Walking in the house, I kick my shoes off and immediately take my shirt off and unhook my bra and throw it to the side with a sigh of relief. I take my phone out of my back pocket and synchronize my phone to my Bluetooth speaker to listen to my voicemail. After putting my password in, I strut to the kitchen to make me something eat.
The first message is from my mother wanting to talk to me about something, it sounded urgent but the majority of her messages sound urgent. I think it's just the tone of her voice. The next message is from Yakira asking me if I am coming to the service with her tonight at 8:30pm. I press my lips together and look at the clock that reads, 5:49pm, shrugging my shoulders contemplating on if I should go. A harsh angry voice comes through the speaker causing me to flinch and stop making the salad.
"Azaireyah, pick up the fucking phone, bitch!" It's Mossi's voice. "I know you are there! Call me!" I stare at the phone; I hardly recognized the voice on the other line.
Next message: "You're nothing but a dumb ass, gang slut. You will never be nothing and you are nothing. That's why your own father didn't want your stupid ass." His voice is gruff.
The next few messages are the same, threats, calling me nothing, and trash. I slide down on the kitchen floor and stare at the cabinet door. This has what being with thugs and gang members have gotten me. This has what trying to be grown too fast has gotten me. This is what depending on men has gotten me. No way out and a crazy ass boy trying to destroy my self-esteem and me. I stand up, walk over to the phone, and delete each and every one of the messages from Mossi. I need to do better with my life. I know I do.
As the pastor preaches about self-confidence and moving forward in life and not letting no one tell you that you can't, the drummer and I once again continue to make eye contact. This time he isn't so sneaky about it, he stares at me and smiles a little. The gesture causes me to blush and avert my eyes to the pastor. The pastor continues his speech about God's Will and what all He can make happen if you just let him into your heart and soul. Because only He knows what's best for you and only He knows where you can go and what you can do when you reach your full potential.
After service, Yakira turns to me in the lobby after she is done speaking to the elderly lady she spoke to last service, "i thought you weren't going to make it with you getting off work and all."
"Girl, after the shi...mess I heard on my voicemail today, I needed to be here." I shift my eyes to the ground.
"I know what he said, Azaireyah." She places her hand my shoulder. "I am sorry, but maybe now you will leave him alone and move onto bigger and better things. He is not going to change, Azaireyah. I am sorry to say that, but it is the truth. He is going to be stuck in the same rut in the next few years or so. You, have a choice to not be that way."
I pat her hand, "I will be better and it's okay, Yakira. I have a slight plan for myself." I nod, thinking of my plan I made before I got to church.
"That's great, Azaireyah. I am proud of you. Oh. I have to go to the bathroom then we can leave." She rushes to the bathroom before I can tell her okay.
Greeting all the people who are exiting out of the church, I rock back and forth on my heels while I wait for my friend to come out of the bathroom.
"Hey," I discover the drummer standing in front of me with his hands in his pockets while he nibbles on his lower lip.
"Hi," I greet with a weak smile and sweaty palms.
"I'm Saturniano McDaniel, but family and friends call me Santos." He extends his hand.
I shake his hand and he gently grabs my fingers and kisses the top of it. A wave of blood rushes to my cheeks. "I am Azaireyah, some people call me Aza."
He nods and puts my hand down. "Beautiful name. I notice you a few days ago as a new member, but you didn't stand up."
"Oh," I rub my arms a little and glimpse to the side, "I don't like that type of attention. I am just here with a friend of mine." I break out in a sweat under my arms.
"Well, welcome to the church. I hope to see more of you." He grins at me.
Boy, this man is fine. "I will be coming around a little more often. But, I am just getting into the church business and God's way." I gesture with my hands.
"It's a tricky thing sometimes." He admits.
"Azaireyah...Oh." She stops in her tracks when she sees Santos. "Hello, I am Yakira, Azaireyah's friend."
"Santos, I am the drummer here."
"So, I have noticed." Yakira chuckles nervously. She turns to me, "Are you ready to go?"
"Yeah, I am hungry."
"Alright, come on." She dashes off outside.
Santos and I look at each other. "Maybe I can see you around sometime instead of just at church." He makes an offer.
"Yeah, that would be a good idea."
He takes out a small sheet of paper and pen, scribbles something on it, and hands it to me. I take it to see it's his number. "Call me sometime."
I take his hand and the pen and scribble my number on his hand. "How about you call me when you wanna go somewhere?"
He looks at the number on his palm, "I can most certainly do that."
I smirk and sashay out of the building, knowing he is looking at me, but in a matter of stubbornness, I don't look back. I keep walking until I get to Yakira's car.726Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB08FaEjbqS
