On the Other Side

16

"Heads, I call someone. Tails, I don't."

Laila's eyes were fixed on the coin that sat on top of her thumb, ready to be thrown and make the verdict for her. Holloway was lying on the rug beside her and his warmth was comforting as her mind warred with itself.

She had drove straight home and poured herself some wine before pacing back and forth for a few minutes, debating whether to call Janelle or not. The wine bottle had finished almost two hours after she had arrived but yet she still hadn't made her mind up. There were pros and cons to both of her choices but she had no idea what to do.

And so that was why she wanted to use the coin to make the decisions.

The moment she tossed the coin, Holloway suddenly stood up and pranced out of her bedroom, a loud knock following soon after. The coin hadn't landed in her hand as it was supposed to but had instead rolled towards the door.

Her mind quite foggy from the scarlet alcohol, she pushed herself up and sauntered over to the door. It was incredibly late - late enough for her to haphazardly grab the empty glass bottle as some sort of protection just in case it was an attacker.

"Who is it?" She called out as Holloway barked. She tried to shush him but he kept barking, his tail wagging excitedly.

"It's Hakeem, Laila."

Shocked was an understatement. With her free hand, she tried to smooth her hair back and pull down the booty shorts that had been eaten up by her behind as she walked. Her pyjama top was stained with something but it was way too late for her to change into something else. He was waiting.

She opened the door, knowing that her surprise was evident on her face. Having not noticed it before, she noted that his hair was growing out into soft coils. It was clear that he hadn't gotten his signature fade cut in a while. She liked it.

"Can I come in?"

Laila stepped back immediately and watched as he greeted Holloway warmly. She shut the door behind him and excused herself to put the wine bottle away. He followed her into the kitchen but stayed on the completely opposite side to her.

She was instantly reminded of the last time he had been there. When he had broken up with her.

His dark brown orbs held hers and they stared at each other for a few moments. Hakeem's effect on her nerve endings hadn't gone away at all. In her current inebriated state - it was heightened.

Her drunk self wanted to apologise and ramble an apology but she didn't want it to come out in a mess of excuses and justifications. She also knew that after the disaster that had happened at his place, he had more than a few questions.

He was first to speak.

"What's going on, Laila?"

Remembering her promise to Robert, she shook her head. "I'm sorry but I swore that it wasn't my secret to share, you're going to have to-."

"Not that. What were you doing at my place?"

"Oh." Licking her suddenly dry lips and shifting uncomfortably, she started to feel dizzy. Whether it was because of the wine or because she now had the opportunity to say her speech she didn't know but she needed to sit down.

Laila slid onto one of the stools at the island and sighed heavily.

With the liquid courage running through her system, she held his gaze. "I was there to apologise for my stupidity. I was wrong and I realised it way too late," Once she started, she didn't stop. "I shouldn't have gone on that dinner with Adrian but I just - no, there's no excusing it. I was stupid and I was wrong for trying to turn the tables back onto you and Mariah. I mean, I'm still not comfortable with her giving you money and all that but," she sighed again. "I'm not going to see Adrian again. I wasn't even going to - I just didn't like the idea of you telling me what to do Hakeem that's really it."