Thank you guys for all the support and messages! Finally hit 2,000 followers! I decided I needed to say forget sleep and write a couple chapters. So here you go ❤️. Hope you enjoy it.
This chapter is dedicated to kaybaze822 Olly-Enthused honestly_phoenix & KeishaRose ! Thanks to all the support and love ❤️.
Aaliyah Perry
(Aaliyah & Ricky in the MM)
"Is that who I think it is?" I looked up from my textbook to see the one guy I had been avoiding all week, as a matter of fact; the guy I had been avoiding all summer; Ricky. I rolled my eyes and continued my reading but he pulled up a seat, leaning forward and closing the book in front of me; to get my attention. "Damn girl. So, you just going to ignore me?"
I sighed, taking off my glasses and looking up into his beautiful brown eyes. The moment he realized I was listened; his lips parted, exposing that smile that I had gotten so used to seeing. The smile that used to change my bad days into good ones. The smile that I missed so dearly.
Ricky and I had been best friends for as long as I could remember, I was the new girl in town, the outcast, the "weird one", and somehow Ricky cared less. We bonded from the minute we met each other, and became inseparable. Our friendship grew stronger and being our young, naïve selves, we figured that we might as well turn that bond into a relationship. Making Ricky my first boyfriend, and the first boy I ever loved.
Things were great between us until last year, when Ricky "glowed up." he became well known around school for his spot on the football team and just as expected; he became too busy for me. He attempted to make time for me but those plans usually ended up with me being stood up, or him cancelling last minute because one of his boys were having a kick back. It just got to a point where I just got tired of waiting, and being lonely and decided I needed to make a name for myself, that's when I started hanging out with Nya, who later introduced me to Natalia. Natalia was the one that told me I deserved better, leading to my break up with Ricky; it was hard at first but I adjusted and learnt that the one would come but until Ricky made me a priority he was not the one.
"What do you want Ricky?" I asked, tilting my head to the side as I examined him. It had been a while since I had seen him, and time was really doing wonders.
"Are you an option?" I rolled my eyes, and stale faced him; causing him laugh out loud. "Really? I still can't get a second chance?"
"No, now how may I help you?"
"Well for starters, I would like to know why you were avoiding me this summer?"
"I don't know what you're talking about..."
"For example; sending my all my calls to voicemail? Every time I came to your work; you'd mysteriously have work to do in the back? You didn't even show up for my birthday party."
"Because you went clubbing, you know I don't do the whole fake ID thing."
"I know that, but the least you could've done is make it up to me."
"It's not like it mattered if I was there anyways." I smacked my lips and folded my arms across my chest. "You probably had some hoes entertaining you the whole night."
"What's a hoe to the woman of my dreams?"
"Oh please!" I chuckled, and shook my head. "You're ridiculous!"
"Why does everything I say gotta be a joke?"
"Because you're a joke, duh!"
"Ouch! That hurt." He rubbed his chest, and winced as if he was in pain. "Why you gotta do me like that?"
"You're so annoying! I swear." I giggled, unfolding my arms and leaning across the table to grab a hold of his hand. My eyes wandered his new tattoo that was covered up in plastic. For years he had talked about getting tatted but knowing his mom I didn't think he would go through with it. "So, you really went through with it. How did mom react?"
"You know how she is, she yelled for a while but I think she's warming up to the idea now." He took off his sweater exposing his shoulder, and pulled down the "v" of his shirt so I could see his chest that was also covered in ink.
"I see." I grazed my finger against the area, before leaning back in my seat.
"Yeah, but like I was saying since you've been avoiding me I'm going to take this time to update you on what happened this summer. Man, I tell you, thi-." I watched his lips begin to move but I was so distracted by the sound of a loud conversation happening behind the bookshelves behind me, I always tried to my best not to be nosey but they were basically begging for it; with the way they were speaking.
"All I'm saying is you get her to relocate the party to her crib, you get her drunk enough for us to rob the place and dip."
"You know she won't be down for that. She's already making excuses as it is. Jer, why isn't the car enough?"
"Because they can track a car easily. I don't want that on my hands; I'd rather the cash and I need you to just make it happen. Her dad never leaves the city much less the state. This is our only chance; do you want those new red bottoms or not..."
"I mean, I do but I just don't think this is a smart idea. Zo isn't one to play."
"And Zo won't find out. It'll be her fault for letting the party happen in the first place and I'll make sure she's gone off that good so that she won't even know that happened."
"Jerome... I don't know about this. Why do you wanna steal from him anyways?"
"I told you, I'm working for someone much better now. Making double what I made before and you don't have to know, just be a rider and do as your told. Get Nya to-."
"Hello, earth to Aaliyah! Are you listening to me?" My eyes widened; realizing what I just heard. I looked up to see Ricky waving his hand in my face. "Did you hear a word I just said?"
"I'm sorry, I was just thinking about this math test I got next period." I took up my textbook and notebook, stuffing into my bag as fast as I possibly could. "I'll catch up to you later okay?"
"Why the rush, you got a whole thirty minutes till last period."
"I just have something I have to do. I'll call you later."
"Promise?"
"I promise." I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and before I could walk away he grabbed my hand.
"I really miss you Aaliyah... I want us to work this out. I want you more than anything right now."
"Ricky, I really gotta go." without another word, practically flew out of the library, heading down the stairs to where they kept all the advanced courses. I peeked through the glass doors, making my way down the hallway, without a doubt Nya would be in one of these rooms.
Not it, not it, wait is that her? .. Nope, not it. Bingo! I stared into the computer lab, and pulled my phone out of my pocket; texting Nya to come out. I stepped away from the door so her teacher wouldn't see me, and began pacing the floor; waiting for a response.
"Yo." I looked up to see a tall, light skinned male standing at the other end of the hallway, I couldn't make out his face too well because I wasn't wearing my glasses but from what I could tell; he was twirling a hall pass around his finger as he approached me. I cleared my throat uncomfortably and waited until he was close enough for me to see. Lucas, the guy that Nya had been going on and on about lately. I had only seen him in the pictures she showed me, but boy oh boy was she right when she said this boy was fine. "You okay? I saw what happened in the cafeteria earlier."
"Oh... that. It really was nothing." I smiled nervously, and played with my hands behind my back.
"Nothing? You should never give anyone that power to speak down to you like that."
"Speak down to me?" I raised my brow, "I wouldn't go to that extreme. We're just like sisters, we talk like that all the time."
"Really? So, you crying on your way out? That wasn't because of what happened?"
"It's allergy season." I giggled, "you're reading in too deep."
"Oh, my bad then." He said with a smirk. "From the outside looking in it must've looked different. I apologize for assuming shordy."
"Don't be silly, it's okay. Thanks for looking out anyways." I crossed my leg over the other, but due to how clumsy I was; I ended up nearly falling over but he caught me right on time. "Ugh, I'm such a clutz."
"Don't worry about it." He smiled, holding onto my arm until I was balanced. "Anyways, I'm going to head back to class now. Just know if you need anything; I got you."
"Thanks..." I smiled, and waved goodbye; watching him walk off into the distance. Once he was gone I spun on my heels; turning to see Natalia she had her phone held up like she had just taken a picture. I watched her then grin as she walked towards me. "Thanks for looking out anyways..." she mimicked, scoffing at the end of her sentence. "How pathetic? Can't get your own man so you prey on someone else's?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh please, I saw the way you were twirling your fingers, your voice going all soft and what not. You were obviously flirting."
"Why would I flirt with him? Knowing him and my best friend have something going on?"
"Maybe because you're jealous of us?" she pursed her lips and flipped her hair over her shoulder.
"Why would I be jealous of you guys?"
"C'mon Liyah, look at us... then look at you. It's clear and simple why you'd be jealous."
"I think I'm perfect fine the way I am." I ran my hand over my wrinkled shirt, trying to keep eye contact. I didn't want to seem weak at this moment but it was harder than I thought.
"Ha! Good one, anyways... I can't wait to let Nya know how much of a snake you are for flirting with her man."
"You out of all people can't be calling anyone a snake and for the last time; I was not flirting with him!" my cracked as it raised.
"All you do is lie, lie about having this, having that. Now you're going to lie about this; I just saw you flirting!"
"Flirting with who?" I heard a voice say, but it wasn't Natalia's. I turned to look at Nya as she exited her classroom door.
Nya Flemington
"Flirting with who?" I asked again, walking toward my two best friends that I had just interrupted mid-argument. "What happened?"
"Nya, thank God. I need to tell you something. I was up in the library and I heard Natalia and Jer-."
"This hoe was just out here flirting with Lucas." Natalia said, interrupting Aaliyah. "I came down the hallway and she was all weak in the knees, touching on him and everything."
"What?" I furrowed my brow looking at Aaliyah who seemed to be totally confused. Just the sound of that caused my heart to drop; although Lucas and I weren't together. I really did like him; and ever since the cafeteria incident he had my message been leaving my messages on read. I even asked him to meet me out in the hallway while I saw him in one of his classes, and all he did was read the message and put his phone back into his pocket. "Is that true?" I asked.
"Why would I do that Nya? You're my best friend. I came down here to tell you about something important. Upstairs in the libr-."
"You didn't answer my question! Were you out here flirting with him?"
"No, I was not!" Aaliyah shouted, causing us to get unwanted attention by a few people walking by.
"You know she loves to lie Ny, are you really going to believe her?" Natalia asked, stepping over to stand next to me. "I saw what I saw and I have no reason to lie to you."
"Neither do I!" Aaliyah exclaimed in her defense.
"Yet you lie about everything else... that's kind of hard to believe. Don't you think Nya?"
I looked over at Natalia, then back at Aaliyah who just stood there dumbfounded. I wanted to believe her so badly, but Natalia did have a point; Aaliyah was known as the liar in the group. Not to mention she was just complaining to me the other day about not being so lucky in the relationship department as of lately; which led me to believe that her flirting with Lucas... may have been possible.
"Don't believe me? I even took a picture." Natalia, opened her phone; pulled up her camera roll then showed me the picture of the two of them Lucas was holding onto her and I zoomed in; seeing a huge smile on her face, whatever they were talking about must've been sweet for her to be smiling like that.
"Nya... you can't be serious right now." Aaliyah chimed in, I looked up from the phone and stared into her face one last time but I couldn't read it. "I'd never do that to you."
"Why are you still standing in front of us? Don't you got a book to read? A burger to flip or something?" I asked, handing Natalia back her phone. "Like, why don't you ever stay in your lane?"
"Don't talk to me like that." She mumbled.
"Oh, so now you got balls?" Natalia asked, "are you forgetting who put you on? Are you forgetting who made your name even relevant in this school? I can talk to you anyway I please."
"Nya..." Aaliyah said, looking for me to back her up, but I couldn't. Aaliyah proved to me that she was nothing but another snake in the grass.
I shook my head and walked away from her, hearing Natalia hot on my heels, following me into the girl's bathroom. "Hopefully one day you'll be able to realize who the real snake is!" I heard Aaliyah yell before the door shut.
"What a thot." Natalia let out, as she made her way over to the mirror where she began to adjust her lip gloss. "I told you that girl was no good..."
"I should've listened to you."
"Yes, you should've... but it's okay though. You win some, you lose some." She smacked her lips together before turning to face me. "Anyways, now that that is handled; did you get out of baby sitting tonight?"
"Yeah, told her I have a surprise exam on Monday and I have to study at Aaliyah's..." I said, rolling my eyes at the sound of her name.
"Sounds good, I wanted to ask you for another favour."
"Let me hear it."
"Jer, wants to have a little pre-turn up before the party tonight, and since your spot is open for the night. I kind of suggested it as an option."
"Absolutely not. My dad would kill me, resurrect me, then kill me again."
"Your dad doesn't have to know, it will just be a few of us. We're going to drink a bit, smoke up a little then head over to the party. It'll be quick."
"I don't know about that, you know what my dad does for a living. He's very picky on who he lets into the condo."
"I've been there before, and the rest of the guys coming are guys that work for your dad. He trusts them already, so I don't see why he would have a problem..."
"I don't know about this Natalia..."
"Oh, don't be a grandma. I promise it'll be okay, learn to live a little."
"Mmm... only a few people?"
"Only a few people."
"And you promise they won't make a mess?"
"I promise you baby girl." We did our secret handshake then she kissed my cheeks. "Now go get your stuff, we got some shopping to do."