Something about you (Norminah)

Chapter Nine

"Hey Hansen, are we still on for tonight? I checked out that Polynesian restaurant that you told me about and their menu looks good. How about I pick you up around 7?"

"Actually I can't tonight... I have to help Beck with something for work and I don't know if I'll be up to going out when we're done."

I don't know how, but I could tell that she wasn't being completely honest with me. "Oh okay, how about we do something this week?"

"This week might be kind of crazy for me, but I'll check my schedule and let you know if I'm free. I have to go, Bye Mani."

"Wait―" I started to say but Dinah had already hung up.

I tossed my phone onto the couch and felt a pair of arms wrap around me from behind. Aja pushed my hair aside and a moment later, I felt her lips on my neck. She left a trail of kisses and bit down gently before letting go. "I had fun last night," Aja murmured as she stretched; the t-shirt that she wore barely reached her thighs and I found myself staring, my phone call with Dinah momentarily forgotten.

"So I'm in town till Thursday and I have a three day shoot but we should hangout on Thursday before I leave."

"Sounds good," I mumbled. "Coffee?"

"No thank you, I have to get going. I promised Izzie that I'd hang out with her today." Aja laughed when I made a face. "Don't worry, you're my absolute favorite, and definitely the best in bed."

"I'm not worried," I mumbled, smiling for her benefit, although it probably looked more like a grimace.

As Aja was leaving, Mom, Gen and Grandma were getting back from breakfast. I hadn't been planning to go to the gym, but anything was preferable to having whatever conversation they'd inevitably want to have after seeing her, so I changed quickly and left just as quickly.

It was quiet, save for a few guys in the weights section and another lone runner. I hopped onto the last treadmill in the row and after stretching a little, I started my music, set my pace and started running. Since it was still cold outside, the heat was on inside the gym, and that, coupled with the grueling pace that I had set for myself meant that a sheen of swear covered my skin and droplets began to run down my face and limbs. I kept running, the sweat was a welcome addition, both cooling and making me feel like I was actually doing something.

Twenty five minutes later, I stepped off the treadmill and spent the next forty five minutes on a full body workout. It wasn't my t-shirt was stuck to my body like a second skin that I stopped. My limbs felt a little heavy but at least the weird feeling that I had gotten after talking to Dinah was gone.

On my way to the showers, I debated whether to go home now or not, and I eventually decided to just get it over and done with. When I got back to the apartment, Grandma and Gen were in the kitchen baking while Mom was on the phone. I dropped my gym bag by the door and kicked my shoes off as I walked further into the apartment. I went to the kitchen and sat on the counter beside where Grandma mixing pancake batter. She smacked my thigh.

"All these perfectly good chairs in the apartment and you wanna sit here where I'm working."

"It's because I want to be near you Grandma. Who's Mama talking to?"

"Board member. Actually they're not talking, she's mad at him because he's calling her on a weekend to discuss work."

I grimaced, "poor guy."

Gen waved me off, "he'll be alright. So is Aja the woman that you've been seeing? Because I totally understand the secrecy if she is."

"Oh no, no she's very bad for me. We were just hanging out while she's in town. I think things with the mystery woman have run their course."