Level the Playing Field

Fix it.

A/n: I think I have only one more chapter left. Maybe two. MAYBE. Any who, enjoy ☺️

"At least he didn't tag you, right?" Mikayla tries easing her anxiety.

"He doesn't even fucking follow me, he does everything so backwards!" She takes a deep inhale trying to quell the frustration buzzing under the surface of her skin. "But still, how many black women are on campus right now with boho braids? And orange nails with all these?!" She knows this is an easy puzzle for everyone to connect, especially with the fact that it's known they were... something before the summer break. She checks her phone again to see he still hasn't replied to the simple "wtf Jude????!" she sent him a few minutes ago.

"I have to get to class. Keep the door locked, just in case..." fuck, Annita.

She showed up here the last time so there's absolutely a possibility she will again. Sadé swallows but offers a small nod.

*************

"Congratulations Sadé, you won."

Sadé's body locks tight with tension on the mini ladder she's perched on. She carefully places the books she was organizing down, afraid that any sudden movement will set off an episode like the one she witnessed outside her door.

"I wasn't aware I was playing a game to win anything, Annita." She mutters while carefully stepping down from the ladder. She almost sighs in relief when both her feet are planted safely on the ground, she wouldn't put it past the woman to have pushed her off.

Annita is silent for a few seconds, just taking her time to look around the shelves that they're trapped between. Sadé doesn't even want to know how she found out she's been working in the library.

"He's good isn't he? One minute you're above the surface then the next he says two words to you then you're suddenly hooked and yanked under." Annita runs her fingers along the spine of some psychology textbook on the shelf to her left. Ironic.

"And don't get me started on the sex; he better not have been your first." Annita looks over at her and Sadé fidgets in position, rubbing at the length of her arms over her sweater.

"Oh God." Annita chuckles bitterly, rolling her eyes.

"You let Jude pop your cherry? Good luck ever getting over him because you'll need to. You think he can be tamed? I've been trying, Sadé, trust me."

"Why are you speaking of him as if he's some kind of animal? That's the second time you've used that word when talking about him." Tamed, she hates it.

Annita takes a step back to look at her from head to foot and back up again before throwing her head back to laugh maniacally.

"Don't tell me- oh you poor thing."

Sadé doesn't respond to the woman, she just watches her laugh tapers off into giggles before they ultimately settle in silence again. Annita looks up at her again and this time, Sadé almost gasps at the complete unhinged look on her face. She seems so erratic and it's terrifying.

"Not even something as deeply traumatizing as me having to get rid of our baby could get me to keep him so what is it about you? Huh? What do you have that I don't? That the others he was with and came right back to me didn't?!" Her voice pitches higher after every sentence and it sends Sadé on high alert. She straightens her stance, uncrossing her arms- just in case.

"You just said it yourself, I'm going to need to get over him. There's nothing-"

"Don't. Patronize. Me." She hisses through clenched teeth. Sadé takes a step back.