So What?

Chapter 25: Yellow.

"Chanel, can you give us a minute?" I ask her and she stares at me. "Please?"

"Okay. I'm right outside if you need me." She says before she stands up. She walks out of the room and Richard walks in. He stands at the foot of the bed, analyzing me.

"Who would do this to you?" He asks, rubbing my feet. I shrug as I stare at him.

"I don't know." I tell him.

"You've been avoiding me. And I understand if you need some space since the last conversation we had. Maybe meeting my family can wait." He says, coming close to me. He takes the seat Chanel was just on as he touches my hand.

"No, no. I would love to. You know that. I've been avoiding you because I've been really busy. Life has been throwing meteors at me." I joke and he smiles.

"You don't have to go through this alone. You know that." He says, rubbing the back of my palm with his finger.

"I do." I say, staring into his blue eyes. "When did you get so cute?" I ask, running my fingers through his hair.

"Stop." He says, looking away.

"Did I just make a grown man like yourself blush?" I ask him, shocked.

"I'm a boy at heart. You know this." He says, smiling at me.

"My boy." I retort. He leans in and kisses me slowly. I feel like he's treading lightly because he doesn't want to hurt me more than I already am.

"Jasmine, your mother just got out of the elevator down the hall." Chanel shouts from outside.

I immediately pull away and Richard stares at me, confused.

"You should go. My Caribbean mother will literally tear your ass apart if she sees you in here." I tell him. He looks disappointed but stands up from the couch.

"I'll see you when you get out of here, okay?" He says and I nod.

He walks out of the room and Chanel walks back in.

"Okay, who was that man and why is he that fine?" Chanel asks and I giggle.

"He's nobody." I say, looking out the window.

The sun is setting.

"Well, nobody has you smiling like you're high off an edible." Chanel says and I glare at her.

"What? It's true. You have smile lines and all." She quips.

"Sorry, I'm late." I hear my mother say as she walks into the room. She has a big bag in her hand and she walks towards the bed.

"You look better." She says, smiling. "Hope you're ready for a feast?"

"You have no idea." I groan.

***

Smoothening the wrinkles on my yellow Chanel plaid sweater. I stare at my reflection in the mirror. I'm going back to school today. I've been out for three weeks thanks to Aaron. He didn't even send me a message after I covered for his dumb ass. I'm applying lip gloss when my Aunt walks into the room.

"That two-piece looks expensive." She comments and I stare at her.

"It is." I quip.

"Um, I wanted to let you hear this from me." She says and I stare at her.

"Hear what?" I ask, preparing for the worst possible answer to my question.

"The guy at immigration came through. Your mom is almost a US citizen." She says and I stare at her in shock.

"No way." I say, putting the cap on the lip gloss.

"I can't believe it too. It feels too good to be true." She says as I rush to give her a hug.

"Her birthday's in a few days. We can surprise her with it then." I say after I pull away.

"That'll be great." She tells me, smiling at me. "This wouldn't have been possible without you, Jasmine. So, thank you." She says and I feel like I'm about to cry.

"Auntie, please don't. I just did my makeup." I say, fanning my eyes.

"My sister really won the lotto when she made you." She says and I shake my head.

"Stop. I don't want to be late because I keep fixing my makeup." I complain.

"I'll let you go now. Have a good first day back." She tells me as I blend the powder on my face.

"I will." I reply.

My phone rings and my Aunt takes that as her cue to leave.

"Hey." I say as I answer the phone.

"Good morning beautiful. Are we still on for tonight?" Richard asks me and I nod.

"Yeah. I can't wait." I tell him, slinging my backpack around my arm.

"What's all that shuffling in the background?" He asks.

"I was just putting on my backpack." I tell him as I walk out of the room.

"Auntie, I'm going to school now. I'll see you when I get back." I announce.

"See you later." She replies from the kitchen. I walk out of the apartment and down the stairs.

"Sorry about that. How are you doing?" I ask him, holding the phone to my ear as I open the door leading out of the apartment.

"Better now that I've seen you." He says and I'm instantly confused.

"What are you-"

"On your right." He says and I turn right. He's leaning on his car, with his phone in his hand. I run to him and give him a hug.

"Hi, babygirl." He says, rubbing my back.

"Hey." I say, softly.

"You shouldn't be doing all that running. You know that." He says and I roll my eyes.

"I'm just excited to see you." I tell him.

"But not excited enough to kiss me, huh?" He says and I wrap my arms around his neck.

"You have to work for that." I say, teasing him. "Plus, I have lip gloss on. I wouldn't want to mess it up." He steals a kiss after I say that and I scowl at him, pulling away.

"Get in the car. I'm taking you to school." He tells me and I glare at him.

"Alright, I'm sorry." He says, smiling at me. He opens the door to the passenger seat and stares at me.

"Come on." He pleas. I get into the car and he closes the door after me.