Down For You

Chapter 3

"Let's go Maliyah." "This is not how I want to start my three day weekend." "So come on girl." Monique is dragging us to this damn house party. "Come on your future baby will be there." "Girl please I don't have a future baby." "Darrien." "He was cool not future boo material." "Yeah, yeah come on."

We get out of car and head into the house. I wouldn't be caught dead up in here if I wasn't with my girls. Monique passes us a few drinks. "Here's to three day weekends." We toast and throw them back. "Oh look there goes Darrien." He looks nice. He smirks walking my way. "What's up Makayla?" My smile drops. "Nigga it's Maliyah." Monique says. "Damn my bad. I've had a few drinks already. Sorry about that Maliyah." "I'm sure you are." I say dryly.

He goes and gets us another round of drinks. Two more drinks turns into four more and then I stop, one more and my ass would be beyond tipsy. "Maliyah you and Darrien should dance." "No we shouldn't." "I think y'all should." Sheree says. Whenever she starts agreeing with Monique she's had one two many herself. "Come on Maliyah let's dance. I like this song." I roll my eyes and get up. I hate this bump and grind shit.

We dance for a few minutes then Darrien goes and grabs another drink. I turn around and begin to walk back towards my girls until I see August walking through. He's looking good as hell. Oh God the alcohol is talking. He walks up to one of the guys and daps him up.

I hurry back over to my girls before he sees me. "Where did Darrien go?" Monique asks. "To get another drink." "Oh shit Liyah look who I see..." Sheree says. "Who?" Monique says looking around. "Oh, I see." Monique says smiling.

Darrien comes back over, "Here you ladies go." He says handing us cups. "Oh no thank you." I decline. "Come in Li just one more with me." Sheree says. "Sure why not." I grab the cup and it take it to the head. I look around for August so far I'm doing good to avoid him. "Oh no who the fuck is that by him?" Monique says.

I watch as she walks up to August. He looks around and finally looks my way. He nods his head to the girl he was talking too and walks my way. The music is drowned out and all I hear is my heart beating. "What's up Maliyah?" "Hey." "Can I talk to you for a second?" "Sure." He grabs my hand and we walk through the crowd and up the stairs to this balcony.

"So what's up?" I ask sitting on the railing. "Are you ready to talk to me now about shit than the case." "Would you like an honest answer?" "I would." "No I'm not." "Why Maliyah?" "What the fuck do you mean why? Were we both not living through the same shit." "Look it was my bad for cutting you off like that." "For no damn reason might I add." "I didn't want to stop you." "Bullshit August."

"Man I didn't. All you talked about was law this law that. Fucking with a nigga who would never be nothing but a fucking thug his entire life would only have held you back." "That wasn't just your call to make. I had just as much say in the shit just such much as you did." "I'm sorry Maliyah." "Whatever August." His hand lifts my face towards his. "I mean it. You turned out great, look at you." I move his hand, "I was going to do that regardless."

"But me being there wouldn't have help contribute to that." "What the fuck were you going to do in jail? Not a damn thing. I don't care how you attempt to justify it. You were wrong point blank period." "What you want me to do?...I can't go back in time and fix the shit." "I don't want you to do anything." I say pushing him away but causing myself to lose balance. He grabs me and pulls me down on to the balcony.

Standing chest to chest he leans down and kiss me. It's hard to resist when the lips you've desperately missed for years are now touching yours. It's as if time is standing still and my mind froze. He pulls away biting on his bottom lip, "Let's get out of here." He says grabbing my hand.

"Where are we going?" "Would you like something to eat?" "Your thinking about food." He looks over at me and smirks, "You aren't?" "Not really." I answer honestly. "What did you have in mind?" "What did you have in mind?" I ask back. "A midnight snack and then heading over to our old spot." "That's fine." I say sitting back in his seat. The leather feels good on my exposed skin.

We ride over to Roscoes Chicken And Waffles. "Someone had one two many drinks." August says. "Why you say that?" "Yo ass always liked touching my damn hair when you've had too many." I look at my hand and realize I am playing in his hair. I move it and look down at my menu. "I've missed you." "I've missed you too August." "What about me have you missed?"

"The way your cologne use to linger on me hours after you'd leave, the way you use to be handling shit in the street and would let me tag along, the way you would encourage me, how any time shit was going crazy all I'd need to do is hear your voice and knew everything would be okay." "Yeah we were on some Bonnie and Clyde shit back then." I smile, "What did you miss about me?" "Hm... Your I love yous, when we use to be chilling at your place how you would caress my face, the way you held me down even after I put you through that shit, your presence... just everything."

"So could you cut off someone who supposedly meant that much to you like that?" "I thought I was doing what was best for you." "You can't decide what's best for me." "Your right."

We eat and then head over to sunset boulevard. We get out and sit in the hood of his car. "Remember this?" "Yes." I answer looking over the view of the city. "This is the first spot we kissed." "And the spot you got into your first fight at." He laughs, "Hell yeah. We've made some great memories here." "I know." "I'm down to make more." He says leaning in and moving a piece of hair out of my face. His lips brush up against mine and the anticipation is killing me.

He kisses me and moves back then brushes his lips against mine. "Stop teasing." He smiles and leans in taking full control of the kiss.

Our kissing session is interrupted by his phone vibrating. "Let me check this." He says breaking away. "What's up Toya?... Nah just chilling... What's up man?... The fuck, where at?... Alright I'm on the way."

Walking into the emergency room that's when shit hit me like a ton of bricks. I let myself get too carried away. I'm not supposed to be here, we aren't supposed to be here together. This is crossing so many levels. "August." "What's up baby?" "We-"

"Oh my God. Thank you for coming." This girl says coming up to him. "Don't act like a fucking concerned parent now." He says moving the girl to the side. "Who's this?" She asks looking at me up and down. "I'm Maliyah." "She's a friend and my lawyer." August says. "Oh her." Hm. What does she mean oh her? "Come on." The girl says. August grabs my hand and we follow behind the girl. We walk into a room and see a little girl in the bed.

She's adorable and looks just like him. "Hey baby girl." August says going over to her. "Hi daddy." "How you feeling?" "My leg hurts." "It'll be okay. The doctor is going to make you feel all better." She smiles at him and then looks over at me, "Who is that daddy?" "That's my friend Maliyah." "Her name is close to mine." "Your right." He says smiling. "I'm Aliyah." "Hey Aliyah it's nice to meet you." I say to her. "It's nice to meet you too." She's a very polite girl unlike her mother who hasn't stop staring. The nurses come in and comes her out to X-ray her leg.

"Toya how this happen?" August asks. "She was walking down the stairs and fell." "How the he- how did she fall?" "I don't know Aug. If you came over like you said you would then none of this would have happened." "That's bull. I never said I was coming over. I had things to do tonight." "Didn't know a hoe was on your list to do." "Excuse me?" I say. "You heard me." "Do not get it twisted. I'm not with him and I don't want him, if I wanted him I could have him. You should thank me you were able to trap him in the first place."

"Bit-" "Toya chill with that childish shit. Maliyah is not a hoe. Who are you even question me on any shit I do anyway? You aren't my girlfriend. Your only my daughter's mother." "Oh okay August we can play like that. Remember that when your trying to come over and see your daughter." "You can't deny me my daughter. Grow the fuck up man. This is what I get for sleeping with a damn hoodrat." Well damn. "Aug can you take me home?" I ask.

I'm ready to go and I'm not supposed to be here in the first damn place. "Yes baby." He has to chill with this baby word. Toya sucks her teeth and laughs. "Aliyah and I will see you later then August." "I'll be back up here as soon as I get her home safely." "I'm sure." I roll my eyes and walk out of the room with August following behind me.

We get back to my house. August grabs my face and kiss my lips. I pull away and turn my head. "What's wrong?" "Nothing. I'll catch you later." I say getting out the car.