ᴏɴɪᴋᴀ ᴍᴀʀᴀᴊ
The parking garage was dim, the fluorescent lights flickering overhead.
My feet ached from another grueling shift, but after all, it was another successful day at work for me and all I wanted now was to get home, kick off my shoes, and collapse.
I pulled my keys from my bag, my car finally in sight, relief washing over me.
Just as I unlocked the door and reached for the handle, something yanked me back, hard. My heart lurched in my chest, and I spun around, eyes wide.
"What the fuck?" I shouted, my voice echoing in the empty garage. My stomach dropped when I saw who it was. Kevin.
I shoved him, but it was like pushing a brick wall. He didn't even flinch. "What is wrong with you?" I yelled, my voice shaking with a mixture of fear and fury. I tried to step back, but his hand shot out, gripping my neck, pulling me close, his face inches from mine. His jaw was clenched so tight I thought his teeth might shatter.
"Get off me!" I screamed, thrashing against his grip, but his other hand slammed over my mouth, cutting me off. My breath hitched, panic rising as I struggled to break free.
"Shut the fuck up, Onika!" he snarled, his fingers digging into my chin, forcing my head back. His eyes blazed with rage. "You think you can play me like that? Texting my homie behind my back? You having secret conversations with our son too? How come I didn't know about this shit?"
My mind raced. I wasn't sneaking around.
I tried to scream through his hand, the words muffled and desperate. He squeezed my chin harder. "You better stop playing with me. I'm not the one."
"I talked to him for Ava's birthday and setting up play dates with Omari and her." I blurted out, trying to get through to Kevin. My heart was racing, my mind scrambling for the right words to de-escalate this before it spiraled any further. "It wasn't about anything else, Kevin! Omari and Ava are friends, and they wanted to spend time together."
But Kevin wasn't hearing any of it. He shook his head, jaw clenched tighter. "Playdates?" he hissed, his grip tightening again. "You expect me to believe you've been talking to my nigga about some kids hanging out? Don't insult me, Onika."
His fingers dug deeper into my skin, and I winced, struggling to stay calm. "It's the truth!" I shouted, my voice strained. "I was just coordinating with him, nothing more. You're overreacting. There's nothing going on between us-nothing."
For a moment, Kevin seemed to hesitate, his grip faltering slightly as my words sank in. But then the anger flared up in his eyes again. "You think I'm stupid?" he snapped. "You don't tell me anything anymore, and now you're out here texting and calling behind my back."
I could see that he was spiraling, consumed by his own suspicions. My body was shaking, but I knew I had to stand my ground.
"Stop questioning me about stuff!" I yelled, shoving him with everything I had, trying to push him back, but it didn't matter. It never did. "We are not together anymore!"
Kevin's eyes flared as he stared at me, the muscles in his jaw twitching. "Shut the fuck up!" he growled, his voice low and threatening. He paused for a second, his gaze locking onto mine with an intensity that made my stomach flip. "We are not over. The fuck? You know I'm still fighting for you-for us!"
The pressure of his grip tightened on me, sending a sharp pain through my arm. I could feel the tears welling up, stinging the corners of my eyes, not just from the physical pain but from the exhaustion of it all.
