𝐈𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞 | 𝐊𝐕

7. || Options

Harmony Briseis Osabutey
One Week Later | 02/24/21

Harmony lay nestled in her sheets as she blankly stared at the ceiling, her eyes tracing the faint shadows that above her, but inside her mind, it swirled with memories of Aseem—the substance of his laughter, the effects of his gaze, and the adrenaline of their secret moments together.

While she lay there, lost in contemplation, she felt the weight of uncertainty pressing heavily on her chest, each thought ricocheting against the walls of her mind like an echo, urging her to confront the complexity of emotions.

She felt a whirlwind of confusion and frustration as she processed the sudden shift in her relationship with him. The once comforting connection between them had collapsed. It stung deeply that he hadn't even had the decency to reach out with a phone call, or to offer closure or an explanation.

Instead, she was left to deal with unanswered questions, fueled by anger that he would so carelessly abandon the bond that they had built, leaving her to piece together the puzzle of his distance.

She put her job on the line for him after all, which pissed her off even more.

When the beeping of the alarm sounded off, pulling her from her thoughts, Harmony blinked her eyes as she heavily sighed. She tossed the covers from over her body and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, her bare feet making contact with the cool wooden floor.

Rubbing her eyes, she stood up, and her heart raced at the thought of the upcoming date with Desmond. When she entered the bathroom, she brushed her teeth and washed her faced, freshening up her hygiene.

Although she wasn't in the mood to go on the date with Desmond, she refused to allow Aseem to have control over her. They weren't even in a relationship after all.

Harmony stood in front of the mirror when she began to oil her newly styled scalp braids, carefully massaging the oil. After that, she slipped into a white sleeveless shirt that hugged her figure, paired it with loose jeans that, and completed the look with black heels.

Next, she oiled her arms and legs until her skin glimmered, then spritzed her favorite perfume on her pulse points and lightly on her clothes, filling the air with the sweet scent. Satisfied with her reflection, she stepped out of the bathroom and grabbed a pink purse, meticulously packing it with her essentials.

When her phone buzzed on her nightstand, she grabbed it, reading the screen that lit up with Desmond's name, a quick message flashing: "Hey, I'm outside, MaMa."

She felt a flutter of excitement and a touch of nervousness before stepping outside, and she spotted Desmond's car parked at the curb. When she walked towards his car, he emerged from it with his smile growing as she approached him.

He swung open the passenger door, and as she walked up to him, their eyes locked, and they exchanged a sweet kiss on the cheek. "Hey, pretty." He spoke, causing her to chuckle.

"Hi, Des." She responded with a wide smile, climbing into the car, taking in the warm scent of his cologne that surrounded her as he closed the door.

LATER THAT EVENING, Desmond and Harmony sat at a candlelit table in the elegantly decorated restaurant among the soft hum of jazz music surrounding them in its warm ambiance. As they enjoyed their gourmet dishes— a perfectly cooked filet mignon and a seafood risotto— they exchanged conversational topics.

"So you really don't like doing that lovey dovey music? You prefer the street music?" Harmony curiously asked with a tilt of her head.

"Yeah. Honestly." Desmond answered truthfully, smiling when she furrowed her eyebrows in curiosity.