Nobody's Business (BOOK ONE)

Chapter 15

"That will be four dollars and thirty-five cents," Corey tells the woman over the counter. She opens her purse and begins fishing around for money, her red fingernails look like butterflies flittering around as she searches pocket after pocket of her bag. Corey stares at her with a blank face, his hand still gripping the coffee and donut bag. The fact that people never have their money ready when it's time to pay for their food is one of his biggest pet peeves. You tell them their total, go and grab their food and they're still not ready to hand over the cash. Corey looks over at his co-worker Andre who laughs at the fustration on his face. He rolls his eyes and looks back at the lady, just as she hands over the exact amount.

"Have a nice day," He hands her the bag and the coffee. She snatches it without saying thank you and saunters away from the counter. Corey glares at her back, "Heifer," he mutters under his breath, causing Andre to laugh again. "Yo I'm bout to take my break after I ring up this nex customer." He tells him, Andre nods and moves towards the back to make more sandwiches.

A tall man walks up to the counter and orders his food, before bending down to ask the little girl holding on to his hand what she wants. As they debate over what donut she should get, the door of the shop opens again and in walks Aubrey. Her hands are hooked in the belt loops of her jeans and she looks exhausted. The circles under her eyes are visible even from where Corey's standing and he can tell she hasn't been getting much rest these days. She randomly runs out of class to throw up and sometimes is late to class because of dizzy spells and black outs. He's not a pregnancy expert but he knows that those arent normal pregnancy symptoms.

He looks back at the man and his daughter, "Will that be all?" The man nods as the little girl bounces on her toes. Corey types in their order, "That comes up to six dollars and fifty-three cents." He holds out his hand for the money, thankfully the guy is prepared to hand over the cash. Corey hands him the change and looks down the hall at where Andre is stationed. "Dre, get me a ham and cheese flatbread." He shouts.

At the sound of his voice, Aubrey looks up from where she's scrolling through her phone. They hold eachother's gaze for a moment before Corey turns around to get the little girl her strawberry donuts. Andre hands Corey the sandwhich bag then notices Aubrey who quickly looks away and instead focuses on the menu. Corey hands the man his food and motions for the other customers to go into Joy's line. Corey's loud mouthed, ghetto fabulous, knock off gucci bag wearing, co-worker. Andre eyes Aubrey up and down, "See lil mama right there? She's a ten."

"I guess so," Corey says untying his apron. "If you like pregnant girls." Andre does a double take, staring at her stomach that's showing off her shining navel piercing. He looks at Corey doubtfully and Corey shakes his head, "She's not showing yet idiot. But trust me, my old boy Keenan hit that and knocked her up."

"Hold up, Keenan Moore?" Andre asks, "I thought he was dating the twins little sister."

Corey folds up his apron and tucks it away under the counter, "He was schemin' on the low. Knocked her up when he went down to Florida. We just found out a couple days ago and Sevyn cut all ties. Ty and Malcolm are ready to bust him up but she wont let them. I say it's because she got some lingering feelings but hey, that dont concern me."

"Damn, bitches are triflin' these days." Andre says shaking his head, watching as Aubrey orders her food. Corey bobs his eyebrows and grabs a donut before hopping the counter and walking outside. He's been freezing inside the shop and needs to sit in the sun to warm up the chill in his body. He sits down at on the empty tables and pulls out his phone, eating his donut as he goes through some of his missed messages.

After a few minutes of sitting in silence, the rustling of a paper bag makes Corey looks up to see Aubrey taking a seat across from him. He glances from her to the dunkin donuts bag in her hands before looking back down at his phone. The air around them thickens with tension as they both sit there silenty. Aubrey studies him as he eats his glazed downuts, she stares at the top of his head that showcases the slight curls in his dark hair. Aubrey clears her throat and rest her arms on the table. "So you're not gon' speak?"

Corey's raises his head to look at her, he rakes over he appearance before staring her in the eyes. "I don't talk to phony people."

"You talk to Keenan." She retorts, her mouth quirking up in a scowl.

"Correction: I talked to Keenan. We haven't talked since we found out about his phuck and duck in Florida." Corey snaps back with his own attitude, Aubrey shifts under his intense stare and he purses his lips, "I'm confused, why are we even talking right now? Tryin to get me in bed with you too?"

Something slices Aubrey on the inside and she drops her gaze to the table. She now realizes how down for him friends Corey is. When they first met he treated her like they knew eachother for years, he kept her laughing and smiling with his easy going personality and confidence. Now it's like he's a brick wall. Cold, hard and showing no emotion. "No, I was craving a maple donut and was willing to drive all the way out here for one." She looks up at him, his gaze still locked on her. "I came to talk to you because out of everyone, I was thinking you might be the one to offer some sort of compassion."

Corey chuckles humorlessly, "What the hell makes you think that? After what you did to Sevyn and Keenan why would I give you any type of compassion? Sevyn's the one hurting, you knew what you were getting yourself into when you came here." His voice is flat as he speaks to her, eyeing her with disdane. "Don't let my cute look fool you sweetheart. I can be the nicest person in the world but I'm down for my friends and you screwed them over. All the smiling in my face and shit, all that flirting that you did even though you were carrying my friends baby. Like I said before, I don't phuck with fakes."

The silence between them lingers for a long time, both of them wondering what the others move is going to be. Corey looks down at his phone that isn't showing anything but a black screen. He didn't realize until now just how upset he is with Aubrey. The fact that she had the audacity to smile in his face just hours before she revealed that she was pregnant makes his blood boil. It reminds him of his mom, how she always told him that she would always be there for him to keep him safe and to love him and the next think Keenan knows, she's off marrying some drug dealer. He sees his mom in Aubrey, that's why he knows they can't be friends even if he wanted to.

"Look I'm sorry alright?" Aubrey speaks up, "I'm sorry for messing with your emotions like that but I didn't want to seem like a bitch and automatically shut you down." Corey remains silent and continues to stare at his phone screen. "I'm not the only bad guy here though. This is Keenan's baby that I'm holding...it's not like I meant to break a part his realtionship, I'm not that type of person. I've been in Sevyn's shoes and it hurts and I wouldn't purposely put her in that position, no matter what people are saying about me. I---"

"I gotta get back to work, my breaks over." Corey lies, standing up and throwing out the rest of his muffin. "Good luck with that baby." He tells her before opening the door to the shop and walking inside. He puts back on his black visor and walks back behind the counter, tying his apron around his waist. Andre walks over to him and puts a hand on his shoulder, leaning on his shoulder watching as Aubrey gets up from her seat and crosses the parking lot to her car. "Baby mama drama?" Andre asks.

Corey chuckles, "Not mine, thank God. I have enough issues of my own."



Ty's phone starts ringing off the hook and he groans before rolling offf Talia Morgan and grabs his phone from her nightstand. He puts it to his ear, "Wassup man?"

"Nigga whatchu mean? You were supposed to come pick me up an hour ago." Corey exclaims, "Where are you?" Talia giggles from where she's laying against a pillow, the sheets covering her bare body. Ty glances over at her and chuckles while Corey sucks his teeth. "You're with some girl aren't you?"

"Chill, give me ten minutes and I'll be there." He says into the phone before ending the call. He hops out the bed and begins tugging on his clothes, Talia watches him move, his muscles flexing making her wish that his phone never rang so they could go round three.

"So I'm guessin' you're out?" She asks, pulling her shirt over her head and fluffing out her matted hair.

"Yeah, I forgot all about picking Corey up from work. His father needs to get that boy a car." He says, tying his shoes.

Talia tilts her head to the side, her light brown hair falling down her shoulder, "Tell me about it," She says, remembering how she used to give Corey rides until Ty and Malcolm were allowed to drive their moms car. "And what's up with those bruises on his face? He told me he got into a fight at the club."

Ty scrunches his eyebrows together, "A fight? He didn't tell me about any fight." He says. Now that he thinks about it, he does remember seeing a few dark spots on Corey's face but he never thought much about them and figured he had a little accident or something. "Whatever happened, Corey will talk to me or Malcolm when he's ready. He's not the type to get all into his feelings."

"Are you that type?" Talia asks him, batting her eyelashes innocently. It's her secret way of asking him if he really like her or if he just wanted a quickie.

Ty looks over his shoulder at her, "You already know the deal." He tells her straight up.

Talia rolls her eyes, "What ever Ty, go pick up your friend." She says, climbing out the bed and pulling on some shorts. She walks over to her door and opens it up for him, gesturing for him to leave. Ty chuckles and heads for the door, but not before grabbing her around the waist and planting a quick kiss on her lips. He smirks at her and leaves the room. Talia shakes her head and follows him down the stairs. She knows Ty is bad for her but she can't help liking him a little bit, he knows exactly how to sweet talk a girl and make her for special.



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