Here we go again

"I can't believe we're arguing over this." Denise's long time boyfriend stormed into the living room out of her sight. He flopped down onto the couch with an aggressive huff. He could hear Denise storming in from the other room. She stood, arms folded in front of him. Her full lips in a slight pout, her golden brown eyes reflected anger and sadness. She took a deep breath before she spoke. "Look, I don't want to argue with you, okay. I just want the truth." The funny thing about her intuition, it was never wrong, or off...not even by a hair. She suspected he had been cheating. If this was anyone else without question, they'd be on the other side of the door. But this was Antwone. Her first love, and despite what she was feeling, she'd rather him confess instead of making her feel crazy. Antwone placed his big dark hands over his face and slowly dragged them down with a loud grunt. He looked up at her, but still avoided eye contact. He released multiple sighs before he actually spoke the words Denise never thought her ears would hear. "Denise, I..I did have sex with Kaitlyn. His head dropped, Denise body froze, but questions still escaped her mouth. "How many times?" His face pleaded for her to not ask, he wasn't going to hold back the truth. "I don't know how many, too many to count." Denise swallowed hard, but the lump in her throat did not go away. "Where? Was it just her?" The exasperated exhale that just withdrew from his mouth sent a pain so sharp through Denise's chest. "Different places..." She quickly interrupted, "What's different places because Kaitlyn last I checked didn't have a pot to piss in! She's living off others. So where, let me be specific, did you FUCK her in THIS house?!" Her arms now on her hip and she has begun to pace the floor. Antwone remained glued to the couch, head toward the ground, despite his confessions he still couldn't bring himself to look up at her. "A couple times in the house, but that's it. It was the two times we hosted a kickback here. Both times it happened in the bathroom, while you were occupied with guests. She scoffed hard. Kaitlyn and Denise had been friends since middle school. They had made sister codes together, had planned so much of their life together. The betrayl made her knees buckle, but she continued asking the questions as they popped into her head. "Was there anybody else?" This time Antwone looked into her eyes before responding. "No, just Kaitlyn." Skepticism and doubt crept in, Denise asked one last question, she hoped he had an answer for. Her eyes finally met his and she asked, "why? Why did you do this to me, and why Kaitlyn?" This time Antwone stood and attempted to reach for her hands, she quickly jerked from the loose grip. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" The scream just came out. He took a step back, "I never meant for you to find out, forreal. I knew this would hurt you, but I couldn't stay away from Kaitlyn. I've had a thing for Kaitlyn since 9th grade, don't get me wrong I love you, we got history, you're smart, funny and beautiful. I don't have an excuse. Denise could feel her blood rushing. Even though he was being honest, now she felt so angry at herself for ignoring every sign and red flag. She was angry at how much time she wasted investing into this relationship all for it to end like this. "Do you love her?" This time Antwone hesitated to answer. He sat back down, leaned back comfortably against the back of the sofa and placed his hands through his short hair. "I....I don't know, I like her alot, yea. That's all I can tell you." Denise didn't ask anymore questions, she walked out of the living room into the bedroom then, with purse and jacket she headed out without looking in Antwone's direction or saying a word. The only sound was the sound of the slammed door as she exited the house.

*Knock Knock Knock*

"Come in." Kaitlyn yelled through the door. With her head held high Denise opened the door and walked in. Kaitlyn was coming from the bathroom and stopped in the middle of the hallway when she noticed it was Denise. Denise's mocha skin still burned red. Kaitlyn slowly walked toward Denise, who now had eyes full of tears. She shook her head 'no' repeatedly as Kaitlyn approached. Kaitlyn stood a few feet away, with sympathetic eyes, she began to speak. "Denise, I am so.." Denise held a hand up to silence her before she could finish her sentence. "You're not sorry, so don't even tell me that. Were you ever going to tell me? I mean we've been inseperable since middle school. You're gorgeous...I just don't understand." She was too hurt and angry to cry. Kaitlyn gestured for her to have a seat. They walked and sat on the couch across from each other. Kaitlyn sat up straight and confessed everything, she didn't wait for questions like Antwone, and because of this, Denise got the full story.

"Look girl, I really am sorry. I wish it wasn't Antwone that I had sex with, but it was a mistake that only happened once. That time you threw the kickback and I got drunk as hell and you sent me to the room to lay down, well Antwone came in there. We talked and laughed and all of a sudden he kissed me, then I kissed him back. We went to the bathroom and just did it. The other time you threw a kick back it almost happened again but nothing went down, Antwone kissed me and I told him that I wasn't drunk enough to make another mistake like that. He told me that he always liked me and that he...." She stopped talking to look directly at Denise. Her eyes were apologetic. Denise sat there and listened like they weren't discussing her cheating boyfriend. "Go on." She managed to say. "He told me he always liked me, since highschool, and that he'd always wanted me. I was drunk as hell, I'm not even sure what all of what I said, but it was something like then why are you in love with Denise, and he told me it was because ya'll got history and he loves you for that." It only happened once, well once and a kiss. I was drunk both times, but that is no excuse for betraying you. I know it doesn't help you, but I've been sober since then." Kaitlyn has been drinking hard liquor and beer since she was 13 years old. She comes from a not so loving home that she ran away from and into the streets. She managed to stay in school until the teachers discovered she wasn't living at home. She stopped coming and eventually got her G.E.D. Denise never judged her, and was always accepting of her. She never thought this pain would come from her. "That's not what Antwone told me." Denise said fiercly. He told me it was twice in the bathroom of my house and different places." She scanned Kaitlyn's face that drew confusion on it. "Let's go over there and talk together, because that asshole is lying on me!" Her southern accent on full display when she shouted that out. She stormed toward the door and waited for Denise so they could confront Antwone.

Antwone was gone by the time they arrived. Denise checked the bedroom and realized his things were gone. Game system, clothes, shoes, even his toothbrush and hair accessories, gone. No trace that Antwone ever was there. "Denise?" Kaitlyn was pointing to a folded paper on the living room table. Denise clutched her heart and sped to fetch the paper. She unfolded it to reveal a letter from Antwone.

'Denise, you will always be my first love. I'm so sorry that I hurt you the way that I did. I wasn't man enough to break your heart by letting you go, but I realize only now how selfish that was. I shouldn't have betrayed you especially not with your friend. I should have been honest with you from the first moment I felt myself getting pulled from you. You did not deserve that, so don't drag yourself about it. It was all me. You helped me in so many ways and for so long, I'm disappointed in myself. I know to tell you I love you under these conditions might irritate you, but I'm going to say it anyway. I love you, and appreciate your loyalty and love. Also I lied about Kaitlyn to take the heat off me, it was only once she was lit as ususal. I've always been honest with you, I don't want to end with a lie...more lies. Kaitlyn wasn't the only girl, for the last couple of months me and my ex have been linking up on and off. I left you some cash under the bed. I do appreciate you holding me down through so much. I meant what I said that you were my first love, your love has always been genuine I have no excuse why I took it for granted. I hope one day, well I know one day somebody's going to take care of you in the best way. Pure love and appreciation, no smoke and mirrors, that's the love you deserve'-Ant