In the Streets of New Orleans, three girls are navigating life together in a passionate, polyamorous love. Their bond is a force of nature, helping them face their struggles and insecurities head-on. As they lean on each other for support, they real...
I sat in my car outside the seafood spot, checking myself in the rearview mirror one last time. My hangover was finally gone, but my nerves were creeping in.
Maj's text about linking up had me feeling good at first—I missed him like crazy—but now? My stomach was twisting up. It wasn't like I didn't want to see him, but the thought of being out in public, pretending like my life wasn't still messy as hell, had me second-guessing everything.
I locked my car and stepped out, taking a deep breath before heading inside. The smell of boiled crawfish hit me as soon as I opened the door, making my stomach growl. I spotted Maj at a booth toward the back, his goofy-ass smile lighting up when he saw me.
"Look who finally showed up!" he called out, loud enough for half the restaurant to hear. I rolled my eyes but smiled back as I walked over.
"Maj, shut up," I muttered, sliding into the seat across from him. "You already doing too much."
"You missed me though," he said, flashing that signature smirk of his.
"Whatever," I said, but I couldn't fight the grin creeping on my face. "You lucky I ain't got no time to beat yo ass for ambushing me like this."
He chuckled, leaning back. "Ambush? Girl, it's just me! Relax."
Before I could even side-eye him properly, a waitress came by with menus. I barely glanced at mine before Maj waved her off, ordering a ridiculous amount of food for the both of us.
"Hope you ain't expecting me to cover that," I said as the waitress walked off.
"Please," Maj scoffed. "I got you, Raj. Ain't no way I'm letting you eat alone tonight."
His words made me pause, a little warmth spreading in my chest. He always had my back, even when my world was upside down.
Then I heard it—a voice I knew too well. My whole body stiffened as I turned to see them.
Kami was standing there, looking like she didn't even wanna breathe too loud. Moni was right behind her, arms crossed, face tight like usual. My jaw clenched before I could stop myself.
"Maj," I said, my tone low and dangerous. "What the fuck is this?"
Maj raised his hands in mock surrender. "Look, I ain't tryna get jumped, but y'all gotta talk. This whole situation been draggin' long enough."
Kami stepped forward first, her eyes meeting mine. "Raj, I didn't know Maj was setting this up, but... I'm glad he did. Please, can we just—"
"Don't even start," I said, cutting her off. My voice wasn't loud, but it had that edge. "Y'all could've just stayed at home. What's the point of this?"
Kami's face fell, and for a moment, guilt flickered in my chest. But then Moni spoke.
"Raj, you acting like we ain't been through worse," she said, her tone clipped. "You tryna play victim now?"
I shot Maj a glare. "See? This why I ain't wanna come. Moni always on some bullshit."
Kami grabbed Moni's arm, her voice sharp. "Moni, stop. Just let me—"
"No," Moni snapped, yanking her arm back. "This ain't just your fault, Kami. Y'all act like I'm the problem, but both of y'all—"
"Nah, fuck that," I interrupted, slamming my hand on the table. "I've been holding my tongue, but let's be real. If you can't admit what you did wrong, what the hell are we even doing here? This shit ain't gonna work if you keep acting like your hands clean."
Moni's face crumpled like she'd been holding it together with duct tape. Her voice cracked as she yelled, "I'm sorry, okay?! I'm fucking sorry!" Tears streamed down her face, and she looked between me and Kami like a cornered animal. "I don't wanna lose y'all! I just... I don't know how to fix this shit."
I side-eyed Maj so hard I thought my eyeballs would fall out. "Really, Maj? This what you wanted?" Then I rolled my eyes and stood up. "C'mon, Moni, stop all that crying," I muttered, pulling her into a hug despite my frustration.
Her arms wrapped around me tightly, and I could feel her shaking. I didn't wanna admit it, but her breakdown hit me. I wasn't tryna be heartless, but damn, it was about time she owned up to something.
Kami joined in, wrapping her arms around us both. Her voice was soft as she said, "We'll figure it out... but we gotta take it slow. This isn't gonna fix itself overnight."
Moni sniffled, nodding against my shoulder. "Yeah... slow. I just don't want y'all to leave me."
I sighed, letting go of the hug and stepping back. "We ain't going nowhere," I said, my tone softer now. "But you gotta meet us halfway, Moni. For real."
Maj cleared his throat, clearly trying not to smile. "Y'all done being dramatic now? Can we eat before this crawfish gets cold?"
I rolled my eyes but smirked. "Yeah, yeah. Pass me some of that shrimp."
As we all sat down to eat, the tension wasn't completely gone, but for the first time in what felt like forever, it felt like we were on the right track. Even if it was messy as hell, we were trying. And that was enough. For now.
