𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇.

five.

"I mean, yea. I'm going with Neno."

"Pause." He laughed as I shuffled around the room looking for one of my black purses. "You got an ice cream date?"

"If you wanna call it that..."

"You so innocent, it's cute. Never lose your spark."

I just shook my head with a smile unsure what he meant by that.

"Have fun though. You need my opinion on anything else before I hang up? I'm finna go beat Remi doonies down.."

"No I don't. Goodbye." I frowned in disgust and hung up the phone, putting it inside of my purse and applying some Argan oil lipgloss to my lips.

I looked in the mirror one more time before walking out the door, getting into my car that I had got when I turned sixteen. It was black Nissan Altima that was a hand me down. I never complained though because it drove just fine.

I customized the interior and it looked nice so.

I put the car in drive and started my drive to Baskin Robbins, blasting Power Trip by J. Cole and Miguel. I was too excited and I couldn't explain why.

..

"You always had a mole right there?" Neno asked pointing at the small mole that was on the left side of my lip.

It was very tiny but he was all up in my face just looking at me so he saw it. He was actually making me quite nervous staring all in my face. What if he was realizing I was secretly ugly or something?

"Duh. You all in my face," I laughed moving back.

"You're pretty, I can't look at you? My bad."

"Thank you." I cheesed looking at all the different ice creams flavors and sundae options that were in here.

I also analyzed the workers and they looked really happy. Either they were really good at putting on a fake smile or they were genuinely happy at their job.

This seemed like a cool place to work and being that I was seventeen with no job about to go off to college soon I needed it.

"What you finna get?" I asked him as he looked at the different flavors also.

"Probably a hot fudge chocolate sundae with whipped cream, sprinkles, marshmallows, and a cherry on top."

"That's so big and greedy of you.. I was just finna get two scoops of vanilla but now I feel like your order outdoing mine."

"I get that every time I come here on God. How bout' we be twins and you get the same shit as me? I know you would like it." He suggested.

"How you know?"

"Cause if you don't then you're a psychopath." He shrugged as the waitress came over to take our order.

The waitress was an older white lady who looked really sweet. As Neno ordered for me she just kept looking at me and smiling. She wasn't the only person to be randomly smiling at me either, a lot of the other workers did too.

I think it was because we were one of the only people in here and maybe people didn't come here for dates often.

"I've got it. It'll be out shortly." The waitress smiled before walking away.

"Why everybody in this bitch so smiley? Am I just tripping or what?" He asked with a straight face causing me to burst out laughing.

"They probably don't get dates here often."

"Oh, a date?" He raised his right eyebrow and I squealed silently, covering my mouth once I realized what had left it.

"No, not like a date. But you know—"

"I like you." He cut me off.

"I like you too?" I said in a more questionable tone, confused as to what he meant by that cause it could be taken so many ways.

"Like being around you. The tutoring sessions, when we went bowling, now today. I don't know why I like you so much yet but I'm figuring it out the more and more we hang out."

Friendly interactions my ass.

I just nodded watching his lips move as he talked. I noticed the bottom one stuck out more than the top but not drastically. They were also two toned. Looking at them made me want to just cut him off with a kiss but I would never be that bold.

"I look good or something?" He licked over his lips with a slight laugh breaking me away from my gaze.

"Boy," I dragged out while covering my mouth as I laughed, pushing my shoulder length hair behind my back.

I have become one of those girls...

"I'm just fucking with you." He smiled as the waitress came back with our sundaes. "Thank you ma'am."

Respectful.

"So, that chemistry test—"

He cut me off while eating his sundae, "We are not in a tutoring session right now. We will not be mentioning school, chemistry, none of that."

"Well I don't know what else to talk about.."

"How many siblings you got?" He asked as I tried my sundae.

"None, only child. How many you got?"

"You give off that vibe I just wanted to ask still. I got five."

"Five? I would kill myself." I ate my sundae before realizing what I said, covering my mouth afterward.

"You good, but it is a lot at times. Especially since I be taking care of em' for real. My mama be gone all the time and you know how the dad situation goes."

"How do you take care of five kids while managing basketball and schoolwork? If you ever need help watching them I'm good with kids—"

"It's hard but I get shit done. And thank you for that I appreciate it." He looked at me before looking around the shop that was now empty.

Awkward.

"What's your Instagram? I've been trying to find it for the longest but my stalking skills have failed me and I cannot find that shit." He asked.

I typed in my Instagram once he handed me his phone, following myself immediately.

He got my socials, it's official y'all.

...