My blood was boiling. Thoughts racing through my head.
"How could he do this to me?" I thought to myself.
Waves of emotions swallowed me whole as I sat in the car outside his job. He'd been dodging my calls ever since I told him I was pregnant. I held my stomach as tears rolled down my face.
"How could I be so stupid? How did I let him do this to me? Why me?"
The thoughts wouldn't stop. I couldn't hold it in anymore. I flung open the door and walked straight toward the building, heart pounding, stomach tight with rage and regret.
I scanned the inside, searching for him. No sign. I walked up to the counter, forcing calm into my voice.
"Can I speak to the manager, please?"
The clerk gave me a quick nod and disappeared to the back.
I stuffed both hands inside my hoodie and tried to stay still.
Then he appeared. As soon as Keion saw me, his expression dropped. Annoyance crept into his eyes as he made his way around the counter.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice cold.
"You been ignoring me. What's up with that?" I asked, more desperate than I wanted to sound.
"I don't have time for all this nonsense with you, girl. I'm at work. I'll call you when I get off."
He turned to walk off like I was nothing. Like I hadn't just told him I was carrying his child.
That's when I lost it.
Before he could take three steps, I pulled out my gun and cocked it.
Click.
Keion froze, turned back slowly. People inside the store screamed and scattered. A few bolted out the exit.
"Nah," I said firmly. "We gon' have this conversation now, Keion."
He put his hands up and faced me. His eyes widened, but I wasn't moved. I was past the breaking point.
"No more lies. No more ignoring me. You hear me?" I said, voice trembling with pain.
He nodded slowly.
We locked eyes. My vision blurred with tears while his filled with regret.
"Why'd you do this to me?" My voice cracked. "I never begged you to stay. I gave you the space to walk away. You kept coming back. You said you loved me."
I took a shaky breath.
"I was there for you when you needed me. And time after time, you failed me. You lied. Again and again."
I wiped my cheek roughly and gripped the P238 tighter.
"You had a whole baby on me, Keion! A six-month-old son you didn't even tell me about."
That was it. I snapped. The flashbacks of everything we'd been through, the false promises, the sweet nothings whispered into my skin that meant nothing at all — it all came rushing back.
"I'm tired of your bullshit," I growled. "Tired of loving people who don't love me back. Today? Today, you gon' feel me."
He tried to speak. "Look, I didn't mean for things to go this far. I'm—"
POW!
A gunshot rang through the store.
He screamed, grabbing his shoulder. "FUCK!"
People in the back cried out. I could hear someone yelling for help, but I wasn't leaving yet.
"Save that apology, Keion. I didn't come here for that."
He leaned against the wall, blood soaking through his work shirt.
"What do you want from me, Kenisha?" he shouted, pain lacing his voice.
I walked up close and pressed the barrel to the middle of his forehead.
He stood up straight, eyes locked on mine like he was ready to meet his maker.
"To get my lick back, baby," I whispered with a twisted smile