One Night Only (Complete)

the end of the road

"So that nigga ate the cakes, bought you a wardrobe, then beat up your ex just to get on a plane like it wasn't nothin... and you just let that shit happen. You ain't called the nigga.. He ain't called you? What the fuck is y'all on?"

You hadn't seen Erik in over a year and every time Corey saw you, he asked you the same exact shit without fail. He'd get this incredulous look in his eye like nothing made sense. Anaya had told him everything you'd told her about your time with him and, unbelievably, he was more invested in your short-lived relationship than she was. It was crazy. He could not wrap his mind around the fact that you and Erik weren't together and he would not drop it no matter how many times Anaya hit him in the arm or kicked him under a table.

"Oh my goddd," you groan throwing your head back, "I tell you every time. He's the one who left, not me," you sigh into your glass, taking a sip of your raspberry tea. The waiter brings salad and breadsticks to the table. "Cheese for anyone?"

"No thank you," Anaya says for everyone. You grab the clawed tongs to plate everyone's salad. "You ain't stop him," Corey flails almost hitting Anaya beside him who shoots him a glare that says please shut up. He stares at you with his judgmental smile, shaking his head as if he's looking at one of the dumbest people he's ever seen.

"What was I supposed to say!? Cancel your tour and stay with me in nowhere ass DC.. or wait, take me with you so I can freeload and be homeless with nowhere to go once we're over."

A breadstick attacks Corey's teeth and then rolls around in his open mouth. "I don't know about y'all, but if I'm a eat someone's ass I ain't going no-fuckin-where and neither are they. We married now, fuck you mean.."

Anaya raises her brand new engagement ring to drive home Corey's point and he kisses his teeth at her, exposed.

You snicker into your hand at Corey's embarrassment and it makes you think of Erik again. You didn't want to get stuck on him, you'd promised yourself you wouldn't. You'd been strong in the past year. A jalapeno smacking you in the head and falling in your lap brings you back to your company and Anaya is swatting at Corey, quietly chastising him for acting like a child.

"Yeah," you instigate, "all that attitude just because we know you eat booty," you snark smugly and he throws an olive. Anticipating it, you catch it in your mouth and grin. "You a hoe," Corey retorts jabbing a large forkful of salad into his mouth. You snort in victory. He was definitely the brother you'd never had growing up.

"You too, Y/N, acting like a damn child. I can't take y'all nowhere!" Anaya dips her lettuce stacked fork in her mouth and you follow suit, feeling like a disciplined child. "This is about Y/N's career, not Erik, and we're going to focus on Y/N right now. Thank you," she announces and her eyes refocus on you. "Congratulations on leaving that job. It was time! I'm proud of you." Warmth floods your cheeks and they lift as you soak in her praise. You'd kissed major ass through threats of being let go to keep your job when you'd returned that Monday after Hurricane Erik blew through. You weren't sorry for anything you'd done, but it felt like they wanted blood and you'd had to apologize convincingly to pay your rent. It'd felt so good the day you finally dropped off your resignation letter a year down the road. You were making money from social media and singing gigs. You'd left your office for the last time feeling completely and honestly free and refreshed like your life had just begun. That was last week. The food comes to the table. You got Ravioli di Portabella and they ordered spaghetti with meatballs. "So Thursday, we get to hear your EP. You'll be an official artist," Anaya exhales. She's nervous from the excitement and anticipation. You've been making her wait for details and wait to hear it, wanting her to get the full experience.