Garden | j. green

011

"I'm just confused on when y'all became so close." Nimari questioned in an amused tone.

"He drove me home after the game and we had a good conversation. He came over once, just completely out of the blue," Noelani chuckled, "We exchanged numbers, snapchats and instagrams... We've basically been texting everyday. We're friends, he's actually a pretty decent person. I was wrong about him."

"Y'all are gonna be dating by Christmas, I'd bet money on it." Jasmine smirked.

"No offense, Jas, but we know him better than both of y'all. Don't get attached." Nimari warned.

"Ugh, lighten up! Me and him are just friends!" Noelani groaned, resting her head on Nimari's thigh, feeling her mass of curls support her skull like a pillow.

Noelani's phone began to vibrate on her nightstand, "Mari, can you check if that's Sydney?"

Nimari twisted his upper body a little to pick up her cell phone and raised his eyebrows, "Why is Jalen Green calling you?"

Coleman stiffened up at the sound of Jalen's name, "Huh?"

Noelani immediately turned to Jasmine who was giving her an extremely amused and knowing smile, "Don't say a damn word to me, Jas."

"I won't." Jasmine snickered before turning back to her own phone.

Then Noelani stood up from the bed to answer her cell phone, "Hello?"

"Yo, come open the door." Jalen said.

"What do you mean?" Noelani responded.

"What do you mean what do I mean? Come open your front door, girl."

Noelani sucked her teeth a little, "Y'all better have the pizza." Then she hung up without giving Jalen a chance to respond.

"I'll be back." Noelani fluffed the back of her hair then stepped into the hallway, her dog Cinnamon at her heels.

Noelani sped down the staircase then stopped in the foyer to wipe her eyes and mouth of any potential residual popcorn dust she had from earlier, fluff her hair again, licked her lips then opened the front door.

Jalen Green, Jordan Pope and Sydney Peters were on her front porch, a closed pizza box in Jordan Pope's hands.

"Hey, I mentioned I was coming here after and I couldn't keep them from jumping in my car. I hope it's not a problem." Sydney shot Noelani an apologetic smile.

"It's fine. Everyone's already upstairs, in my room." Noelani opened the door a little wider to signal them to come in.

Sydney and Jordan carefully stepped around Cinnamon to head up the stairs.

Jalen closed the door behind him and Noelani turned on her heel towards the staircase.

Noelani felt a sharp tug on the waistband of her black sweatpants.

"I can't get a hug?" Jalen mused, using the fingers he still had on her waistband to turn her around.

The feeling of his knuckles brushed against her hip and gave her a slight flutter in her abdomen.

"Can 'I get a hug ass' dude." Noelani laughed.

"You're not valid." Jalen shook his head.

"Come on, they're waiting for us." Noelani started up the stairs and she could faintly hear him follow her, his Air Jordan 1s squishing onto the cherry wood stained floors.

When her and Jalen got back into her room, Jasmine was now the only one on the bed.

Coleman and Nimari had given up on picking a movie and were instead debating over a playlist while standing over the pizza and Noelani's Alexa on her desk.

Jordan was trying to get Blue to move from the bay window couch so he could sit and Sydney was squatting in the corner of the room so she could plug in her charger.

"Cmon, doggy, doggy!" Jordan coaxed in a high pitched tone.

"Sounding like a little kid," Jalen snickered as he kicked off his sneakers, "Bad dog, sit!"

"Lay down! Roll over!" Jordan pointed at Jalen as Noelani sat on the bed next to Jasmine.

"The fuck is up with y'all?" Noelani snickered.

"They always do this." Sydney commented from the corner.

Jalen laid on Noelani's sweatpants covered thigh and Noelani glanced at Jalen, in surprise, who was gazing back at her.

Jalen winked at Noelani who in turn rolled her eyes playfully.

Noelani lifted her eyes to spot Nimari already looking at her with a purposeful gaze.

His message was loud and clear.

Don't get attached.

NOTE FROM KY
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