7 In the Middle

Aminah....,

    From the seat at the gymnasium I could see Wardell working out and the other players he introduced me too. To my surprise, I got to meet all the players and the coach. Ecstatic is not even the word.

    After giving Wardell a pre-practice workout, Greene himself hit on me. Thus leading to Wardell introducing me as his girl. All his teammates and even his coach seemed a little worried about me. Until he explained the woke situation at home and all was well. The team treated me like family on the first day.

Coach Kerr spoke to me half the time about places and every other thing I didn't know shit about. I can proudly say I know this game like the back of my hand now. During a ten minute break after an intense workout Wardell took no time in rubbing his sweaty self all over me.

"Oh my Gosh ew Wardell!" I yelled and he kept rubbing his sweatiness on me.

I damn near tripped and bust my ass trying to run to the bathroom. He followed me of course. And sat in the player's locker room as I wiped his nasty sweaty self from off of me. "You better get used to that."

"Used to what?" I scoffed.

"My sweat on you." He laughed and wiped his forehead then flicked the remaining sweat at me.

"You're so disgusting oh my gosh." I shuddered.

He grabbed me and pulled me in between his thighs. "Move in with me?"

"That was random." I pouted

"Please?" He looked up at me hopefully. I couldn't help but stare back into his pretty green eyes.

".... Look my contractor found me a nice ass house in Oakland and I don't want to be by myself Aminah."

I sighed. "Under one condition."

"Which is?" He spoke up immediately

"I don't want to depend on you. So I want us to go fifty fifty on everything."

"Aminah you promised that you would let me take care of you. You can't be serious?" He said getting mad.

"You are technically right but Wardell it just doesn't feel right for me."

"You know what you don't have to move in OK? Fuck it." He got up and stormed out the locker room

I felt a little bad knowing I Told him in the deal he was allowed to take care of me until the divorce ended or however long and whatever but I couldn't help it. I just never needed any body so I don't like the idea of depending on someone.

On my walk back to the court Klay, his bestfriend, appeared. "Just move in with him, he's going through It right now."

I looked up at him wondering where the hell he been hiding. "You don't understand." I sighed

"Just think about it at least? Please?" he chuckled. I nodded and followed him out to the court.

About 5 hours later, After Practice

I followed Wardell to the car while he stormed out ignoring me. He got in the car waiting for me and I purposely took my sweet time getting in.

He glared at me intensely making me look away. After I looked away he started up the car. I looked down at my hands and played with my fingers until he drove to some house that damn near looked like a mansion.

"C'mon." He spat.

I quietly walked behind him and he pulled out his keys to open the door. When I walked in all I smelled was some great home cooking. My mouth began watering.

I followed Wardell upstairs and to what appeared to be his bedroom. He raked the draws of his things packing a couple of suit cases. That's when I put two and two together. His wife was a Cook and I smelled home cooking and on top of that he was packing his things. I realized I was in the Curry household.

My eyes widened. "Help me pack please." He said tiredly.

I nodded and helped him pack his bags not missing a beat. When we were finally done he sighed and threw himself on the bed.

"I just don't feel like seeing Ayesha." He looked at me for a little then played with my hand.

"Alright let's get these things to the car." He sighed. I followed him as he brought two suitcases and I carried the third.

"I need to pack some things for the girls. You do Riley, I do Ryan."

Again we passed the sounds of pots and pans banging and an amazing smell to pack some more bags.

I walked into Riley's room and it was the sweetest thing. Pink and gray with simple decorations. It felt so homely. I grabbed a suitcase and began packing anything I could find. By the time I was done I packed four bags of hers.

I carried then out to Wardell's car and stuffed them in the trunk. Since I was finished I waited in the car and from the rear view mirror I could see a woman screaming behind him while he carried Ryan's bags.

I didn't know if I should step out or stay in the car. But I believed it was in my best interest to stay inside. I listened as the screaming got closer and my heart began to beat out of my chest. I honestly did not want to meet Ayesha today or ever. And I still needed to have a talk with Wardell.

The trunk Slammed and I finally heard Wardell scream back. "When have you ever fucking took us into consideration huh? When that nigga that you got in the kitchen was in you balls fucking deep you did not think of me, Riley or Ryan not once! -WAIT NO AND YOU GOT THE AUDACITY TO BRING HIM BACK INTO MY HOUSE. FUCK YOU AYESHA."

I could hear the woman crying and begging Wardell to stay and to come back and repeating how sorry she was a million times.

In my own head I begged we could get out of here fast. Wardell opened the drivers door and got in only to be stopped by Ayesha herself.

Tears were running down her face crazily. "Stephen you have a whole other woman in your car and you're worked about him in my kitchen. Babyyy we didn't do anything just stop all of this and come back please." She begged him with all her heart.

I didn't know what came over me but I started crying. Wardell saw me as I tried to hide it. "Ayesha get the fuck out of my way."

When she moved away from the car Wardell slammed the door and drove off. He rubbed his face fustrated and looked at me. "Are you okay?"

I bit my lip and nodded. "I just saw what was going on and thought of something." I wiped my face quickly.

Wardell pulled the car over to a restaurant. "I'm sorry." He looked down

"Sorry for what you didn't do a thing?"

"I brought you into the predicament and I'm so sorry." He spoke sourly.

"Wardell it's okay." I laughed a little trying to ease the the uneasiness that was settled in the pit of my stomach.

"Come on let's eat." I nodded and left the car with him.

The restaurant seemed classic. Almost like a diner. It held such a homely feel to it and I was appreciative of that at the moment. Wardell took his time eating, he poked at small morsels of food and merely pushed his salad around.

"Hey, are you okay?" I looked up at him and rested my hand atop of his.

He looked up at me with red eyes. "Yeah I-I'm alright." His hand got a little tense and he pulled away.

After we finished having a good meal he drove straight to my house. It didn't take any time to carry all the bags in the house. Riley and Ryan's things were in the guest room and Wardell was sprawled out on my bed looking so stressed.

It was only about 7pm when he grabbed a pillow and began sniffling. My heart ached for him because I knew the exact hurt he was feeling. It wasn't long ago that I was trapped in a one sided relationship that turned me into what I am now.

I crawled on the bed and removed the pillow. Wardell wouldn't look up at me probably out of embarrassment. I wrapped my arms around him and held him close against my chest.

"Everything will get better. Pain never lasts forever Wardell."

His body jerked softly as he cried into my chest letting out all the frustration and hurt he had been holding in. His arms clung around me like a newborn who didn't want to be removed from it's mother. I sighed rubbing his back and kissing his cheek and forehead. All I Could do was comfort him.

Moments after that he fell asleep on me. I continued to rub his back and hold him on my chest. He needed the rest he could get. With having to take care of two girls, basketball practice and regular daily errands, he needed it.

3 hours later

Wardell slowly moved and clutched unto my waist tighter. "Thank you Aminah." He said groggily.

"For what? I didnt do anything.

"You were there for me even though I treated you like shit today."

I looked away from his puffy eyes. "Oohh your welcome then." I sighed.

"Can I ask you something? " he cleared his throat.

"Sure, shoot."

"Earlier.... In the car you said our argument reminded you of something when you started crying. What was that about ?" He questioned concerned.

I chuckled. "I knew you were going to ask eventually."

He shrugged. "I'm listening."

"I was in the same predicament a few years back. You know the stupid madly one sided love, that was me." I laughed a little.

"Care to tell me the story?" He inquired.

"It's kind of sad actually."

"I'm all ears." He smirked

"You're so fucking persistent but ok." I rolled

"I know." He laughed

"I was about 17 when I met the guy. His name was Rupert. I always thought he'd be my one and only, the love of my life. For five years he played with my heart and for five years I let him. All the lies? I covered them. All the cheating? I forgave him. All the heartbreak? I acted like it never happened. Always took him back in when he came around. I let him live in my home, he met my family, and he took advantage of me every step of the way...."

I stopped talking for a second and looked away reminiscing the day he hurt me the most. "Have you ever had the person you love tell you he never loved you after damn near spending what felt like a lifetime with them?"

A few tears left my eyes unexpectedly and Wardell wiped them. "I can't imagine how that feels."

"And I'm glad that you can't feel that. Everyday I second guessed myself. Wondering what the hell could I be doing wrong. Thinking it was something wrong with me. It got so bad that I didn't even have any self esteem, felt like I wasn't worth shit or anything. I felt empty. I still feel the same way. You asked why I am the way I am now? Because of him, I smoke now, I drink now, and I Fuck random niggas because I have no self worth and no self esteem. "

By the time I finished speaking my tears became a waterfall. I was so hurt just revisiting the times he hurt me and I stayed with him. I put myself through years of pain for an ain't shit nigga who made me this cold hearted ass person.

"...This is why I tell you I'm not a committing type of person. I got used to letting anyone have me the way they wanted because at the end of the day no one is going to want a person like me." I laughed while the tears fell.

Wardell kneeled on the bed and held me. "Don't ever say that."

"It's true." I looked away from him. All I could feel was the complete low I felt the day Rupert fucked my best friend and told me to my face that he never loved me and I was nothing to him.

".....I'm not worth shit. My own father didn't want me Wardell. I started fucking randoms and letting people take advantage of me just to feel pretty again and to feel the way I felt before Rupert did all those things to me." I sighed

"You're worth every fucking thing to me." He quickly pulled me into him even more

It sparked a little flame in my lower stomach. It was nice to know at least one person cared even if it was just a tiny ounce.