Page 115 of Lyric Squared

Lyric never raised her head, but I didn’t miss the kissing of her teeth or the huffing. She didn’t believe shit I had to say and there was nothing to blame but the cheap ass perfume that Deidra had smeared on my threads.

“What’s that supposed to mean, Lyric?”

“The embarrassing scent of your clothes is combating every word falling from your lips, Keanu, but we’re not together so it doesn’t even matter.”

“Everything matters,” I replied.

“Every day, it’ll matter a little less.”

“I didn’t fuck her,” I assured Lyric, desperately needing to get that off my chest.

“It doesn’t matter, Keanu.”

“Then, why are you balled up in a knot, crying?” I asked, bringing awareness to our positions.

She said nothing. The silence that ensued began to chip away at my sanity. With each second that passed, my heart hurt a little more. For what felt like an eternity, she sat with her face hidden from me, and my eyes remained on her frame.

“We have obligations,” she finally spoke, lifting her head as she did so. “Nothing else matters.”

“It all matters,” I reiterated.

“Please shower,” she requested. “So that we can determine if I’m pregnant or not and go about our business.”

Chills ran the length of my spine as I stared back at Lyric. I wasn’t sure who the girl was that sat a few feet away from me on the floor, but it wasn’t the woman that I’d grown to love more than I did my fucking self. She’d turned cold. In a matter of minutes, she’d iced her heart and I desperately wanted to warm it.

“Go about our business?” I hissed.

“Please shower, Keanu. I’ll be ready when you’re done.”

Lyric made it to her feet but stayed planted where she was. She refused to come any closer to me. With every move she made and every word that came from her mouth, she was killing me a little more inside.

“What are you doing, Lyric?” I needed to know.

“What you wanted me to, Keanu. You made it clear that this wasn’t working for you. A positive pregnancy test won’t change that,” she stated calmly.

“I was talking out the side of my fucking neck and you know that.”

“You’ve had four weeks to recant, and I haven’t gotten a call, text, or visit. You meant every word you said, Keanu.”

“No the fuck I didn’t.”

“I don’t have the strength to fight you and if I did… I wouldn’t. Our stances are clear.”

“I’m not here to fight.”

“Then, why are you picking one?”

“It’s not my intention. I’m just frustrated and want to work our shit out.”

“Did you only discover that after I called? Twice? Honestly, if I hadn’t would you be here right now? Trying to work our shit out?”

I didn’t respond. Couldn’t. She folded her arms underneath her breasts and waited patiently. She was too calm for my liking. I’d prefer her yelling, screaming, and cussing me the fuck out, but she wasn’t giving me the satisfaction.

“Exactly,” she answered after a while. “When I called you,twice, were you alone?”

Again, I didn’t respond. My silence was enough for her, though. Her head shook as a chuckle fell from her lips.

“But you want to work through our mess? Keanu, you’re a fucking clown. Let’s just hope this test is negative because I’m not interested in raising your first circus act.”