August 30th 2020
11:34 P.M
The Butterfly Effect HQ, Los Angeles, California
"Shh, you'll wake up my roommates," Javier's laughter bubbled up, escaping his lips in a cascade of nervous joy. He carelessly bumped into the dresser, his heart pounding with the thrill of anticipation as he stumbled onto the bed.
"I don't care," the man husked, gripping Javier's neck to pull him closer. Matt's lips trailed up Javier's neck, leaving a tingling warmth in their wake, as if each kiss held the promise of both escape and entanglement. A sharp tang of tequila hung thick in the air, seeping out of his pores and burning Javier's nostrils with every breath as he closed his eyes and purred beneath the man's touch.
This was the routine for Javier for the last three weeks. Every other night he'd find himself in whatever club Los Angeles had to offer. There he'd get unlimited drinks, due to his celebrity status, and go on the prowl for whatever lucky man that caught his eye.
But it wasn't just any sleazy man he looked upon. They had criteria to meet—green eyes, floppy brown hair, and standing a little over six feet tall.
He knew it wasn't healthy and he certainly knew it would all come crashing down eventually but he was so tired of getting hurt.
Javier loved love. He loved the high of it. The fire and intensity that it burned with.
To love is to ache. You couldn't have love without pain. And like Van Gogh said, the more you love, the more you suffer.
But Javier wasn't willing to suffer. And the closest he could get to love without the repercussions was lust.
Lust was fun. Lust was easy. Lust was safe.
And most of all, lust was painless. It could never break his heart. He could be as selfish as he wanted. He could be as reckless as he dared.
Nothing mattered except for this distraction. Because distractions were temporary. And this would be all over soon, just like the others.
But for now, his entertainment for the night was Matt.
"Jay?" they heard from down the hall.
Javier's stomach flipped inside out as the steps grew nearer. "Shit. You have to go."
"The hell? Are these guys fricking Nazis? Why are you so scared of them?" Matt asked, but Javier already had him by the arm and was leading him to the window.
"Unless you want to be questioned for the next hour, you should probably get out of here," Javier said urgently.
Matt quickly clambered out of the window, barely making a sound as dropped down onto the trampoline. Javier watched anxiously from the window until Matt had safely cleared the area before closing it and turning to face whoever was coming down the hall.
Zaire peeked his head around the corner, gazing suspiciously at Javier. "You okay?"
"Yep, I'm fine," Javier replied with a forced smile. "Just coming back from Chick-fil-A."
"Right, sure," said Zaire skeptically. "I guess that explains this then?" he picked up the motorcycle helmet.
"So, that is..."
"And why I just saw this on the ring camera." He held up his phone, displaying a video of Matt jumping out the window. "If you're gonna lie at least make it a good one. Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays."
A cold shiver crawled down Javier's spine, leaving his face drained of all warmth. "Look, I can explain..."
Zaire raised an eyebrow. "Well, let's hear it then. What on earth is going on here?" He crossed his arms and waited for Javier to speak up again.
"I—
Zaire watched him stammer over his words with a blank stare. "Uh- buh- Zaire mocked his stuttering. "Are you seriously trying to come up with a lie right now?"
"Why are you being so dramatic?" Javier's eyes rolled skyward. "I was hooking up with a guy, not robbing a bank."
"Yeah, since when do you hook up with anyone?" Zaire asked, folding his arms.
"Since I— hold on. Why am I even explaining myself to you?" Javier said defensively. "It's none of your business."
"When I haven't seen you in weeks and then I wake up to a guy sneaking out of your window, I think I'm allowed to be concerned."
"I just-" he heavily sighed. "All I'm doing is what Nate has been doing for the past two years, why are you acting like the world is ending?"
"Because that's who Nate is and that's not who you are," Zaire exclaimed.
Javier was confused by his statement, trying to figure out what he meant. "What? Are you saying I'm not allowed to sleep around?"
Zaire shook his head and sighed heavily. "No, of course not," he said in a resigned tone. "But I know you Javier and I could never imagine you doing this. So whatever hurt you so bad that you had to run away and do this, I hope you figure it out."
A lump lodged itself in Javier's throat like an unwelcome guest refusing to be ignored as he processed what Zaire had said. He glanced away, taking a moment to compose himself. "Ok," he said quietly.
Zaire nodded solemnly before turning away, leaving behind an uneasy silence that lingered in the air. Javier watched him go, the weight of what had just happened finally settling on his shoulders. He knew that Zaire was right.
But Javier would rather be at peace than be right.
He'd rather be distracted.
Because distractions kept him from feeling, thinking, and most importantly, remembering.
So, Javier would continue to do what he does best.
Forget.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Coming!" Nate shouted as he ran down the stairs.
Egypt chuckled, before looking down at his nude chest and boxers. "What a great sight to start the morning," she said, lightly pushing her way past him into the house.
"I never wake up this early. Cut me some slack," he replied. "So I know we were supposed to go to sip and paint, but we have a special guest coming today," Nathan ruffled Azure's hair as she toddled into the living room, rubbing her sleepy eyes. "Hey, baby girl. Guess who's here?" he grinned.
Azure's eyes widened as she saw Egypt, and her face lit up with a bright smile. "Gigi!" she exclaimed, her little arms reaching for a hug.
Egypt crouched down to Azure's level, embracing her with a warm smile. "Hi, princess! You look fabulous," she complimented the Jean-Pierre apparel.
Azure grinned, babbling a series of excited sounds and pointing at her outfit. "Mommy... dress... pretty!" she managed, her enthusiasm clear even in her baby babble.
"Kelis has lesson plans she needs to go over and all my friends are busy so she's tagging along for the day. So, we'll have to dim it down to kid-friendly activities. But to start the day, hungry?"
"Starvin'," she rubbed her stomach.
"That is wonderful because I know a really good place," Nathan said excitedly. He scooped Azure up in his arms and they set out for breakfast. "Ready?" He pulled off and turned the corner, parking swiftly into a spot.
"Wait," Egypt looked around. "Did you actually just drive 'round the corner to get here? We literally could've walked here. You've wasted your petrol for that."
"I'd rather not hear Azure complain about being tired," Nathan replied as they walked up the steps to the small café. As they stepped into the cozy cafe, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee enveloped them, mingling with the irresistible scent of warm pastries emerging from the ovens.
Nate's lips curved into a faint smile, and he took a moment to absorb the familiar sights of the cozy café. His gaze wandered, reminiscing about the countless memories he had within these walls, savoring the warmth of nostalgia. His eyes scanned the cafe, finally settling on a small corner booth bathed in the warm glow of morning sunlight and set Azure down in her highchair.
"What should I get?" Egypt asked as she examined the menu.
"Honestly, anything you get will be good."
Egypt frantically searched the options before pushing the menu away with a puff of air. "Just pick for me."
"Bouncer!" a young man emerged from the kitchen, tying his apron. "What's up, man?"
"Hey, Will. I'm good, bro. Had to bring them back to the stomping grounds."
"That's not Kelis," Will pointed at Egypt before his eye squinted more when his gaze landed on Azure. "And as far as I'm concerned, April was much older."
"You have no social awareness at all, do you?" Nathan shook his head and chuckled. "It's a very long story. C'mon, do the whole speech. I'm waiting."
"You're such an asshole," Will rolled his eyes. "Welcome to Quincy's, where everything is made with love. The special for today is the powdered sugar and cinnamon French toast. What can I get for you lovely folks?"
"If I recall correctly you're supposed to be singing that greeting, Will," Nathan wagged his finger.
"I don't get paid enough for that bullshit."
"Azure will have the rainbow waffles, I'll have the Nutella pancakes and omelet and Egypt will have the..." he paused before smirking. "The Nathaniel Special. You remember it, right?"
Will held back a smile. "Yeah, yeah. I got it. Anything else?"
"Orange juice and a coloring sheet for Azure," Nathan smiled.
Will nodded before scurrying off to the kitchen. Just as he left, Egypt's polite smile dropped as she turned to Nathan. "What the hell is The Nathaniel Special? That wasn't even on the menu."
"Why would I ruin the surprise, pretty?" Nathan chuckled as he draped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. "Don't worry, you'll love it. I promise."
"What are you, like Quincy's royalty or something?" Egypt snorted, but she leaned into his embrace all the same.
"Girl, I used to run this city. Quit playing with me." Nathan bragged, winking at her. "They have my apron hung up like I retired my jersey," he chuckled, pointing to the striped apron perched on the wall in a frame. "God, I love this place."
"You worked here?"
"Yes Egypt. We all couldn't be born rich, some of us had to work for it." Nathan said matter-of-factly.
"Bouncer!" Nathan heard, turning to see his former boss, Quincy. The tall melanated man rounded the corner, his hair cut low in waves. "The heck are you doing ordering a Nathaniel Special, boy."
"It's the best thing you've ever made, bitch!" Nathan wrapped his arms around Quincy and the two men exchanged a hearty back-slapping embrace.
Quincy laughed and pursed his lips as he saw Egypt and Azure. Nathan rolled his eyes again with a smile. "No that's not Kelis. No, that is not my sister. She is my daughter."
"Do you know how to date anybody other than black girls?" Quincy teased, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, but why would I?" he turned to Egypt, who bashfully smiled. He stuck his head in her direction and laughed when she pushed him away. "Love a black woman from infinity to infinityyyy!" he sang.
"You're bare annoying. Hi, I'm Egypt," she said, extending her hand to Quincy with a warm smile. "What exactly did Macari do here, because I genuinely can't imagine him working anywhere."
"I tried to put him up front as a cashier, but he never remembered the codes for the cash register, then I put him on the floor as a server, but he would flirt with the customers. So I just threw him in the kitchen and hoped for the best." Quincy spoke. "I have to go but don't be a stranger, Bouncer," Quincy said with a wave before walking out.
"Another question," she began, catching Nathan's hum of anticipation. "Why do they call you Bouncer?"
"I could never be still. On slow nights, I'd just bounce around the restaurant, mess with things, sometimes mess with customers. So they just called me Bouncer from then on."
"I bet you looked adorable in your little apron," she teased.
"I sure did. You should ask your best friend," he commented, smirking when he heard a loud gasp. "Can't believe you're dating your best friend's baby daddy. Not a girl's girl at all."
"First of all, Kelis gave me the go-ahead. She was a little too happy to give you away. I think she just wanted you to leave her alone at that point," she chuckled as he kissed his teeth. "Second of all, last time I checked, I'm not your girlfriend, so that statement is invalid."
"Not yet," he answered with a sly smile that made her blush. "Soon, pretty."
"We have the Nutella pancakes and omelet, the rainbow waffles," he places the plates down, hiding the last plate behind his back. "And The Nathaniel Special."
"What the actual fuck," Staring at the towering monstrosity of the Nathaniel Special, Egypt's jaw dropped involuntarily. "This is mental. Like, you're actually an insane person."
Stood before the designer was a concoction of every sweet thing Nathan could think of. With a pile of French toast sticks as the base, ice cream scoops, pancakes, and various fruits sat atop it to create a large, assembled breakfast tower.
"Good luck finishing that," Will said before walking away.
"This is diabetes in a dish," Egypt exclaimed, her eyes widening as she took in the absurdly elaborate creation. "I'm not eating this."
"Had a feeling you wouldn't," he chortled, switching their plates around. "My high score was three minutes the last time?"
"What- oh Christ," she watched as Nathan sped-run through the dessert. In a mere two minutes, the plate lay empty before him, a victorious grin lighting up his face
"We gotta take this to go. We got places to be. Pull that wallet out, Ms. Billionaire. Spoil me, rich girl."
She rolled her eyes as they exited the diner with an amused smile. "Shut up, crazy."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Mr. Chandler, good morning. What can we do for you?" the suited man asked as he ushered Kian into a sleek, modern office at the record label headquarters.
"Morning, um, thank you for meeting with me. As you know, I'm a part of my other band, The Butterfly Effect. I have a small EP of some songs I wanna release. I'm not planning to leave the band or anything. It's just a small side project."
Jack, the A&R executive, raised an eyebrow and motioned for Kian to take a seat. "Side project?"
"Yes. I genuinely just want to put this out just to tell my story. I'm fine with it just going on SoundCloud."
"Kian, this is a very bold proposition. I mean, you haven't even put out your first album as a band, let alone a side project," Jack remarked, his fingers tapping lightly on the desk.
"I know this is risky, so you don't even need to promote it. You can take all the profits; I don't really care but I just want this out and heard."
Jack's tapping fingers grew more pronounced on the desk. "I need to be extremely sure that this is what you want. Your reaction to backlash doesn't have the best track record. We can't afford a repeat of... well, you understand." Kian nodded, avoiding Jack's gaze.
"I know, and I fully expect the same amount of backlash, but I intend to explain to the fans that this is not a departure."
Jack leaned back in his chair; his expression unreadable. "This is a very dangerous move, and I don't know how this will work," he started, hearing Kian sigh heavily, "but your band is one of our most successful artists and we'd like for you to be happy here, so I approve. I'll get one of the reps to help you prepare and finalize the release date."
"Thank you, sir," Kian shook his hand and swiftly left the building, not wanting to be there more than he needed to.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Miggy, this is like a lot of stuff. I'll have to take some of these things off of you." Beth leaned casually against the U-Haul.
"And what are going to do with my Pokémon collection?" Miguel chuckled, stuffing his toiletries into a box.
"Sell it. Have you seen how much these are selling for these days?" she said, before hearing a loud crash. "Again?"
"Don't say anything."
"How are you this clumsy? Aren't you an athlete? Where's your agility?" she teased before gasping. "You're like Bambi!"
"Elizabeth, please don't start this."
"Your new nickname is Bambi. No negotiations," she beamed just as Miguel placed the last box.
"You gonna miss me?" he sat next to her on the back of the truck.
"Not really. However, I do get more time with my side pieces so, I'll manage," she fakes a sigh.
"You can deflect all you want with your little jokes, but I know it hurts," he sadly smiled. "And trust me, I'm hurting a lot right now."
Beth's playful smile accompanied a gentle punch to his arm. "Maybe just a little bit," she croaked, voice shaky and lips quivering. "I don't even know why I'm crying."
"You're always crying at something," Miguel's gentle smile faded as he brushed his fingers through Beth's hair, trying to comfort her trembling form nestled against his shoulder. "You like to feel your emotions and that's what I like about you most."
Beth's voice quivered as she admitted, "I knew this day was coming but... I still feel so unprepared." Her eyes welled up, and she hastily wiped away the tears with the back of her hand. "I don't think I'll ever be prepared to see you leave."
"Me neither," he whispered. "But I bet you it'll be November before you know it."
"I just feel like-" she huffed as she sniffled. "It's feels too fast. I wanted more time together."
"And we will have more time. I'll make sure of it. I already told you; I don't care if I'm dead tired when I get to training, I'm going to take that drive or take that flight to see you. That's how much you mean to me. As long as I'm still yours, we will have all the time in the world. This chapter is just a pitstop, not the end." He hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head.
Beth looked up at him, her lips pressed together to stop the tears from coming out. Her chin quaked as she tried to contain them, but it was no use. The tears poured out of her eyes like a cascade and before she could wipe them away Miguel had lifted his hand and gently wiped them away with his thumb.
"We're gonna FaceTime so much that you'll get sick of hearing my voice and seeing my face. And then once you're fully sick of me, I'll fly back just so you can fall for me all over again."
Laughing through her tears, she said, "I'm already sick of you."
"Good luck trying to get rid of me then. Cause we're in this for lifeee," he sang, nuzzling into her neck.
Hugging her close, Miguel and Beth lingered in a quiet embrace, a shared moment suspended in time.
The silence was broken by the sound of Miguel's phone ringing. He reluctantly pulled away and grabbed it from his pocket. "Hey, I'm on my way out," he said before hanging up without another word. He kneeled to Beth's eye level and cupped her face in his hands. "Be good, dwarfie."
"Stop calling me dwarfie," she tearily chuckled.
"If you get to call me Bambi, I get to call you dwarfie. No negotiations," he mocked her soft voice. "Three months... it'll be here before you know it." He climbed into the driver's seat and rolled down the window.
A kiss landed on her lips, followed by a tender one on the tip of Beth's nose. "Just a pitstop," Miguel whispered.
She nodded, relishing in the final kiss Miguel placed on her forehead as she closed her eyes.
As the warmth of his lips vanished, the fading hum of the engine marked the beginning of their physical separation.
A heavy exhale escaped her lips as she turned to climb into her car, the reality of the impending distance settling in. "Just a pitstop..."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Look at the monkeys, princess," Nathan pointed to the display. The zoo wasn't the most romantic date but it would have to do for the sake of Azure.
"Ooh-oooh!" she clapped as Egypt steadied her tiny body on her shoulders.
"She so smart and advanced for her age," Egypt commented.
"I'm so lucky Kelis is a genius. Would've been very interesting to see how she'd turn out if she got my intelligence."
"You are intelligent though," she said, observing Nathan's raised eyebrow. "When you FaceTime me in the studio, I can see how your brain processes music. You can listen to a song and figure out what is wrong with it instantly."
"I wouldn't call that intelligence though. More talent."
"There are multiple types of intelligence," she responded, seeing he still wasn't fully convinced. "Think of it this way, everybody says you're an amazing songwriter. To be a great songwriter, you have to be smart enough to craft your words so intricately and poetically that it evokes emotion."
"I guess."
"Hi," they heard from behind. "Can I get a picture with you?"
"Of course," he smiled, turning to the girl. "What's your name?"
"Jennie," she pointed to Azure. "Is that your cousin?"
Egypt and Nate shared a brief look, a collective thought brewing between them.
Kelis' one policy when it came to her child was to keep her out of the spotlight. Having seen how destructive fame could be for child actors and overnight sensations, she was adamant that Azure would never have to experience that.
He respected her wishes, mainly because he agreed fame could be absurdly detrimental to children, especially for a child as young as Azure, and partly because Andrew advised him to keep Azure out of the spotlight, for PR reasons. Introducing a child to the world when a good portion of your fanbase was teenage girls wasn't the smartest choice.
It was one of the few reasons why she waited so long to inform Nathan about Azure in the first place, seeing that he was already famous. But in the previous months, the band had skyrocketed to global stardom. A type of stardom they weren't entirely aware of due to the isolation of the pandemic.
No longer were they a hometown success, they were international superstars, and trying to hide a kid when cameras followed your every move was astronomically challenging.
And it seemed that wherever Nate went, so did his little girl.
So when Jennie asked if she was his cousin, he simply smiled and said, "Yeah." He hated to lie to his supporters, but there was very little he wouldn't do to protect his daughter.
He smiled for the picture and hugged the fan, bidding her goodbye as he glanced over at Azure. She'd been standing behind him the entire time, her innocent eyes full of curiosity as she observed the growing crowd.
Egypt tugged on his arm. "Yeah, we have to get out of here. Once you say yes to one person, everyone else will take that as an invitation." Nathan nodded, picking up Azure and speeding toward the exit.
Navigating through the crowd, he reluctantly posed for pictures as smartphones were thrust in front of him. With the help of security, they made it out and released a huge sigh of relief. And then he heard a click. And another. And then ten more.
He clenched his jaw, slowly closing his eyes. "You gotta be kidding me," he stared back at the line of paparazzi lined up on the sidewalk. Egypt climbed into the backseat of the Porsche, trying her best to shield Azure from the flashing. "
The desperate shouts of the photographers increased and the incessant banging on the car window multiplied. "Daddy," Azure whined.
"These damn," he laid on the horn. "I actually can't see anything and if they cause me to have an accident, I'll kill someone."
"Loud," Azure covered her ears, now starting to cry.
"Screw it," he pulled away from the curb, the few who surrounded the car jumping back to avoid getting their feet ran over. "Are these a-holes following me?"
In his rearview, three black Suburbans tailed behind him, swerving through traffic on the highway.
He sped up to put some distance between them, while also trying to keep Azure as safe as possible. But as soon as his speedometer hit 93, blue and red lights flashed from behind, sirens blaring.
"Answer what you need to answer. Once you explain, I think we should be fine," Egypt advised.
The police officer slowly approached the window with a loud sigh. "License and registration, sir."
He quickly handed over the documents, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. The officer looked over the information, taking spare glances at the vehicle.
"I need your proof of insurance as well,"
"Here you go, Officer," Nathan said, offering the necessary documentation.
"Is there a reason you were speeding?"
"Those three vehicles back there were following me, sir," Nate replied holding the officer's gaze.
"You think that gives you the right to speed?"
"I think if three guys are chasing me and trying to capture unsolicited pictures of the three of us, I think I have the right to protect my daughter, my friend, and myself."
"I don't think that's an excuse to break the law."
"I think when you swerve around those three trucks and ignore them, but decide to pull me over, it clearly shows there's some selective policing happening here," he retorted. "Not only that, but they're photographing a child, which is highly illegal. But what do I know right?"
"Nate," Egypt hit his shoulder.
"Listen bud, whoever you are, I don't give a damn if you're famous. I don't care if you're rich. You were speeding. You're not getting special treatment."
"What? That doesn't- you know what man. Just write me the ticket so we can both get out of each other's face."
"Some advice for you. Perhaps don't wrap your car with neon green. Very easy for paparazzi to spot," he said, messing with the side mirror. "If you don't want attention, don't attract it," he harshly pats the door.
Nathan remained looking forward, not giving the officer a response he was looking for. His hands gripped the wheel tighter, knuckles whitening with the strain. "Have a good day, officer."
With a final glance and a satisfied smirk, he returned to his patrol car.
"Fucking asshole," Nathan muttered under his breath, peeling off the ramp. His eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, tracking the paparazzi speeding past. Soon enough, they were at Kelis's private condo, which they knew paparazzi had no access to.
"We're lucky Azure had her mask on. I really don't want to be yelled at by Kelis," Nathan let out a heavy sigh and collapsed on the couch, his body slumping with the weight of the recent events, his head falling back with a visible weariness.
"Speak of the devil," Egypt muttered as light footsteps approached.
"Where is Nate," was the first thing Kelis uttered.
He cracked open his eyes. "Hey Bubba," Nathan greeted, clearing his throat aggressively. "What's up?"
"I'm just here wondering why the father of my child was speeding, with said child in the car, no less." Kelis' calm introduction frightened Nate.
"Kelis—
"I'm honestly so sick and tired of having to remind you to use common sense," she snapped, the force of her words accentuated by the sharp collision of her fists against her palm.
"I'll let you talk this out. Azure, you wanna see my cats?" Egypt grabbed the child and walked her over to the next-door apartment.
"The thing about you is you don't think about anything," she seethed. "You just do. Then you expect everybody else to clean up the mess. I told you months ago to get security and you joked about how you didn't need it, but this isn't a fucking joke, Nathaniel!"
"Would you rather me sit there and let them take pictures of her? Isn't that what you wanted to avoid?"
"Does that mean you go on a thirty-minute highway chase? Or could that mean you call the cops and attempt to de-escalate the situation? Which one sounds better to you?"
"So, you want me to be perfect and make the right decision every time. Even when I'm under extreme pressure. Right, got it. I'll keep that in mind next time." Nathan said with a sarcastic thumbs up.
"I don't expect you to be perfect. I expect you to at least think about any other thought before you act on the first one that comes to your mind."
"Kelis, I don't think you understand how scary it is when fifteen men chase you down. Because I have to think about myself and my daughter now. Nobody is teaching me this part of parenting. There's no guidebook on how to be a parent while you're a public figure. It's going to be trial and error. So please... please try to understand," Nathan pleaded.
"I agree. I didn't make the right decision, and you have every right to be upset. We can sit here and argue in circles or think of a game plan to prevent this or if it happens."
Her eyes softened. "I want to be able to trust that she is safe and that you're safe as well. I feel like I'm worrying whenever she's with you and I hate that."
"Trust me, when it comes down to it, I'll do the absolute most to make sure she's safe. I already told you I have the Italian Mob on speed dial." Nathan quipped.
A small chuckle escaped Kelis, and despite her frustration, a hint of amusement danced in her eyes. "I hate you so much right now."
Nathan's fingers intertwined with hers, a desperate sincerity in his touch. 'We'll figure it out,' he murmured, pulling her into a tight hug. "Like we always do." His chin rested on her head, a silent promise in the warmth of the embrace. "Before I forget, Egypt mentioned something about you giving me away to her. Do I mean that little to you?" he joked, looking down at her with a smirk.
"Did you or did you not want a wing-woman?" Kelis asked with a raised eyebrow and crossed arms. "Right, that's what I thought. Be grateful I didn't tell her about what you did in Mexico."
"I'm assuming your weekly argument is over," Egypt walked in, placing Azure on the ground to run away. "I'm here to return your child. P.S. she's not a cat person. I will be expecting compensation for Stanley and Luna." She turned to return to her apartment.
Kelis pushed his shoulder. "What are you doing standing here? Go get her, dumbass."
"You love this dumbass," he called over his shoulder before entering Egypt's apartment. "Hey,"
"Hi," Egypt joined him on the couch.
"So date number two went awry," he laughed.
"Really? I didn't notice," Egypt replied, feigning surprise with a playful grin. "Honestly, wouldn't expect anything less from you. But at least it wasn't boring."
"After today, I need a massage," he lifts his feet into her lap. "C'mon put those hands to work."
"Oh my god! You just committed attempted murder with those acidic claws you call feet," she scrambled away.
"You're so not funny." He lay there with a blank expression but couldn't resist the urge to smile.
"This is biological warfare. I'd rather eat a couch than put my hands anywhere near those weapons. How dare you ambush me like that."
"Thank you again for today. Hopefully, the next date isn't so catastrophic. I'm actually really embarrassed it ended that way. I could not imagine what you're thinking about me right now."
"I don't think anything different of you. Stuff like that is hard," she said. "But I am curious, what you think of me. The second date is usually the one that gives it away."
"I think you're too good to be true. It's very rare that someone is smart, successful, a genuinely good person, and beautiful as hell," a subtle flush crept up her cheeks, visible even in the dim light of the room. "And I am so, so out of your league."
"Who says I'm out of your league?" she gazed up at him through her eyelashes. "I'm not out of anyone's league. I don't believe in leagues."
"Okay, here's a question for you. If I weren't who I was and I was just a regular college student like I was last year, would you still have entertained this?"
"You're questioning if I would be with you after I told you I stayed with my roadman ex for two years? You're taking the piss." she smiled as his boyish laugh reached her ears. "If I cared about the level my man was on, I'd be dating one of these vapid businessman assholes. But they fucking suck.
"Do I need my man to be rich? No, but I'd like for him to be self-sufficient. Do I need him to be a CEO? No, but I'd like for him to have at least some goals for himself. I literally don't care as long as you're not wasting your life. I was single for two years and I spent those two years being with myself and figuring out what I deserve. I need assets."
"Assets?"
"Yes. My career and finances are great, my family life is great, and I am so content with my life. Which means my man provides nothing to me except emotional stimulation. You need to add to my life, ergo an asset. So, are you an asset Macari, or are you a liability?" she eyed him up and down, waiting for his response.
"I think I'm an asset. In more ways than one," he answered with a sly smile, beginning to inch closer.
"How so?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at him.
Nate's fingers gently traced the curve of her neck, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that spoke louder than words. "I can give you emotional stimulation, mental stimulation," he winked, "and I think you know what other kind of stimulation I can offer."
"All you ever think about is sex," she said with a laugh.
"Who said anything about sex? You're the one who brought it up, pervert," Nate chuckled. "But I can definitely provide that, too."
"I beg you to have shame," she finally pushed him away. "So when are you gonna be my boyfriend, or will I have to ask you?"
He smiled, taking grasp of her hands and kissing them.
"Eventually."
-
Wanted to give you all a Christmas miracle, but my computer broke. So here's this late New Year's gift. Javier receives a rude awakening, Nathan and Egypt embark on date #2 (plus a special guest), with a rough ending, Kian makes moves with his solo project, and Beth and Miguel say their goodbyes.
Next up, the media attention intensifies, Javier contemplates his decisions, Kian and Madison celebrate their one-year, and old faces return.
If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to message me and I'll try my hardest to message you back as soon as possible.
Most importantly don't forget to smile at someone today, it might make them happy.
Stay Safe, Stay Pure, Stay Blessed.
xoxo BabyDoucheBag