Banking on Billion

Rekindling flames

           "Wassup girl? Damn you looking mad good" stasi greeted me as I walked into her place I dropped my bag as she took me in a tight bear hug. "Mmmm...I missed you foreal" she said pulling back looking at me. I grinned as I began fiddling with my hair "oh shorty, not the shy card stooooooop it" She drawled out allowing me to step in fully as she shut the door "nah, not shy but looking good? stas that's you . Always has been." Nastasia was one of a kind . She wore her natural hair. She didn't wear makeup. She had this smooth feminine tomboy look to her. Her sense of fashion was everything. She just didn't go. She wasn't your typical female, never in the mix....observant, not really much of a talker. And what I loved most about her ? She knew and loved the real me .
               I blushed reminiscing "you know?...I missed you too real shit not to mention I-". She stopped me "Yo, wait hold that thought B. Get settled in lil baby, what you drinking tonight ?" She asked motioning me to the bar in her kitchen causing me to get distracted. I began to notice all of the new figurines and sculptures she had added to the walls. She had things looking so... "dope" I'm sure she'd describe it. There was graffiti paintings everywhere, a cold sculpture of Malcom X, she'd painted and added in a nice red camo accent wall. I just loved her style and missed her and this condo so much , I remember the day me and stas first agreed to move in together ...I was living man! I really had messed up and was feeling every bit of regret right now. "ASI!" She snapped, "girl I'm talking to you what you sipping on ? Must be the usual?" She snickered holding up a Patron bottle. She knew I promised to never take the smallest sip of patron after what happened my first time drinking. "Um....no I'll take some dusse shots but that's IT stas you know me !" I said as memories of the night I first felt the shift in "us" flooded my mind..
   I relaxed in our bathtub over looking downtown Atlanta as I surfed my socials on my phone. My notifications pinged, "How'd finals go" -JB, I  read the message from the boxing trainer I'd met weeks before Stas left.. he was cool, but it was nothing like that so half the time he went ignored . I had just finished my last semester of college and I was elated! Not to mention, Our new spot was perfect ! We'd only been there a month , maybe less. "Aye baby I'm home !" I heard Stas coming home from her trip. I got excited hearing her voice she'd took a trip back home to the Bronx and I'd been missing her. It was the happiest I had ever been. Of course we argued and was the furthest from perfect, but she didn't only want my money, or body off back, it was never pressure actually we'd only had sex the first time twice before she left ! Both times it was my fault....you know drunken nights , one thing led to another. We started off as close friends, no pun intended . I'm talking seriously. This girl had gave me any and everything I'd asked for in only a year of knowing her, both materialistic and none. I had told her for my 21st I only wanted to enhance the happiness. I didn't know how or what that meant to her but I hadn't expected much with it only being my second birthday spent with he, and first as her girl ...but here I was a month after my birthday in our condo. Although she insisted it wasn't even my present, it was the best birthday gift I could've ever received. I closed out my messages and hurriedly washed the suds off my body. I stepped out onto the plush bath rug in attempt to go and greet her. "Asianiiiiiiiiiii" she sung out as she walked through the luxury bathroom doors "oooooo look at you all bare and sexy" she dramatically rolled her eyes back as she sniffed "Mmmmm and smelling like warm milk and honey" she joked as she kissed me with her hands tucked behind her. "I was just coming down, I been missing you like crazy" I told her giggling as I grabbed a towel to wrap around my body. "Nah stay up here, dry off, and get dressed first, it's mad brick out" she told me. "Once you're dressed let me know. I copped you so much shit. Look." She held out some flowers " here. the rest is down stairs" she kissed my cheek and she walked into our room as she began undressing.
                  I placed the flowers in the bathroom vase as I hurriedly got dressed and then threw on my robe, it really was pretty chilly. "Maybe I should turn on some heat" I thought out loud to myself as I turned the dial on the thermostat. "Wait, wait, start with the pink bag first baby" Nastasia said running up behind me . "Hold onnnn bae damn you're more excited than me! It's cold in here, shit" I said In frustration "nah go get your gifts like I said, listen Asi. I got the fireplace on down there where your things are." stasi assured me with a chuckle. I rolled my eyes and walked down stairs. I could see into the living room, stas had maxed!
       "See, the pink one is your ice. The purple bag holds kicks, and the blue one-" Stas said again right behind me like a happy kid on Christmas...except she was Santa. "Damn babe please chill, can I open them first?? Sheeeshhh" I said turning around throwing up my hands. "Okay okay crybaby you wylin' relax before you catch these hands" she said picking me up chunking me on the couch. We play fought for a minute before I was pissed "okay. Okay! Nastasia chill! What you say ? You wyyyyyylin b, deadass" I mocked her . She threw hands up in defeat "aite ion want beef" she stepped back "just start with the pink one" and she grabbed the remote and turned on the surround sound. Starting with the pink box I opened it and looked at her in shock "is this....?" the box held a small jewelry case which I then opened as well "A RINGGGGG, IT'S A RINGGGG!" I jumped up and down and she stood up "yea you know mamas had to get you icy keep going" she danced around as I pulled out a longer box and opened it . I screamed  "Whattttttt matching earrings anddddd-"
"Yeaaaaaah anddddd a matching necklace! Ooooo, open purple next bae , purple" she said even though I had already knew from earlier "shhhhhhhhhittttt" I said opening the Giuseppe Zanotti Heels. "Yea imma dance for you in these" I said. "Aht girl quit being a freak open them next Jawns" I looked into the purple bag and there was another box. I questioned stasi "What's these? the box is so small". "C'mon bae just open them". I opened the box "Stasiiiiiiiiiiiiiii now these I love . I'm going to wear these everywhere. Watch". Last month I'd showed her some Maison Margiela High-Top Sneakers, and she went right and got them for me. "I hear you baby, now open that last one. Yea it's lit. I got you some pie from the bodega too". I pulled out the last small blue box . "Ooo it's tiny what is it" I shook the little bag. "Give me a hint" . I went and sat next to her throwing my kegs in her lap "I don't know open it and see" she told me . I opened the box and there was a honda key fob "Nastasia. Stop fucking playing I knowwwww you didn't get me it . Stasi." I mushed her arm. "This a prank no way you got me that car . Where is it ?" I looked at her in disbelief. "Outside onna homies. It's a 2020 Acura NSX, white with red interior the exact one you pointed out. Imma wait and let you see it in the morning but for now put everything up and let's eat" she instructed as she walked to the kitchen.
"Ooo I'm so excited for this part" I said happily dancing to the island where Stas had pizza from Petee's pies and patron mixed drinks. "Can I have some of yours too?" I asked her looking at both pizzas as I sipped out of my cup. "You fat ohhhhh girl you wylin'! Gon 'head. How'd you like your gifts baby comm'ere..." she said through chews. "Mannnnn this shit bussin!-...but see I told you this.. " She pointed around the condo and put her pizza down to pick me up and sat me on the counter. "This could've never been your gift from me it wasn't enough" she said "I loved them so much! From the condo ...to the car..., all of it seriously you didn't even have to do all of that I'm so blessed. Thank you baby!!" I said wrapping my arms around her neck kissing her. I grabbed a slice of pizza and took another chug of my drink "Stas you know you can mix your ass off , I know being an Anesthesiologist brings in the money but baby I could see you as a bartend-" I was interrupted by my buzzing phone "who's that ?" Stas said damn near taking my phone out my hand "umm rude, let me check first?" I said squinting my eyes at her and chuckling. Ever since me and her had sex she was sort of different, still oh so sweet but had become possessive. I slid the message from the unknown number "oh it's just umm, JB a trainer I met at the gym last week" I told her honestly. "Oh word? He's going to train you or something? Why you got his number?" She asked. I just looked...I was honestly over her coming at me. I placed my food down and started kissing on her "baby listen. There's. Nobody. Else. I. Want...." she let her head fall back as I trailed kisses down her neck  "No foreal b look at me right now Asi, the lying shit is mad whack what you need his number for?" She repeated. "It's understood you're a virgin . Then you tell me you would fuck a man if you were more social. Now randomly you get a guy friend? What you dropping hints? Let me know now cause you know I personally don't do the dick shit but I also asked you to KEEP IT REAL!" She began to yell. "Stas....I wouldn't lie to you , yes. He's been training me. I'm not a kid, I don't have to alert you if there's nothing going on. you know that ..what is your problem ? You leave accusing ...we make up....you come back ...accusing? I haven't gave you any reason to constantly do this. The accusing THATS whack" I told her hopping down from the counter as a tear fell. It was then I knew we had messed up something good. If it wasn't already the end, it was the beginning of the end. "I'm not even hungry anymore I'm going upstairs for a nap, don't bother waiting up for me" I said walking backwards as I turned to exit. I laid in bed contemplating answering JB message . If I was going to be accused..why not respond? I was beyond happy with Stas but truth be told ...Stas had began to make me feel....suffocated. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do because I loved her, I wanted to be with her but it all had just became so much ...so fast. I began regretting even letting her fuck because before then things were amazing. "No response? come chill with me again tomorrow ?" He'd texted . I clicked my messages and opened it "sorry got distracted but sure...I'll meet you at the gym and we can go from there..."
                      "ASI! " Stasia shouted snapping me from my daydream. "Mmm. My bad, my bad" I giggled. "Here girl throw these back" she had lined up 4 shots for me. I side eyed her "oh nawww now you tryna get me lit ain't you, you know sex is off the table I gotta talk to you about so much " I said just as she threw her finger up "hol up Asi boo, lemme take this" she said as she walked into the living room .I could hear her whispering ...but why was she acting so weird ?? This was my third attempt at letting her know about what I'd been going through and being cut off. It was obvious she was busy. I dumped the shots as I followed her to the living room . I cleared my throat for her attention "Okay okay my phone is ab-" and she hung up as she looked up at me "that was my-" she began to explain, I quickly seen through her lie and cut it short "no it's fine..no explanation needed..you know what? ..." I paused checking the time on my Apple Watch "actually, I've had a really long day I should get settled in if that's okay with you?" She nodded walking towards the stairs "okay..cool ..I understand, um, you can take the guest bed...or come sleep with me either is cool. It's up to you. Bath towels,bathroom , rooms....everything is still in the same place let me know if you need me" she gave me a thumbs up and she disappeared.