ATL Hoe

Chapter 28: Decisions, Decisions

"You need to go. Did he tell you what time his flight was?" Jaiya asked for the hundredth time, literally. All morning she nagged about making things right with him. I was just trying to get myself together enough to go into work, I didn't care about Derek or working around his schedule, or doing things to make him happy. I had to actually think about this. Was he someone I wanted to keep in my life or not?

"Jaiya. I'm saying this in the nicest way possible because I love you to death. Shut the fuck up," I said, grabbing my mug from the Keurig and heading upstairs to get ready.

I thought about what I should do for the whole day. In the shower, in the car, at work, during my break. I didn't know if the fact that I was so conflicted meant I needed to be with him or I needed to let him go. When I went through the good and bad like I learned to do from Why Did I Get Married, the good was good but the bad was bad. Mia had gotten kidnapped and shot, Bash was dead, I got raped, and when I went back to Atlanta my fear was what Clyde's people would do if they knew I was back. I had to constantly watch over my shoulder because of them and I didn't feel safe going anywhere without Derek. On the other hand, I did feel safe with him. No matter how dangerous things got I knew he would protect me till the end. And the relationships I'd built through him were so important to me. Rodney was an asshole but I trusted him with mine and Derek's lives, Kingston was like an annoying little brother but I loved him for it, I wanted to slap the fuck out of Gelo consisistently when I was around him but seeing how happy Jaiya got just to see him made everything ok, Mario was quiet but single handedly the funniest person I knew, Damon was like another Adonis to me, and even Derek's ex, Bianca, who I thought I'd hate, had turned into one of my best friends. Then there were all the little things he did that I had never experienced in a relationship before. He noticed even the smallest things like what my favorite smoothie was so he could surprise me at work. Or how my favorite show came on Tuesdays at nine and he'd record it and sit through it every week even though he hated it. Or how he was the only person that could calm me down when my anxiety got bad. Or when we'd go out he never let me touch a bill. And I could never forget the countless times he'd saved my life. How he bugged me to meet my parents as soon as I said they wanted him to come visit. The way he looked after not just me but my best friends, too. In Miami he bought us all matching Birkin bags and at the first sign of danger he'd haul us into his car and make us stay at his place. The way he looked after Damon even when he continually made mistakes, he never turned his back on him. And how he dealt with Rodney only lord knows but he made it look easy. The life he lived may not have been perfect but as a person, he was as close to it as I'd ever known. There were so many things wrong with a life with him but the things that were right about it were all right enough to get me to stay.

I got off at eight that night and called Jaiya to let her know I'd made my decision.

"You're going over there!?" she asked, excitedly.

"Yes, I am," I laughed, speeding on the freeway. I prayed there were no cops around I was just trying to make it to him before he left. When I got close to the hotel I called his phone but got no answer. I wasn't sure what time his plane left but I assumed it was late since the one he took here got in so late.

I arrived at the front desk and asked which room number he was in.

"Derek Streeter. S-T-R-E-E-T-E-R," I spelled out for her.

"I'm sorry his check out time was seven o'clock," she informed me. I looked at my phone and saw it was 8:30, that meant his plane didn't actually leave for another half hour or so. I ran back to the car, calling his phone back to back but there was still no answer. The last time I called I left a message.

"It's me Derek. I know last night was awkward and unexpected and you probably think I don't want to be with you, but I do. I really, truly do. You're my best friend and if I have to deal with a hundred bad days with you I will because I know we'll have 200 hundred good days to top it. If you are already on the plane or don't get my message until later just know I came for you. I love you," I said in one breathe. Parking was impossible to find and I knew if he was at his gate I wouldn't be able to get back there without a ticket anyways. I checked the flights online and one for Atlanta was leaving at nine. It was 8:52 and I knew they'd started boarding and were probably all on the plane by then. I called and called, hoping he'd see before he had to turn his phone on airplane mode but he never answered. Jaiya was at my house when I got there hoping I'd caught him before he left. I shook my head at her sadly and walked to my room.

"He'll see you tried when he gets home. Everything will be ok," she reassured me. I tried to believe what she said but what if he blocked me and couldn't get any of my messages or calls. I climbed in the bed just wanting to sleep for the next three days. "I'm going home, love you," she said hugging me before closing the door behind her. I was restless all night hoping I'd get a call from him. When I'd finally fallen asleep my phone started ringing. I grabbed it off my nightstand hoping it was Derek but got worried when I saw it was Damon instead.

"Is everything ok. Where's Derek?" I asked, sitting up in the bed.

"I was hoping you'd know. That's why I called," he said and I looked around, not knowing what to think or do.

"He...he left for Atlanta earlier. I thought he'd be home by now," I spoke.

"Well, he's not. And he's not answering my calls. I thought maybe you guys talked it out and he stayed," I closed my eyes, trying not to work myself up. Derek was probably just driving around somewhere because he was upset.

"You have his location right?" I asked.

"Yeah, let me check," he responded and I heard him tapping on his phone. "It...it says he's still in California," he said confused. I was confused, too. I hung up without saying anything and called his phone. On my third call he answered but it was silent on the other end.

"Derek! Derek, are you ok?" I spoke, fearfully.

"Why are you calling me at four in the morning," he said. He sounded tired and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, why didn't you answer my hundred phone calls," I said annoyed.

"My phone was on DND in my suitcase the whole night. I didn't even check it when I got back to the hotel I just plugged it in and went to bed," he said.

"Then why'd the hotel say you checked out at seven,"

"I did. Drove all the way to the airport but couldn't get on the plane. I came back and got another room. I was gonna try to come see you again today," he explained. He made no sense to me but that was Derek for you.

"You had Damon and I worried," I chuckled.

"Y'all worry too much. I'm gonna come get you, ok?" he asked. I got up, brushed my teeth and put a hoodie on. There was no traffic that early in the morning so he got there within ten minutes. When I got in the car he stared at me for a long time.

"What?" I asked, thinking there was something on my face.

"Can I have a hug?" he asked and I laughed.

"Simp ass," I whispered before leaning over and hugging him. He ignored my comment and squeezed me, resting his head in my neck.

"I love you, Amora. More than you know," he said, kissing my neck softly. He moved to my lips and kissed me passionately. "Don't leave like that ever again," he pouted, kissing all over my face after. I giggled some, missing his goofiness.

When we got back to the hotel we couldn't keep our hands off each other. I'm sure the people rooming next to us were mad but we didn't care. It had been over a week since we'd seen each other and all the pent up anger and sadness we had towards each other all came out in that hotel room. The next morning I woke up not knowing where my clothes had gone but not caring. I had Derek for good this time. We'd figure out a way to live a life both of us would be happy with because there was no one else I wanted to go through it with.
********************************************
Yay, they're back together!