You Were Always Mine

04: Angel 🔞

Jasmine

It is different having Carter tell me about Angel as compared to when my girl friends do. Carter knows me better than anyone, and when he gives me advice or shows concern for my situation, I always take it to heart. I know that Angel is toxic, and I know that our relationship is not the best. But he is the only guy I have ever been with. He made it known that he wanted me early on after we had met, and I always loved the attention he gave to me and how he made me feel so special.

Not everyone gets to see the sides of him that I do. The sides of him that are vulnerable, broken, and in need of healing. He was raised without a father and kicked out of his family home by his older brother because he got caught dealing drugs. He even did time for it. I was the only one along with his mom, who visited him while he was in jail. We would also talk on the phone almost every day, and it brought an even closer bond between us. Or so I thought.

After he was a free man again, we were together like we had always been, but we broke up after I found out he went right back to his old ways. Dealing drugs and having limitless hookups. I know that I deserve so much better, but I can't help being in love with him. It's why I put up with so much of his bullshit. He is what I want and I want to make us work. Really work. That is what I plan to talk with him about today.

I pull up to my boyfriend's apartment complex. God, how I hate this part of town. It always makes me feel uneasy. I grab my keys from the ignition and get out of my car, locking it. I make sure to hold on to the pepper spray on my key chain.

I walk the short distance from my car to Angel's apartment. The door swings open as I'm about to knock. A full figured black woman who looks to be in her late thirties comes almost face to face with me. She laughs as she looks me up and down.

"They bringing babies up in here now?" She looks me over in disgust.

I hold my head up high, not about to let this trick get to me. I give her back the same energy she's giving me.

"Is Angel here?" I ask, ignoring her question.

She gives me a haughty look, inclining her face closer to mine.

"Yeah, he's here. As a matter of fact, we just finished." She sneers.

My heart sinks at the fact that my boyfriend just got done having his way with this woman before he invited me over. But I don't let her see that her words are getting to me.

I go to walk past her, and she holds her arm out, stopping me from entering.

"Time for you to leave, little girl, I'm sure your mommy and daddy are worried." She pouts, mocking me.

"Move your fat ass out of my way." I push past her, and she grabs my arm.

"What the hell did you just call me?"

I'm about to retaliate when Angel yells.

"Keisha! What the hell are you doing?"

She glares at me.

"This one of your little hoes again?"

The hell. Little hoes? And what does she mean, "again?" This bitch is acting like she isn't the side piece here.

He glares as he walks over to us, forcefully removing her hand from my arm.

"I told you not to come by today." He says sternly to Keisha as he clenches his jaw.

"You didn't seem to mind my being here before your little side piece showed up." She retorts.

"Who you calling side piece?" I go to step up to her, but Angel holds his arm out, stopping me.