Missing Key

Different You. Different Me.

A/N: Hey y'all! I'm back. I know I've been gone for a while. I sorta had some writer's block, but I promise I'll be back to give you some more! :)

"So, I see Jalen couldn't stick around," Quincy says breaking the silence. He doesn't remove his eyes from the road.

Like for real? I do not want to deal with this again. I'm so over Jalen and hearing about him. Can we just forget about his stupid games? I can't help but roll my eyes and simply reply, "Yeah."

Quincy laughs. He's not even phased by Jalen. "I don't even want to know what was his issue. Or even why he was yelling at you. That was so disrespectful. Not only to you, but Shaw." Quincy's hands grasps the steering wheel to his 2010 Audi 5000.

"Jay's not normally like that. Something go into him." I'm not trying to stand for Jay in any kind of way. But I can't have Quincy thinking Jalen is a terrible guy.

His hazel eyes gaze from me to road. "Well, I don't care what he's normally like. I could care less how he treats me, but he direspected you and that never flies wit me."

Damn, I think I got him sprung. I reach for his hand and say with a light squeeze, "Quincy, don't get so worked up about it. It's over." I give him a reassuring smile. "He's gone. Let's just enjoy today and our time together while we can."

All of that sounds good except that we both know we'll see him tomorrow. Quincy exhales, releasing some of the tension from his body. His jawline relaxes as the softness in his eyes reappear. We've only known each other a full 24 hours and he's already experienced the drama my life likes to occasionally pop up. I really hope he stays around to help extinguish the flames that are about to surface.

My eyes absorb every building we pass. i just want this day to be behind me. These past few days have left me so stressed. I need to relax and that's what I'm going to do. In order to fully do so, I need to forget about Jalen, the hoochie, the baby, Michael, and what almost happened with Jay. I truly can move on and forget about what we had. I've got to. I don't want to lose Quincy over some stupid elementary crush.

"Cierra, I need you to be completely, one hundred percent honest with me," he says not releasing my hand or taking his eyes off of the road. My heart stops. I didn't think he would ask me about Jalen's and I's relationship. "Were you and Jalen ever a thing? 'Cause I don't see him being pissed if he didn't have feelings for you."

Okay, Cierra. Here's the moment of truth. We can either start this thing off honestly or build it off of a lie. I'm tired of the lies, so I'll be honest with him. He really can't be mad since technically we aren't together. I exhale, "Well, Quincy to be completely honest, yes, but it never officially happened. We talked about it, but he's with somebody and I was with some one."

Quincy nods his head silently. I don't really know what else to say. I was honest for the first time in a while. His silence is making me nervous. Nervously, I begin to twist my curls. There's so much more to Jay's and I relationship. Describing what we had as simply a "thing" robs every experience that we shared. If he hadn't showed his ass the way he did at the studio or not returned my calls, we might have actually had something good, but we'll never know. I'm done sticking around for people that expect me to be down with them after they treat me like crap. He definitely cut me deep, deeper than he even knows.

"Did you ever kiss him?" Quincy questions again, causing my heart to race.

I close my eyes and exhale before answering. "Yes."

"Alright." He nods his head, carefully picking out his next words. A wrinkle forms on his forhead as he speaks again. "Last one and then I don't ever want to speak of whatever the two of you had. I just like to know the situation I'm about to walk in with you. I hate to ask you this, but when was the last time that you two kissed?"