MALIK

       I wait at the house pacing back and forth. It's been about thirty minutes. There has been no calls from Malik. I have gotten twenty five missed calls from Keron though. I'm assuming it was from before he reached to the motel because the calls have finally stopped. It's taking me everything in my power to not call Malik. I take a seat on the couch and stare at the door. What if Malik got hurt? What if Keron is on his way here? I run my hand through my curly hair. I should have just stayed.

    I think about all the things that could be running through Kerons head. I know I shouldn't care because he never did with me. I look at my phone and still no messages. I stand up yet again in frustration. I walk to the door and stare out of it. I get lost in the small patterns of the glass. Should i call? Should I not? forget it I say aloud as I flip through my contacts. I find Maliks number in the short list and press call. The phone rings through to voicemail.

    I press the call button hoping to get through a second time. The call goes through to voicemail again. I start to take serveral deep breaths as I imagine the worst. Just then a car pulls into the driveway. I can't see whose driving through the tinted windows. No one has yet come out and I am freaking out. What if it is Keron in a different car to throw me off. I start to stare heavily at the passenger door as it opens. I exhale when I see Malik come out. I also can't help but to let out a smile seeing him here.

    I open the door and run to him. He smiles a big smile when he sees me. Malik opens his arms and I fall right into his embrace. "what happened?" I ask. we walk inside the house and he locks the door. Malik is keeping his face away from me and i want to find out why. I grab his face and look at it and notice his lip and nose is bleeding. "he hit you?" I question. "there was a fight....yes" he replies. "are you okay?" I ask feeling bad.

    Malik walks into the washroom and I follow seeing blood on his shirt. "MALIK" I yell. Malik brings his eyes up to me. "why are you so worried? do you think I can't handle myself?" he asks. "I never said that". Malik takes his shirt off and I can't help but stare. his six pack prints out as I bite on my bottom lip. "I told you that I would handle it and I did" Malik says before catching me in my fantasy. He gives me a smirk " like what you see?" he asks. "no" i say rolling my eyes.

    Malik steps closer to me and holds me by my waist. "I'm okay. and your going to be okay" Malik says. He then stoops down and lifts up my shirt. He kisses my belly twice "the baby will be okay too". I feel my heart melt at his actions. I wrap my arms around his neck while he is getting up. "I'm going to shower then when I'm done I will make you some dinner" he says. "since when do gangsters make dinner?" i joke. "since when are all gangsters the same?" he replies. I smile at him when he says his little smart remark feeling like some sort of school girl with a new crush.

    I walk out of the washroom as Malik slaps my ass. I look back and give him a wink. I sit in the living and pull out my phone. The calls from Keron have started again. The water is still running I decline the first four calls but answer the fifth. "So your with Malik now?" he says. "yes I am" I reply. "watch when he plays your ass" Keron laughs and hangs up. I look at my phone with a screwed face before putting it down. What the hell is that suppose to mean?

    I go back into the washroom and sit on the sink. "Malik" I say feeling like he needs to know what was said. "Baby? I thought you left." " i got a call from Keron and i answered it." I say. "ofcourse you did Reema" Malik says. He turns off the water and grabs his towel from off the toilet seat. "he says that your going to play me" I say. Malik steps out of the shower "and you believe him?" "I didn't say that, I just want to know what he meant." Malik steps passed me giving me the side eye "After all that happened today you still want to talk to him?" " no I just.... never mind".

    I leave the washroom with my head down. I feel confused because i don't want to talk to Keron or believe him. But on the other hand things with Malik have been moving extremely fast. I do want to believe in Malik or maybe I just want to believe in anything. I sit on the chair waiting on Malik to come out of the room. His whole persona has changed since I told him about the phone call. I guess that is my fault though. after all Malik is doing I should have known better then to answer my phone. I guess all that I can do now is apologize to Malik and block Keron. I sigh and stare down the hall at the closed bedroom door.

    When Malik comes out of the room he says nothing to me. He starts to cook with out even looking my way. I feel very uneasy as if I should let him be instead of pressing the situation. Against my better judgement I take a deep breath and I apologize. "I don't want to hear it Reema I'm trying to help you, protect you. but I'm playing you right?" he says. I don't reply to him because I don't want to make him more mad. Malik still hasn't even looked at me. Not even when he replied to me. "I'll be back" I say getting up from the chair. Malik says nothing to me still.

    I walk out of the house and down the street. It was hard being in Maliks presents knowing that I made him so upset. How could i listen to Keron like that? I stop at a park and sit on the swing. tonight is a really nice night. It's warm and there is no breeze, everything is still as if the world has stopped. My phone rings and I get excited hoping that it is Malik. It's Keron, I don't answer not wanting anymore drama. Then I get a text **This isn't the first time Malik has done this** . I close the message but another one comes through. **Ask him who dropped him home today**.

    I turn my phone completely off not wanting to read anymore. It's either Keron is trying to manipulate me and turn me against Malik. Or there is something seriously wrong here. I didn't even think to ask Malik who was in the car today. Maybe I should have asked. The thing is I don't want to be the insecure girlfriend again. Nor do I want to be the dumbass hurt girlfriend either. I swing on the swing for a bit longer even though it's getting late. I wish I could stay in this moment forever. everything seems so peaceful.

    I stay at the park longer then I expected to clear my head. When I turn on my phone two hours have passed. I start to walk back to Maliks extra slow. When I reach the door Malik opens it before I can. "Where have you been?" he asks. "The park" I reply not wanting too. "I've been calling you" he says. "my phone was off. Now you want to talk to me?" I say. Malik looks at me as if I'm lying to him. "dinner is on the table" he says.

    I go inside and wash my hands. We both sit down around the table to eat. Malik made a lasagna and it actually looks really good. When we start eating I decide to ask "Who dropped you home?". "My boy" he replies without hesitation. I nod my head in okay and continue to eat my food. "Why do you ask" he wonders. "well you gave me your car so I was curious to know who was willing to pick you up so quickly" I say lying. One thing with Keron was that I always knew when he was lying. With Malik I can't tell at all.

    When we are done I wash up all the dishes. Malik is in the living room watching t.v and playing on his phone. A small piece of me wants to throw all these dishes at his damn head. I guess that sounds like I'm taking Kerons side on this and maybe I am. I mean why would Keron bring that up if it weren't true. Especailly when he takes every opportunity to make Malik look bad. Malik calls me over to him and pulls me onto his lap. "I have to step out for a bit, you going to be okay?" he asks. I nod my head yes with out looking at him. " when I come back in I dont want to see you looking all sad okay?" Malik kisses me on the cheek.

    Malik leaves and I take a shower and get ready for bed. It's been an hour and no Mailk. I look out the window and see the same car that dropped Malik home. It's a white beamer with tinted windows. I feel as if my insides have been put in a microwave. My anger is boiling Keron was right. I still can't see who is in the car but I am sure it is a female. But why meet a female in the driveway knowing I'm upstairs. Unless he really doesn't care and he is playing me. I move from the window to the bedroom.

    One dangerous man in your life is enough to drive you crazy but two? I have the right mind to go down there and cause a scene. I find myself taking deep breaths again. I call Malik and get no answer. This time I go to the window and call again. I see a light go on in the car right before the phone goes to voicemail. I laugh out loud as I start to go through Maliks drawers. I find a pair of track pants and a hoodie. I put them on and for the first time I am happy that I wore sneakers. I tie up my hair with an elastic and I'm ready.

    I am so tired of these men. It hasn't even been twenty four before this guy has started to slip up. I go into the kitchen and look the the knives. I find the bread knife which looks dangerous enough. I go to the door and put on my shoes. My heart is pounding and I'm getting short of breath. I open the house door and walk to the car. I bang on the window but it doesn't go down. I go for the door handle. It's unlocked I pull the door wide open and I see a female....