Make You Feel

Chapter 1

Malaysia sat Indian style on the bed, reading glasses adorned her smooth face. She tilted her head in concentration, proofreading her paper. Unlike most of her peers, she looked for her own mistakes before any one could. That's why she constantly switched up her style to please her boyfriend, Randall.

"When you gone flat iron this?" He pulled a strand of her hair. Immediately feeling self conscious she asked, "What's wrong with my hair?"

"It's nappy af."

"Boy whatever. I was natural when you met me so gone on with the bull." With a flick of her wrist, she diverted her attention back to the computer. Deep down though, Malaysia knew she would oblige his request.

Criticizing her has been his niche. He always pointed out what he didn't like but never expressed how beautiful she was. But Malaysia assumed he thought so.

"I mean he's with me right?"

She would ask herself that question when she second guessed herself, trying to reassure herself of her position in Randall's life. She loved him regardless though so none of that didn't matter. Feeling the bed move beneath her, she snapped her head in the direction of the movement and saw him getting out of bed, throwing on clothes.

"Where you going?" Checking the computer for the time, she looked back over at Randall. "It's 11:30 on a Tuesday night." Continuing to prepare to leave, he shrugged his shoulders.

"Out."

Malaysia rolled her eyes in annoyance. Randall always seemed to find himself going out at these times. She knew he was going to another female's house, but she never really put her foot down. There have been many occasions where Randall will come home with lipstick stains on his clothes. One time she even found a condom wrapper in her car. "Babe, that was my homeboy's. I ain't fucking no bitch in your car man," his response when she asked him about it. But Malaysia knew better, she may have been born in the night however, it wasn't that one.

"Ain't nothing out here for you at this time of night but some ran through pussy." she spoke as she mugged him. Malaysia's face twisted up when she noticed him clamping a GUESS watch around his slim wrist.

"And where in the hell did you get the money to afford that shit?" Perplexed, she wanted clarity as to how he was always crying about being broke but found the way to have new and expensive possessions. He didn't respond to her and in the same motion he swiped her keys from the chestnut dresser.

"Nigga you getting money and ain't paying no bills? Let me find out." Her dark brown orbs following his every move.

One year from being a quarter of a century and he didn't have nothing to show for his time inhabiting this earth. He didn't have a job because he got laid off so no job meant no car and no home of his own. Malaysia, on the other hand, was a semester away from a BA in Criminology. She worked, had her own car, and apartment. Randall often made her feel as if she was taking care of a child. With her minimum waged part time job, she was taking care of all the apartment expenses, her expenses and Randall's as well. Malaysia was only 23 but often stressed like a middle-aged woman.

"Randall!" Ignoring her calls, he left the room. Next thing she heard was the door close. Not in the mood for chasing him, she let him get away with this stunt tonight. Malaysia had better things to do than to fight and argue.

Having yet another restless night, she lie in bed with her mind racing. In complete darkness, the red glow of the digital clock and moon were the only things that offered a little light. This was a regular routine. Malaysia would await Randall's return. He will come home in the wee hours of the morning and try to sneak into bed unnoticed. Unbeknownst to him, Malaysia was always aware of his comings and stayed on go to argue with him. As if on cue, the room door squeaked and his slender figure could be seen easing into the room. With a whiff of his scent she knew where he just came from.