Forbidden Fruit (A Keith Powers Love Story)

Chapter 34

Keith

I looked down at my phone as I saw the familiar numbers displayed on the screen. Numbers I typed in. A phone number I know by heart, front to back.

It rang around 5 times before she picked up.

"Hello?"

Her voice sounds the same. I mean I wouldn't really expect it to sound different over just a few months but it was still refreshing to hear. But then I remembered why I was calling her in the first place and that small smile that crept on my face morphed back into a comfortable straight line. "I just got back in town, can we talk?"

"What is there for us to talk about Keith? I'm busy." Annoyance seeped through with the tone she used but I held my composure.

"Meet me at Marc's around 1:00," I said. Marc's is a diner that everyone knows.

"Keith I can't..." she sighed.

"Xara, I don't care. I need to talk to you. Face to face."

"Do you remember what happened the last time we talked face to face?"

I looked up to the ceiling and silently asked God for strength. I clenched my phone in my hand. "Listen, just meet me there. That's what I want to talk about."

"Fine, Keith, fine!"

She hung up.

I put my face in my hands and let out the longest sigh. In all honesty, I wanted to cry. I wanted to hate someone. I wanted to blame someone but the only person who's at fault is me. I'm the one to blame. I did it.

I've jeopardized everything with one mistake.

"So I talked to the family lawyer and she said at most you could spend up to a year in jail but she could get it down to just a few months," Clarissa walked into my room scrolling through her Iphone X. I looked up at her lazily.

Was she really coming in here with this? Right now?

"Get out."

She stopped and looked at me with a blank expression. "Wha- Kei I'm just trying to help you out-"

"I don't need your help just go!"

I watched as she slid her phone into her pocket and nodded, walking back out. I laid back. Vibrations in my back caused me to sit up, grabbing my phone.

It was Maliya.

Maliya

Worried just isn't the word for what I've been feeling for the past two days. Keith was supposed to arrive the night before last but he never showed up. We've been calling him non stop, everyone. All of us. They've only been filming parts Keith wasn't in but no one felt right.

We were all worried sick.

"Hello?"

I couldn't believe my ears. I had hopelessly called him, figuring he wouldn't pick up but to my surprise he did.

"Keith," I exhaled, "where have you been? We're all worried sick!"

"Maliya... I'm fine. I miss you though. I'm still home. I just uh had a few things going on here I need to take care of."

I furrowed my eyebrows as I heard him shuffling around. Something just seemed off.

"Are you serious? Keith when will you be back? You do realize you're holding up the production of a movie, right?"

"Listen there's nothing I can do, okay? When I get back I'll explain more, okay? I love you."

I paused for a moment, chewing on my lip as I mumbled an "I love you too," saddened by the abrupt end of the call I had been anticipating for two days now.

Sighing, I tossed my phone in my bag before placing my head on the steering wheel. I strongly believe that he's not saying something but I keep those thoughts. I was floating in my own presence, drifting off deep into a daydream when there was a soft knock at my window. I looked up and saw Algee with a concerned look on his face. Hesitantly, I rolled it down, and sniffed.

"Maliya, are you okay?"

"N-no," I shook my head.

I heard Algee sigh. "Let me in," he said. He walked around to the passenger's side and I unlocked the car. Once he got in, his stare burned a hole in the side of my face. "You wanna talk about it?"

I sighed, "I just spoke with Keith."

Algee sat up, intrigued. "Is he good? He's on his way right?"

"No. I don't know when he'll be back," I shrugged, resting my arm on the arm rest.

"Maybe you should go see for yourself," Algee suggested.

I thought about it. I mean going back to Illinois wouldn't be a bad idea. Plus I could see my mother, Aunt Janice, and Leah. "You don't think that would be overstepping boundaries?" I asked him.

Algee pursed his lips, looking at the dash. "Well I don't know the depth of y'all relationship so that's for you to decide. Unless you just open your mouth and tell me what y'all got going on."

I shook my head. "Mm mm Algee Smith don't start with me today I already told y'all that's our business."

He sucked his teeth. "You can tell me. Plus I can help you better," he cheesed.

I surrendered. "Fine. But you have to swear on your life you don't say anything," I bargained.

"Cross my heart and hope to die."

"AND you have to go to Illinois with me," a large smirk grew across my face.

"Ah what?! Fine. Now you gotta tell me everything everything. Every single detail."

"Deal." We shook on it.