Relationship Goals

by Christina C. Jones

“So, you help this dude pick up his stuff. You’re looking at him, he’s looking at you, and he just decides, boom, I’ma kiss her?” Arizona recapped, for about the third time, punctuating each point with a hand gesture.

“But nah, seriously, the whole Instagram apology thing, it felt weak. And you didn’t seem like you were trying to hear it either, so I thought maybe showing up in person would make more of an impact.”

“Go to lunch and then ride his face bitch, or I’m throwing your shit on the curb,”

“I am going to go see if I can talk one of those models into letting me eat sushi off his abs, and you are going to lunch with this nigga who looks like he would shoot up a plantation for you, okay? Okay. Call me after.”

“Can your wife say the same thing?”

“There is nothing to understand!” I snapped, nostrils flaring. “It is not over, until a court of law says so.That is how it works. And since last I heard, the two of you were trying to work it out, I’m not sure what the hell it is you want from me.”

“A lie by omission is still a lie,” I hissed. “And a whole ass wife is big omission!”

“I’m here, and I have a good life – a life I love. But don’t let the fact that it looks good outside fool you into thinking it always looks good in here or here.”

“We all have flaws, and we all have mess to deal with. But it doesn’t make us worthless, or worth any less.”

I survived something meant to destroy me – I can’t squander this second chance by living a life that is beneath my standing.

When you come to me, you come correct. I demand it. And you should do the same. How different could our world be if we – lovingly

– challenged each other to do, and be better, instead of accepting scraps?”

Anybody who has the power to alter how you feel about yourself will absolutely use it. What better hands to wield such a power than your own?”

“But you know what you’ll never regret? Not compromising yourself.”

Don’t be so rigid that you leave no room for simple human error. That was all Cameron said to me, after overhearing that conversation with Nick. She didn’t leave me room to debate if she was on my side or his, just dropped that nugget and walked off, destroying my world.

There’s no shame in changing your mind when something is antithetical to your happiness.

This whole love yourself, drink your water, mind your business thing wasn’t a hustle for me – it was a lifestyle.

People talked about immediately knowing when someone was the one. While I didn’t really ascribe to stuff like that, there was no denying that, unlike any of the women I’d dated in the last few years, I felt like in time, she could be.

Experience is only the best teacher if you’re using it to learn what behaviors not to accept, honing your preferences – not using it as an excuse to let the good ones pass you by.”

“What? No. You didn’t do anything. But, I rearranged my whole schedule, paid to change to my plane ticket, paid for an extra night at my hotel, all so I could spend a day with you. Only to find out you didn’t think enough of me to even mention to your sister.

If someone was looking for a spouse, fine. But talk about it. Let the other person know where you stand, so they can decide for themselves if they want to stand with you.

The last place I wanted to find myself was out here with my heart on my sleeves for another man who didn’t deserve it.

Sometimes I wanna come home, and be all alone Or be all alone, and come when I get home Or bring you home, watch you come all alone Or come with you, when we’re alone, once we make it home

There, I crossed off, “get caught off guard by something beautiful.”