Angels Cry, Part 1

Givar, winter, 2011

S'Ahmisa Warwick is 24, Rashid Cunningham is 25, Tyisha Masters is 20, Si'Eyna is 19, Trevor Yates is 29
Optional Soundtrack: Angels Cry-Mariah Carey ft. Ne-Yo

S'Ahmisa didn't understand why he didn't understand how important this was to her. This was something she had been working simyears towards and she knew that if she wasn't careful or if the sims around her were not careful, it could all come crumbling down.

"Really, Rashid. I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but you participating in the gaming competition can be misconstrued to look like my family and loved ones are not taking the issues seriously."

"It's just a competition and I'm not even running for mayor!" Rashid retorted angrily. He knew that she was right, heck perhaps he knew it more than she did. His own father ran successfully for the Mayor of Simmington Hills and during the campaign he was also instructed to keep his nose clean.

But he wasn't a little kid anymore, he was a grown man and playing video games for a competition shouldn't be the cause of an early afternoon fight with his girlfriend. He was getting tired of it, this campaign was sucking her away and he hated it.

She was concerned about everything these days, from the clothes that he wore to what he said during those networking events. He was excited to see her earlier. It had been simweeks since they had a chance to get together and talk or go out. Lately S'Ahmisa had been going to numerous fundraising events and dinners with campaign donors. She was always in a meeting with her campaign manager and when she wasn't working on her campaign, she was doing hood council work or her other government duties. That left very little time for their relationship.
"I know, but we're so close. A few more weeks and it will all be over."

Rashid shook his head. "No, that's when it all begins. Then I won't be the boyfriend of mayoral candidate Warwick, it will be the boyfriend of Mayor Warwick and believe me, if you think the smear tactics are bad now, just wait until you're in office and you're fighting with the other elected officials on little issues."

"Please, Rashid. Just...just don't go, ok?"

Rashid groaned. First it was wear better outfits out in public, don't talk so much at the networking events and now...now don't continue the gaming competition. The same one he had dreamed about since he was a boy. He was close as well, that golden orb would look wonderful in his room boasting of his superior gaming skills.

"Rashid...please..."

He hated it. He hated her disappointed look, it was like looking at his mother, like he was a failure or something. Like he wasn't the man she wanted him to be, like he wasn't good enough for her. Hell, sometimes he wondered if he was good enough for her and she claimed that he was enough, that he was more than enough...but why couldn't he just be...be himself then?

"Whatever, you're going to be late for your meeting."

S'Ahmisa nodded and smiled, "thanks."

"Good luck, I'm sure everything will be fine."

"Thanks, I'll make it up to you. I'm sorry about today. Maybe tomorrow we can order chinese food and stay in?"

Rashid nodded, blinking rapidly to keep his eyes dry. "Whatever."
---

S'Ahmisa hurried down the sidewalk. Her meeting had gone great and her donors had agreed to donate another lump sum of simoleans towards her campaign. Her campaign manager, Claire, had said that the poll numbers were weighed heavily in her favor and that all she needed to do was ride the wave of success until election day and not get into any scandals.

Now all she wanted to do was have a nice quiet dinner with her boyfriend and show him a little surprise for dessert. She wanted to let him know how much she appreciated him sacrificing on her behalf during the campaign. She knew that she had neglected him for the last few simmonths with the campaign and tonight she planned on starting her penance.

"That' sweet, you're in a rush to watch Rashid win." Tyisha said smirking as she saw the young woman coming her way. She had promised Rashid that she would be polite to S'Ahmisa and it grated on her nerves. She thought Rashid deserved someone so much better, but he seemed happy and he had asked her to be happy for him as well. She couldn't be happy, but she could try to be polite.

"Huh?"

"The competition, the final match-up is going to start soon."

"What?"

Tyisha rolled her eyes, perhaps Rashid's little girlfriend was a bit slow. "The gaming competition in the arcade. Rashid made it to the final match-up and will probably win if he keeps it up."

S'Ahmisa could feel her face pale and wished that her skin was darker to hide the angry flush that she was sure was growing on her face. She wordlessly stepped around Tyisha and into the arcade.

The crowd was dense and she was hoping that she wouldn't see his familiar head or hear his laughter. She was hoping that Tyisha was being a witch and trying to make her worry. Anything...anything besides Rashid lying to her about not entering the competition.

Instead she saw him and he was intensely focused. She stayed in the back, watching his arms twitch and his brow forrow. She watched as he tensed his thick lips in anticipation and as his tongue darted out between his white teeth.

The crowd roared as Rashid won and the room was filled with applause. She couldn't help being proud of him as the director handed him a trophy and gift. Her pride wasn't enough to soothe her anger.

"Congratulations."

She could see his eyes widen as he turned around to see her. "S-S'Ahmisa-I-"

"Don't speak, Rashid," she cut him off.

She walked over to a corner of the arcade where the crowd was thinner and turned and faced him. Her eyes were narrowed and she could see spots floating before her due to her anger.

"You lied to me," she growled.



"I-I didn't"

"I'm not a dummy, Rashid. No matter what you or Tyisha think, I'm not a dummy."

"What does Tyisha have to do with this?"

"She knew about you playing in the competition, yet you lied to your girlfriend about it."

"This is important to me, I've been wanting to do this since I was younger. This competition doesn't come around but once every six simyears and to be asked to participate, much less win, is an honor."

"I've been working on being mayor for just as long or longer and your silly competition might ruin that for me. What do you think the press will say once they read the announcement? My campaign will be ruined."

Rashid could feel his ears get hot, so that's how she felt.

"It's not some silly competition! Just because I'm not running for mayor or president doesn't mean it's not important."

"The fact that you lied-"

"I didn't lie...I...I just didn't answer you." It was lame, but it was the truth.

S'Ahmisa flung her hands up. "I can't talk to you right now," she said before storming out of the building.
----
Part 2 is coming shortly