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“You good?”

“Yeah, I needed a drink.” He watched me down it before pouring another. Walking over to his couch, I sat down and closed my eyes. I just needed a moment to allow the liquor to run its course. I could hear Key grab a cup. He sat down next to me and grabbed the bottle out of my hand.

“So, he’s home, and she went back.” Opening my eyes, I looked over at him before closing them back. I should have known he would figure it out. I watch and learn everyone else’s patterns, but Key learned me. He knew me like he knew himself.

“Yeah.”

“I know you don’t wanna hear I told you so, so I won’t say it. However, I did tell you, but I’m not going to say so.” I looked at him like he lost his mind.

“Nigga, you just did.” He shrugged.

“I mean, I did tell you she had a nigga that she could choose.”

“You think I forgot?”

“Naw. I think you figured if you gave her enough, she’d forget.” I couldn’t even argue with what he said. He was right. I tried showing her what life would look like with me, and she didn’t give a fuck about that. I was a placeholder until that nigga came home.

“You good?” I took a big gulp.

“Don’t I look good?”

“Naw, you don’t. That’s why I asked.” I took another big gulp.

“Fuck her! If she wants that bum that can’t even help her buy a clue, that’s on her ass. She can have that goofyass nigga.”

“I feel you.”

“She finna be right back out there stealing and scamming, with his lame ass running behind her.”

“Probably.” I shot Key a look because his adlibs was blowing me.

“She had a whole house she ain’t have to pay a bill in. A fucking mansion at that. Now, she back over there in her lil shoe box looking stupid.”

“You always knew she had her own residence.” I downed the rest of my drink before grabbing the bottle from him and pouring another.

“You think that nigga can stand against me? He can’t ever do what I did for her, but she choosing that mufucka.”

“I mean, you knew she had a nigga.” I shot him another look.

“Bitch, who side are you on?”

“Yours.”

“Then shut the fuck up!” I took another gulp. I could feel it taking effect, but this was what I needed.

“You came to my house, and now you mad that I’m talking. Well, let me piss you off some more. Your problem is you knew all the ways this could’ve gone wrong, and I know you knew, because I told your ass. Yet, you still did it anyway. You chose to be the side nigga, and now you mad she treating you like one.” I loved that my nigga would always tell me the truth, but in this moment, I wished he would really shut the fuck up.

“Man, fuck all that. I’m not about to keep talking about this shit.” For a while, neither of us said anything. I kept trying to understand how the hell I ended up here. When I left the house yesterday, I had no idea I was coming home to that. I had gotten used to her being there. Even Lovii. I got her to show Bubbles the dream, but fell in love with her ass. Now, I wasn’t sure if I could even look at her. She was going to be a constant reminder of Bubbles. I took another big gulp, and this time, Key spoke up.

“Damn, nigga! Slow down. You gone be drunk as fuck.”

“That’s usually what happens when people drink. They get drunk.” The liquor had taken all the way over, and he was worried about the wrong shit. He thought I was going to be drunk, when a nigga was already there. The vision of Bubbles standing in front of her building kept playing in my head. Out of nowhere, I started laughing.

“What the fuck wrong with you?”

“She got me fucked up if she thinks I’m about to let her be happy. Her ass thinks she about to go back the way things were, but I got a trick for her ass.”

“I knew you wasn’t gone let that shit slide long. You bought that girl a dog and called it yall daughter. Your ass too far gone. So, how long you gone give her?” I thought about it for a second.