𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋, d. swing

𝐗𝐕

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
MARCH 23RD, 1996

"Ms. Miller?" a voice speaks, slowly pulling me out of my slumber. My eyes slowly blink open as the voice says again, "Ms. Miller?"

I shoot up, quickly realizing where I am. I fell asleep in class again for the third time this week. Glancing up, I blink away my foggy vision, revealing my professor staring at me with concern. "Ms. Miller, is everything alright? You haven't been yourself lately. I'm apprehensive about you," she asks, "How are you gonna pass my final exam if you're sleeping in class?"

Her words are like rubber to me, meaningless and irrelevant. I have something to do after this class, and I am late. I grab my things and say, "I would love to have this chat, but I'm late. I'm sorry." I rush out of the classroom to the university's parking lot. I drive, slightly pushing my foot deep on the accelerator.

Pulling up at my location, I realize I'm right on time. I'm parked outside of Vanessa's school and watch her as she's waiting to be picked up by her dad. Call me weird and pathetic, but I can't stay away from him. After Christmas, I called and called, but I always got hung up or ignored. So, I stopped calling and got the idea of following him. I started last month but got too hung up on it to the point where I became his stalker.

Before that, I did everything a woman does to get over her ex. I binge-watch unhealthy foods while watching romcoms, cutting my hair to shoulder length and dyeing it red with blonde highlights. All I got was weight gain and hair that made me look like a punk rock star.

Is it healthy that I am watching his every move? No, but I don't care. I will stop when I feel like it's necessary. I don't think that way now, so I am outside Vanessa's school, waiting for my man to pick up his child.

A few minutes later, a familiar car approaches the side of the elementary school. Someone exits the vehicle, and I sit up for a good look. It's him. Malik looks good, as always, in black shades, a beater, and baggy pants. A smile graces my lips as I watch Vanessa run up to him, giving him a big hug.

I look at the car, noticing another figure in the passenger seat. They get out, revealing themselves as Kimberly. My teeth grind against each other in anger, and tears fill my eyes. I should have slapped her when I had the chance. She probably would beat me up. I've never been in a fight my whole life, but if I had the opportunity to do it, I would try my hardest to beat her ass.

She abandoned them, and I was the bad guy. Aint' that some shit?

Kimberly gets out of the car and hugs Vanessa before kissing Malik. The sight of them together makes me sick. I would rather run them over with my car than see them kiss again.

They leave together a little later, and I have no problem following them. They travel a little out of the city into a suburban town and park in a restaurant's parking lot. They leave the car, and I follow them into the restaurant, sitting at a table near them. Due to my hair and my newfound weight, I shouldn't be noticeable. I still should steer clear; I don't want anybody to recognize me.

"Daddy, can I have the chicken tenders?" Vanessa softly asks.

"You can get whatever you want," he replies, flipping open a menu.

"Hi, welcome to Maplewood Grille, I am your waiter--"

"Just give me a bottle of your most expensive wine," I interrupt my waiter. He nods and tries to take my menu away, but I pull it away. The waiter gives me a weird look before walking off. I continue my watching, looking closely at Malik's table. Malik pulls Kimberly's chair towards him, and she gives him a schoolgirl giggle. He gives her the most handsome smile ever; I don't think he's ever smiled at me like that.

I watch them smile and giggle and act like a true family. Something wet begins to roll down from my eye, and I wipe it away, noticing a tear. After the one, they all start to pour, and I quickly get up and leave the restaurant, feeling embarrassed and stupid.

I cry as I march to my car, my whole body feeling like it's going to collapse. That could have been us. I was the one that ruined it all. She won. She won him and the family she wanted. I bite down on my lip, blood begins to trickle out and I taste it on my tongue.

Glancing down at my watch, I watch the clock, noticing it's almost time for my next class. I don't even have the energy for that. I put my keys in the ignition, but in the rearview mirror, I can see Malik's red car through my glassy eyes. Suddenly, all my sadness turns into anger. This bitch left you and I get cussed out?

I snatch my keys out the ignition and get out, walking up to Malik's luxurious car. I pick up a stone from the exterior of the restaurant and chuck it at his windshield. The stone goes right through the glass, leaving a hole in the window with cracks like look almost like rivers. I pick up another more and throw them through the rest of the windows.

A worker comes out and sees me. "Hey stop it!" he calls out. I dash to my car, quickly jumping in and pulling off. I smile widely, feeling the rush of adrenaline after that. I can still hear the glass popping and breaking in my head.

Fuck him and fuck that bitch too.