Stuck in the 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞~KDG

Figure it Out

That night, Tori lay awake, staring at the ceiling as the weight of Kentrell's words sank deeper into her. The truth was unavoidable now. She had to choose, but her heart still wavered between BabyJoe's fiery passion and Kentrell's steady presence.

Unable to sleep, she reached for her phone. BabyJoe had sent another text earlier in the day, asking to talk. She knew she couldn't keep avoiding him, especially after what Kentrell had said. Her fingers hovered over the screen before she finally typed out a simple message.

Tori: "Can we talk? I'll come by tomorrow."

His response came quickly.

BabyJoe: "Yeah, anytime. I'll be home."

The next afternoon, Tori found herself standing outside BabyJoe's house, nerves swirling in her stomach. She took a deep breath before knocking on the door, her heart racing as she waited. The door opened, and BabyJoe stood there, looking a little worse for wear but flashing her a half-smile.

"Hey," he said, stepping aside to let her in.

"Hey," Tori echoed, her voice quieter than she expected. As she walked in, she noticed the tension in his movements. He was trying to act cool, but she could tell he was on edge, just like she was.

They sat down in the living room, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence stretched between them, heavy with everything that had gone unsaid.

BabyJoe broke the silence first. "I guess you've talked to Kentrell."

Tori nodded, not meeting his eyes. "Yeah, I did. He came by yesterday."

BabyJoe leaned back, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I know I messed up. I shouldn't have let it get to that point, but you don't understand what it's like. Everywhere I go, people are talking about how close you and Kentrell are. It's like I'm competing with him, and I don't even know if I'm in the game."

Tori sighed, her heart sinking. "It's not a competition, BabyJoe. I never wanted it to be."

He looked at her then, his expression more vulnerable than she'd ever seen. "But it feels like one, Tori. And I don't know where I stand with you. Every time I think we're getting closer, you're with him."

Tori swallowed hard, the weight of his words pressing down on her. She had never seen things from his perspective before. To her, Kentrell had always been a friend, someone she trusted. But to BabyJoe, it had felt like a threat, a constant reminder that she wasn't fully his.

"I'm sorry if I made you feel that way," she said quietly. "I never meant to hurt you, BabyJoe. But I can't change the way things are between me and Kentrell. He's been my friend for a long time."

BabyJoe's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "I know. I get that now. I just... I care about you, Tori. A lot. And it's hard watching you with him, not knowing where we stand."

Tori looked away, her emotions swirling. She cared about BabyJoe, too. But every time she thought about him and Kentrell, it felt like she was being pulled in two different directions. She had to make a choice, but she wasn't ready.

"I care about you, too," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I don't know if I can give you what you want right now."

BabyJoe's eyes softened, but there was a hint of sadness in his expression. "I'm not asking for everything right now, Tori. I just need to know if I'm wasting my time. If you're really into Kentrell, just tell me, and I'll back off."

The vulnerability in his voice caught her off guard. She had always seen BabyJoe as strong, confident, maybe even a little cocky. But now, she could see how much this had been eating at him.

Tori took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts. "You're not wasting your time. I just... I need time to figure things out. This whole thing with you and Kentrell—it's complicated, and I don't want to rush into anything and make the wrong decision."

BabyJoe nodded slowly, his eyes searching hers. "I get it. I don't want to pressure you. But I need to know if I'm even in the running, you know? I don't want to keep fighting for someone who's already picked someone else."

His words cut deeper than she expected. She could feel the weight of his emotions, the frustration and the uncertainty he had been holding back. He was giving her space, but there was only so much more he could take.

Tori reached out, placing her hand on his. "You're not out of the picture, BabyJoe. I just need time to figure out how I feel about everything."

He stared at her for a moment before nodding, his fingers lightly squeezing hers. "Alright. I can give you that. But just know, I'm not gonna wait forever."

Tori nodded, understanding the unspoken pressure that still lingered between them. As she stood to leave, BabyJoe stood too, walking her to the door.

"Thanks for coming by," he said quietly.

Tori offered him a small smile, her emotions still swirling. "I'll figure this out. I promise."

As she walked away, the weight on her chest grew heavier. She had thought that talking to BabyJoe would make things clearer, but now, she felt more confused than ever. She cared about both of them—BabyJoe and Kentrell. But she couldn't keep dragging this out. Sooner or later, she would have to choose.