Twenty-Six
Campus was lively that afternoon with its array of festivities taking place courtesy of an annual Greek picnic. The sounds of fraternities and sororities showcasing their infamous styles of step were prominent. Students swarmed the vicinity from every angle just to capture a glimpse of their Greek corporation of choice. It was hot yet, it didn't seem to stop the young adults from nearly knitting themselves together. It displayed a melting pot aura as they all conjoined with a blatant sense of pride.
Promise peered on with Ray-Ban sheathed orbs as she hobbled behind her energetic son. He glanced up at her with a smiling face as he gripped her hand tighter. "Slow down baby," She chuckled as he attempted to hurry her along. Zayvion was looking forward to seeing his dad since his mom let it be known to him that he was somewhere close. He'd just come back from visiting his other grandparents and hadn't seen his father in at least a week. It was evident that Zayne was his sole focus. "Let my god-baby be excited,"Nikita giggled, obviously tickled by his impatience.
She rolled her eyes while the three of them weaved through a lengthy sea of people. She kept sight of her son's snapback as she trailed behind him. Nikita walked alongside the two sipping from a cold beverage that she'd gotten from a stand not too far away. It made Promise wish that she'd gotten something to drink because it would cool her down. Although the turquoise floral printed high waist shorts and solid white crop top she wore was light the air felt like it was only blowing ever so faintly.
"I think I see them just a couple feet up ahead."Nikita rose on her toes with her hand covering her brown eyes away from the sun's glare. Promise knew that she was referring to the men of Kappa Alpha Psi. It made sense for them to be right in the middle of campus since their fraternity was among one of the most popular. She began to shake her head as they gradually came upon an array of howling young women. She picked her son up and held him on her hip as they suddenly started ambling through the obvious thirst trap. Little Zay covered his ears with his hands as the women grew louder. "This don't make no damn sense."Nikita huffed, instantly growing irritated. Promise giggled with a nodded,"It don't though."
They had arrived just in time for their performance as Zayne himself led the selected group of men. "Look at Zayne ol' Rico Suave looking ass."Nikita laughed. Promise couldn't deny the giggle that escaped her lips. The women went wild as he grinned at them teasingly and allowed his green orbs to scan each of their faces. A meticulous beat then began to play just as he neared the middle of the stage. The rest of the men followed suit with a cluster of effortless moves as they trailed behind him. They smoothly leaned downwards to grab their red and white canes with identical smirks, instantly earning more catcalls.
"I say, fellas!"
"Yooooo!"
"What time is it?!"
"Well, it's showtime!"Zayne answered while gripping his cane and stomping across the stage. He seemed genuinely hyped as he smacked his cane against the surface. "K-A-P-P-AYEEE!"His smooth baritone bellowed just before the other men joined in. They took over the stage with their electrifying moves – their goal in mind to represent and entertain all at the same time. They tossed their canes into the air, throwing them between each other. As they gathered the opposite man's cane they shouted,"K-A-Psi! K-A-Psi! K-A-Psi! Woo!" They followed that with a slew of meticulous twirling tricks and then they each slammed their canes onto the stage. It suddenly grew quiet on stage and across the audience as they stood before them commanding undivided attention.
Promise just couldn't keep her eyes away from Zayne as he led them into their infamous shimmy move. "Mhm. I see you!"Nikita chortled, interrupting her invasion of Zayne's frame. She rolled her eyes and quickly moved her attention elsewhere. They began to go into another step routine as someone else from the frat took the lead. Little Zay seemed fascinated with it all as he cheered on happily. "He's going off like he's up there though,"Nikita mentioned while folding her arms across her chest. Her smile was never ending as it folded at the creases of her full lips. "Yes, that probably comes from him being around them so much."She answered with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Speaking of being over there...I still want to beat Zayne's you know what."Nikita only bothered to censor herself because of Zayvion's presence. Her face was serious as her frown deepened at the thought. Promise nodded in understanding even though she'd already let the situation go. He'd made an impact on her the previous night before with his abrupt visit. However, she refused to show him that he affected her with his words. His apology seemed somewhat genuine, but she wasn't willing to give in to him so easily this time around. He was going to have to earn it the hard way if he really wanted her to trust him again.
"Girl, let me tell you though. He showed up yesterday apologizing and what not...spreading I miss you's and everything."
Nikita raised her perfectly arched eyebrows in a questioning manner. Her darkened tresses swaggered up and down as she moved her head back to display her bewilderment. "Whatttt?"She dragged while shaking her nearly empty cup into the air. Promise smirked as she pulled her stare away from her friend's face. She surveyed the still bustling campus as the wind only seemed to pick up speed. Her blond curls fell over her black sunglasses, stealing a bit of her view. She moved her free hand and swiped the loose strands away. "Are you for real?"Nikita questioned, instantly cutting through her nonexistent thoughts.
"Hell yeah, and it was so unexpected because Zayvion was at my parents and he knew that."
"He knew what he was doing."
"I bet he thought so too until Ryan answered my door."
Nikita's loud burst of laughter turned a couple of heads because they were still standing among the crowd. "Come on fool,"Promise nudged her shoulder. She tried to fight the huge grin that so desperately wanted to invade her features. They began their trek through the tight throng of people. She found herself having to slightly turn her body just to avoid hitting anyone. "There's a free picnic table over there."She pointed more than a couple of feet away just as the group started to dwindle in size. Nikita's giggles were still surging through her body as they stepped out onto a nearby sidewalk.
Promise allowed her son to gradually slide down her frame. His face held a small unsatisfied look, giving her the impression that he hadn't wanted to get down. She gently patted his bottom and engulfed his smaller hand within her bigger one. "Okay, so...I'm positive that he didn't like seeing Ry there."Nikita let out an exasperated sigh. Promise chuckled as her eyes drifted over towards the many people spread out on the lawn. One could hear the bass from music still being played along with a mixture of people's laughter and uproarious shouting. She glanced up at the clear blue sky as she held tighter onto her son's hand.
"He didn't. He was mugging Ryan so hard, Kita."
"Now you know baby daddy ain't having that. Although, to me, it serves him right to see you with someone else."
"I thought so too even though Ryan and I are far from being together. It was kind of fun to see him sweat a little bit."She admitted nonchalantly. Nikita gave her a knowing smirk. It was true that she liked seeing him defeated the night before. Ryan was only there because he was still being kind enough to be a good friend to her. He was there in her time of need as a small distraction from the feelings that she still had for Zayne. She knew how uncomfortable Zayne felt as they purposely flirted with one another in front of him. The discomfort radiated from his demeanor even when he tried to act unbothered. It satisfied her that he wasn't able to keep up his usual confident persona.
"I know, but you're gonna make Zayne act up if you keep that up. You know you got him thinking you're with that man."
"Well, he's gotta learn that I'm not going to just come easily to him. I mean I hear him, but right now I'm just assuming he's all talk. I need some action, some proof."
"I heard that boo. Do what you gotta do then."Nikita conjectured with a hint of a smile in her tone. She poured her ice out in the grass before tossing her cup into the nearby trashcan. Promise didn't bother to answer as she watched her son hop while wordlessly humming to himself. His face housed a deep-dimpled smile as he pushed forth his feet. Promise couldn't help but grin at his expense just as she maneuvered them towards their table, "You wanna sit up here?" He nodded his head cheekily while holding his arms up in the air. She then hoisted him up and sat him on the table. Nikita soon joined them, plopping right down beside the toddler.
"So how are things with you? What's your life looking like?"Promise inquired. She opted to stand just to catch more of the shade from the tree that towered over the table. Zayvion found interest in a couple of the leafs that were scattered about on the metal surface. He handed one to his mother as his way of trying to get her to play whatever game he'd come up with in such a short period of time. He had no problems showing his mom the way he could rip a leaf in half and throw them into the air like confetti. The two of them both giggled just as the wind carried the leaves in its grasp before somehow softly landing in a few of his thick darkened curls. Promise took off his hat and ran her digits through his scalp to rid his hair of any leaves left behind. She leaned down to kiss his forehead after.
It didn't take much longer before Promise noticed that Nikita still hadn't answered her. She averted her gaze away from her son's grinning face and peered over at her. Nikita looked mischievous as a smile slowly tugged at her lips. Promise arched an eyebrow and fixed her mouth to ask her what had her looking like that. It was then that a perfectly tanned arm glided over her shoulder. She nearly jumped as Ryan's untimely entrance took her by surprise. He pulled her body into his chest as he gently squeezed her shoulder. "Hey, beautiful."His smooth voice floated into her ears. She smiled as she then looked up into his alluring blue eyes. He wore a full-fledged smirk on as he attempted to hide his giddiness to see her.
His eyes were smiling as he leaned down to gently peck her cheek. "Oh okay. So it's like that, huh?"Nikita blurted out. Promise chortled with a shake of her head while loosely wrapping her arm around his waist. "I'm sorry Nikita. How are you today gorgeous?"He asked as he pulled out of Promise's gentle hold. He sauntered the few steps between them and supplied Nikita's cheek with a friendly peck. "See that's why I've always liked you. You're a man that acknowledges true beauty," She added just as he moved upright. He placed his hands in the pockets of his khaki cargo shorts and leaned up against the table. Promise enjoyed looking at him. He somehow always managed to look handsome even with his dark hair sprawled messily atop his head and that scruffy facial hair of his.
Ryan nodded at her, obviously catching on to her checking him out. "You keep looking at me like that and somebody might think there's something actually going on between us."He stated jokingly. Promise waved him off with a roll of her eyes. Nikita burst into a hearty fit of laughter. She, of course, would always find the humor in any situation. "Ooo Ry firing shots on the slick though!"Nikita exclaimed. He joined in on her laughter. Promise attempted to not pay either of them any mind as she sauntered closer to the table. Her legs were starting to feel the burn because she'd been standing for a while now. She suddenly thought to peer at her son who was being unusually quiet. It reminded her that she needed to properly introduce the two. It was the first time they had both been around at the same time.
"Ryan I want you to meet my son, Zayvion."She announced while rubbing her hands down the front of her shorts. Ryan was in the act of fanning himself, pulling at his fitted blue t-shirt. The fabric smacked against his skin one more time before his ears truly latched on to Promise's words. His hands fell to his sides as he turned to peer at the toddler. "Hi Zayvion," His smile was friendly as he placed an opened hand out for him to shake. Zayvion grew shy and scoot himself next to Nikita. He buried his face in her arm. Promise playfully pouted as she witnessed his actions. She picked him up as she moved to sit on the table between her two friends. "You're not gonna say hi to Ryan at least?"She questioned with a bit of a smirk. It amused her since he was always such a friendly child. Usually, he never met a stranger.
Little Zay shook his head no just as Promise sat him into her lap. "Aw, that's not nice, baby boy."She cooed softly. He seemed unmoved as he set his jaw just like his father did when he was being stubborn. She full out laughed then. That look was too much for her since it reminded her so much of Zayne. "I'm sorry Ry. He's usually friendly." Ryan didn't seem to be bothered by it as he still wore a grin. "It's okay. He might warm up to me eventually. I wouldn't like a strange guy just hugging all over my mommy either."He chuckled, rubbing a hand through his hair. Nikita's sudden clearing of her throat made Promise shift her stare. She instantly rolled her eyes at the sight of Zayne. "Baby daddy closing in. In...3...2..."Nikita's voice tapered off.
Zayvion squealed with joy as he took in his father walking towards them. He wasn't alone with Brian and Major trailing close behind. She watched while he quickly stopped to hug some girl that had seemingly come out of nowhere to fawn all over him. Zayne, of course, gave her his attention for a couple of moments and then swiftly turned her away. Promise wasn't in the mood for any of what she knew was to come whenever he was anywhere near her. Major and Brian both blocked her view as they zeroed in on them. "What up fam?"Major grabbed her by a couple of her curls and ruffled her hair. Her hand came into contact with his forearm as she swatted him away. "Damn!"Major quickly let go of her and began rubbing his arm.
"That's what your rude behind gets."Nikita playfully slapped him upside his head. He glared at her just before she hopped down from the table and took off running. "See! You childish Kita!"He shouted just as he caught up with her. He bent her arms behind her back, causing her breast to mesh into his chest. "You already knew I was gonna catch you, mama."He stared hard at her. Nikita fought to get out of his hold as a grin eased across her countenance. Promise and Brian began to shake their heads at their obvious flirting.
Brian slapped hands with Little Zay prior to taking Nikita's seat on the table. "Baby Sanchezzz!"He dragged lowly, earning a laugh from the toddler. "What's up with you Mr. Lowkey?" Promise asked. "Nothing much. Same stuff, different day. How are you though lady?"He responded right away. Ryan suddenly grabbed her wrist. "Hey, I'm gonna go. I don't want Zayne to feel like I'm stepping on his toes." He slipped down from the table sporting that same easy smile. She stared at him for a moment before shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly,"I'm not worried about him." It became evident that Brian was listening in when his laughter sounded out,"You should be though. You know he ain't feeling no other man being near you."
"Okay, and... he surrounds himself with females all day every day. BYE."
Brian chuckled," You cold."
"I should be, just know that I consider this me not taking any more of his mess. Your boy needs to get it together."
Ryan began to laugh too as he sauntered towards Brian to slap hands with him. "It's cool. I don't want any trouble. So I'll see you later Promise."He told her after jostling his hand out of Brian's grip. He kissed her on the cheek once more. He traipsed away backward while waving at her. He then turned on his heels and wandered off into the crowd. She followed the back of his blue t-shirt until she could no longer see him. It was the constant bouncing that Zayvion began doing in her lap that made her look elsewhere. "Daddy!"He yelled as soon as Zayne was within earshot. She allowed her eyes to glide over him as she silently took him all in.
He looked that good.
The curls he had before were swept clean as he now flaunted a fresh cut. His facial hair had been trimmed neatly, leaving behind only a light goatee. The top half of his body was donned in a crisp white button-down that stopped just above his forearms. It had been left open, displaying a bit of his chest artwork. His tattooed arms were in view, which only seemed to pull her in that much more. Her eyes then fell towards the black dress pants that were sitting perfectly on his waist. His red and white cane still rested in his right pocket. His dimples caved deeper in his cheeks as he picked up their son.
Zayne embraced Little Zay with a tight hug. He then proceeded to kiss the giggling toddler all over his face. "Miss me, kid?"He queried, chortling aloud at his son. "Duh man."Zayvion shot back playfully. Promise smiled at their little reunion. They always acted as though being away from one another for a couple of days equaled a year instead. Zayne's smiling green orbs then drifted over to her.
She quickly looked away and moved to gaze off at anything other than him. "You see me,"He lightly grazed her knee with his hand. She nearly jumped at the little skin to skin contact. Zayne chuckled while she tried her damnedest to ignore his presence. His fingers then tickled her thigh and she glared at him. Her body did convulse that time – it's normal reaction whenever he put his hands on her. "Would you stop Zayne?"She sighed tight-lipped and aggravated that he kept messing with her.
He squinted at her as his smirk turned into a knowing grin. He knew what he was doing. "I was just trying to get your attention."He answered innocently. She crossed one leg over the other as she folded her arms across her chest. "I see your tall ass standing directly in front of me."She replied, her tone reeking of attitude. She freed her eyes from her sunglasses and placed them into her hair. "Stop being so hostile, girl. You act like you can't stand me now."He sounded a bit sad as he rendered the words. She rolled her eyes,"I can't..." He licked his lips, scoffing afterward,"Okay, pick another lie. That one ain't working."
"Where's the lie though, Zayne? You get on my damn nerves."
"You know what..."
"What?"
Little Zayne began to tug at his dad's shirt. The argument that was about to start stopped just in time. "What's up Zay?"He questioned although his eyes were still fixed on Promise. She shifted in her seat as the wind brought forth a couple of leaves from the tree shadowing them. She wiped at the few that had fallen on her top with a frown melting into the creases of her lips. "I'm thirsty. I want juice daddy."He told him. Zayne nodded his head and turned around only to stop himself. "I'll get you some when your mama gets up and comes with us."He said over his shoulder. Her eyes drifted over his back as she rubbed a hand across her forehead. She got up without objecting because she didn't want to hear his mouth.
The two of them walked to the sound of Zayvion's constant chattering. They were both quiet as they ambled across the campus. They'd already passed a plethora of concession stands. Promise made no moves to get the conversation going because she knew this was just Zayne's way of getting her to himself. She was no stranger to knowing that he probably wanted to talk about what was happening between them. They were just about to argue over nothing only mere moments ago and now here they were walking in silence. His steps were long as she sauntered beside him trying to keep up. "Look daddy over there," Zayvion pointed out another stand with a fairly short line.
Zayne followed his son's small pointer finger and slowed his pace. Promise was thankful when they got into the line because she could finally breathe. She stood beside him as they quickly began to move up. Little Zay's legs dangled in the air as he now sat on his father's shoulders. He was the only one exuding happiness between the three of them."Which kind you want Zay?"Zayne asked once they'd reached the front. He hummed to himself for a second before finally making his decision. "You want anything?"He glanced over at her with furrowed eyebrows. She shook her head no and proceeded to stand there as the two of them got their drinks.
Once paying they started back on their way back towards their spot. The action on the campus had died down some, but there were still people scattered everywhere. Unknowingly, It made Promise stick that much closer to Zayne. He suddenly held his cup out towards her causing her to arch an eyebrow. She looked at his hand before slowly taking it. He unraveled their toddler from his neck and placed him on the ground. "Walk in front of daddy, Zay."He ordered. He fingers brushed along hers as retrieved his cup. He took a few sips and then he was looking at her again. She could feel his eyes roaming her side profile. It was hard not to look over at him when he was staring at her like he was searching for something.
"What's going on between us?"
"Not a damn thing as far as I'm concerned."
Zayne blew out a hard breath as the effect of her answer hit him like a ton of bricks. Promise knew she was being unbearable, but at this point, she wanted to be petty. She wanted to aggravate him. He wore a frown on his face as he glared at her. Her lips twitched. She almost smiled. "Yeah, okay, if you say so..."He nodded. They were silent for a moment before he gathered the nerve to speak again.
"So you're with Ryan now or something?"He inquired with not a hint of shame. His tone of voice gave away his seriousness. She knew that question was coming eventually. She was just waiting for him to get up the nerve to ask her. It amused her that he suddenly had this need to know the status of her and Ryan's relationship. There was nothing going on between them except the same friendship they always had. She wasn't in the mood to give him any relief so she was going to keep that minor detail under wraps for the moment.
"I'm sorry, is that any of your business?"
"It is when you start bringing him around my son."
"First of all he's my child too, and I just introduced them today actually."
"Well whatever the case might be, I'm not feeling that..."
"And who are you again? You gon' have to miss me with all that."
"You know what it is Promise, stop acting like you don't..."
"Yeah, whatever. At this point... I don't."
She watched him set his jaw. She was slowly but surely getting under his skin. The tension was growing thicker with each passing second. He exhaled, "Look, that's not the only issue I'm having with this situation though." She didn't immediately answer him. Of course, he noticed. He went to reach for her, but she dodged his advance. "And what's that?" She asked, deciding that she would finally put him out of his misery.
"My feelings..."
Promise gradually brought her feet to a complete stop. She stared into his face and full out laughed as though he had just graced her ears with one of the funniest things ever said. Zayne looked taken aback at her sudden case of the giggles. "What feelings? I could've sworn you didn't have those or a heart..."She could barely get it out without chortling. He was getting more frustrated. His frown was growing deeper. Did he deserve her sarcastic outburst of laughter? That was currently the least of her concerns.
"You would know if your ass would've heard what I had to say yesterday."He said. Promise started walking again as her son grabbed her hand and began to pull her forward. "I did,"She answered shortly. His stare became hard and pensive. He quickly shook his head and began to rub at his temples with an exasperated sigh. He was getting more pissed off. He wasn't far from his breaking point.
"Was there some vital information in that apology that I missed or something?"
"Obviously, but this whole little attitude you're giving me is pissing me the hell off, so much so, that I don't even want to talk about it anymore."His voice escalated an octave. He had no idea that she was just testing his patience because she wanted a reaction. She wanted to light a fire under him because even after everything it was him that she truly wanted. When was he going to figure that out? If he ever learned that the key to getting her back was to put in work then she would eventually give him another chance. If he didn't then she would very well continue on with her life. It was one of those things that saddened her to think that it may never work between them, but she was preparing herself just for that. She didn't want to categorize him as a lost cause but he hadn't proven anything to her. He'd only shown her that he was still afraid of what she was so willing to give to him – love.
It's time to show and prove.
"Well let's just bypass the whole subject all together then Zayne. We don't have to talk about it anymore."
"Here I am standing here trying to get through to you, but you won't stop being stubborn for one damn minute!"
"Oh! Let's not talk about stubbornness. Last time I checked that was one of your best qualities!"
"Forget it then, damn."
"Already forgotten."She uttered just as they came upon their group of friends. Zayne huffed out of aggravation and headed towards his boys with their son trailing closely behind him. Promise stalked across the grass, kicking her feet ever so often. Nikita's giggles were loud as she sat conversing with Brian's girlfriend. Promise plopped on the table right beside Ashley. "Hey, girl," Ashley grinned as she reached out to give her a side hug. "Hey, when did you get here?"She inquired, returning the friendly embrace.
"Oh, I've been here. I just stopped to speak to a couple of my other friends."Ashley replied with a shrug. Nikita turned around and took glimpses between her and Zayne. She could see the apparent anger present on his face. He looked like he was ready to hurt anyone that dared to say anything to him as he stood around with his Brian and Major. He didn't even bother engaging in the conversation that his friends had going on. "What did you do to him?"Nikita chuckled knowingly.
"I gave him a taste of his own medicine."
-----
Three Weeks Later
It was a happy occasion as everyone gathered into Promise's quaint apartment to celebrate Zayvion's third birthday. His grandparents on both sides were present and the toddler was having a blast. He ran around aimlessly with a small red and blue hat inscribed with the words "Birthday Boy" on his head. His smile had been contagious for the period of time that the party had been taking place. Despite there being a lack of children he seemed to be satisfied with the overflowing of attention and love. His dad caught him midair as he nearly ran into his legs. He chuckled while ruffling his son's head,"Whoa! Slow down." Little Zay giggled and squirmed around in his hold. It was obvious he wanted to be put down so Zayne did just that.
Everyone seemed to be having an equally good time as well as they chattered and joked around like they had always been apart of each other's lives. At that moment everyone appeared to be on one accord and that alone was refreshing in itself. Zayne rocked on his heels as he listened in on his father and Promise's father joke around about happenings from each of their pasts. He began to shake his head, laughing lightly at the stories they were telling. "Y'all are on something today, huh?"He questioned the two older men with a smile. He felt a sense of easiness because he'd thought that meeting the father of the love his life would be a strenuous occasion. Aiden Taylor wasn't half as uptight as his wife Cierra Taylor.
She'd nearly scared Zayne half to death earlier with the questions she had been firing off at him ever since she'd first set sight on him. She glared at him with hard hazel orbs that he found the least bit comforting. He didn't know how Promise survived all those years living around a woman of her caliber. It was obvious to him where she inherited most of her personality."What are your plans after college, Zayne?"Aiden suddenly asked. Rick seemed to straighten with pride as they both awaited his answer. "I plan to be an entrepreneur and start my own company which is why I chose to major in business."He answered with ease. Aiden nodded his head in approval, satisfied with his answer. However Cierra, on the other hand, wasn't content with it. She cleared her throat loudly as she made her entrance into the living room once more. She held her head high with a certain superiority.
Zayne couldn't figure out how a woman that was so beautiful could be so evil. He swore she was the devil in a dress. She was identical to Promise with the exception of their eye color and her blonde hair that she kept bone straight. "You do plan to graduate on time to keep providing for my grandson, don't you?"Her abrupt question spewed from her lips as though it were common. He had to fight himself not to lash out at her and put her in her place. Rick's eyes grew bulbous as he witnessed the slight frown grace his face. He quickly schooled his features and began to laugh drily. "Honey..."Aiden's voice tapered off. He had to have known how it must've looked for his wife to stand there and intentionally be rude.
"It's okay, Mr. Taylor."Zayne held his hand in the air and halted his attempt to come to his rescue. He then fixed his hard gaze on Cierra,"I plan to graduate at the top of my class with honors so that I can continue to do my job as his provider and father."She still didn't appear to be the least bit impressed as she began to take a drink of whatever beverage that occupied the glass in her hand. The woman clearly had an issue with him like he'd purposely not been in his son's life for the first two years. "I may not have been there at first, but let's not forget that I had no idea. I'm doing the very best that I can right now and there's not a damn thing I wouldn't do for my son Mrs. Taylor. So please don't stand here and try to make it seem as though I'm a man that doesn't love his child and is set on being a deadbeat. I would never abandon my son."He could no longer take not saying anything to her.
His heart had been beating out of his chest as he uttered those words, but he could still feel a weight being lifted off his shoulders. She squinted her eyes at him with a grimace before turning on her heels and trekking into the kitchen to join Promise and the other women. "I'm glad to see you actually stood up for yourself. My wife isn't the easiest person to get along with sometimes. You'll get used to her and just learn to ignore her like Promise and I do."He chortled. Rick patted him on his back as he too joined in on the laughter,"Yeah, you did good son." Zayne felt a light nudging to his arm. He glanced to his left and his green orbs clashed with Brian's hazel ones. He'd nearly forgotten that he and Major were there since they were so quiet. "Personally, I think the lady's crazy."Brian blurted out with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Isn't every woman at some point?"Aiden smirked, obviously taking no offense to any of it. "Well, I was waiting for one of y'all to say it, because that lady there..."Major began to shake his head. Zayne and Brian both chuckled wholeheartedly at that. Major was never one to be rendered speechless so seeing that was almost a shock in itself. Promise's wild golden mane suddenly appeared in view as she peeked into the living room from the threshold of the kitchen. "Time to sing happy birthday!"She exclaimed with a clapping of her hands. Zayvion was busy on the other side of the living room playing in a pile of his toys. He hopped to his feet and latched himself onto Rick's long legs. "Yay!"He shouted. Everyone laughed at his excitement as they neared the kitchen.
Rick was the last one to hobble in because Little Zay still remained attached to his legs. He giggled every time that his granddad took a step. "Alright here's the birthday boy finally."Rick picked him up and threw him in the air, earning more laughter from the toddler. Once his giggles subsided Promise set him in the middle of the table in front of his own small cake. His eyes lit up with excitement as he caught sight of the three flickering candles.
"You have to blow out the candles baby."She said with her camera in tow. Zayne chuckled at the excitement plastered on her face as well. She was in complete mom mode at the moment and the only thing that mattered was their child having his moment. Zayne loved that side of her, and it was one of the things that made her all the more attractive to him."We have to serenade him with the birthday song first."Aiden blurted out.
Major playfully cleared his throat and pretended to ready himself to sing. "Don't you dare open your mouth and scar my god-baby for life."Nikita's voiced jovially, although her face held a serious glare. "The world ain't ready for nothing that horrible."Brian quickly added in. Major dropped his hands at his sides in a defeated manner. Only moments later did everyone sing happy birthday to an anxious Zayvion. He couldn't wait as he leaned forward and blew out the candles before the end of the song. Promise laughed and began to snap away at every angle, trying to capture each moment of the mini celebration. Zayne quickly rid the miniature cake of candles before allowing the toddler to have his way with it. "Okay, go for it!"He chuckled as he smeared the tip of his nose with cake.
Zayvion instantly tore apart the cake and stuffed it in his mouth. He munched away with a big smile. He was all too happy to have the opportunity to get messy. Zayne shook his head at him and went to help Promise since she had already cut individual pieces of another cake for the adults. He made sure that everyone had eating utensils as he sauntered around the small kitchen area. Promise then waved him over after making sure everyone else had been taken care of.
He couldn't figure out just what it was that had him getting lost in everything that made up her. She was talking, but he wasn't listening to a word. She donned a simple long red t-shirt summer dress that accentuated each of her curves. Her hair was in its natural wild state and she wore no make-up, yet to him, she still looked like she was glowing. He had to confine his hands to his pockets to restrain himself from grabbing her. "Did you hear me?"She asked with her hands planted on her hips. He smirked and responded honestly,"I wasn't listening." She rolled her eyes at him,"Well I said I'm going to get his presents from my room. Come help me."
"Lead the way."He stepped aside and allowed her to walk ahead of him. His eyes followed the hypnotic sway of her hips as they ambled down the hallway that led to her bedroom. He was glad that she'd asked him to help her because he had other motives and they called for getting her alone. She walked herself right into his trap. Promise finally reached her bedroom door. She pushed it agape with an opened palm. She looked over her shoulder at him because she could probably feel him walking dangerously close to her. He only smiled at her as she finally pulled her gaze away from him.
He thought she would've been able to tell that he was up to something.
Zayne quickly locked the door as Promise sauntered into the middle of her room. Her balcony was open so it allowed a cool breeze to seep into the room. The sun's light poured in and illuminated the side of her face that was visible to him. He crept up on her so quietly that she didn't realize he was standing directly behind her. She moved to take a step backward but his firm hold on her waist stopped her. She jumped as his fingers danced on her lower stomach. "Zayne..."She sounded nervous all of a sudden. He smirked as he inhaled her fresh scent. "Hm..."He responded, not making any moves to let her go. She tried removing his hands but had no such luck as he only held her that much tighter.
She stood rigid up against his frame, refusing her body of it's want to give in. "Let go. I didn't come in here only for you to decide you wanna have your way with me."She huffed, realizing that she wasn't going anywhere. "I did."He said. She turned around and faced him after finding he'd freed her from his embrace. He missed holding her and this would pacify his urges for only a little. Promise began to retreat to her walk-in closet to retrieve the presents. He followed behind her as though that was his only objective in mind. Promise seemed satisfied with his silence until he caught her and sealed her into the wall with the front of his body. "Really?"She questioned with a furrowed eyebrow.
"Yeah."He answered lowly. She rolled her eyes and attempted to push past him. He only meshed his body against hers harder. "Now either you can stop moving or you can create a lot of friction and get me started. You choose."His face was void of any emotion, but his tone of voice was teasing. She went on struggling against him, moving every which way. She really was making it harder for him to focus on what he intentionally came to do.
Zayne arched an eyebrow then and began to chuckle lowly. "Okay, so you're choosing to tempt me. Is that a wise choice right now Promise? Do we really want everyone to hear you in here screaming and panting? They'll know exactly what I'm doing to you."He'd gripped her arms and placed them up against the wall as he surrounded her legs with his. She stared at him for a moment before she stopped wiggling. He watched her while letting her hands slide down the wall.
He had realized from the last few times that they'd been crossing paths that he was going to have to take control.
She didn't want to willingly listen so he was going to make her listen.
He ran a hand through her curls as he posted the other up against the wall,"Now you gon' listen to what I have to say because ain't no running at this point. I have to tell you how I feel. I can't hold it in anymore."
"Seriously? We're going here again."She folded her arms across her chest as she peered into his eyes. He chuckled with a shake of his head. "Less talking. More listening."He softly ran a finger over her lips before rubbing his thumb against her cheek. He knew it was now or never. If he didn't tell her how he felt right then and there then he truly might lose her.
He couldn't lose her.
"For starters, I'm going to tell you how sorry I am for every single thing that I've ever put you through. It killed me to see you cry that day especially knowing that I put those tears there. I shouldn't have said those things or hurt you like that. It was wrong and I apologize from the deepest part of me. You have my heart in your hands and I refuse to let you walk away from me. I won't accept that we're done with each other."
"Well what if I want to be done with you Zayne, then what?"
"Then I'll fight for you...for us..." He murmured quietly. She instantly tried to turn away from his gaze. He wasn't having it that time around. He gently grabbed her chin and made her look at him. "I'm serious. Everything that I am now is because of you. I can't just give you up."He slid a couple pieces of her hair behind her ear. She searched his eyes and allowed her head to softly fall against the wall.
He couldn't read her. She was doing a hell of a job of keeping her emotions closed off for once. The love that she had previously shown him had to be in there somewhere. He wasn't going to allow her to close her heart off to him. He pulled her forward, meshing their foreheads together,"You have to understand how much you mean to me. I know I haven't shown you, but believe me when I say that I will this time."
Again, she refused to show him any emotion.
Zayne sighed as a flicker of nervousness began to stir up within him. He couldn't tell if he was getting to her. He hated that she wasn't responding to anything he was saying. He was hoping that this was all a test. He knew he wouldn't be able to handle it if she was serious. He felt too much for her, and it was too much to hold in."Can I go now? We have to get Zayvion's things."She voiced quietly. She moved against him and patted his chest. He gripped her hand and peered into her awaiting eyes. He swallowed hard, readying himself for what he knew he had to do.
"I love you Promise, and it's everything about you that's made it so easy for me to. From the first night that I laid eyes on you all up to you making moves to show me that not all women are the same, I knew...I knew you had me a long time ago, and I was afraid of that. Now I can't suppress how I feel anymore. I can't keep telling myself that I'm not in love with you when I am."
This was the most open that he had ever been in his life. Promise froze up against him as she took in his confession. The shock was written all over her face, so he knew she hadn't heard him that night. Her mouth formed an O as she stumbled to come up with something to say. He chuckled a little because her expression brought him a sense of comfort. It let him know that there was something still there for him.
Zayne's smile was small yet confident as he moved closer to her mouth. "You don't have to say anything right now. I just want you to know how I feel."His fingers smoothed over her bottom lip.
He knew he couldn't stop her from dating Ryan or any other man that crossed her path, but at least she would consider him again. She would know that he loved her. Her eyes danced between his eyes and lips as he leaned in as though he were going to kiss her. He smirked but then brushed his lips against her ear,"We'll play this game since that's what you want to do. I'll chase you, but I feel like eventually, you're going to want me to catch you again."
Promise finally showed signs of schooling her features. It was too late because he'd already seen how his words affected her. If she wanted him to work for her then he would, because that's what she wanted. He would give it to her on her terms.
She cleared her throat and captured his attention,"Are we done with this heart to heart now?" He suddenly reached out and gently slid his fingers up her neck and pulled her to him. It had been too long since he'd kissed her or been intimate with her. Damn his constant impulse to touch her. It was going to be hard to keep himself from doing anything to her. He leaned down and kissed the corner of her lips. He wanted to do so much more than that, but he figured she would pretend like she was against it.
"I guess we better get those presents out to our son then."He willed himself to saunter backward as he rubbed the nape of his neck. She was gazing at him with a look that was indecipherable. He couldn't quite detect what it was that she was feeling, but he wouldn't press the issue. He just wanted her to understand that their chapter was nowhere near finished.
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No one pointed out that they were alone in Promise's room for longer than they should've been and Zayne was glad. He figured she was too when she sauntered around her apartment talking and joking with everyone like he hadn't just confessed his feelings to her. She made sure to stay close to her friends for the rest of the party while she'd sneak occasional glances at him. He'd smile at her and she would turn away like she wasn't looking with an evident blush on her cheeks.
He couldn't complain.
He was satisfied for now...
He'd left enough of an imprint on her mind and heart for one day.
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This chapter right here... I love it! What about y'all? Tell me what you think! Don't hold back lol.... cause I don't know if you're ready for what's to come! 😩🙌🏽😂
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Thanks for reading!
-Nikki💙