Crouching Tiger, Hidden Boyfriend…?
I crouched behind the car, trying not to make a sound… as I watched Ya walk into his apartment. I prayed he didn’t see me because I had a clear view of his door so there was a strong possibility.
The vibration of my phone indicating I had a text message almost scared the life out of me.
Him: Babe, I just made it home. Come over if you’re not too tired after you finish up with the girls.
Me: Hey baby! I’m glad you got home safe. We are headed to spot #2. Looks like we will be out late. I’ll just see you tomorrow
Him: Cool. Be safe Tate. I love you.
Me: I love you too 😘
It wasn’t a lie. I loved Yasir. Would always love him. He gave me so much I never knew I needed or deserved, but I loved the thrill even more. Clearly I wasn’t out with my girls. I was watching him get settled before I made my way upstairs to Keith’s apartment.
This thing with Keith was an accident. I knew him in another time. Another lifetime it felt like but as soon as I saw him after 5 years, the passion ignited again.
I was walking up to Ya’s apartment about to put my key in the lock when I heard my name
“Tatum?” I heard in his sultry baritone.
“Am I dreaming?” I thought. There’s only one person a voice like that belongs to.
I turn around not expecting to see the man who married my best friend and moved on like I didn’t exist because “it made more sense” his words. Not mine.
There he was looking better than ever. More mature. More developed. Just fine as hell.
“Keith!” I exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
Transfixed in a moment those were the only words I could get out. Standing & staring waiting for an answer felt like torture.
“Wow. You are the last person I expected to see on my first day back in town. You look great! How are you? Wow”
“Whoa.” I laughed.
“Slow down! I’m good. Great actually. So you’re back in Atlanta for good?” I ask.
He reached to grab the back of his head & I notice the tan line where his wedding ring should have been.
He lets out a deep breath & says “yeah, things didn’t quite work in Charlotte, so after 5 years here I am again. Starting over”
I used that as a segue into a series of questions I was dying to know the answers to.
“Starting over? Where’s Shay? You guys are good right?”
I look around in anticipation waiting for her to walk around the corner or something but there’s only us standing in this moment.
“Shay & I divorced about a year ago. I tried to find my footing alone in Charlotte, but I just couldn’t so here I am”
Here he was & there my mind went. Completely forgetting everything I had built with Ya & thinking of the possibilities with Keith. Regardless of how our friendship ended back then.
Here’s the thing in the life where I knew him we were a secret. I was a bigger girl back then. Confidence on -10. Keith was my best friend that I loved from the moment I saw him our freshman year in college. We did things that still make me blush just thinking about them. We had fun but in silence. He was afraid to publicly claim our relationship. He knew the pushback would be too much considering who he was at the time. Scholar. Star athlete. Peer pressure was a bitch. Nobody wanted to see him with the “fat girl” & they made it known whenever we were seen together.
So I introduced him to Shay who was a newly acquired member of my friend group. They hit it off & well the rest is history. Looking back I should have fought harder.
Bringing myself back to the present. I hurry & use my key to get inside Keith’s apartment. I haven’t told him about Ya & honestly I don’t know how. I need to figure out my next move because sneaking & ducking behind cars is doing a number on my knees.
He meets me at the door in all his glory. Chest glistening from the shower he just stepped out of. Basketball shorts at his waist teasing me by covering up my favorite body part.
“Hey you” he says into my mouth as he greets me with a kiss.
“Hey yourself” I say leaning into his chest & smiling.
A knock on the door takes us both out of our moment. He kisses my forehead before heading to the door.
“That must be my downstairs neighbor Ya. I told him he could join us for dinner if he wasn’t busy tonight. He must have gotten hungry because he said no earlier when I hit him up”
The panic that filled my body was out of this world. This is not how I wanted this to happen.
“What the fuck” I thought.
Keith oblivious to the color draining from my face opens the door & greets my boyfriend of 2 years. They dap each other up & turn towards me. Keith speaks first.
“Baby, this is Yasir. He lives downstairs. Ya this is my girl Tatum”
With hurt but also amusement in his eyes. Ya reaches for my hand turns it over & plants a kiss on the back.
“It’s such a pleasure to meet you Tatum…”