Page 16 of Blake University: HBCU Chronicles: Brynleigh & A.Z.

brYNLEIGH

My period had to be on the way because I wasn’t an emotional person.

One thing I’d never done was cared what people thought of me.

After Rhia popped her shit and tried to play in my face beating her up felt good.

Real good. But hearing A.Z.’s mother not only be rude and judgmental, but her looking at me like she smelled shit wafting off my body sent me.

The fact that I couldn’t curse her out or knock her out had me at home, in bed crying.

A.Z. was cool. He had won me over with his personality and charm, and his dick was like that, but seeing as how the people in his life felt he was scraping the bottom of the barrel by dealing with me, I was good on that.

I even appreciated how he stood up to his mother for me, but I was good.

I’d never been one to try and force my way into spaces that I didn’t fit in.

I didn’t fit in A.Z.’s world. Frustrated, I kissed my teeth and sat up in bed.

There was no way I was crying over the opinions of people that I couldn’t care less about.

Inhaling a deep breath, I stood up and went into the bathroom to wash my face.

I heard my phone ringing from the bedroom, but I didn’t stop what I was doing to answer it.

Whoever it was, they could wait until I was done getting myself together.

When I finally made it back to my phone, I saw that A.Z.

had called. I closed my eyes and mentally prepared myself to walk away from him.

At least for a little while. Even though he apologized, initially, he judged me the same way his ex and mother did, and I was over it.

I didn’t have to grow up rich or be in college to be deemed good enough for him.

So what I had tattoos? What did that have to do with my character?

And yeah, maybe my character was a little flawed because I sold drugs, but I wasn’t out there stealing, scamming, or selling my body.

I was simply trying to reach a level of financial comfort that would make my life easier.

My phone rang in my hand, but that time, it was Deonte calling. I needed a distraction, so I didn’t hesitate to answer. “Hey.”

“Hey. I got a quick question for you.”

“What’s up?” I sat down on the bed.

“In three weeks, you trying to go with me to The Black and Gold Gala?”

My brows furrowed. “The gala that Phi Rho throws every year?”

“Yeap, that’s the one.”

“How did you get an invite?”

“I’m Phi Rho, baby. Damn you didn’t google a nigga or nothing? I graduated from Blake U.”

“Google you for what?” I asked seriously making him laugh harder.

“You alright with me. So, is that a yes, no, maybe so?”

The last person I wanted to see at The Black and Gold Gala was A.Z. I didn’t sell pills anymore, so I wouldn’t be on campus or at parties like that. Hopefully, avoiding him wouldn’t be too hard, but he was guaranteed to be at the gala.

“I’m not sure. I’ll have to check the date and see if I have anything planned for that day. I’d have to find a dress, get shoes, worry about my hair…” my voice trailed off.

“Come on now, I wouldn’t invite you and not make sure you matched my fly.

My stylist can find you some dresses to choose from.

She can find the shoes and a bag too. Let me know how much your hair, nails, lashes, and all that will be, and I got that too.

Shit book a massage or something the day before, so you can relax. ”

My brow hiked. I’d never had a man come at me like that.

Damn, I could see why my sister and her friends went after men with money.

Deonte was offering up the works, and we’d never even had sex.

I had never desired to attend any kind of gala, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want the princess treatment just to see how it felt.

“I looked on the flyer I’ve seen posted about the event and see that it starts at 8 pm. I can be off work and ready by then, so yes, I’ll go.”

“Cool. My life is about to get hectic with practice, so I’m not sure if I’m coming back to town before the gala, but if I do, I’ll definitely hit you up. I’ll call you back later tonight.”

“Okay.” I felt a sense of relief that Deonte was about to be super busy.

I wasn’t sure if I was built to be serious with an athlete, but he was nice for sure.

I wasn’t in love with A.Z. or anything, but I did need some time to process what happened with us even if things had started and ended quickly.

I grabbed my kindle and curled up in bed. Reading always took my mind off things. I wanted to dive into Lisa Austin’s new book. Deonte reminded me of the men in her books because one thing they were going to do was trick heavy on the woman that they had their sights on, and I wasn’t mad at it.

Before I could get two full sentences read, my phone screen lit up with notifications.

After opening it up, I rolled my eyes. Rhia deserved everything I did to her, but I was over being tagged in the video.

Everyone thought it was hilarious the way I beat her ass, but I didn’t want to keep seeing it.

I was almost disappointed that I even let her bring that side of me out.

A.Z.’s bitch of a mother actually said I attacked her.

Internally, I vowed that it would be my last time watching the footage.

My eyes narrowed after the fight was over, and Rhia walked over to a familiar face.

“Where have I seen her before?” I mumbled while trying to recall where I’d seen the tall, brown-skinned woman before. “Bro,” my eyes widened as recognition hit. “I know you fucking lying.”

Rhia was at the club with a Blake U senior by the name of Kandi.

Kandi had bought molly from me on more than two occasions.

She had also bought ecstasy a few times.

That was how Rhia knew I was a ‘drug dealer.’ She was judging me when her friend used the very drugs that I sold.

I’d rather be the seller than the user any day.

Chuckling, I tossed my phone to the side.

Rhia was just as irrelevant to me as A.Z.

’s mother and Rhia’s pill popping ass friend.

I refused to give them anymore energy. I snuggled underneath my covers and started reading my book.

I didn’t care about anything else at the moment.

When my phone rang again, I groaned. Snatching it up, I saw that it was A.Z.

and my heart dropped. Ignoring him was hard, but it had to be done.

I waited for the phone to stop ringing then put it on Do Not Disturb .

Nine days later, I pulled into a parking space in front of my building.

I wasn’t in the best mood. I grabbed the papers from the passenger seat and emerged from the car with a frown on my face.

A frown that deepened as I noticed A.Z. approaching me.

It wasn’t the day for drama. However, we were face to face, and it wasn’t like I could run.

“I did something to you?” he asked, and I could tell he was pissed. A.Z. had called me a total of five times, and I ignored each call.

“No, I just feel like it’s best that we don’t talk as much.”

His forehead creased as he frowned, “Because my mother said some dumb shit? You’re taking it out on me?”

“Your mother, your ex, and you. Remember what you said when you saw Tyra talking to me? You all had the same thoughts, and I’m honestly a little tired of it.”

“I apologized for that. I thought I was looking out for my sister.”

“And Rhia and your mom are looking out for you. There’s just something about me that makes me seem not good enough to fit in your world, and I’m fine with that. I don’t want to be anywhere that I’m not wanted.”

A.Z.’s facial muscles relaxed. “Brynleigh, I apologized to you. I was a jerk, and I was wrong. Rhia is a dumb ass, and my mother is just my mother. They don’t matter. No one matters but us.” His tone was pleading. It melted the ice around my heart, but what he was saying was easier said than done.

I had parted my lips to speak when his eyes landed on the papers in my hand. “You went to the abortion clinic?” A.Z.’s eyes darted back and forth across my face as he waited for an answer. He had caught me off guard, and my tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth.

“Was it mine or Deonte’s?”

“Excuse you?” Finally finding my voice, I drew back. “I’ve never slept with Deonte.”

“So, it was mine, and you got an abortion without even talking to me? Wow.” A.Z. chuckled. “You really are selfish as fuck.”

“I’m selfish?” my brows hiked. “I don’t even have my own place. We’re not in a relationship. We barely know one another. I got pregnant off a one night stand! Let’s be for real.”

“You’re right. You’re right about everything. You know every fuckin’ thing. Have a nice life, Brynleigh.”

Watching A.Z. walk away from me made my heart hurt.

I had been ignoring him, but this felt different.

It felt final. He had looked at me with pure disgust in his eyes.

Swallowing hard, I walked into the apartment while he sped out of the parking lot.

It was my first day off in five days. I had been working at the tattoo shop and at a server job that I landed.

The server job was at a popular lounge, and I only had to work there for four hours a night or in the morning to get good tips.

The day before I made almost $500. The money came pretty fast and since it was for extra money it came in handy.

The best part was I didn’t have to worry about going to jail.

I didn’t have to stand on my feet too much or work hard at the tattoo shop, so I didn’t mind working two jobs.

In my room, I grabbed my laptop and decided to start searching apartments in the area.

Despite making more than $1,500 in the five days I’d been at my new job, I still didn’t think I could afford to live in my sister’s building.

Even a one bedroom was too much for me, but I still wanted something nice.

While I was browsing online for apartments, Deonte’s stylist emailed me and told me she had some dresses that I could stop by and try on.

The gala. Now more than ever, it would be odd running into A.Z.

but I couldn’t back out. I had already promised Deonte I would go with him, and his stylist had already been working putting together looks for me.

The tables had turned, and it was A.Z. that was done with my ass, and it hurt.

I really liked him once we got past our rough start.

Why did life have to be so complicated all the time? Bree came in my room and flopped down on the bed. “I was invited to Turks and Caicos on a brand trip. You want to come? They’re paying for my flight and my hotel room but of course, we can share a room.”

“When is it?” Moving was my priority, but if the room was taken care of and all I had to do was buy a plane ticket, I didn’t want to pass that up.

“The end of next month.”

“Yeah, I want to go. Kelli and Hailey not going?”

Bree kissed her teeth. “I haven’t spoken to Kelli since that night we all went to the club, and Hailey is salty that they didn’t invite her.

She just started doing content like two months ago, and she only has around six thousand subscribers.

I don’t know why she thinks a big brand would pay for her to go on an all expenses paid trip.

She hasn’t even put the work in. It took me almost two years and gaining over 50,000 subscribers before brands started hitting me up. ” `

“Yeah your friends do have some entitled attitudes. They think the world is supposed to bow to them. Men, brands, whoever,” I frowned.

Bree sighed. “Yeah, I can be a bit dramatic. Maybe a little shallow at times, and I love money, but those hoes are starting to get on my nerves. All they do is complain. It’s seriously annoying.”

“Well, somebody finally saw the light,” I joked.

“Yeah, it took me long enough, but the point is that I’m here now. I’ll go out with Hailey every now and then when there’s an event in the city, but I’m good on seeing her and Kelli on a regular basis. I actually don’t care if me and Kelli never talk again.”

For my sister to be tired of those hoes, I knew she must be growing in some way, and I loved that for her.

She could make really good money without having to constantly entertain no good niggas.

She had her own money. Whatever they did for her was just a bonus.

And she didn’t need trifling friends to put her up on game.

My sister was popular and well-known on her own.

I was going to enjoy my day off and rest my feet.

Tomorrow, it would be back to the grind.

The server job and the tattoo shop. Whatever I made from the serving job for the rest of the month was going toward furniture and moving.

The beginning of the month, I’d start focusing on the trip with Bree.

After that, I’d start building my savings account up. It felt good to have a plan.

I completed three contact forms indicating that I wanted to set up a time to view the apartments that caught my eye.

I looked at more than ten and chose my top three.

I would decide which one to apply for after the in person tour.

Life wasn’t easy, but I was proud of myself.

I had worked hard and was finally about to check a major goal off my list. Maybe I wasn’t good enough for A.Z.

but I was proud of myself, and no snooty rich people could take that away from me.

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