"You know, you didn't have to walk with me to pick my little brother up." I inform as Darnell and I stand outside the middle school. "Some might find it creepy."
"Really? Some might find it sweet actually." Darnell says otherwise. "Making sure a young lady gets home safely with her little brother in a rough neighborhood."
I place a hand on my chest. "Such a gentlemen."
"I aim to please." Darnell smiles at me. "So, Corey told me that he asked you to come back to play for him but you had turned him down."
I face him completely as I cross my arms. "Do you and my dad just sit in the house talking about me or something?"
"All the time, you're always the topic." He turns towards me, crossing his arms so that he's mirroring me. "Have you ever reconsider coming back to Crenshaw?"
"With everything I have going on back in Beverly, I never consider moving back home." I admit. "I definitely miss being here, being apart of my community events, being with my friends and family. This will always be home but—"
"Beverly became a home for you too." He finish my sentence. "That's has to be a hard spot to be in, leaving behind one home for another — if you choose to stay in Beverly then the people here will be mad, if you choose to come back then the people in Beverly will be mad; no matter what you choose, somebody's going to be mad."
I squint my eyes at him. "Are you trying to make me feel better or. . ."
"I wasn't finish." He laughs. "In the end, when you are reconsidering whether you want to stay Beverly or move back here, you have to let it be your choice and nobody else."
"Though that was good advice. I have enough people in my life who are trying to become my therapist and I don't really need anymore volunteers."
Darnell holds his hands up and says, "Just offering some friendly advice that's all, but for now on it'll cost you for my friendly advice."
"Wow." I scoff and shake my head in disappointment. "Just like all the real therapists, the first one free then try to rob me of my money just to give me meaningless deep quotes and ask me "how does that feel," for an hour."
"No, with me is different." Darnell informs. "I won't give you the meaningless deep quotes so you good."
"Sam!" A voice calls out to me, I barely even looked away from Darnell before I was being pulled into a hug. I smile and hug Dillon back, I really missed my little brother more than I had initially thought. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to pick you up obviously." I say when he breaks the hug. "If I knew that spending one Christmas away from home would make your voice deeper and you a lot taller, I would have came back home a lot sooner. Why are you growing up so fast?"
Dillon smiles and pops his collar. "A few more weeks and I'll be taller than you."
I believe him too, I'm not tall to begin with — which seems very unfair because being that Spencer and I are twins I feel like we both could have been the same height, or at least in could have made it to 5'8. Spencer got to he 5'10 and I stopped at 5'5, and now I'm about to be a little big sister because Dillon going to be taller than me by the end of the year.
"In a few more weeks and I'll be taller than you." I mock. "Shut up. I didn't come pick you up to rub in my face about how short I am, I know."
"I'm happy you're back." Dillon smiles as he gives me a side hug before we start walking to the house. "But are you going to tell me about the random guy walking with us? Cause I don't remember Jordan being that tall, skinny, and dark skin."
"Because Jordan isn't this tall, skinny, or dark skin." I tell him.
"Exactly. Who is he? And is he walking with us?"
I didn't even know how to break down Darnell relationship with our dad, and it's clear that dad didn't know how to explain it to him or Spencer. "Uh. . ."
"I'm Darnell, I just moved here a couple days ago. I'm a friend of the family." Darnell tells Dillon when I fail to find my words. "Your dad didn't want you or your sister to be walking home alone in a rough neighborhood, so I told him that I would escort the two of you home today."
I knew that there was no way that Dillon was going to believe that lie.
"No, he didn't." Dillon says as he stares at Darnell with squinted eyes. "I've been walking home alone all this time and he has never had a problem with it, and Sam definitely doesn't need anybody walking her home."
"You calling me a liar?" Darnell questions.
"Well, I ain't calling you a truther!"
"What's with all the hostility?" Darnell walks ahead of us a bit then turns around so he walking backwards, he opens his arms and ask, "We got beef little man?"
I watch the two of them bicker back and forth all the way to the house, Darnell helping me by distracting Dillon until I can get my words together and tell him who Darnell actually is and his relationship with dad. But seeing how comfortable Dillon has became with Darnell in his short walk to the house made me think he wouldn't take the new like Spencer did, he might be a little upset but he'll get over it.
At a much faster pace than Spencer will, but I know that Dillon will be just as understanding as me but for a different reason. I think he just wants dad to stick around and if that means accepting Darnell, he will because by the way they messing with each other now — it'll be an easy acceptance. It's was entertaining watching the two of them play around with each other, it felt like such a long time since I had smiled without forcing it.
"Okay, shut up already." I said I shove myself between the two of them when we got to the house. "Y'all been going back and forth the whole way."
"You shut up." Dillon mocks my voice.
"If you felt left out just say that." Darnell mutters.
I pause at unlocking the front door to shoot a glare over my shoulder at the both of them, Darnell points to Dillon while Dillon points Darnell. "Idiots."
Without the two of them talking I could clearly hear my mom yelling, unlocking the door I step inside to see my mom standing on one side of the room while my dad stood on the other side of the room. "No, Corey! Just no. How many times do I have to tell—"
When the front door closes is when my mom stops talking and looks over at the three of us standing in front of the door, I smile and waved. "Hey." Mom covers her mouth as she look away from me, I hear her release a shaky breath before she looks back at me. Dropping her hand from her mouth and placing the hands on her hips then in a soft voice she says, "Hey, honey. Uh, welcome home."
It pains me to see tears in her eyes and I find myself walking over to her with her with my arms stretch out, she meets me halfway and engulfs me into a hug. "I missed you so much! Don't you ever spend that much time away from home like that again, okay?"
"I won't." I assure her.
When she has her full of hugging me she breaks the hug, she pushes her hair out her face then ask, "Are you staying for dinner?"
"Yeah." I slid my bag off my shoulder and drop it on the floor next to the door. "What's for dinner tonight?"
"Chinese food."
"I'm buying." Dad says.
"Uh," Dillon looks at dad then at me then back at dad before saying, "Maybe you can join in on the next family—"
"No, it's okay. He can stay." I tell Dillon, seem like Spencer or Dad told them about me deciding to make amends with dad. "Hey, dad."
"Hey, Sam." Dad smiles.
Darnell clears his throat, thankful taking the attention off me and onto him. "I walked Sam and Dillon home like you asked." Corey looked genuinely confused. "No need to thank me, you're welcome."
"Who's your friend Sam?" Mom questions.
"Apparently he's a family friend." Dillon says as he plops down on the couch.
"Well, his name is Darnell and he's actually staying with dad for a while since his mother is deployed at the moment." I explained.
Dad smiles. "How did I know it would be you who become friends with him first?"
"Because apparently I'm the understanding twin." I said what he said to me then night that he told me about Darnell. "You're welcome to stay for dinner, Darnell."
"Thank you, I was waiting on my invite." Darnell says as he drops his bag besides mine. "I was starting to feel a little left out over here."
"Now, we wouldn't want that now would we?" I ask mockingly. "Make yourself at home."
Mom ordered everybody favorite food from the Chinese store, usually we split our favorite food with each other because Spencer was a fat child and wanted a taste of everybody food so since then we've just been doing like that. I decide to take my phone out my bag though I didn't turn it back on; while we waited for the food Dillon showed me everything that he got for Christmas, I told him I bring him his Christmas gift next time I come over again.
I set a mental note to actually buy him a gift now, I won't say I didn't have time more like I couldn't find the will to get out the bed. Layla and I spent our Christmas laying on a very comfortable hotel bed, doing absolutely nothing — some days we didn't even talk with each other and we are sleeping in the same bed. But of course I didn't tell them that when they asked me what I did for Christmas, told them the same lie that Layla and I have been telling everybody.
That Layla and I went house shopping with her dad for a new place and that we went on a little shopping spree, which isn't really a lie because Layla has been doing a little shopping. Dad had paid for the food when it got there, once Dillon and I had finish setting the table we sat down and ate together.
Dad had explained what his full relationship between him and Darnell was, Dillon had took it pretty well which I had figured he would. Mom was totally supportive especially when she heard about his mom being at war right now, and not knowing when she's coming home. Darnell had told us stories with him and my dad, I was kind of jealous of all the memories he have with my dad when I only had bad memories of him, but I wasn't too mad.
I mean, sure, I wish that he would have stayed around for his biological kids — could have saved us from years of our abandonment issues. But regardless of that, Spencer and I have Billy — he came into our life just trying to use our talent to help him win some games but then he became family. I have more father-daughter moments with Billy than I do with my own dad, I really see him as a father figure to me which is why I was hurt ton out that he had quit and didn't bother to tell me.
Felt like he was just doing the same thing that my dad did, things weren't good at home so he just left and didn't say anything. Granted, my dad did come back; but that's why I wasn't too mad about the Darnell situation, and understood why Dillon was so keen on wanting to meet him when he had first came back. While Spencer and I had Billy, Dillon had us.
"I wash the dishes." I stand up from my seat and start collecting the plates.
"I'll help." Darnell grabs the forks and cups then met me in the kitchen, he stands besides me at the sink. "I haven't even taken you out on a date yet and you already having me meet your family already, you must really like you."
I make a shock face then ask, "Is it that easy to tell?"
"Obviously, you're an open book."
"Darnell, you are our guest. You do not have to clean." Mom voice fills my ears. "I'll help Sam with the dishes, you go sit down and relax."
"Yes, ma'am." Darnell push away from the counter. "I hope you're okay while I'm gone."
I place a hand over my chest and say, "I'll try to survive."
Only when Darnell fully leaves the kitchen does my mom stands besides me, she grabs a dish towel and starts drying off the dishes I pass to her. "It seems like Darnell and you are really hitting it off."
I shrug. "I guess, he hasn't done anything to make me not like him."
Mom hums. "How are things with Jordan?"
"We're fine."
"Are you sure?"
I stop washing dishes to turn towards her. "Yes, why?"
"Well," Mom sets the dish towel down and cross her arms. "Usually when things are not good in a relationship people tend to unconsciously look elsewhere. I did to to Corey with Billy, and if things are bad between you and Jordan then you might be doing the same thing to Jordan with Darnell. And I can see the appeal, he's a very handsome young man."
"Well, no offense but I'm not you mom."
"Okay, I try to find what wasn't offensive about that."
"Sorry, but I mean, everybody acts like a guy and a girl can't be just friends. Look at Chris and me, nothing has ever happened between us." I point out. "I know you're just trying to help but nothing will ever happen between Darnell and I. I'm not a cheater."
"And neither was I, baby girl." Mom gives me a small smile. "It all just sorta happened."
Once the sun goes down I decided to head back to leave before it gets too dark because by the time I get to Beverly, it should be dark. "Thanks for dinner, but I need to head back to Beverly." I announce as I raise off the couch.
"I'll walk you to the bus stop." Darnell says as he gets off the couch then walks to the front door, grabbing both our bags off the floor.
Giving my mom a hug I say, "Maybe, just maybe, next time we can have a home cook meal cause it feels like all I've been eating takeout a lot lately."
Mom laughs as she hugs me back. "I cook your favorite meal next time."
"Thank you." I hug her tighter for a couple more seconds, ending our hug I decide to mush Dillon on the side of his head before heading to the front door. "Good night, everybody. I'll be back soon for my favorite meal."
"Get back safely." Dad waves me off. "Darnell, I see you back at the house."
Darnell and I say our final goodbyes before leaving the house, definitely a good move to leave while it was still light outside because if I left when it was dark then I'll practically be getting there around midnight. "So," Darnell draws out. "It seems like you haven't been home in a long time."
"Wow, you just want to know everything about everything. Such an inquisitive person. No type of boundaries." I say to him. "But, you're right. I haven't been back home in a while if you must know."
"I must know." Darnell nods his head. "Because I have to know how often you come back here so I can know when the next time imma see you." He burst out laughing. "You should have seen your face."
"Ha-ha." I do a slow clap. "You're so hilarious. The next Kevin Hart."
We talk about absolutely nothing until the bus comes, as the bus stops in front of us he pass me my bag and says, "If you just do happen to be skipping school again then maybe you can come watch to our practice."
"I think about it."
"What's your number?"
"Meeting my family, eating dinner together, all on the first day of officially meeting and now you want my number. Don't you think we're moving too fast?" I ask, I get on the bus and show the driver my bus-pass then turn to face Darnell. "Good night, Darnell."
"Good night, Samantha."
I find an empty seat in the front of the bus, being that I left much earlier than my usual time there are a lot of people on the bus. Due to how long this ride back to Beverly about to be I turn my phone back on, I am not about to sit here and listen to these people conversation or the random noises they be making. I could have asked Layla to pick me up but between her clinginess and Olivia basically asking if I'm okay every other day, I just need some space away from both of them.
Upon my phone turning back on I watch as all the notifications come in at once, it's a mixture between Asher, Spencer, Jordan, Olivia and Layla. Spencer called multiple times and text, he wanted to know where I was and why was I replaced for the 7-on-7. Olivia called multiple times and text, she wanted to know where I was, what I was doing, and was hoping that whatever I was doing it wasn't relapsing again.
Layla didn't call but she did text me a bunch, which consisted of her telling how Beverly had lost the 7-on-7, if I wasn't at the game then where was I, when was I coming back to the hotel, was I coming back to the hotel, and what I wanted for dinner. I didn't really care about any of these so I just kept swiping away the notifications, until I saw the one text that Asher had sent me. He wanted to meet up and talk because his mother is back.
My music cuts off when my phone starts ringing, it's the same number that has been calling me all throughout winter break. Now that I know it's not Olivia calling me I decide to pick up and find out who it actually is. "Hello?"
"This is a prepaid call from Tyrone Moore an inmate at the county correctional facilities, all calls are—" The rest of the words seem to fade away after hearing Tyrone name, but I get snap back into reality when I hear his voice. "It's about time you answered the phone. I know you remember that favor you owe me, well, I'm coming to collect on it."
꧁𒊹︎꧂
"Do you have plans today?" Layla questions as she sits down at the end of the bed, lacing up her sneakers. "If you don't, do you want me to bring you back something to eat."
"We're teenage girls who are in committed relationships." I point out. "Isn't our Saturdays usually mark for date night or something?"
"So, you and Jordan made up?"
"Uh, no." I sit up in bed. "My Saturday doesn't involve him, so then maybe Saturdays isn't always mark for date night then. Guess I was wrong."
"The two of you just need to make up already." Layla. "Olivia trying to get me to convince you to hear him out, Jordan trying to get me to convince you to hear him out, and Spencer won't shut up about it. Probably the reason why he wants to meet up."
I place a hand on my chest and pout. "I'm so glad that I'm the topic of conversation, nice to know that the people care." Layla stands up and turns to face the bed, unlike all her usual annoying preppy girl outfits — today she's dress in grey sweats, a plain oversized purple shirt, sneakers, and her hair tied back. "Are you going on a date dress like that or are you running out to buy a much better outfit?"
Layla looks down at her outfit then back at me. "What's wrong with with my outfit?"
"Nothing." I dart my eyes away from her for a second, I look back at her with a smile. "I'll make sure to throw some change into cup along with your other homeless friends."
Layla rolls her eyes and heads for the door. "Goodbye, Samantha."
"You called me by my full name, you must be mad at me." I say jokingly. "Don't worry I throw a twenty in your cup to make up for it."
"Oh, shut up." Layla says before closing the door behind her.
I wish our days could go back to being like this, laughing and joking, I know people have their good and bad days but now all of our days are just full of sadness. It was fun when I'd first started staying with her, but I guess we were really just distracting one another of our own problems until we couldn't. That night that we both had enough of our problems and dealt with it in different ways, was the night that our friendship had somehow became a bit different — I know it and she knows it too.
Grabbing my phone off the nightstand, I decide I should start getting ready so that I can be on time or at least not too late. I decided to take a note out of Layla book and go for the comfy look like her, dress in an oversize black shirt, I throw a oversize grey sweater and matching grey sweatpants. My hair wouldn't have the same messy effect that Layla has though, if it was in its natural state then it would have the same messy look. But the curls that were in my head are fading away, so my hair looks messy on purpose. So actually, I took half a note out of Layla book.
"Hey." Simone smiles and stands when she sees me walking towards her, she surprises me with a hug once im at the table — didn't know we reach that level of this new friendship yet being that this is the second time of us meeting up. "Thanks for meeting me here."
"Thanks for inviting me." I pat her back awkwardly until she release me, I sit down across from her. "At least you invited me somewhere to a place where we can actually talk to one another and you don't have to worry about getting a ride home with a stranger."
"I mean, it was a Vigil." Simone says. "I went in knowing that we weren't really going to be talking to each other, but I was happy to be apart of that moment. But getting a ride back home with a girl I didn't come there with was a first."
"Yeah, I should have just taken care of my errands another day." I admit. "But you soon to learn that the best quality about me is that I always keep you on your toes."
"I thought your best quality was football."
"Yeah, that too." I shrug.
Thankfully the waitress comes to ask us about what we wanted to drink just as an awkward silence was about to fall between us, we sit in silence looking over the menu until Simone leans onto the table and ask, "Is it always this awkward making new friends?"
"I don't know." I admit as I set my menu down to and lean on the table. "Maybe this why I don't have that many friends."
"Please." Simone scoffs. "You're hella popular."
"No, I'm well-known." I correct. "If you look close enough you always catch me with the same people. Before I had moved here I always hung out with my small circle of friends, the people I grew up with and my football teammates. Had no choice but to really become friends with The Bakers because I moved in with them, met Layla through Olivia, met Asher because of football and met you in the bathroom on a bad day for both of us. You're actually the first person that I've met that none of my other friends know, that's apart of my usual friend group."
"Maybe you can tell your new friend that is not apart of your usual friend group why you were crying that day."
"Right after you tell me why you were throwing up in the bathroom."
"Nevermind."
The waitress comes back to the table. "Do you ladies know what you want to eat or do you need a couple more minutes?"
"We just need a couple more minutes." Simone tells her, we sit back in silence but only for a few seconds because she starts talking again. "I think I'm pregnant."
I already figured she was pregnant when she was throwing up in the bathroom, but I didn't care because I had my own issues I was going through. "Well, throwing up isn't always a sign of pregnancy. So, if you—"
"My period hasn't came on for weeks."
"Well, if you have been working out more than normal than sometimes that can—" I stop talking because even I wasn't believing what I'm saying. "You're probably pregnant."
"Oh, my God." Simone covers her face with her hands.
"Well, having a late period can mean a lot of things away from being pregnant. Maybe you have new eating habits, you've been working out more than usual, or stress. The only way to know for sure is if you take a test, three to be exact."
"I know." She exhales deeply, she moves her hand away from her face. "I've been trying to have the father come with me to the doctor so we can know for sure, but he's making it so clear that he doesn't want anything to do with me or the baby."
"Hey, if he's still not wanting to go and you don't want to go alone then I can come with you." I offer. "It's better if you have somebody there rather than nobody."
Simone smile. "I'll take you up on that offer."
"So, how did you meet him?"
"It's not a romantic story if that's what you're hoping to hear. Uh, I was his rebound and he was mine, we were only having sex in the beginning and that's all I really wanted because I was getting out of a situation myself. But my feelings had gotten involved and I swore that he was feeling the same way until he ghosted me for a few days, I thought he was scared of us getting close so he was pulling back. So I had pulled back and hooked up with the guy I was dealing with before I met him."
"Fast forward, we hooked up again but it was different from all the other times and for weeks we spent time together — some days we didn't even have sex. Just enjoyed each other company so I thought. He started dating and he didn't even have the guts to tell me either, he just ghosted me again. I was pissed off about it." She pause for a second to stare me in my eyes. "I'm still pissed about it. I didn't understand what's so special about her? Why did he choose her over me? So, I decided to make him and his girlfriend miserable every single chance I get."
"But are you making them miserable? Or yourself?"
"Both." Simone admits.
"Enough with my villain origin story." Simone says as she cross her hands on the table. "Tell me how you and Jordan met."
"Well, our parents have history with each other but we didn't know that at the time, but my mother had asked Billy if he could come recruit Spencer and me. She wanted us out of Crenshaw because of how dangerous it was and how much trouble we kept getting into at the school, she thought coming to Beverly would be beneficial for us. I had met Jordan on the first day, he showed me around and introduce me to some of the football players."
I chuckle to how bad it was when meeting Asher for the first time. "Jordan and I was getting along but he kept clashing with Spencer, after winning a game Jordan had gave the school we had went up against the tip that we weren't living in Beverly. He was trying to send us back to Crenshaw, he was jealous of Spencer and Billy little bonding moments. But in the end agreed to let us move into his home."
"Jordan has always been clear that he liked me since I met him and I knew that I liked him but after some past stuff I wasn't ready to start dating." I told her. "It always seem like we were on the same highway but going two different speeds, like we kept passing each other. I didn't want him when he wanted me and he didn't want me when I wanted him, but that was because of a whole different situation. "
"Then when we did want each other at the same time, it was ruined over a misunderstanding and we didn't interact with each other for some time because I was still angry with him and because I started dealing with somebody else. " I continue. "Long story short: we started dating but he started avoided me because of an issue with our parents and that kiss at the state championship game was us reconnecting. Now you're catch up to date."
"Is everything alright between the two of you?" Simone questions. "Not trying to get into your business but isn't Saturday's usual date night?"
"We're. . . Dealing with the usual relationship issues. He's been calling and texting me like crazy but he hasn't been texting or calling for the last two days. Part of me is happy that he got the hint that I don't want to talk, but part of me is mad that he gave up."
"You should go talk to him. Just sit down and have a conversation, sit down and talk about everything that's been bothering you and that's been bothering him. Maybe he stop trying to contact you because he has something that he wants to talk to you about, it could be important. You should hear him out."
"Yeah, I think about it."
The waitress comes back to the table. "Did you ladies figure out what you wanted to eat yet or do you need a couple more minutes?"
"Five minutes, please." I tell her, the waitress says nothing but walk away. "We should actually figure out what we want this time before she spit in our food."
"Agreed."
I decided to take Simone advice and go talk with Jordan so after we finish eating lunch, I'd paid the bill and took an Uber to The Bakers house. "Honey, I'm home!" I announce my presence once I unlock the door and step into the house, tossing the keys onto the side table by the door I walk deeper into the kitchen.
"We're in the kitchen!" Olivia yells out. I wasn't expecting for Olivia to be home and she is also on the list of people that I've been ignoring, now I kind of feel like I'm in a two-for-one special right now. "Good afternoon, Sam."
"Good afternoon, Liv." I drag out slowly, I stare at the back of Olivia head surprise at how causally she's talking to me because the way she was blowing my phone up, I just knew that she was going to talk my ear off next time I saw her.
But if she wasn't going to bring it up then neither was I.
"Hey." Jordan voice fills my ears, my eyes instantly find him sitting on the other side of the island.
My body moves faster than my brain because before I could stop myself I'm rounding the island and making my way over to him, I stand between his legs and wrap my arms around him then rest my head in the crook of his neck. "Hey."
He wrap his arms around me and hold me tight, I spent so much time in the last few days staying away from him only for him to barely touch me and realize how much I actually miss him. "I thought you were mad at me."
"Oh, I am." I break our little embrace but he clasps onto my hips when I try step back away from him. "But it's not fun being mad at somebody when they can't see you being mad at them so I decided to be mad at you where you can see me."
"Awe, that's way cuter than you missing him." Olivia says causing both of us to look over at her, she just smile at us before continuing to eat her cereal.
"Anyway." Jordan says. "You were right. I shouldn't have let that go down with Jasmine the other day, I shouldn't have let her gotten that close and I shouldn't have been pouring shots down her throat. I wouldn't like it if some guy pouring shots down your throat and being press to your side, I wouldn't want to start "doing you" because I had told you I was "doing me". There's no excuse that I can give you to make up for what had happened, but I can tell you that it'll never happen again."
"Like JB and Jaden Smith once said: Never say never." Olivia says which has us looking over at her again. "Sorry. Didn't mean to ruin the moment. Don't mind me."
"Like I was saying." Jordan continues. "It'll never happen again. After everything that we have been through just to get where we are now, I don't want that little mishap be the reason why we don't stay together. I really want this to work out between us."
"I really want this to work out between us too."
"And I'm also sorry about the necklace, I'm saving up to get you a much better gift that but you got to wait for it."
"I'll happily wait for it. And I bet I love it even more than the first one." I tell him before I place a quick kiss to his lips. "With that out the way, I've been meaning to ask." I point to the flip phone on the table. "Whose phone is that?"
"It's Jordan's" Olivia laughs. "He's hashtag grounded. You should have seen his big fingers trying to send a message on the phone, he had to press one button like five times just to form one word."
"You're not too far behind me." Jordans says. "I definitely remember mom saying that she has a beeper with your name on it?"
"Yeah, but she has no reason to ground me." Olivia counters. "Unlike you who's using dad guilt as evil since he came to coach."
"Oh, you're dad is back at the school?" I ask.
"Yeah." Olivia says slowly. "You didn't know that?"
"She wouldn't know that because she hasn't came to the last couple practice." Jordan informs.
"Sam missing football practice." Olivia says. "Interesting."
"Hey, Liv." Mrs. Baker voice fills my ears as her heels clicking against the floor. "Can you text Sam and ask—" She stops talking when she gets to the kitchen and sees me, she stands besides Olivia at the island. "Oh! Hello, Sam. I didn't know you were here."
"Hello." I smile. "Did you need something?"
"I was just doing some research and I have something I think would be really good for you and Olivia, something the two of you could do together." Mrs. Baker says as sets her tablet up. "In fact, it has you written all over it."
"I don't see Olivia playing football." I move away from Jordan to stand besides them to see what they're talking about, I know it wasn't going to be football related but when I saw the screen it definitely wasn't something that had me written all over it. "Sola muse."
"Yeah, they help you develop your leadership skills. And they do philanthropic work in the community." Mrs. Baker informs. "And it would look really good on college applications."
Olivia and my eyes meet before we slowly say, "Okay."
Mrs. Baker smiles and clap her hands together to say, "And the best part about this is there is a cotillion at the end of the year to celebrate your efforts."
"I'm still struggling to find out where this has me written all over it." I say.
Jordan laughs. "Wait, wait, wait. Olivia and Sam at a cotillion? You mean, like debutantes and gowns and the little white gloves? Oh, man! This is gonna be too good."
"Make sure to take pictures and videos on your phone." I tell him then look at Olivia. "Oh, wait."
"You can't take pictures and videos on your phone." Olivia finishes.
"Thanks for caring about my college application but I think it's clear that I'm not into any of that." I say to Mrs. Baker.
"Yeah, I'm with Sam on this one." Olivia agrees. "I also don't see where any of this has me written all over it either."
"What?" Mrs. Baker scroll through the article. "Come on. Look, community outreach, now that has Sam written all over it. You tried get signature to help keep Crenshaw park safe for the kids. A strong desire to help others in need, that has Liv written all over it."
"I'm going to have to politely decline." I tell her. "Just not really my thing."
"If Sam's not doing it then I'm not doing it either." Olivia says.
"Come on, please, Sam." Mrs. Baker pleads. "Just give it a shot. And if you still don't like it then you can at least say you tried. And this can be the one thing that the two of you do together, the only thing y'all actually do together is do to school. You have football with Spencer and Jordan, but what do you have with Liv? This can something that is just for the two of you have together."
"Okay, fine." I give in. "I'll go."
"Yes!" Jordan cheers, rubbing his hands together. "I'm going to enjoy this."
I shoot Jordan a glare because he's just having just a little too much fun. "Actually, Jordan, I need your help reaching something my closet."
"Okay." Jordan raise up from his seat and follows me out the kitchen, we head upstairs and walk to down the hallway to my room. "Do you think I'm a distraction to the team?"
Opening my room door I let him walk in first. "If what Liv is saying about you using your dad guilt for evil then that means you're undermining all his calls, calls that would possibly be helping the team. In that case then yes you are a distraction to the team." I tell him as I walk inside the room and close the door behind me, he stands by my bed and turns to face me ready to make an excuse but I stop him. "But you're working on family issues so you kinda have a pass, but you can't use that forever."
I push him down on my bed and crawl on top of him, straddling him causing him to stare up at me with his mouth slightly open. "I thought you needed help looking for something in your closet."
"How else was I going to get you to come to my room without your mother being suspicious?"
I lean down until our lips are brushing against each other, I can feel his breath blowing on me every time he exhales. He set his hands on my hips, his fingers digging into the skin on my sides but it didn't bother me. I flick my tongue out my mouth and lick his top lip, he reacts quickly and take my tongue into his mouth and sucks on it. There was something so erotic about that and I loved it; one of his hands leave my hips to grab the nape of my neck, he pulls me down to completely place my lips fully on his. The feel of his lips against mine sends goose bumps racing up my arm, my heart beat going crazy against my chest and I'm not sure if it's for the lack of oxygen or for how heated this kiss has become.
"Maybe we should stop." Jordan suggest when he breaks our kiss, panting heavily but I do not blame him because I was breathing equally as hard as him.
"Why?" I question as I wrap my arms around his neck.
Instead of answering my question he lift his hips up and yank my hips further so that they meet, letting me feel exactly why he wanted to stop. I laugh and mean down to his ear to whisper, "I ask why. You only gave me a reason to continue."
Pulling my bottom lip into my mouth I tug at the hem of his shirt, he catches the hint and take the shirt off then I push at his chest until he lays back down. I lean down and lick the throbbing vein on the side of his neck then softly say, "I really want to. . ." I trail off when I suck on the throbbing vein.
"Want to what?" He slips his hands under my shirt and slides his hands up my back only to find out that I'm not wearing a bra. "You killing me here, Sam." He groans. "Finish your sentence. You really want to what?"
"I really want to. . ." I start as I straighten up I push my hair out my face, reaching over into the nightstand and grabbing my Carmex. "Thank you for helping me find my lip bam, my lips been feeling a little dry lately."
"Sam—" Jordan tries to stop me when I climb off him, I head to the door. "If you walk out this room, you're declaring war."
"Thanks." I open the door. "You've been a big help. I won't forget this."