I REFUSE •Stephen Curry•

•23•

S T E P H E N
The bright light of the morning seeped through the curtains. I breath content. I turn my body to see an empty bed space beside me. I notice notice a small note that said:

Last night was amazing, but it was a mistake
~Aaliyah

A pang of sadness entered me as I read the last bit over and over. A mistake? Is that what she felt? Did she not feel the fire, that burning passion as I did? So many things I needed to know. I got dress and quickly headed next door. Quickly I knocked on the door waiting to see her face. The door knob jiggled almost as if it was hard to open the door. Finally the door swung open and Marcus stood there his small cheeks flushed with red and his curls wildly everywhere.

"Hello mister." He says not greeting as he usually did.

"Hey Marcus is Aaliyah home?" I ask looking past him slightly before looking back down at him. He nods, but stands there. "Can you go get her?" I questioned.

"I don't think she wants to see you." He frowned crossing his tan short arms in front of him. I open my mouth to speak, but a voice beats me to it.

"Marcus! What did I tell you about opening the door when I'm not," she pauses when she looks up at me a laundry basket on her hip and a slight frown present of her lips. "There." She finished barely audible to here. "Steph I really don't have time for this right now." She says not in an irritated way, but almost as if she was begging. She bent down and whispered in Marcus ear and he nodded and ran off.

"No Aaliyah I thought we were cool then you run out and call what we did was a mistake?" I say my voice breaking at the last part.

"Wardell it's not like that you're in a relationship you cheated! I can't sit here and act all lovey dovey with you when you did wrong and I did too. Klay is thinking we are heading somewhere and I can't just lead him on like that. What we did was wrong you can't act like it wasn't." She almost screamed she puts down the basket and holds her head almost as to massage it.

"You didn't feel the sparks, the fireworks, the explosion-"Of course I did, but it wasn't enough to make me forget that I was kissing and fucking a man who was in a happy relationship with another woman who already could give two shits about me." She interrupted looking up into my eyes.

"You know I'd leave her for you in a heartbeat." I say meaning every word. She laughed bitterly.

"When I caught you kissing her that day when we were together you left me for her. What changed Stephen? Now you suddenly feel the way I felt for you and now you want me to quit my chance of truly being happy to take another chance of heartbreak? If that's what you're asking No! No, I won't do it not again." She yells waving her arm frantically around hitting the door frame with her small fists.

"I'm sorry-" No I'm tired of that I told you we would be friends and that's what we are nothing more nothing less. I can't do this with you not again." She fell to her knees her head in her hands. I kneeled down and held her.

"I'm sorry I pushed this I really am please don't hate me. If this is what you want then I'll be your friend I promise." I whisper in her ear my voice at a hush tone. She just nodded before slowly standing to her feet.

"I think you should be heading back now Ayesha is pulling up and is now glaring at me." She says turning away from my eyes.

"Ok." I agree and move forward. I walk across the yard lost, devastated, and in denial. I really thought we could rekindle the flame of our old relationship, but our wick has been burned too many times. I look up to see the judgmental eyes of Ayesha. She opens her mouth, but I stop her. "It's over. We both came to an understanding that we are too toxic for both of our health.we are just friends. Are you happy now?" I explain emotionless.

"Steph." She tries, but I tune her out. I walk to the door and open it then slamming it loudly. I'm so tired and internally drained that I can't seem to muster any sort of emotion in me. If this was the right thing to do why was it hurting me so bad? She was right though if it's meant to be it'll work out in itself. I can't push it if it doesn't want to be pushed. Until then I have to clean up my life and live the way I want to. The first step is Ayesha.

A A L I Y A H

God knows I wanted to let him in again. I wanted him to walk into my arms and kiss me until there was no more breath in my lungs, but I just couldn't do it. I've gotten hurt to many times to risk my heart again. I was just now trying to finish building myself back together. Every time we get together it always ends in ravages. I sit down on the couch, head in my hands.

"Mommy?" A baby voice whispers out. I look up to see Marcie looking concerned.

"Was it Steph?" He asked almost knowingly. I frown. He comes closer and kisses my forehead. "It's gonna be alright." He whispers his hair tickling my skin. I smile and yank him in my hands and twirl him around.

"I love you Marcus." I tell him truly grateful for his appearance in my life.

"I love you too mommy." He says smiling and giggling. I set him down and he runs off. Marcus made me realize everything will be alright. I'm gonna be ok. I got to be ok for him.

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Surprise! I'm back this story is going to get good. I feel like it's a bit repetitive, but that's the point I wanted to make that she's in an unhealthy relationship that keeps circling. So please comment and vote gonna post later today. I'm so glad to be back!

-all my love A xox <3