Free Put Your Diamonds Up! by Ni-Ni Simone

real fast. For real.”
    â€œKnox.” I walked up on him and reached for his hand. He pulled away. And instead of me reaching for it again, I draped my arms around his neck and braided my fingers together. He stood stiff, unimpressed. I went to kiss him and he turned his head, my lips landing on his cheek. But that was okay. I still had this under control. Now I knew exactly what I had to do to make this all go away. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, my first step into turning this around. Apologize.
    â€œYou’re always sorry.”
    â€œYou’re right. I am. And I know I’m always doing something that makes you doubt my love for you.” That was step two. Acknowledging I’d done something wrong, even if I thought I hadn’t.
    He narrowed his eyes. “Yeah. And it’s getting tired.”
    â€œCan you forgive me?” I kissed him softly on the left side of his neck. “I’m just going through so much at home.” I moved my kisses to the right side of his neck. “My mother is always on me. Nothing I do is good enough. You know how she is.”
    Silence.
    â€œYou know how hard I had to fight her just to be with you. And now that she’s finally given in, I’m not going to let anything ruin that. I’m not tryna ruin it.”
    More silence.
    I moved my kisses to his collarbone, working my way to step three. “I’m not going to mess up again. I promise. You’re always on my mind. I won’t ever go more than a day without calling you.” I lifted his T-shirt above his head. I moved my kisses over his chest. “You’re all I need.”
    He let out a deep sigh. He wasn’t saying much. No, no... he wasn’t saying anything at all. But I could feel his body starting to relax. That was all I needed. My magic kisses were slowly working.
    â€œI know you still love me.”
    Silence.
    I unbuckled his pants, dipping down low and planting kisses around his waist. I gazed up at him. “Do you still love me?” I asked, my tongue teasing him to ecstasy. “I love you.” Then I heard him groan as I eased back up, running my hands up his chest. “Tell me, Knox. Do you still love me?”
    â€œYeah.” He moaned. Then, catching me by surprise, he scooped me up into his arms, walked over to the bed, and laid me on it. “I love you . . . maybe a little too much.” His mouth covered mine and I closed my eyes, getting swept up in the heat of his kisses.
    Step three, completed.
    My work here was done.

7
London
    Milan, Italy
    Â 
    F ive a.m., I sat before the vanity table in my room, naked underneath my robe, gazing into the large mirror outlined with huge light bulbs. I’d just finished my mother-obsessed-weigh-in thirty minutes earlier. One hundred and ten pounds is what the digital scale read when I stepped on, holding my breath as she logged my weight into her leather-bound journal. I had passed with flying colors.
    Mmmph. Whatever...
    I wiped the remaining tears from my eyes, rubbing the side of my still-stinging face from where she had slapped me just fifteen minutes ago. I stared at the welt slowly spreading across my cheek; then closed my eyes . . .
    â€œLook at you, my darling, London,” my mother had gushed earlier, standing slightly behind me, her hand placed gently on my shoulder as we both stared at my naked reflection in the full-length triptych mirror. Full, firm breasts. Ultra small waist. Slightly curved hips. “Your face, gorgeous. Your neck, fabulous; so graceful and swan-like.” She eyed my boobs, practically pushing out a sigh of disgust. “We’ll keep taping your breasts as needed, for now.” She turned me sideways for a side-view of my reflection. There sat two brown, rounded globes of all-natural goodness.
    â€œDear God! There is just waaaay too much of this.” I cringed as she ran a manicured hand over the curve of my behind. “If we can just