LOVELESS

Chapter 41

Jamie enters the office and sees Sam turned away from the door. Jamie glances down, nervously, before closing the door. "I want to explain my-"

He's cut off mid-sentence as Sam lunges at him, strong-arming Jamie against the wall.

"Come on, man," Jamie pleads.

"Are you fucking her?" He seethes through gritted teeth.

"No, man. You know me better than that."

Sam flings him against another wall. Jamie winces and hastily responds, "Sam, I swear to you I'm not on some foul shit. I ran into her almost two years ago, and she told me how bad she felt and how she wanted to make amends, so I told her to wait because you were still not over what she did."

"And you never told me that shit?" He asks incredulously.

"I didn't think you would wanna hear about her."

Sam pounds the wall with his free hand, right next to Jamie's head. "So why the fuck would you keep in contact with her, then?"

Jamie sighs hopelessly. "I really thought she was genuinely worried about you, man."

Sam shakes his head, trying his best to calm down. "This shit is mad sus, yo."

"I know it sounds bad, but I had the best intentions. When I told her about Yemi, I thought she would be happy that you weren't holding on to what she did anymore. But instead, she started acting stupid."

Sam pushes Jamie away from him. "You shouldn't have told her shit about me."

Jamie rubs the back of his sore neck. "I know you're mad, but you gotta chill out, putting your hands on me."

And with that, Sam swiftly steps to him and punches his mouth.

*

Yemi clutches her phone while standing on the side of the G Wagon. She tucks in her bottom lip, trying to figure out her next move.

She unlocks her phone and then opens her Contacts before scrolling to Veronica. She hesitantly taps the video button. A moment later, Yemi shakes her head, feeling like she's making a mistake by calling. So she clicks the end button just as it starts to connect.

"Damn it," she whispers to herself.

Her phone starts ringing, and she sighs, seeing that it's Veronica Facetiming her back. Yemi takes a deep breath before accepting the video call.

"Hey chica. Why'd you hang up?"

"'Cause I shouldn't get you involved with this," Yemi responds, warily.

Veronica furrows her eyebrows, confused and concerned at the same time. She's about to open her mouth to speak when the waitress comes to her table.

"Hi. Are you all ready to order?"

"Yes we are... Yemi, give me one second, okay?"

"You're busy. I'll just call you la-"

"Yemi stop. I know something is bothering you, so don't hang up."

Yemi nods as she anxiously looks at the entrance of the gym.

Veronica turns her attention back to the waitress. "I would like the half rack of ribs please."

The waitress nods, and Veronica glances at her little cousins.

"They'll tell you what they want off the kids menu."

"Pizza please!" Stevie tells the waitress.

"You got it." The waitress smiles at him, and then looks at Max. "And for you?"