BANDIT II

•25•

When you look at the past without God's eyes, you subject yourself to deception. The past no longer exists and God doesn't linger there. However, Satan will show you whatever you want to see and believe, so you will be trapped in an emotion that cannot communicate truth, beyond what you want to remember. - Shannon L. Alder

Two Weeks Later...

Imer...

After classes, I decided to go to the bar with Mike, Jean and Carl. Practice was canceled because the grass is mudded out from a pipe bursting, so the coach just gave us plays to work off of until tomorrow. I pull up to Cafe Stella, valet parking. I enter the bar seeing the homies at the bar laughing and talking amongst themselves. I sit beside Mike, dapping him and the others. I order a drink, paying for it.

"Aye! Well if it ain't stranger danger." Mike teases. I laugh, shaking my head.

"Waddup nigga." I dryly respond, retrieving my drink and change.

"Where you been nigga? Since you and Niara started dating, you went ghost." He says.

"Casper face ass!" Carl jokes, bursting in laughter. Mike laughing right with him.

"Right. Done got him a girl and just said fuck the homies." Jean shakes his head.

"Mhhhmmmmm. Got that ass wrapped right around her finger." Mike comments. I stir my drink with the straw, licking my lips.

"Niara and I broke up two weeks ago." I sigh and shrug.

"Word? What happen, I thought shit was going good since you neglected us and all." Mike mumbles.

"Man since we've been together, all we did was argue because my trust issues. I can put the blame on myself for the first two arguments, but this one is hers." I shake my head.

"What happen my dude?" Carl questions.

"We were at my sister's graduation dinner two weeks ago to celebrate. Usually Niara and I will talk and laugh over dinner, but that night who ever was on her phone was more important. She was texting some nigga faithfully and I mean faithfully. Like as soon as that nigga texted her, she texted right back. So I asked her like who she talking too, she says its nobody. A nobody doesn't get a text back 2.5 seconds after you receive a message or make you smile and laugh. That should be me. Like." I stress shaking my head. The homies all nod in agreement.

"True. What happen after that?" Carl questions.

"So the whole ride home right, she tried to make conversation and shit but I ignored her. Just like she ignored me the whole night. We got home and she got an attitude with me, talking about she hates when I give her the silent treatment. And I asked her again like who was it she was talking too. Her answer was simply nobody for the second time. I'm like a nobody gets that type attention from anyone if they're not important. So I said let me see your phone, she starts that if you can't trust me then we don't need to be together bullshit. Fuck outta here with that. So when she said we shouldn't be together, I'm like cool. I open the door for her nicely and shit like wish granted. She gets ready to leave and wants to say it was her friend she was talking too and he's gay. So I'm standing there like, you could of just said that in the beginning and showed me your phone for proof. The whole dispute and break-up would of been null in void! You expect me to believe that this nigga is "just" your friend and "gay" after you just had a whole problem showing me your proof to back up your statement?! After all that she gone say some shit about how she's all woman and all this other bullshit, talking about if she was cheating she would tell me in all honestly. But when I asked who this "nobody" was, she didn't even fix her lips to say the shit until after the fact." I mumble, taking my drink to my head. I order another one, licking my lips.