please excuse any mistakes.🤭
•••
Naila
Washington, DC.
"Kelvin, leave me alone." I groaned.
"Just lemme know, is you single?" He asked, for what seemed like the thousandth time.
"Yes!" I semi-yelled. "Damn. Why you wanna know so bad?"
"Can't tell you all that." He grinned.
"Gleesh, tell me."
"Nah."
"That's why I was lying." I smiled. "I got a whole nigga."
"Bet Marquette can knock his ass out." He mumbled, sizing me up.
I stared at him for second, before speaking. "Marquette?"
He sighed. "Damn."
"Marquette, wants to know if I'm single." I questioned. "Why?"
"You ain't hear that from me. Aight?"
I nodded. "Okay. Tell me more."
He smirked. "You interested in him?"
"Bye Kel." I groaned. "Is you gon' tell me or nah?"
"You know damn well that boy wanted you since high school." He said, pushing me. "But as always, you was faking."
"First of all, don't fucking push me bitch." I scoffed pushing him. "And secondly, we both decided not to be in a relationship. I didn't make that decision on my own, so don't try and put this all on me."
"Y'all both stupid." He shrugged standing up. "I gotta go, I'll holla at you later."
"Okay. Bye." I smiled. "Oh and next time, tell Marquette to ask me himself."
"Ight, imma tell him to call you."
*
"Kali, wait. Did you just say Carlos yelled at you?" I asked, looking at my nails.
"Bitch yes, I damn near stole his ass. But I ain't say shit, I just looked." She shrugged. "Nigga straight dumb. But, what you do today?"
"Kelvin met up with me today."
"Really? What y'all talk about?" She asked.
"He was asking if I was still single." I said.
"What for? Don't nobody want his fat ass." She laughed.
"Shutup" I laughed. "He was asking for Marquette."
"Oop, he tryna' get his girl back."
"I wasn't his girl to begin with." I shrugged.
"Naila, please stop lying."
Flashback : May 20th, 2016
"Naila, c'mon down these steps now. Don't keep your date waiting." My aunt Tina yelled, looking over at Marquette.
"I'm coming." I said, walking down the steps.
"Damn." I heard Marquette mumble.
I smiled, and took my fathers hand. "Thanks daddy."
"You're welcome princess." He smiled, kissing my cheek.
"Wow, you look beautiful Nai." He smiled, taking my hand.
"Thanks, quette."
We let everyone take pictures before walking out the house to get in the limo.
"Wait, is Kali in there?" My mom asked.
"No, that's where we going next."
"Tell her mama send me some pictures." She yelled.
"Okay mama." I chuckled, as the driver shut the door.
Marquette pulled me close to him before planting a warm kiss on my lips. "You look stunning. I ain't expect you to take my breath like this."
I laughed a little. "Thanks."
He wrapped his arm around my waist and continued to compliment me.
"Quette, promise me no matter what our relationship will remain the same?"
"Babygirl, I️ ain't letting you outta my site." He kissed me.
I smiled and grabbed his chin. "Mm, you look so good tonight."
"Thanks baby,"
I bit my lip and rubbed his head. "I'm really impressed, though you always look good."
"I'm looking extra yummy tonight, huh?"
I nodded and laughed. "Yeah, you're."
"So , what time I gotta get you home?"
He licked his lips and wrapped his arm around me.
I shrugged. "Actually, my parents didn't give me a time. Surprisingly."
"Really?" He asked
"Yep." I smiled while reaching over to grab one of the many water bottles that were in the limo.
"Well, I got mad respect for ya' parents, so I'll have you home before 2." He winked.
"Aww, look at you. Tryna' win over my parents,"
He laughed. "I already won over your mama. But your pops, that man is a trip. You never know wit' him."
"He's my dad. He likes you as my best friend, he just doesn't necessarily want us to push for a relationship."
"Or, maybe he found out that he ain't the only person you calling daddy." He joked, causing me to hit his arm.
"I hate you." I laughed, taking a sip of my water.
He shook his head. "Man. You be driving me crazy, you know that?"
"I think that's my main goal tonight," I stuck out my tongue before twisting the top on my water bottle. "Car stopped, time to take more pictures."
End Of Flashback.
"Everyone was convinced we had sex that night, and we really didn't." I laughed.
"Are you really about to lie to me? I heard y'all nasty asses." She rolled her eyes.
"Okay even if we did, which I'm not saying we did, it ain't they business." I shrugged, grabbing my phone.
"What if ya know.." She tucked her lips in.
"No. Things wouldn't have been better, it would've made matters worse if anything." I sighed. "Moving on, what happened with Trisha."
"Bitch wouldn't even look me in the eyes when she got CJ." She said. "I should've beat her ass, then he blaming me because she said Los can't be around him no more."
"That's not your fault though, he did that to himself." I pointed out. "I hate niggas."
"You can say that again." She grabbed her phone. "Ooo,"
"What?"
"Quette, is supposed to be going up to the school to go to the football game tonight." She smiled, shrugging her shoulders. "Meaning, so are we,"
I shook my head before leaning on the couch arm. "Kali, I don't need to go because he's going."
"Bitch, we're Alumni's. We are basically royalty at that school, you know the coaches and players would love to see everybody." She shrugged. "Half of our class is going to this game, you know we gotta show out. It's one of the biggest games of the season,"
I wanted to go to the game because I absolutely loved supporting my school but, what I didn't wanna do is keep seeing Marquette. Seeing him continuously would only bring back old and unwanted feelings and memories.
Marquette.
Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
"Quette, wassup bro!"
I chuckled and dapped up yet another person. I had been here for 20 minutes and I couldn't catch a break.
Boys came to dap me up and females walked past me continuously trying to get my attention, and all I could do was chuckle.
"Quette!"
I turned around and saw Kali and Naila.
Kali was smiling while Naila was looking at the football field.
"Hey, I'm surprised we found you." Kali said before nodding towards Naila.
I smirked and grabbed Naila's hand. "Hey ma,"
She looked at me smiling, with her cheeks red. "Hi Quette."
I pulled her close and wrapped my arms around her waist. "You look good man. Damn,"
She laid her head on my arm. "Stop it,"
"Why? Your boyfriend gon be mad?" I asked, looking at her out the corner of my eye.
"Who told you I have a boyfriend?"
I raised my eyebrow. "So it's true?"
"No. It's not, I'm single." She mumbled. "Just how you left me,"
I chuckled and pinched her side. "Keep on,"
She laughed and looked up at me.
"What you doin' after this?" I asked, while watching my old football coach yell at the players. "We need to really sit down and talk. We ain't seen eachotha' inna minute,"
She sighed. "Quette.. I don't know if I can do that,"
I tilted my head. "What you mean? Didn't you just say you were single? We ain't got shit to worry bout. And if you think I'm spinnin' you, I swear I'm not."
"It's not that, It's just me." She replied, looking at me. "I can't leave here wit you. I know myself too well,"
"Naila." I sighed, placing my hands on the gate and standing behind her before whispering in her ear. "Baby, don't do me like that,"
Her body shivered. "Don't do that."
I smiled and placed my chin on her shoulder. "We can sit in the car. We can go to my hotel room, your house whatever you comfortable wit. I just wanna catch up wit my bestfriend."
She sighed and looked down at her feet. "Okay. We can talk,"
"Thank you, that's all I'm asking." I wrapped one arm around her waist while looking for familiar faces. "Where the hell Kali and Carlos at?"
"Probably somewhere arguing." She shrugged. "You know he cheated and ended up wit' a whole baby,"
"Woah, really?" I questioned. "Damn,"
"A lot of shit happened these last two years," She mumbled.
Once the football game was over, I went down to talk to my old football coach.
"Coach Detrick." I smiled, while dapping him up.
"Wassup man." He grinned, looking at me. "Long time no see my brotha'."
"Yeah. I know, I ain't talked to nobody since I left in the beginning of 2017." I sighed. "I ain't gon' go MIA no more,"
"Good. You need to stick around as much as possible, especially since in two years you'll be in the NFL." He grinned.
"You really think I got what it takes?" I asked.
"You really gotta ask me that?" He laughed. "Hell yeah I do! Man, I coached you. All my athletes go on to do what they love, meaning you'll be getting drafted fresh outta college."
"Quette!" Naila yelled out. "Can I get your keys?"
I looked at Coach and he smirked.
"Come here Naila! You know you can't come in and not speak to me, get yo' ass over here."
She laughed and walked over to where we were standing before giving him a hug. "Hey Coach,"
"So, you two came here together?"
"No." She quickly answered. "I came with Kali and Carlos,"
"Mhm." He hummed.
"Your keys." She repeated, turning her body and placing her hand on her hip. "Because, you're gonna be in here for a minute and I'm not tryna' just be standing around."
"Still sassy." He mumbled, causing me to chuckle.
I handed her my keys and smiled. "Gimme 5 minutes ma, I'll be out there."
She smiled and shook her head. "Hurry up."
We both watched her walk out the gym before talking again. Once we finally finished up our conversation, I decided against stopping to talk to any of the players and went straight to the car.
"Naila, I do not recall saying get on the aux." I laughed, while buckling up my seatbelt.
"Well, your phone wasn't in here and I wanted to listen to music." She shrugged, while scrolling through Twitter. "So, where you wanna go?"
"Wherever you wanna go ma." I looked over at her and licked my lips. "It's your call,"
She looked at me. "We can go to my apartment."
I nodded. "You wanna drive?"
"Yeah, I can."
Once we switched seats, she pulled off.
"You still drive wit ya seat close to wheel." I chuckled, while grabbing her phone.
"Yes, I'm not the tallest." She laughed. "And what you got my phone for? You always complained about me having your phone but look how the roles have reversed."
"Shutup."
I opened Snapchat and typed in my name. "You blocked me?"
She shyly smiled. "Yeah."
"Oh, that's foul." I shook my head and unblocked myself. "I would never block you,"
"I didn't want you keeping tabs on me, and I didn't wanna see you doing whatever it is that you do."
"I don't even be doin' nothing if we being honest." I said, before locking her phone. "How far out you live?"
"20 minutes." She mumbled, turning on the turn signal. "But, I don't drive all that slow,"
I nodded and watched her as she drove the whole way. Once we got there she led me up to her apartment.
"You want anything to drink?" She offered. "Wine? Water?"
"Gimme some of whatever you plan on drinking." I sat back on the couch.
She nodded and walked to the kitchen. "I have a question."
"Wassup."
"Why're you staying at an hotel instead of going to your parents house?" She asked while walking out with two glasses and a bottle. "I'm not tryna' be all nosey, but I'm just curious."
"You know you can ask me anything Nai." I sat up and looked at her. "Honestly, I was hoping I could get you to stay wit' me."
She looked at me with her mouth slightly open. "Quette."
"I know now that it was pointless. You barely wanna even speak to me." I shook my head before grabbing the class. "It's cool though, I get it."
She sighed and sat next to me. "Listen, so much stuff was left unsaid that night. We just walked away and never looked back, and I became okay with that."
"You wanna talk about it?" I asked, looking at her. "I'm here now, and I don't want to walk away again without everything being laid out on the table. I can't do it Naila."
"I feel like you used college as an excuse to break things off wit' me." She muttered. "Yeah, we had to almost keep things on the low but everybody knew what wassup Quette. I feel like, we could've gave it a shot, the whole long distance thing could've worked out but you didn't even wanna try. You just wanted to be free and do whatever you wanted without worrying about me or my feelings, and I get it Quette, I really do."
I sat down the glass and grabbed her hand. "Naila, Let me first apologize for making you feel like I didn't want to be with you because god knows that's not true. I broke things off because you deserved better than me at that time. I didn't wanna go to college and then make a mistake that would eventually hurt you in the long run baby. I should've took you with me, that's something I regret not doing everyday."
"That's not your fault." Her voice croaked, making me instantly feel bad. "If I really wanted to be with you, I should've committed to that school, but I didn't."
I wiped the few tears that managed to fall from her eyes with my thumb.
"I hated that you walked away from us, I cried myself to sleep from damn near 3 weeks straight!" She raised her voice as she cried, placing her face in her hands. "Why didn't you try! Why didn't you fight for me to go! Why didn't you force me to talk to you again! Why did you let me go Quette!"
I sighed and pulled her closer to me. "I couldn't do it Nai. Everybody told me to fight harder, but I couldn't."
"Well you know what Quette, that's not good enough for me." She cried. "Don't you think I deserve more than that?"
I couldn't do anything but hold her as she cried. She was right, I owed her more than the explanation I was giving her. She was worth more than a simple I couldn't, she was worth more than a simple I don't know. She deserved a four page letter, but I just couldn't give it to her at the moment because I wasn't ready to tell her exactly how I felt about her, I wasn't being honest with myself so I couldn't be honest with her.
___________