Jermaine
Home sweet home.
The air was so crisp compared to New York.
On some Inhale, Exhale-type Shit.
The tour ending meant a new beginning for me, and truthfully, I just needed space away from this little 'ol label that permitted me from finding peace.
North Carolina was an old memory granting a new start.
The tunnel surrounding meant I was oblivious to the colors of the skies.
"What should the time be?" I requested to Ib, walking and fiddling with my watch.
"Half past twelve." He responded.
I should of known. The light would flood through the canal as we finally stepped foot into the airport. Glad I was sleeping during the airplanes version of lunch, I caught site of the fast food chains at the rear of the building.
"Ib, you want McDonald's?" I grinned, rubbing my beard.
"Go on then!" Ib spoke in a British accent followed by me chuckling my ass off.
Ib started Milly rocking his way there as we added to the queues which varied in length.
He such a fool.
"You know you fat, right?" I laughed causing Ib to quit dancing about food.
"How n*gga?" He relaxed every muscle in his face.
"You had like..." I began counting on my fingers.
"Five meals on the plane, and now you eating McDonald's??" I smiled, raising my head.
"Man, you asked me!" Ib accused.
"That don't mean you not fat." I jabbed his stomach, quickly reversing before I was attacked.
'Hurt Ib' thought of a response, but failed to have any of his smart comebacks today.
"May I take your order."
I knew exactly what I was gonna do when we got home... It sent me chills just thinking about it.
"Thanks baby girl." I said, handing one bag to Ib and keeping the other.
I caught her blushing, faintly.
She cute or whatever.
Ib waddled away, nibbling a chicken nugget as I followed behind him to the parking lot.
We stuffed our faces before hitting the road.
I tapped some digits into the sat nav for FV gardens hotel.
Ib was in charge of finding a hotel as my house was still in construction. It was going to be in Raleigh, whereas we were all the way in Charlotte - somewhere I barely knew.
The sun still shon down on the broken out concretes whilst transforming the luscious grasses dry.
I have another tour in fucking- two weeks! The last tour took just over a year...
Sometimes I just needed to breath, Fayettenam has always been able to give me that space... Well, Raleigh has...
The journey was a long one, making it way past 11pm once we had reached the hotel.
I strolled in, whilst Ib heaved at the suitcases behind him, his own, and mine.
"Hey, we booked online for room 192." I commented. Trying to shift the tiredness from my eyes. Ib sat on the suitcases once he'd reached the desk.
"Ok..." the receptionist touch tapped into his computer.
"...That room's all ready."
"Could I see the printed receipt." The robust man behind the counter replied.
"Sure." I held up a flimsy sheet before he swiped it from my hands. After carefully analyzing the paper, he swivels to grab one of the keys among well over 400 behind him. All finely polished, glistening, as if not reactive metals.
"Your stay includes two daily meals prepared by the hotel bistro and, hotel service." I take the keys from his hands.
"Yep." I linger, me and Ib walk to the lift, admiring the interior design.
***
"Jermaine, wake up!"
My eyelids flutter open to the human alarm. The room had a slight tinge of yellow in colour, and light intensity was constricted by the small square windows. I swear I had the best dream, shawty was-
"Jermaine!"
"Huh?" My voice was all raspy. It took me some time to shake away the sleep.
Man that was good..
"We might aswell get a bite to eat, room service will be here any moment." Ib chanted.
I had noticed he'd had time to set up the Xbox to the hotel tv. This guy was actually crazy. Looking at my watch I noticed it was already 6.00pm, I really slept the day away.
I bounced up from the bed and went to wash my face in the bathroom sink.
"Yeah, I got a good restaurant to go" Man.
I really needed my beard trimmed.
"bet." Ibriham chuckled. He had popped up next to me in the mirror and began pulling faces. I rolled my eyes, bashfully swivelling round to the door. One switch, and the Xbox was off.
"Hey! I hadn't finished playing that shit"
Ib frowned.
"Damn, sorry bro." I smirked to the walls.
When we exited, a small chubby cleaner was waiting outside our door with a timid smile.
"Sorry ma'am." I shuffled out of the way for her before Ib skipped forward to the foyer.
The car journey was peaceful. I got to really see Charlotte in the dark, and the scene was beautiful.
Ib cranked up the radio.
"If I tell you..
if I tell you now.
Will you keep on..
Will you keep on loving me?"
Damn Sade.
* * *
"Oh shit, we on the radio?! Ib, turn it up"
"Daaamn, if you can get radio play with this joint imagine how phenomenal another collab woulda been..." Ib prompted.
I smirked.
"That's if one of ya'll didn't catch blue balls"
Ib murmured under his breath.
"Shut up Ib." I chuckled, as he began rambling.
"Nah I'm just playing. But for real, as a fan of both of y'all. It's pretty upsetting that this February didn't get scary." He glanced at me for acknowledgment of his puppy eyes as I drove straight for 15 minutes.
"Yeah, I know...
I just had a change of heart."
Kendrick was getting annoying as shit though. All of that 'please Cole.' Shit on his Black Friday track, n*gga we know you put your heart and soul into them lines anyway. But whatever, I ain't mad at that n*gga, but if a plane crashed-
... joking...
We sped through the night, only slowing down when the stars got blurry. Biggie on the speakers and blacked out windows.
I sharply swerved around the bends. Hell, I wanted to get to this restaurant early, I was hella hungry, and this place was on the other side of town.
"We here." I smiled.
"Took long enough."
I got out of the car letting the wind wash my face.
"Wow, you sure do pick em Cole." Ib slammed his door.
"I sure do." I murmured, as we both gazed at the bright lights.
"You paying though!" Ib giggled, punching me in the arm then running across the road into the automatic doors.
Of course...
I chased after him, as the dark streets made us anonymous.
When we finally reached the doors, Ib was just constantly tryna banter with me like the joker he is, so I zoned out and commenced unconsciously watching the staff.
Waitor '09 was a slick dapper looking guy.
This n*gga thought he looked flyyy.
He sheepishly looked around, then attended to a fine girl with long, neat braids sitting, reading at one of the 6-seater tables, all alone...
She looked mad gorgeous... Her almond shaped eyes...
They still managed to gleam from across the room...
I didn't think,
I didn't think girls had this affect on me anymore...
He hugged her as she smiled and looked up with understanding in her eyes.
I guessed, he was suppose to be her date but he hadn't finished his shift yet. They hugged for a few seconds... It kinda left me uneasy...
All I know is that if that was my girl, I wouldn't be dragging her to work and neglecting her like that, man.
Oh shit, he's coming this way.. I didn't even realise.
He stuck his big head right in front of my view of his friend, I shook my head to erase my thoughts in retaliation.
"How many?" He asked, reaching for a notebook in his apron pocket.
"Only two." I replied, avoiding eye contact.
"You're going to have to wait then, all the couple tables are full." The waiter smirked.
Gross. Me and Ib ain't no damn couple.
I scowled as Ib attempted to wrap his arms around me, smiling ear to ear. This guy was a fool.
Just before I could start cussing this waitor out, Ib interrupted me.
"We could always sit next to that shawty over there." Ib pointed.
His eyes followed, but quickly returned to ours.
"She's off limits... Reserved table."
He prompted, as if realizing he probably shouldn't of left her alone.
"She's off limits..." Ib made air quotations.
"Slow down son, it's just a table" He murmured in a deep tone, quietly laughing
She seemed to be lost in her book right now. One hand resting on a page, another, holding a handful of her hair.
She fit awkwardly into the melody of the brass band.
"Alright, alright. But if you don't tend to her soon, someone else will." Ib finished, with a wide smile.
This n*gga.
The waitor only glanced at us, before galloping away in a nonchalant mood.
"Ib, what you doing?" I laughed, baffled.
"I'm finna invite her to the crew." He said in a 'duhh' tone, whilst swiftly gliding underneath the closed entrance rope.
I sprinted after him, but he made it a few seconds to the table before I could.
I could see him handing her his number and smiling... She didn't look impressed...
But she had one of them cute mad faces.
"Ib!" I yelled, commanding him further away, and dragging him into a corner.
"Stop! She not a damn groupie. You don't know the difference nowadays??" I whispered in a harsh tone.
"Ok, ok. I get it.." Ib chuckled.
He clearly didn't.
I dragged him back for the SECOND time.
"Chill, Jermaine... She just a girl. But if you have feelings for her then fine, I'll leave her alone." He strides away.
"I don't have feelings for her." I almost shouted causing her to look up at me..
Damn.. This was awkward.
I had to talk to her now..
I was standing at her table, but the words weren't coming out. My mouth just mimed gibberish until she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
I shook my head out of a daydream.
"Sorry ma'am." I took the number Ib had placed on the table.
She swiftly settled back into her book, after glancing at me confused for a couple times. Damn... Not even an 'it's okay?'
I guess that's what you get, walking with Ib by your side.
Whatever, that's my n*gga.
Me and Ib made our way back to the front of the queue, greeted with some rude murmurs.
"Table for two." The waitor shouted, pointing to a table opposite, but far, from the girl. He looked a little satisfied by that.
"Come on Ib."
I sat in the seat where I would be able to face her as Ib had his back to her, with his face in his menu. I guess I didn't have an appetite no more. I just gazed at her, hoping she would look up again.
"Cole! I said I'm ordering ribs.. What chu getting?" Ib asked after the fifth time of calling my name.
"Yeah."
"Yeah.. What?!" Ib looks baffled.
"I'll get whatever- I'll... Get the same as you."
I tripped up on my words.
He glared at me knowing my mind was somewhere else.
"Is that girl your ex or somethin? ... "
Ha what?
"I just thought I would of known, that's all"
He mumbled, as if upset about being so unaware.
"What girl, I dunno what you're talking about." I murmured, looking down at the menu.
Ib gave me a straight face.
I really needed a pee right now, but as soon as I glanced up, I noticed she was gone...
Well.. she couldn't of gone far.
Not that I'm watching her moves or anything...
"Ib, I gotta go to the bathroom." I said.
I walked around a bit whilst not looking where I was going, I was still on a look out -glancing behind my shoulder every so often.
Jasmine
"Oop." I gasped, as all air was knocked out of my chest and my glasses skidded across the floor.
Fuck.
I wish I just wore my contact lenses.
"I'm sorry." His voice vibrated through me.
My head was still in the clouds, ironically facing the floor.
I slowly followed through with my eyes, throwing my front hair behind my shoulders, gradually meeting his face.
He was a very tall man.
Oh.
"Hello?" He gestured a wave, a little too close to my face, indicating a play on patronization.
I was the dork, openly gawping at him.
He was handsome, but... I mean, whatever, what's with him?
Jermaine
Not in all my life had I seen anyone like her. Honestly, the probability of even seeing a glimpse was all based on numerous minor coincidences. But the biggest, was me deciding to return
I considered the amount of force I had exerted on her and held her still.
"You okay?" I laugh, but as soon as she finally looked into my eyes, every emotion but awe disappeared from my face.
Those helpless eyes broke me.
"No! Men of bfg heights should watch where they're going." She scowled, returning to the cutest mad face I'd ever seen.
But now I was just staring again. She dissing me but.. She cute as hell so I'll let that shit slide.
"You're beautiful." I chuckled, shattering the long silence.
When I realized what I said my complexion couldn't hide my embarrassment.
"I'm sorry." I murmured. Something came over me I couldn't control.
I didn't think she was ever going to stop staring at me for that...
Confusion written all over her face.
"I mean.. What's your name?" I corrected, smiling embarrassed.
"Uhh..."
...
"Jasmine." She frowned still analysing the fuck outta me.
"Well I'm Jermaine.." I replied awkwardly. I don't think she even heard me over the noise in her head.
I try to disconnect her gaze by dodging past her, lightly brushing her hip, whilst holding them, as I knelt down to get her glasses. I felt her body shiver under my fingertips. It was as if time decided to move on the double, and we were the only ones standing still.
As I picked up the cracked pieces of the most delicately framed glasses, I thought about her beauty so I didn't have to openly gawp at her instead.
I stood in front of her bearing forward with the shards of glass edging into my hands.
"Sorry about your glasses too... I, er..."
"I can.. I can get you a new pair?"
My stomach grew butterflies when I decided to speak sentences to her.
Damn.
Jermaine Cole wasn't no love bird!
Her eyes wandered elsewhere. She was shy, but noticeable more upset about her glasses, she honestly looked as if she was about to cry, it was adorable.
"Oh no, I'm fine.. They're just glasses." She fiddled with the ring on the rim of her ear, as the harshness of her tone lingered in the air.
I could tell that was a lie habit.
She must be pretty blind without them...
I think I was gawping at her elegance again.
My mind was telling me to end the conversation there, but I didn't want to stop.
"I insist." I breathed.
"Here, let me carry that for you."
"-No!" She whispered in a yelling tone.
My eyes widened.
"I'm fine, seriously I'm fine..." She spoke with her eyes to the ground, as she all so quickly decided to doddle past me and to her table.
"You should probably ask the staff for a bandaid..." I think she said?? As she walked.
I really didn't get it...it's like she was trying to cut me off when I hadn't even had the chance to...to... Prove myself.
Jasmine
Nobody's ever called me beautiful before...
Not even Christopher.
I stumbled away, trying to hide the fact that I required some sort of guidance to even walk the distance from him to my table. I could hear him, running towards me... Oh God.
"Wait up!" His husky voice broke in awkward places.
Swiftly, I turned to meet him centimeters from my face. I stepped back immediately, feeling inappropriate.
"Yes?" I questioned.
His eyes darted everywhere over my body except my face as he softly panted involuntarily. This guy ran the shortest distance, why is he acting like he just ran a marathon?
"I think... we should go on a date." He recaptured his steadiness with a hint of optimism.
"You think?"
"-No, I... I know that we should go on a date."
"And you think I'm going to say yes?!" I asked a little too rudely.
"Well... Yeah, that was the plan.." He laughed nervously. He quickly shuffled around trying to find something in his pockets.
"Please, take this?" He gently took my hand and clasped an unknown business card into it.
I was confused at how confident he was, it was almost an instinct to just put my guard up.
What happened to 'bro code'? I could of sworn his friend just tried to get at me earlier on in the same night. I guess I was some sort of prize toy to them. I mean mugged whilst stuffing his number in my bra and he did the impossible and blushed even more!
"So you think I say yes to anyone?"
"Yes?" He guessed.
His cheeks burned as my blood began to boil in aggravation. I wasn't mad before but what the fuck?
Is this a joke?
"No! -Well, Yes, I think you'll say yes to me, and no, because I'm not just anyone.. I'm-"
"-You're who?"
I walked closer, closer than we were before, almost whispering.
He jolted his body away, widening his eyes at me, almost shocked.
"Does this make you uncomfortable?"
I smirked, cocking my head to one side.
He began to stutter, projecting un-hearable words.
"Cole?" The guy who tried it with me shouted from across the room.
Every time I leaned closer I could feel a bulging from down below. I only figured what it was at the last second.
He was embarrassed that his friend had come to play.
I giggled in my mind with a resting poker face.
Slowly, I dis-emerged myself from his personal space, making my way to my table.
I had no idea what came over me.
Author:
Btw, I'm not releasing the next chapter until I know more people are interested. Feel free to star and comment!