When Love Hurts by Shaquanda Dalton Page A

for real? Shit, all right,” I say. “Good looking, bro, and yeah, I’ll go get her. I’m mostly done now anyway.”
    “All right.” The line clicks.  
    Ten minutes later I pull up to my apartment building. Jessica isn’t answering her phone, but I’m just glad I still have enough time to drop her off and pick up Angela. I’m about to open the door to my apartment building, when Jessica comes out hauling her duffle bag.  
    “Good, you’re already ready,” I say, smiling. We haven’t really talked much since we had sex, but at least I was taking her back to Malcolm’s so we’ll have time alone to talk if she wants to.
    Jessica’s eyes widen when she sees me, which doesn’t make sense if she already has her stuff packed. “Hey,” she mumbles, looking around. “What are you doing back so early? Is Angela with you?” she asks.
    “No,” I say. My smile fades as she continues to avoid eye contact. “Didn’t you hear from Malcolm?”
    Jessica shakes her head and looks over my shoulder toward the street. I turn around to try to see what she’s seeing, but I don’t see anything out of the ordinary. “What?” I ask her.
    “Nothing. Um . . . Jay, I need to talk to you,” Jessica says. When I don’t say anything, she continues. “I thought about it and um . . .” She pauses, then takes a deep breath. “I’ve decided to try to work things out with Chris.”
    Jessica closes her eyes, and I’m left staring at her clinging face. I try to push down my anger.  
    Her eyes open again, but she avoids my glare. “Why?” I say as calmly as humanly possible. My hands fist up.
    Jessica’s mouth is small and round like her face. She pushes a long strand of hair behind her ear before she says, “Chris and I talked for a very long time, and he made some good points. And, well . . . I guess I just agreed to—”
    “Do you have any idea how stupid you’re being?” I shout at her. “That nigga put his hands on you, and you’re giving him a second chance?”
    Jessica shakes her head and stares at the street. “It’s not like that, Jay. See, you don’t understand.”
    “What the fuck don’t I understand, Jess?” I walk around so that I’m in her line of vision again. “I understand that he sweet-talked you, and now you want to go running back to his house?”
    She doesn’t say anything. “When did you talk to him anyway?” I ask, beaming down at her. I can tell she’s uncomfortable, but I don’t stop. She’s hiding something.  
    “Chris came over right after Malcolm dropped me off,” she says finally. “He figured I’d be here . . . either here or at Malcolm’s, but he came here first.”
    “Shit.”
    “He’s changed, Jay. I mean he’s trying to. He’s working at it. He was at anger management all this time, and even showed me his certificate that he finished. He really wants to—”
    “Jess, anybody can print something off a damn printer. What are you talking about? God, use your head!” I scream.  
    Jessica pouts her lips like a four-year-old. “I am using my head, but I’m also using my heart. Listen, Jay. I don’t expect you to understand. I just want to live my life the best way I know how.”
    “With him? That’s the best way you know how? Really? You’re dumb as hell,” I say.  
    “I’m not dumb.” Her voice is low and firm. “I just know what I want.”
    When I don’t say anything, she continues. “You have everything, you know that?” Jessica pauses to take a deep breath. “You have a place of your own, friends, family, your own business with the bar, money, and Angela. What do I have? I don’t have anything that’s really mine.”
    “Jessica,” I start, but she interrupts me with teary eyes.
    “No, Jay. I mean, you don’t realize how much I . . . look at you and Angela. Look what you guys have, and think about what I have. I want a relationship like yours. One that will last long, and one that will give me a companion that really