Page 30 of Hating On Riot

I send him a long-bearded, stooped-over man with his cane, his hand on his hip, doing a slow walk.

Sean: LOL.

Me: What grade are you in?

He sends a laughing emoji.

Sean: Like we’re in grade school????

Me: Just go along. It’s three in the morning and I’m tired.

Sean: Senior.

That means he was in mine and Riot’s grade in high school. I try to match the tone of his text with the mental pictures of the guys on Riot’s basketball team, but I’m drawing a blank.

Sean: Why return to a normal life? Why not keep on living life as is?

Me: My older brothers are overprotective, so I have to leave this busy life behind.

Sean: How old are you? You lying to me? Are you underage???

Sean: I’ll take back what I said about Hope if you are.

Me: Almost twenty-two.

Sean: You’re an adult.

Me: I love them.

Sean: Love isn’t a cage, POTRG.

Me: I like my cage.

I do. My brothers have kept me safe, kept me from spiraling into a deep abyss of depression after Laney died. They encouraged me to make new friends and keep my grades up so I could be the first from our family to graduate from college. They were there to hold me when loneliness, and later jealousy, grabbed hold of me every time I thought about what could’ve been with Riot and what he was doing with other girls.

Sean: You did not just admit that.

Sean: You into S&M.

Sean: NVM. I do not want to know.

Sean: It’s time to fly the coop.

Me: I’ll think about it.

Sean: Change is scary, but change can be good.

Me: What about your change with your ex? Good?

Sean: Not good, POTRG. I miss her like crazy.

Me: What happened?

Me: NVM. Don’t need to tell.

Me: Too personal. I’m sorry.

Sean: No need to be. I love her but I’m not over someone from my past. Loose ends. Can’t move on fully. But when I do, my girl is willing to take me back.