There was a knock on my door, interrupting my make out session with Mr. Jackson. Oh my God!! If we get married, people are gonna be able to say, "I'm sorry Ms. Jackson. Ooh!" I'm dying of laughter on the inside while Cole says, "Come in." Zeny, Ray, Tray, Santos, Kel and Dre barge in. "Oh my gosh! Are you okay?" Zeny asks. "I'm fine. I heard y'all were soldiers today. Good. But sorry y'all had to see that." I say. "No worries. We family." Raven says and I smile. Trayvon and Santos were looking at me and Cole whispering and then laughing. "Something funny, Terrence?" I ask. "Nah, but how y'all sitting?" He responds. Cole pulls the cover back so they can see and Tray laughs. "Oh shit! She actually listened. Kill em." He says and we all laugh. "Well, I'm finna slide. I just came to say that I'm glad Krissy has all of you." Dre says and leaves the room. I get up and run behind him. "Dre, wait!" I yell and he turns around. I engulf him in a hug. "Thank you. If it wasn't for you, I might not be here today." "I love you, Krissy." "Love you too, Dre." I say and kiss his cheek. "Be safe, niglet." I say and he nods. I go back to my room and see everyone on my bed. "What are we gonna do now?" I ask. "You not doing anything but resting so we finna watch every movie you own." Raven says. I shrug and climb into bed next to Cole. He grabs my hips and places me back in his lap. His hands then encircle my waist. Probably the best physical feeling I've ever had with Cole... besides kissing him. "Paid in full or the Friday trilogy?" Zeny asks and we all say Paid in Full. "My baby daddy in there. Yass!" Raven says and we laugh. Zeny puts the movie in and cuddles up to Kel. "Aye, check it out." I whisper to Cole. He looks and then we start rolling. "How old is Kel anyway?" I ask. "18. He got emancipated after our parents passed. He was 15." He says. I nod and then lay my head back on his shoulder.
*2 hours later*
"Ooh, I'm about dive in." I hear and then fingers are running up my thighs. "Oh no. Don't do that." I say and then someone laughs. "Thots! Leave me alone and let me sleep." I say and roll over. But no! These mofos wanna bother me. "I'm humming on ya balls." Tray says and I'm rolling. I turn back over to be met with Cole's grayish-brown eyes. My breath hitches. As much as I gush about his eyes, I never realized how truly beautiful they are. Ugh! "What do y'all want?" I ask, trying to avoid the burning stare Mr. Jackson is giving me. "We're bored. Can we draw on you and the girls?" Kel asks. "What type of shit is that? Most people wanna play a game maybe even sing. But you wanna draw on us?" They nod. "Hell nah!" I say and we all laugh. "Are y'all serious though?" Zeny asks. The boys nod. "We don't mind." Raven says. "But don't draw on my boobs or thighs unless you're Cole." I say and lay back. Next thing I know, a cold tip is on my chest. I open my eyes and Cole is smiling. "What you want me to write?" He asks and I shrug. Then he's scribbling directly across my chest. "Done." He says and blows to dry it. "Look." He says as he pulls me up and over to my dresser. He wraps his arms around me and puts his chin on my shoulder. Right across my chest, there was a names in a graffiti font. "Musique Averette Jackson or Kyrie Bianca Jackson for a girl. Terrence Bryante Jackson or De' Andre Kel Jackson for a boy." He says. I smile and will the tears I felt forming in my eyes not to fall. I pull him out into the hallway and grab the picture of my biological father's parents. I don't like that niggah but his parents were always there for me so I keep this photo. "Met when they were 8. Started dating in ninth grade. Married at 18 and 19. Have been together for 65 years. Do you think we can make it?" I say. "I do. No man, any age, doesn't talk about a future with his girlfriend unless he truly sees himself with her. And I see myself with you. So yea, I think we can make it 65 years strong. If not longer." He says and I break down. I've been holding back so many fears and insecurities that I need to let out. I slide down the wall and pull my hair. "What's wrong, baby girl?" "Cole, I'm so scared. I'm scared that you'll find someone better. I'm scared you'll get tired of dealing with my ups and downs. I'm scared you won't let me continue the discovery of the real you. I'm scared that... I'm scared that one day... you'll fall out of love with me." I say and he lifts my head up and wipes my tears. "I'm scared too. I'm scared that my words won't mean anything to you. I'm scared that I'll lose your trust. I'm scared lies will break us apart. I'm scared you won't see me in your future. And I'm completely terrified that you'll fall out of love with me." He says. I look into his eyes and at the same time, we say, "But you know what? Fears come along with a love as pure as ours. So yea, I'm scared. But I'm scared with you. And that's all that matters. Because you're mine and no one else's." My head hurts and I lean into him. I hear him sniffle. I pull back and wipe his tears. "You know when you cry, your eyes are gray." I say and he smiles lightly. "And yours are hazel." He says and lays his head in my lap. As I run my fingers through his hair, I say, "It's getting long. When you gone cut it?" "I'm not. I wanna see how long it'll get." He replies and I nod. We just sit in silence. Me thinking that I do NOT deserve him. But I have and I'm gonna hold on and never let go.
