door before walking in his house. Her brother was sitting on the couch with a blunt in his hand.

He looked back his sister and smiled a little "Wassup Sage"

"Hey brother, wassup"

"Shit. Chillin" he shrugged. "Momma called me. She asked bout you"

"Yea? What'd she say?"

"She want to see you and talk some shit out. What you say, yea?"

She thought about it. What her mom said was clearly out of line and was hurtful not to mention the truth. But she chose to let it go, but not forget it.

So she agreed to meet up with her mom at Jamies. When Rosetta did show up, she was all smiles and hugs.

She's never been like that before and it's something Sage caught on to quickly.

Her mom sat on the same couch as Jamie "So baby, how have you been?"

"Pretty good" Sage answered. "Why'd you want to talk?"

"To sincerely apologize about what I said the last time we spoke. Its true, I didn't want you as a child but that doesn't matter now because you're already here and have been for awhile. And as your mom, I feel like I should be the bigger person and push all that aside"

Sage wanted to speak on a few things her mom said, but chose against it. She also wanted to speak on how the apology seemed like it was pointing to how Sage was to blame and it didn't seem sincere at all.

But she didn't speak on it.

"I forgive you" Sage said.

"And there's someone else who'd like to apologize too" around the corner walked out Kennedy. He held a slight smirk to his face as he walked over to where everyone sat.

Sage couldn't believe her eyes. Her breathe seemed to be caught in her throat and she felt her hands start to shake uncontrollably.

Jamie wasn't the only one to notice but he was the only one who cared. He walked over and sat beside her, rubbing her back gently.

Her thoughts started to run wild as she tried to hold back the tears. She never knew what she'd do when she saw him again.

She didn't know if she'd grab a knife and make him pay for all the pain he caused.

She didn't know if she'd cry and ask a bunch of questions, hoping to figure out why he did what he did.

But she did neither of those. Instead, she passed out.

Kareem and Tyreke were busy playing pool when both their eyes ran across the room to their boss Stan.

He was sitting on a stool with a different woman on his side, whispering in his ear. He seemed to be wanting other things as his hand slid down her back and gripped her ass.

"That man scandalous" Tyreke laughed as he took a sip of his beer "He gon catch somethin"

"I ain't never wish death on nobody but I hop he do catch somethin. These hours he givin me crazy as fuck"

"Yea? What they is now? "

"Instead of 10 to 5:30, I got 7 to 6" Kareem shook his head "When I asked him about it, he gon say either I work it or quit. The fuck? I had to catch myself from throwin that hot ass coffee in his face"

"Shit, you shoulda. Them hours make no sense. The pay the same?"

"No, I get paid more. Guess that's good" He shrugged "But wassup with you? Asia still sayin you the daddy?"

"Man, that baby look nothin like me. You know its a white man baby cause he light skinned as fuck and got blue green eyes. Ain't no nigga baby got blue green eyes"

Kareem laughed "Shit, I wouldn't be surprised if that's Stan baby" Tyreke looked at him with a serious face, making him stop "You think so?"

"Stan got them eyes?"

They both looked over at their boss who locked eyes with Kareem and smirked. "The fuck you lookin at? Bitch ass"

"Just chill before you get fired"

Kareem listened and took a shot of Hennessey. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and took it out seeing an unknown number.

"Hello" he slurred a little.

"Hey Kareem, this Jamie. Uh, come down to Mercy. Sage not feelin too good"

"What you mean? She good? What happen?"

"I'll explain when u get here" Jamie hung up the phone. Kareem looked up at Tyreke "Take me to Mercy. "

Kareem jogged to the room number he was told by the woman at the desk and when he approached it, with Tyreke close behind, he found Jamie sitting outside the room door.

"What happen?"

Jamie stood up "She passed out and we couldn't get her to wake up"

"What made her pass out? "

"She was uh- s-she saw Kennedy"

Kareem clenched his jaw "What was he doin around her in the first place?"

"He wanted to apologize for everythin he done to her but before he could speak, she was out"

Kareem walked passed him and into the hospital room. Rosetta and Kennedy both looked up from a sleeping Sage. "And you are?" Rosetta asked.

But Kareem didn't answer her. His focus was on the man standing beside her.

"You Kennedy? " he asked, slowly walking closer to the pair. Tyreke grabbed his arm but Kareem yanked it off.

"Yea, wh-" Kennedy couldn't finish his sentence before Kareem charged at him, jacked him by his shirt and pushed him roughly into the wall.

Kenneth's head bounced off as his body fell to the ground. Kareem grabbed him by his neck, pulling him back up to eye level.

"You was the one who did that shit to Sage?" He said, anger laced through his voice. Rosetta was already out the room yelling for security while Jamie and Tyreke were pulling at his hands, which were wrapped tightly around Kennedy's neck.

Punch after punch, Kareem continued to hit Kennedy in his face until security finally arrived and pulled him off.

Blood was running down Kennedy's face quickly while Kareem was roughly pulled out the room with blood stained on his shirt and fists.

He was escorted outside the hospital as police walked over to him and placed handcuffs on his wrist.

"You're under arrest for assault" was the last thing he heard before he blocked it all out.

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Kennedy and Sage?

Kareem and Kennedy?

Kareem under arrest?

#HoldMyNuts #MyThuggas

-Mz. Thugga