Running Away From Love (18 page)

When he came into the bathroom he kissed me on the cheek and said “Hey baby girl.” I smiled as I said “Hey, baby. How was your day?” He sat on the edge of the bathtub and said “It was okay. I’m tired as hell, though. My body is hurting after today’s practice, and I got a work out in as well. I need to be the one soaking in a bath tub right now.”

I smiled. “Well, why don’t you join me? Maybe I can help take away some of the pain, and help you relax a little bit.”

He laughed as he said “You don’t have to tell me twice.” He undressed quickly and joined me inside the bathtub. I had him sit in between my legs as I massaged his shoulders and back.

“You have so much tension in your shoulders and neck, baby,” I said as I rubbed his aching muscles. “Is there something you’re stressing about? Anything you want to talk about?”

He was silent for a moment like he had something he wanted to say but was scared too. “Nothing is wrong, baby. I had a hard practice today that’s all. My body is just tired.”

I turned his face so he was looking at me as I said “Are you sure you’re okay because it doesn’t seem like it? You have been kind of distant lately. I haven’t said much because I know that you’re focused on ball. But feeling how tense you are something is going on. We talk about everything, Quincy, right now is no different.”

He leaned upwards and kissed me on the lips as he said “I’m telling you the truth, baby. I’m good. You’re right this season is stressing me we aren’t doing so well. And I don’t play as much as I used to anymore. I’m on the bench a lot more lately. So I have been in the gym keeping in shape until my time comes to play. But I won’t lie not playing is bothering me. I may need to talk with my agent about going to another team soon. That may mean possibly leaving New York to do so. I don’t want to bother you with my issues.”

“Listening to you vent is never a burden. Your issues are my issues; it’s me and you, baby. You act like I don’t know that not playing hasn’t been bothering you. I was just waiting on you to bring it up so we can talk about it. In regards to leaving the team you have to do what you have to do. If you feel like you can be used better somewhere else then I say go for it. Just understand that I can’t just up and relocate with you if that time comes. I have a job here.”

He rolled his eyes as he said “When are we going to finally talk about you quitting your job. I have made it no secret I want you to be a stay at home mother and wife. You keep ducking and dodging this conversation with me every single time it comes up. Now you have no choice but to answer me. A part of this lifestyle is that I can be traded at any point and time. If you’re in my life as my woman, then you should be moving with me no questions asked. But you insist on this whole career woman shit. If you’re going to date me, and eventually marry me that won’t work.”

I guess I needed to finally address this. I knew he wasn’t going to like my answer. “Why is that I need to make these huge sacrifices to be in your life? You’re not giving up anything to be in my life. I never made it a secret how much my career means to me. I have goals and aspirations I am trying to reach. I am so close to those goals, and I will not stop until I get there. Yes, I want to marry and have all of your kids, Quincy, but why do you act like I can’t do both. To be completely truthful, no, I didn’t really give much thought to the idea of you being traded to another team. But I have a career to think about as much as you do. I am not quitting my job until I am ready to start my magazine. Maybe you need to face the fact that I am not the typical basketball girlfriend. My life does not revolve around you and your career. I cannot, and I will not, follow you around, and be completely dependent on you for everything, Quincy. You are asking for me to sacrifice everything I worked damn hard to get. That’s not fair to me and you know it.”

He went silent. I knew he was pissed. I tried to defuse his increasing anger. “I know that wasn’t the response you were looking for, but I’m always gonna be honest about how I feel.”

He still didn’t say anything. “Now you want to be quiet,” I said, letting my aggravation show. “You said you wanted to discuss this issue now you’re mad?”

“Listen I’m not in the mood for this shit today,” he bit back; “let’s just forget about it. We can talk about this later just not today. This conversation is going to grow into an argument that I have no energy to deal with. We will just address it if the situation actually becomes a reality.”

I was annoyed so I just pushed him off of me getting out of the bathtub.

“Really, Jasmine, you have an attitude now?”

“I’m good,” I said in a vague tone.

I walked into our bedroom and sat down on the bed beyond frustrated. This day could not possibly get any worse. Arguing with two men in one day has drained me on every level possible.

              Quincy was heading out to a club tonight where Diddy was hosting a party. As soon as Q and his boys entered the club, the DJ shouted them out. He made sure to mention that they were Nets basketball players. As soon as they made their way up to the VIP section, the groupies started to flock. There were bottles of Patron, Dusse, and Ciroc at every VIP booth. Quincy immediately began drinking, taking shots of Patron like it was water. Little did he know, Trey was just two booths down from him in the VIP section, and he recognized Q almost immediately.

Trey leaned over to his friend, Mike and said “You see that dude over there? That’s Jasmine’s boyfriend.”

Mike looked at Q long and hard then said “Yeah, I think I know that dude from somewhere. He plays ball right?”

Trey nodded his head yes curious to know what Mike knew.

Mike then said “Matter of fact, last time I heard he was messing with that video chick named Lisa. Lisa is the chick that just got the main lead female love interest in Melo’s new video. If I’m not mistaken, he’s been messing around with her for a while now. One of my man’s who lives in Miami messes with her as well. He said he left her alone because she was a gold digging hoe. He found out how she was messing with multiple niggas at a time. He saw the two of them together in Miami a couple of weeks ago. From what I have heard about him he is notorious for messing around with them video hoes.”

Trey immediately grew furious after hearing that. Not only did he have Jasmine, but he was doing her dirty cheating and shit. Trey was not really the confrontational type of dude, but he was more than ready to defend Jasmine’s honor.

Mike broke up Trey’s thoughts when he said “Damn what is Jas doing with that nigga? How could she not have heard about this dude’s reputation? Shit I never met him, and I know about him.”

Trey still didn’t say anything. His mind was racing with angry thoughts. All he could think about was punching dude in the face.

Mike could sense that Trey was pissed so he tried to keep him calm. “Listen I know that you’re pissed, but you have to chill and play the background on this. It isn’t your place to confront him about Jasmine. And this definitely isn’t the place to do it. You have to fall back and give your situation with Jasmine time to play itself out. I really think she will come around eventually. Given the type of dude she is with, she is bound to find out soon enough trust me man.”

Trey gulped down some ciroc in an attempt to keep himself calm. No matter how much he wanted to fight Mike was right it wasn’t his place. Jasmine wasn’t his woman.             

Over where Q was posted up at he was drunk already. There were so many women walking all around the VIP section hoping to catch a baller’s eye. Over walks this 5 foot 7 inch Hispanic chick to where Q was sitting. Her hair was colored brown and blonde that fell to the middle of her back. She wore a really short red form fitting dress that outlined her coca cola bottle shape. Her body was amazing and she flaunted it with every little step. She approached him like they were all too familiar with one another. She sat right on his lap, and he willingly obliged her affection kissing her neck lightly. Meanwhile Trey kept a close eye on the two of them interacting with each other. Q was too drunk to even realize that he was showing affection to some other chick in public. Once he realized who was on his lap, he quickly removed her hoping to avoid any pictures being snapped. He was already too late cameras were already flashing.

              She immediately caught an attitude with him and said “What the hell is your problem?”

He just looked at her with a nonchalant look on his face and said “Nothing is wrong with me, but I do need to talk you. There isn’t any easy way to tell you this, but we can’t see each other anymore. The reason why is because I’m in a relationship with a woman that I really care about. It’s getting really serious between me and her. And I really don’t need her finding out about this shit between you and me. So with that being said, I got to leave you alone. I’m really not trying hurt my girl by cheating anymore.”

Lisa’s face turned bright red as the words left his lips. She was angry, hurt, and embarrassed. She couldn’t help but think to herself who the hell the bitch was that he was cutting her off for. She had been oblivious to the idea that he could see anyone else above her. Granted their relationship was never serious where they were exclusive. All that they really shared together was sex. And in return he took care of her. Paid her bills and kept her in all the latest designer fashions.

She yelled “You really can’t be serious right now, Quincy! Since when do you have a girlfriend? If I remember it correctly you didn’t have one when we were in Miami together. I stayed a whole damn week with you. And I don’t remember you mentioning some other bitch to me. You’re really going to break up with me right in the middle of this crowded ass club. Just act like I ain’t shit, huh? Have you lost your damn mind!” She still didn’t get a response from him. He really didn’t care how she felt. During the silence she took a minute to think about the time they spent together recently. Come to think about it he did leave her alone a lot making, and taking phone calls in other rooms. He had not been as attentive as he once was.

She walked up to him caressing his face as she placed a kiss onto his lips saying “Come on, Quincy, who are you really trying to fool? You know that you want me. I know she doesn’t do you like I do you.”

He pushed her back wiping away her kiss he said “Stop! It doesn’t matter what I did with you in the past. Right now, I am telling you that it’s over! Like I said before, I was wrong for cheating on my girl like I have been doing. But I plan on making her my wife. There is no room for you in life anymore. I’m settling down with the woman that I love, and her name is Jasmine, not Lisa. I’m sorry to tell you this here, but it is what it is.”

All eyes were on them at this point. It wasn’t hard to tell that something was going on. What he said was a serious blow to her ego. In her mind, she was the baddest bitch walking this earth. She has never been dumped by any man in her life. She couldn’t comprehend what was happening. As she studied his face she knew that he was serious. So he really must be in love based on how he was acting towards her right now. She always tried to play it off like she was cool with just being in a no strings attached type of relationship with him. But over time with the time that they spent together she fell in love with him. She remained silent about how she really felt to avoid him distancing himself from her. She just knew that eventually over time he would develop the same feelings just as she had. Instead he fell into the arms of the next bitch. Now as she thought about it, it all made sense now. He hadn’t been returning her phone calls lately. But the reason she had been calling nonstop was because she had some important news to share with him. It’s a shame that she had to view his twitter account to know where he would be at just so she could talk to him. Just thinking about all the dumb shit he was doing she grew furious with his non caring attitude towards her.

              She blew up on him making sure she caused a scene while she was at it. She yelled, “Since you’re trying to play the faithful role all of a sudden, I hope your girlfriend will understand when it comes to your relationship with me. I’m sure she would love to know how I have been fucking her man on the regular for years now. I wonder how will she react when she hears that you come home and give her whatever is left after I already fucked and sucked you dry. I’m sure she would love to know that you fly me out when you’re playing on the road so I can do all the things she won’t! But I really hope she finds it amusing when she learns I am pregnant with your child! If you were returning any of my many phone calls, this wouldn’t be such a surprise to you. So tell me, Quincy, who feels more stupid right now, me or you? Trust that I will air your trifling ass out right to your bitch, and everyone at this damn party who is willing to listen! You are playing with the wrong one, sweetheart!”

After she dropped her last statement she stood in front of Q, feeling great about herself. His face dropped as soon as he heard her say that she was pregnant. There would be no explaining this shit to Jasmine if it gets back to her. He was pretty sure she had no idea or suspicion about him cheating. One thing about Jasmine is that if she trusts you, she trusts you. She wasn’t the one to go through phones and question all of his whereabouts. For the most part she let him live and gave him his freedom. The reality was that he has always had a healthy appetite for women. Being who he is women are constantly around. Lisa wasn’t the only one he had a relationship with. There were probably three others, besides Lisa, that he kept on the side. Lisa was definitely his favorite out of them all, though. But once Jasmine entered his life, none of the other girls could compare. No woman made him feel the things she did. He knew from the beginning that she was the type of woman that you make your wife. She was just different. He hasn’t committed, or given any woman a title since his last relationship. But when you meet the right woman, you make grown man decisions and commit. He loved he could actually hold a conversation with Jasmine about anything. She was so intelligent. Most importantly, she didn’t need him for anything. To this day she rarely asks him for anything. He does and gives her things because he wants to. Since getting serious with Jasmine, he has cut off the other women except for Lisa. His lust for Lisa was through the roof; he couldn’t seem to let her go.