Beyond Us.

4.

4.

Lauren.

I was up early as hell, on a Saturday morning.!I've always been a morning person, but I knew I was awake because of the anticipation of having breakfast with Amir. I went over to my suitcase to find something to wear for the day when Skylar came in my room.

"Mommy is making breakfast. Do you want French toast or waffles." She asked. "I'm not eating. I'm getting ready to go out to breakfast." I replied still looking for something to wear. I began wondering if I wanted to be casual or dressy. "Who are you going with?" She asked, making me look over my shoulder at her. I saw she had a knowing smirk on her face.

I had told her about last night, running into Amir. I ended up cursing her out for not telling me he was at the club. "Bitch, don't play dumb. I'm still mad that you didn't tell me he was there. He's taking me to breakfast this morning." I rolled my eyes, and my phone started playing it's generic iPhone ringtone.

"Hello," I answered trying to sound calm, when honestly my heart rate sped up. "You at your mom's house? I'm coming over there at 8:45 to get you, I know you're already up." I heard his smooth voice come out. I looked at my phone for two things. 1. To see what time it was. It was 7:40, and 2. To see who it was calling my phone acting like they run shit.

"You don't know if I was up or not, and its only 7:40. That only gives me an hour to get ready." I told him, huffing. "I told you last night you're still the same. I know you, and you know me better than to question that. Now get ready cause I know when I get there you still ain't going to be ready." He said and I could hear him smiling through the phone.

His smile was infectious, even when I was mad as hell it would make me soften looking at his perfect teeth and dimples that only showed when he was really happy. "Alright I'm getting ready." I said, hanging up the phone before he could say anything else. I laughed and then looked at Skylar to see her smiling her ass off. "Get out!" I yelled at her laughing as she walked out of my room wiggling her eyebrows at me like a maniac.

Since it was June, and already pretty warm out I decided to put on a Marc Jacobs sheer, baby pink button up shirt, with my white ripped up Citizens of Humanity Jeans and gray Ruthie Davis Caged Sandals. I was grabbing my gray Alexander Wang bag just as my sister came in.

"Amir is down stairs waiting for you, he's talking to mommy while you finish though." She let me know. I told her thanks as I went over to my dresser and sprayed my Gucci Guilty perfume. I came out of my room and saw Amir talking with my mom and it looked like they were busting it up.

My mom has always loved him. Even when we broke up they still talked. Even though she wouldn't tell me, I found out when I used her phone one day and saw his name in her call log. It seemed like he called her every few days. "I'm ready when you are." I told him, interrupting their laughter. He looked over at me and smiled. "Let's go. Bye mama." He hugged my mom and we left.

He helped me into the passenger side of his all black 650i BMW, before getting in himself. On our way to the diner he looked over at me and smiled, as we sat in a tense silence. Not wanting to say anything before the other. I felt nervous like I was back in 10th grade when I met him. I played with my fingers, and just looked out of the window.

After about 15 minutes we made it to the diner. We chose a booth to sit in, and grabbed a menu to look over. A minute or two later I felt eyes on me, and I looked up. He just stared at me making me blush. "What are you looking at?" I asked trying to get him to break his intense stare.

It took him a second to break, and he shook his head. "You, I can't believe you actually agreed to this shit. You been running from my ass for 3 years." He said as he leaned back still looking at me. I guess to see when and if I'll try to make a run for it. I can't believe he really said that though.

"Running from you? You sound a little arrogant we were done. I didn't have to stay around you, and I left for to be free." "What you mean you left to be free? I told you I wouldn't try to complicate your life anymore. I let you leave me!" He said becoming upset, drawing attention.

Just as it was about to get intense the waiter came over. The dark skinned teen looked no more than 17. "Good Morning, can I get you anything to drink." He looked from Amir to me and we both answered, "water." I paused, waiting for the waiter to leave.

"Look that Brooklyn shit is dead with me, Amir. I was never one of these bitches on the street with you. Yet that's all you made me. After cheating on me I couldn't move on with my life. Every time I went out it was, 'oh look there go Brook's ex girl'. Or when those raggedy ass bitches you were dealing with started popping in my face, like it was okay because we were done." I was becoming furious just remembering everything.

I thought being away would make me forget about all of the hurt but here it is. "Ma it wasn't even like that. I fucked up but I never thought we would be here with you...not around...I just don't feel right." He mumbled that last part but I still caught it. He paused as I reminisced.

Amir and I have known each other since we were 15 and were friends. He was in all my classes my 10th grade year. He was sexy, smart as hell, and he played basketball. We became friends and eventually started dating. We graduated high school and went to Fordham. Sophomore year of college is when everything went wrong. I ended up graduating early, and leaving because of a job offer.

He pulled me from my thoughts, "Above anything, I just want to be friends. Just in your life in some kind of way, I'm sorry." He looked sincere. I guess I've held on to these feelings for too long. I wanted to be over the entire situation and finally move on with my life.

"Yeah, we can be friends." I told him. He smiled and the waiter came back to take our orders. While we were waiting we caught up on everything that's been going on in our lives. I told him about my job working for as the Marketing Coordinator for a chain of clubs throughout Houston, Miami, Philly, Atlanta and hopefully NY next.

He began to tell me about how he's been with work. I've known that he was hustling since we were in high school. I don't agree with it. Honestly I don't like it. I want him to get out, but I'm not his mom so I'll support him with whatever because that's my friend. He continued to tell me about his girl. I'm kind of happy, and sad at the same time. The friend in me is happy that he has someone there for him but the other side is let down. I hope he treats her better than he did me.

After eating, we left the diner and he dropped me in front of my mom's house. He looked over at me as he parked, "I'm going to be in Houston in a couple of weeks. We should get up while I'm down there and you can show me around." I looked at him and nodded my head. We stepped out of the car and walked up to the front door.

I looked up at him and he closed the space between us. He pulled me into his embrace with me still looking up at him. "Thank you for being my friend." He bent his head down and neared my face. His breath whispered across my lips kissing next to them on my cheek. 'We can only be friends,' I told myself.

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