Preacher's Kid|MJ

20 | From Hell To Heaven, Pt. 2

She flashed a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I've been really good. You?"

"Can't complain here either," he replied, tracing his lower lip with his tongue. She looked so damn good. He couldn't help himself but stare at her so boldly. "It's good seeing you for real. Still look the same but finer."

Brian could sense the tension getting thicker and offered to get everyone drinks. "Y'all want a drink or somethin'?"

"Just get me a Pink Whitney if they have it. If not, some Crown mixed with crandberry juice," Irish told him.

Brian looked at Michael. "What 'bout you, cuz?"

"I think I'ma roll with you."

"A'ight then. Follow me this way."

Before Michael made a move, he leaned into Irish's ear and asked for reassurance, "You gon' be straight out here?" She nodded. "A'ight." He kissed the side of her neck. His eyes stared ahead at Merlin who was watching them. He soon caught up to Brian as they headed towards the front door of Omar's house.

Zachaeus was in his own world smoking a blunt per usual, and China left to speak with a group of girls she recognized from across the yard.

With Michael out of sight, Merlin took a few steps closer to Irish. "Married, huh?"

Her eyes that were once roaming the packed front yard shifted to him and arched a brow at his question. "Yeah. Six months."

"Hmph," he hummed bitterly. "Y'all cute or whatever. I always thought you'd be my wife, though. Would've looked way better being on my arm instead."

"Merlin, please," she guffawed. "What's up with all this?" She referred to his behavior she knew was never like him. Maybe things did changed since she hadn't been around so long. And for him to come off in this manner was a complete turn off. Granted, she was happy to see him. They were friends once upon a time and kind of grew up together, but his behavior stemmed from the feelings he once had for her. In his case, they were still there with zero intention of hiding them.

"I'm not tryna disrespect you and your marriage, but you can't say that our last time together wasn't special. I know you wasn't checking for me like that back then, but I still got feelings for you, baby."

"First off," she began, holding a finger up, "don't call me that. And secondly, we were teenagers. What you felt was puppy love. Now this conversation is over." She made an attempt to leave but felt a gentle tug on her wrist. She looked down at his hand gripping her then up at his face. She snatched it away.

"So you never felt anything? You lost your virginity to me at sixteen. That speak volumes. Then turn around and fuck me again the following year. You had to have felt somethin' for me to give it up twice."

"Merlin, grow up," she stressed. "Again, we were teenagers. And I lost my virginity to you because I was a li'l hot in the ass and you were easy access. And the second time, I just wanted to fuck. I'm a grown woman who is happily married now. So drop the irrelevant conversation because it ain't gonna go anywhere."

A deep chuckle emitted from his throat. "What's your marriage got to do with us, though?"

Irish brushed passed him to leave but stopped in her tracks. She turned around looking at him with a blank stare. "Nothing. 'Cause what we did was nothing." She left him standing there feeling like that teenaged boy all over again.