In His Mind

8.

RASHAAD

I pulled off and headed to Vince's airbnb. He came down for the weekend with his wife to take a break. I had to clear my head before going home to Gia. When I got there I hopped out and headed to the door. After a couple knocks, Lala answered the door smiling.

"What are you doing here Shaad!" she hugged me"I thought we were going to dinner tonight"

"We are" I smiled "Just needed to clear my head"

"What's wrong?"

"I don't even know to be honest"

"Come on" she grabbed my hand "Vinny's in the kitchen. You want a snack or somehting"

"Sit yo pregnant ass down Laila" Vince spoke up as we walked in the kitchen

"Nigga I'm not even that pregnant"

I laughed at their craziness before sitting next to Vince at the bar. Vince and Lala met at the beginning of our sophomore year. They been together ever since. Vince proposed when we got drafted and got married right after the first season. I admired them as a couple. I mean I love Gia but we definitely had some hard times. Things that made me question if marriage was for us for so long.

"What's up with you bro" Vince caught my attention "You looked I don't know"

"Stressed" Lala passed me a beer

"Somewhat" I sighed "Can I get yall opinion?"

"Sure" they spoke then laughed

"What is it?" Lala sat on the counter

"Promise me... yall can't tell nobody"

"Damn did you kill someone" Vince joked

"I'm serious Vinny. Nobody"

"Bet"

"You know I aint got nobody to tell" Lala shrugged "But I promise"

I nodded and sighed "I don't even know where to start"

"The beginning would be ideal" Vince shrugged

"I hate him too" She shook her head

"Whatever" I rolled my eyes "Yall know I don't really talk to my dad"

"Yeah" Vince nodded "Yall fell out freshman year, right?"

"Yeah" I sighed "We just started back talking last month. He came down here to meet Gia and just talk. Him and my stepmom coming to the wedding"

"That's great Shaad" Lala smile "Right?"

"Yeah" I sighed "It's honestly one of the only things I wanted for a long time. I missed my dad. He's always been there.... for us to not speak for years. It fucked me up sometimes"

"So what's the problem"

"It's.... I guess it's why we fell out in the first place. I didn't think it would still be a problem.... hell I didn't think it would still be apart of his life anymore"

"It being?"

"My ex"

"Huh?" Lala looked confused

"Bruh please tell me yo pops not banging yo ex or some shit"

"What? No!" I laughed hard

"How does your ex fit in?" Lala asked

"Right before we left for college.... we broke up" I sighed thinking about it all "I never told her I was accepted or going to LSU. It was my dream school but I didn't think I would have the grades. She helped me hard and when I got the letter.... I couldn't tell her"