All Chapters of Love On Ice: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

*JAMIRA* “You gotta be kidding me, you really about to go out with your hoe ass friends?!” “My friends aren’t hoes, Chris!” “Besides, it’s my fucking birthday, and if it really mattered, you would’ve planned something for us!” “All they do is pop pills and pussy!” “Why the fuck would you want to be around them?!” “You got a man!” “I’m here!” Just as I was about to respond, my phone rang. I looked and saw it was my best friend, Ayana. Chris hated her with every fiber of his being. The reason for their tension stems from the way she felt Chris came and “interfered” with our friendship. Since we’ve been together, I hadn’t really had much time to spend with her. So you can imagine how excited she was that I was finally getting a chance to hang with her after all this time. “Hello?” “Girl are you ready yet?” “Not yet, but I’m trying.” She must have sensed the unease in my voice because what came next told me she knew exactly what was going on. “I swear Mira if Chris upset

*JAMIRA* As soon as we stepped inside, my mouth dropped. People were everywhere, dressed impeccably, and seemingly oblivious to anything else. Sparklers adorned the bottle girls, and the atmosphere was electric, instantly captivating me. The DJ was in the corner, surrounded by dancers at his table. The lights were vibrant, and a gentle breeze made the space feel comfortable. Just then, Simone arrived with four drinks. I downed mine immediately, as if it were the last drink on Earth. Ayana did the same. Simone sipped hers, while Keema simply held hers, as if she simply enjoyed the idea of having a drink in her hand. By the minute, I was loosening up. Before I knew it, I was bent over, dancing on Ayana, who slapped my butt and shouted, “Aye!” I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had so much fun. We danced and laughed so hard that I felt lightheaded. When I decided to find a place to sit, I found myself a bit dizzy. I let Ayana and Simone know I was going to the bar when I heard somet

*JAMIRA* I lied there, staring at the ceiling, trying to process not only my thoughts but also why I was lying in bed with a complete stranger. This was so out of character for me. Part of me was waiting for regret to follow, but it never came. As bad as I knew this was wrong, I couldn’t feel bad about it. A man I barely knew treated my body so well and made sure I was satisfied. Chris had never treated my body like he knew exactly what to do to send me over the edge. Shit, Chris! I almost forgot we lived together, and he’d be suspicious if I didn’t come back home. Panic overcame me, and I turned to see the time on Eric’s phone on the nightstand. It was 4 a.m.! I pushed Eric’s arm off me and scrambled to gather my clothes and put them on. When I got dressed, I slipped out the door and searched for my phone in my purse. Upon checking, I had two missed calls from Chris, six messages from Ayana, and a missed call from her too. Once I got outside, I called her. “Mira, what the hell?

*CHRIS*I could sense that Jamira was aware of something amiss even before I spoke. Our relationship has been strained ever since I lost my brother a few months ago, and dealing with his absence hasn’t been easy for me. When he was alive, we would often hang out and smoke together. Now that he’s gone, I’ve been smoking more as if to compensate for his absence.I was deeply affected, and it was evident. I changed my behavior. I became quiet and distant, trying to avoid destroying the fragile foundation of our relationship that was already broken. The air between us had been tense and fragile for months, on the verge of snapping.I tried to get back on track, but my efforts were futile.That night, I tracked her location and discovered that she had gone to Club Rouse. It was a popular spot, so I knew she was likely having fun. I didn’t mind that she needed that distraction.Her words echoed in my mind. If it truly mattered, you would have planned something for us. I couldn’t deny the tr

*ERIC*I spent the entire weekend helping Kacie and Kayla relocate to my place. She was determined to pack up her entire apartment until I reminded her that I had my own furniture. Living alone since college roommates made me feel uncomfortable having someone around.The thought of monitoring who came and went made me cringe. I was used to being free and being a bachelor. I couldn’t do that with my niece. Kacie would be furious if I had a bunch of strange girls around her daughter. She barely wanted my friends around. I could understand.This might not be a bad thing, though. I’ve often wondered what it would be like to have children of my own. Besides, I loved my niece; she was the coolest person I knew.After everything was moved and back at my place, I helped them settle in.I found her staring at a picture she had found of her and Josh when she found out she was pregnant with Kayla.“Does he know you’ve left?”“Don’t be silly, E. Do you think he’d just let us go? Did you forget wh