How It All Happened

chapter eighteen

Layla

Turning 19 a few months ago made me feel as though it was time to grow up. I had less than a year left of being a teenager, so I felt it was best I move out of my parents place, and find my own. I moved from Miami to Tally, so we'd still be close, just not too close because my mom could be a little nosy when it came down to her "baby girl."

Finding out that Chris also lived in Tallahassee, brightened up my spirit just a little. I always had a crush on him, but just didn't bring it up because I didn't want to ruin our friendship, which was great. He was always here for me, and vice versa.

I didn't even know if he was interested in me anyways, due to the fact that me and Nyla were so different in looks. She was beautiful and chocolate, while I on the other hand was an average brown skin girl, or so I thought.

Who was I kidding though? I know nothing about relationships. I never had a real boyfriend. All guys ever wanted was sex, but to me, my virginity was something special. Yeah, a virgin.

Chris seemed different from other guys though. He seemed gentle, kind and not too worried about what a woman could offer to him physically. He actually took time getting to know a female, from what he told me about his past relationships. I was honestly surprised to hear that him and Nyla had never done anything sexual. After all, with looks like his, I'm shocked she wasn't throwing herself at him.

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Nyla

"The Parkers? You actually watch this corny shit?" Lucas came into my room, turning the channel from what I wanted to watch.

"Yes I watch it, and I'd appreciate it if you turned back." I rolled my eyes, growing frustrated. After all this was my room, my tv, and it was all being taken over. Trash from his food, wrappers from his blunts, and soda cans from him were scattered all over my floor. It was as if he had no respect for my space. I understand he was comfortable with me, but damn, at least show some type of respect.

I got up, and started to clean up his mess. This was beginning to be a repeated cycle, since we'd been hanging out for the past few weeks. I was blinded by him spending time with me, that I had tried to ignore how sloppy he acted.

"I'm the guest, shouldn't I control the tv?" He asked me. That was it, I couldn't hold back my feelings anymore!

"Lucas, this is MY room. If you can't respect my wishes, than I'm going to need you to leave." I snapped.

"Why you acting like a bitch? A nigga don't wanna watch that shit." He continued flipping through the channels as if nothing I said mattered.

Then it hit me. Chris would never disrespect me. If I wanted something, he considered my feelings. We both could watch the Parkers together, because we both were very similar. I didn't belong here with Lucas. I wanted Chris. I needed to talk to him.

"You know what, you can go." I pointed to the door, letting Lucas know he could exit stage left. I was a fool for even wanting to rekindle things with him. You couldn't change a person as hard as you tried.

"You trippin. Just lay down. Watch the damn show if it means that much to you." He threw the remote across the bed at me.

"It's sad that you don't even get it. Go." I repeated.

"It's always something with your ungrateful ass. Here I was trying to spend time with you, and you can't even appreciate that." He got up from the bed. "If I walk out this door, A nigga ain't coming back." He looked at me as if that was going to change my mind about kicking his ass out.

"Good, do us both a favor."

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I was laying in my bed, thinking. There were so many things going through my mind, but that didn't stop me from thinking about Nyla. I missed the relationship that was starting to build between us.

As if God was spying on my thoughts, her name danced across my screen.

"Hello." I answered.
"Chris, I'm sorry." She apologized, but I wasn't exactly sure what for.
"For?"
"Not being one hundred percent real with you. I was honest about not being ready for a relationship, but I went about it all wrong. I should have told you about running in with Lucas, I should've told you everything." She spilled out, but I wasn't sure if I was ready to just let her back in.
"It's nothing to apologize about, but we can't pretend that everything is just going to go back to normal. Just like you needed your time, now I need mine." I said honestly, not knowing when the next time she would just up and want to fix things with her ex.
"This must be about her." She stated. I could hear the disappointment in her voice, and I knew she was still assuming that since she heard Layla in the background, that I had moved on. Little did she know, SHE was all I thought about.
"Look Nyla, there is no "her." I said making air quotes as if she could see me.
"So who was the girl?" She asked, starting to get under my skin, because wasn't she the one who was playing puppy love with her ex?
"Just a friend." I answered honestly.
"Just a friend.... y'all love to say that." She snapped. She couldn't be upset with anyone but herself, even though there was nothing to even be upset about. She was the one who turned me down, not the other way around.
"Look Nyla, don't call me to be all up on my case. I don't move that fast. I was thinking about YOU the whole time you were giving me the cold shoulder, but it ain't my fault that you turned me down. I was really feel-." I cut myself short not wanting to be all in my feelings on the phone, telling her how I was feeling her.
"I'm about to crash, i'll hit you up tomorrow, maybe."

I hung up the phone doing just that, falling into a much needed rest, leaving her to think about her actions and how this would all be fixed.