Say It

two

TW: Nia is grown, lol. Prepare yourself!

wednesday, november 23.

   At a very early age, I learned that life was bigger than me. My mom instilled in me that it was okay to look after yourself, but your purpose may be beyond you.

I looked up to my mom and the way she gave herself to the world, regardless how undeserving the world was. I tried to use her as a guide.

    At my current age, I was the biggest track star in the world. I still held the record for fastest woman ever and I was working my ass off to shatter my own record.

Last year, I suffered a torn achilles and I repaired my mind, body and soul to get back to where I was. I believed that I was even better post-injury. Many thought that I'd go pro, but I wanted to prove myself on a collegiate level.

    It was hard to walk down the street sometimes. Even as I trotted down the streets of downtown San Fransisco, so many people wanted a piece of me.

It could get frustrating especially on a day like this where all I wanted was a peace of mind. I just wanted to take in the beautiful scenery.

    Beyond the horizon, the sun illuminated the shimmering haze of pollution. In the far distance, the silhouette of the skyline pierced through the warm glow like a jagged mountain ridge.

Millions of lights caused the dense mass of skyscrapers glitter. People were needle points and cars were blood cells flowing through the veins of the city.

      Despite the time, the hustle and bustle never came to a halt. The city's residents were off for a movie or to chill out in a smoky jazz bar downtown.

Jace protectively held my hand, against my wishes. He walked slightly ahead of me, leading me through a small crowd.

   A few younger women looked at him as we walked passed. He had the kind of face that stopped you in your tracks.

    I guess he must get used to that, the sudden pause in a woman's natural expression when they looked his way followed by overcompensating with a nonchalant gaze and a weak smile.

Of course the blush that accompanied it was a dead giveaway. It didn't help that he was so modest with it, it made the girls fall for him all the more.

   He didn't only look good, but Jace always looked well put together. He cared about getting a haircut, getting his beard lined up, smelling good, and dressing well.

So, I understood where the girls were coming from.

We walked into one of my favorite spots to eat. It was a black owned, soul food restaurant. It had that southern feel to it. The old blues jams from back in the day and old pictures of the deep south.

It was owned by one of Zeke's classmates at Jackson State.

When we walked in, I was immediately greeted by Thomas, the owner. By now, I was regular here and didn't have to order. He already knew what I wanted.

"Haven't seen you in a minute, Nia." He looked at me then at Jace. "Who's this?"

I looked over at Jace then back at Thomas. "This is Jace. He's never been here before. Thought I'd show him some real southern cuisine."

Thomas extended his hand and Jace immediately shook it. "Nice to meet you, Jace. A menu is on the table and I'll be right with you to get your order."

"Okay." Jace nodded.

Thomas looked back at me. "The same, right?"

"Yes." I moved a piece of my hair behind my ear. "Can you make the chicken extra crispy this time?"