32

I watched her from across the table, my hands wrapped around the warmth of my coffee mug, but it wasn't the coffee that had me feeling warm—it was the way she looked in the morning light. Hair soft, curls wild, glasses perched on her nose, hoodie sleeves pushed up to her elbows. I could still feel her lips on me, the heat of the night before lingering in my body. But something was off. Kamala was here, physically—close, even—but her heart still felt far away.

I set the mug down slowly and let out a breath. "Can I say something?"

Her eyes flicked up. "Of course."

I paused. No stalling. No softening it. I needed to take accountability—the kind that cracked you open, the kind that made space for trust again.

"I hurt you," I started, my voice quieter than I expected. "Not just by texting Michelle, but by letting her get close in the first place. And I'm not gonna sit here and say it wasn't that deep or that I didn't mean for it to go that way. I messed up."

Kamala didn't respond, but she didn't look away either.

"I should've shut that down a long time ago. Not just because you're my girlfriend, but because I love you. And I let someone come in and blur the lines of what you and I have. That's on me. Completely."

She blinked slowly. "Why didn't you just tell me? About Michelle. About how much she was talking to you. About what was happening."

"I was scared," I said, honestly. "Not of you. Of disappointing you. Of messing up this thing we have. But hiding it made it worse. I know that now. And I hate that I made you feel like you couldn't trust me."

Silence stretched between us again—but it wasn't the cold kind this time. It was full of emotion, like the air between us was shifting, making room for something honest.

"And Karina..." I added, suddenly remembering. My stomach twisted.

Kamala raised an eyebrow. "What about her?"

"She gave Michelle my number that night at the club. Without asking me. She knew I was with you—and I let it slide like it didn't matter. But it did."

I stood from the table, pacing slowly toward the window, needing space to say the next part out loud. "I'm gonna talk to her. Today. Because boundaries matter. And you matter."

Kamala leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms—but her lips twitched like she was holding back something. A sigh, maybe. A thought. I couldn't tell.

"I don't want you to feel like I'm always looking over my shoulder with you," she said. "But I also can't pretend like this didn't shake me. Trust is a slow rebuild."

I nodded. "And I'm ready to rebuild it. Brick by brick. Day by day. However long it takes."

She stood up slowly, walked over to me by the window, and rested her hand on my cheek. Her touch was gentle, but her voice was firm. "Then show me. Not with flowers. Not with words. With actions."

I leaned into her palm, tears threatening behind my eyes. "I will."

"And talk to Karina."

"I'm calling her right now," I said, grabbing my phone off the table. "You can stay. I want you to hear it."

Kamala gave a soft, approving nod and stepped back, settling on the couch with her arms crossed again, watching me. My heart pounded as I tapped Karina's contact and hit call.

She answered on the second ring.

"Heyyyy bitch—"

"Karina." My tone cut her off.

"Uh-oh. What's up?"

I exhaled, steadying myself. "Why did you give Michelle my number?"

Karina went quiet. "Wait... what?"

"That night at the club. You gave her my number without asking me. You know I'm with Kamala."

She sighed. "Mariah, I didn't think it was a big deal—"

"It was," I said, sharply. "It was a big deal. You crossed a boundary. And I didn't say anything then, but I am now. Because it matters."

On the couch, Kamala shifted slightly, listening.

"I'm sorry," Karina said after a beat. "I really didn't mean to cause anything. I thought she was just being friendly."

"She wasn't. And even if she was—it wasn't your place. Just... don't do that again, okay?"

"Okay. For real. I got you."

I hung up before the conversation could drift. My hands were shaking a little. But Kamala gave me a small nod, like she'd seen exactly what she needed to see.

Progress.

Still slow. Still fragile. But real.

She opened her arms, and I walked over, settling into her lap as her fingers rubbed soft circles on my back.

This wasn't the end of our rebuilding—but it felt like the beginning of something stronger. Something earned.

________

I'm just popping out chapters. 🫦 HUGE time jump coming up btw 🫶🏽