From the time Alasia stepped into the their booth, Ray's stomach fluttered. It'd been years since he'd last seen Lasia. The sight of her brought a smile to his lips, the first full smile since Amani left him.
Time had graced Alasia with good favors, beauty, and curves. He looked her over, noting the changes.
Her caramel complexion glowed, her slightly slanted brown eyes bright. Her once curly jet black mane, was now straightened and resting beyond her shoulders. Her lips full. He wanted to tell her she was beautiful, but he was too nervous.
As Alasia sat across from Ray, she looked him over and it took all she had to not breakdown. Those "things" for him were still there and it angered her so much.
How could he jump from girl to girl, knowing that she was right there before him, waiting, wanting, needing...
Ray stared across the table at a somber Alasia, he smiled again. In response, she frowned.
"Why are you acting like that?" Ray asked.
"I'm not acting any way."
"Well, can you at least pretend that you are happy to see me?"
"I never said that I wasn't happy to see you. Matter of fact, I am happy to see you." Alasia explained, sitting up in her chair.
Ray gave her a soft smile, which she didn't return.
"That doesn't mean I'm still not upset with you."
Ray's smile faded, leaving him with a flat expression. He nodded in understanding.
"I get it," he nodded.
"I don't think you do."
"Why you have to act like that?" he asked, rubbing his forehead.
"I'm not acting anyway," Alasia shrugged before sipping her soda through her straw.
"Then what's that?"
"What's what?"
"That little attitude you having."
"That's not an attitude."
"Then what is it?"
"Ray, it's the pain. I've been hurt, over and over again. If not by family, by friends, and guys. But out of all of them, you ignoring me, hurt the most." her voice cracked.
"I und------," he started.
"Don't say it," she shook her head, "Don't try to justify it either." she quickly finished as she saw him open his mouth again.
"I can't say anything but sorry. I never thought it would hurt you so much."
"How could you not know how I would have felt?" she asked.
"We had so much history and you knew how much I cared for you." she added, looking into his eyes, hurt and anger evident.
"Believe me, if I knew it would, and if I was smart enough to see how things would have turned out, La, I would've never done things I've done."
"What do you mean, Ray?"
Ray sat and stared down at the table, holding his breath as flashbacks of the past few months overwhelmed him. He was lost in his thoughts.
"Ray?" she repeated.
Ray sighed and looked up, refusing to meet her gaze. "Everything is just falling apart. It's like I always pick the wrong ones. Why is it so hard, La?" now it was Ray's voice that cracked.
"You ever think that maybe you're looking in all the wrong places?" she whispered.
As her comment registered, Ray looked up and into her eyes, as he did, he smiled.
"You know, you might be right, La."
(Later That Night *Shay*)
As Shay laid home in her bed, she wondered if it made any sense to return to the house. She didn't belong, and in all honesty, she never had. While Gi and Rhi were living fairytales, she was stuck in hell.
While there, she experienced so much heartache and problems.
As she continued to evaluate her conflict, tears rolled down her cheeks. She'd never cried so much in her life, and she didn't like to either.
"Fuck this shit," she grunted, furiously wiping her tears with the back of her hands.
As her phone started to ring, she sat up and picked it up, staring at her home screen, scowling.
She hadn't spoken to her ex-boyfriend, Ty, since they had broken up nearly two years ago, due to his serial cheating.
She was amused as to why he would be calling her.
She answered and clicked the phone over and brought it up to her ear.
"We need to talk." he muttered.
"Is that anyway to answer a damn phone?"
"Shayla, this is no bullshit, meet me at the crib in thirty minutes." after finishing his sentence, the phone clicked over and persistent beeping informed Shay that he had disconnected the phone.
As she dropped her phone beside her, she frowned, her heart thundering. What the hell was going on? She had never heard Ty so mad, ever.
Getting up, she went and showered and dressed in a pair of plain skinny jeans and a pullover shirt.
On her way to his house, so many things crossed her mind. So many possible reasons for Ty calling her, but none of them made any sense to her.
Sighing, she decided to just push the thoughts away. She already had had enough things clustering her mind and judgment, she could only take so much more.
(Amani)
Sitting home, Amani curled up on her sofa and watched a movie, well more like looking at the screen.
Amani searched for answers to her questions, but in return, only came up with more inquisitions.
She knew that she needed to talk to Ray before things got to the point of no return. If they hadn't already.
After a few more minutes of thought, she grabbed her purse and decided to go get something to eat and clear her mind. She chose to go to her favorite chill spot.
(Ray & Lasia)
"I've missed you." Ray admitted, snuggling closer to Alasia in the booth.
Alasia snuggled closer and leaned her head against his shoulder, smiling, "I missed us." she confessed.
"Me too. I feel so much better now."
"I know what you mean."
"Yeah,"
Ray was so glad that the ice between them was broken. He knew it was only the beginning of recovery, but he felt like they were making progress. Maybe just maybe he would be alright.
As him and Alasia were musing over the past, a shadow from the corner of his eye caught his attention, something about the shape, the size, seemed so familiar to him.
He turned his head a little and his heart stopped, then twisted in his chest, there she stood, smiling as she listened to music.
Sensing someone watching her, Amani looked up from her phone, her heart fell and goosebumps assaulted her skin, there he was, the love of her life, another girl wound around his arm.
Ray watched as her smile quickly faded.
It was funny how he could just move on with ease without her, simply forgetting her love and his promises. Yet, there she was, struggling day by day just to forget his smile.
Amani tried to keep her bottom lip from quivering as he she stared forward to keep from meeting his stare.
After picking up the food she ordered, she raced home.
There was no place for and Ray, she finally saw it.
As Ray watched Amani leave, he fought the urge to go after her. He really wanted to, but he knew Amani, if she didn't want to listen before, she sure as hell wouldn't listen now. He exhaled harshly, thinking of the situation.
"You okay?" Lasia asked, breaking his thought.
"I'll be just fine," he replied, but it sounded more like a question than anything else.
"You sure?"
Ray thought about explaining the whole situation to her, but decided better of it. He plastered a fake grin.
"Yeah,"
He could tell Lasia wasn't buying it, she knew him too well.
(Shay)
As Shay reached to Ty's house, she felt hazed. Before she could even step onto the porch, he swung the front door open.
Stepping pass the threshold, memories of the "love" between her and Ty came rushing back full speed.
All the kisses, the hugs, the promises, the dreams, the lies.
Anger and pain filled her insides and left her feeling queasy.
"What's going on?" Shay asked, watching as he sat on one of his sofas.
Ty pursed his lips and ran a big hand over his face, sighing, a habit of his. He then patted the cushion next to him.
"I'd prefer not to," she frowned.
"But you really need to."
Shay thought it over in her head, and decided against being difficult.
Frowning, she walked and sat on the sofa farthest away from him.
Ty scanned her over slowly, his face expressionless. He opened his mouth and hesitated then breathed, rubbing his hands together, dropping his head.
"Something came up," he admitted into his palms.
"Something like?" Shay asked, completely bewildered as to what he could possibly be talking about.
"Something bad."
"What are you talking about?" Shay asked, her eyes bugging ever so wildly. Her heart thundering.
"Remember Izabel?"
"You mean the nasty bitch of a ex you had? Hell yeah, I know her. What that have to do with anything?" Shay asked, cringing.
"Well, in order for her to try out for cheerleading, she had to get a check-up."
"Um, again, what the hell does this have to do with anything? I don't want to know her business, nor do I need to." Shay spat, wondering where he was going with this.
"You ready to listen or you want to talk?" he asked, clearly aggravated with her interruption.
"She got screened for everything." he continued.
Instead of interrupting, Shay just nodded her head slightly, urging more information.
"And it turns out," he grumbled.
"Turns out what?"
"Turns out she is positive."
"Positive for what?" Shay asked, her eyes wider.
"For an STD." he added, barely a whisper.
"What?" Shay hissed, her heart thundering, her mind racing.
"Please tell me you didn't sleep with her."
"I can't say that, then I'd be lying. She said she had it before she met me."
"Please say you used protection."
"Not all the time."
"Dear God, but you were my first."
[A/N: Well My Totterz, This Chapter Has Come To An End. Hope You Enjoyed. Don't Forget To Vote & Comment If You Love Me & Want Me To Continue. & Don't Forget, Fan! What'd You Think Of The Chapter! Sorry For Any Errors I Missed.]