38

Janet

My mouth dropped in confusion as my best friend explained. When she paused, I pieced together what I could. "So wait, let me get this straight. You called yourself having a side hoe, which was a stud. So trying to be slick, you called yourself going several towns over to have a date with her. Mid club experience, my girlfriend and her two sisters walked in and caught you red handed. Phoebe then proceeded to walk outside and pop your tires, shatter your window, and key your car. So now you're single and sad. Is that what happened?"

Tiffany sniffed as she nodded. "Yeah."

That explained why Kyrin stayed with Ember and Phoebe at a hotel that night. It explained why the phone call was shortened when Phoebe got out the shower. It explained a hell of a lot.

"Why'd you cheat you dumb bitch?" Gil asked her. "Phoebe fine as hell! If I was straight I would smash. You fucked up."

"I know. I know." Tiffany cried out. "I don't need a damn lecture."

"Well obviously you do if you're in this position right now." I replied. The front door opened and my girlfriend walked in. She swept the scene over and rolled her eyes and tried to leave again. "Kyrin Paige, get back in here!"

Kyrin walked back in and shut the door. "I'm not sympathizing with her Janet. I don't like her no more."

"Kyrin, maybe we should just let her talk to Phoebe." I suggested. "So they can fix it or squash it at least."

"Fuck her and fixing it. She not talking to my sister." My girlfriend rolled her neck as her attitude dropped. "Tha fuck she crying for? She ain't hurting how my sister hurting."

Gil chuckled as he mumbled. "Sis has a point."

Tiffany spoke to my girlfriend. "Kyrin please, just let me see her."

Kyrin tilted her head. "No. How many more ways can I say it? You aren't talking to her. Get that out of your head. Janet, make her leave."

My eyes widened as I was suddenly put in the middle. I shook my head. "No, this is my best friend."

"And your girlfriend is telling you to make her leave."

"Kyrin." I called out.

She called my name. "Janet."

"No. I understand where you're coming from. That's your sister but this is my best friend. Don't put me in the middle like this." I replied.

She rolled her eyes again as she took a deep breath. "She needs to go."

"She's not leaving." I objected.

"Maybe I should just go." Tiffany replied as she stood before stilling. "No, wait. You answer me this. Why can't I talk to her?"

"I'm saving you! Talking to her right now wouldn't be good. She isn't the person you were dating right now. You hurt a person and they go through the motions. And right now she's in a heartless spot. So if you really wanna talk to her, I can make it happen. She's sitting in the car with Ember." Kyrin pointed out. "Your call."

When Kyrin explained, I realized Tiff might not wanna talk to Phoebe right now but it still wasn't my decision to make.

Tiffany sat back down. "I wanna talk to her."

"Alright." My girlfriend nodded as she opened the door. "I be right back."

When she walked out the door, Gil shook his head as he made his exit from the living room. "I'll be in the kitchen drinking. I can't handle all these hormones."

Thank God Eissa was at my mothers because I had a feeling all hell was about to break loose in my home and I couldn't do anything but watch it. The front door opened again and Phoebe, Ember and Kyrin came in.

Phoebe looked gone. Not physically but mentally. She looked drained— dead almost. She wore grey sweats with her hair pulled up. It wasn't grey anymore, she must've dyed it back. She sat across from Tiffany and gave this blank stare.

Ember eased off. "I'm not witnessing this murder. I'll be elsewhere."

Kyrin sat on side of her sister which was across from me. Phoebe spoke dryly. "You wanted to talk?"

Tiff nodded. "Baby, I fucked up. I know that and I'm sorry. It was a mistake and I know that. I can't take it back and I can't change it but you're the love of my life. I can't loose you."

Phoebe chuckled dryly as she licked her lips. She sat up and placed her arms on her legs as she leaned over. "Love? You think I give a fuck about your love? Your love don't mean shit to me. You never fucking loved me and I'll continue to say this— I'm not your fucking baby."

Her tone was cold and bitter. Boy, Tiff had royally messed up. I met eye contact with my girlfriend who quickly broke it as soon as it was made. This was going to start a war, and I'd be damned if Kyrin and I were stuck in the middle.

"Phoebe, hear me out. She didn't mean anything. She was nothing to me, alright? You are my everything. You mean everything to me and I fucked up, I get it. I'm sorry. Just— please. Can we at least work on this? Don't give up on us. Please." Tears rushed to brims of my friends eyes again.

Phoebe shook her head. "You think yo crocodile tears are gonna help this? Work on this? Us? What us?!" Her raising her voice caused Kyrin to jump slightly. "You gave us up the moment you started fucking with that chick! You don't mean shit to me aight? This was never nothing. As far as I see it, you good as dead to me. I'm good on you. Let's go."

She stood up to walk away and Tiffany stopped her. "Just— Just say that you don't love me and I'll leave you alone. Look at me and tell me that and I'll let you be."

P didn't hesitate to look Tiffany and the face and say it. "I don't love you. Now leave me alone."

Phoebe walked out the door and slammed it behind her. Kyrin went to follow and I called out her name. "Kyrin."

She looked back at me and sighed. "It's my sister baby. I'll call you tonight. Ember! Let's go!"

My girlfriend walked out the door and I followed that time. Phoebe was leaning against the car waiting for her. "No. You will not just call me tonight."

Kyrin turned and faced me. "Baby, look, I know this puts us in a bad position and I don't want you to think that I'm putting her over you because I'm not. She just needs me right now, I'll be back. I promise."

Shaking my head, I answered. "Isn't that Embers car you all are in? Give Ember her keys and tell her that you will meet them later at the hotel. Don't get in that car Kyrin."

Ember came outside and walked up to us. It was silent as Kyrin looked between her and I. My eyes never broke from Kyrin's. I hated to make her choose, but right now she had to.

Slowly, she held out the keys to her sister. "Em, let me meet y'all at the hotel. I gotta talk to J."

Ember nodded and took the keys from her hands. "Alright." We watched as they got in the car and drove off.

"Thank you." I told her.

Kyrin shook her head slightly. "It's fine. Where's Eissa?"

I replied even though that's not what I wanted to talk about and she knew it. "My mother's."

"Oh okay."

"Kyrin... you haven't been home in two days. I understand that this is your sister— hell thats my best friend in there begging for a second chance but we can't keep this up."

"I'm coming home J, I just need to make sure she's straight."

"She's a grown woman, she'll figure it out. She doesn't need her big sister by her side all of the time."

"Well I could say the same about Tiffany in there crying on your couch like someone took her damn dog."

"Can we just not pick sides?" I asked her.

She nodded as she rubbed her temples. "Yeah baby. My bad. It's just a lot watching my sister cry every night. Matter fact..." Kyrin walked passed me and into the house. I followed quickly. She spoke to Tiffany. "Get your ass up."

"Kyrin!" I exclaimed.

"No! Get up!" She raised her voice at Tiffany and Tiff stood. "She doesn't hate you alright? She loves you and this is what happens when you hurt someone that loves you. They become bitter and angry and regretful. They become numb and all signs of empathy disappear. You want her back? You show her. Words don't mean nothing to her right now. You do what you gotta do to fix this shit, but so help me God, if you hurt my sister again..." Kyrin stepped closer to Tiffany. "Imma do more than fuck up your car."

Tiffany nodded as she stepped out of Kyrin's space. "I got it Ky. I'll show her. I won't fuck this up."

"Good. I'm gonna go ahead and trust your word, now, I'll talk to my sister and get her to come around to at least having a half decent ass conversation with you. I'm sure I can convince her, but don't have me looking dumb Tiffany."

My best friend nodded again. "Alright. I'm gonna head out."

Footsteps came emerging from the kitchen and I saw it was Gil. "Me too! Let's give the lovers some alone time."

He smirked at us and I rolled my eyes at his antics. That's all Gil thought about. When they left, the house fell silent. Kyrin looked at me. "Do you have any medicine for this migraine?"

I nodded. "Come on."

She followed me upstairs and to our restroom. I opened up the medicine cabinet and handed her some Aspirin. She tossed them back without anything to drink and I made a face at her doing it. She chuckled. "When your head is banging, you will get the pills down whatever way possible. Don't judge me."

I put my hands up. "I'm just saying that's nasty."

"Between Phoebe and Ember, I don't know whose making my head hurt worse. Oh baby! I got tea!"

Chuckling, I crawled in our bed and she got in as well. She laid her head in my lap as she looked up at me. "Well... what's the tea?"

"So, Ember is fucking Joey after all."

My eyes widened. "Whoa whoa, but what about—."

"Juliette? Mhm. Let me tell you that part. The gag is, Ember been fucking both of them. They call their self having a polyamory relationship. Ember says they love her and she loves them and that she's even thinking about moving in with them because they asked her to."

"Okay... no. That's not true. You messing with me." I didn't believe any of this madness.

"Baby, if I'm lying then I'm crying and you don't see no tears." She pointed at her cheeks. "So they fucking each other, giving Ember money and everything. It's all a big ole triangle relationship. And then Ember said Juliette's tongue game is hands down better than Joeys."

My face morphed into one of disgust. "Baby, I didn't want to know that."

"Oh I know, but if I had to hear it, you do to." She mumbled before getting louder. "Okay so no let me tell you, I got caught up. So Ember texts us in the sister group-chat to tell us to meet her by Joeys house at the park. I tried to text Phoebe that I told her so and I accidentally texted Embers ass."

"So what happened?"

"Nothing. She cussed me out when I saw her." My girlfriend rolled her eyes. "Stupid bitch."

I chuckled at her as I smiled at her. "I missed you."

"I missed you more." She replied as she leaned up and straddled my lap. Our lips met and when she went to pull away I pulled her back into me. My hands travelled down to her ass and I smacked it. She moaned into my mouth as she put both of her hands on side of my head. Kyrin pulled away slightly and whispered against my lips. "I love you."

"I love you too baby." I whispered back.

—

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