Chapter 10 |
"What you thinking about?," He pulled away looking at me suspiciously
"Oh, um nothing."
"Shy, you make that face when something is bothering you."
"You only been knowing me for a month, how do you know that?"
He shrugged, "But now I know you were actually thinking about something and you lied."'
I ignored him, "Liah, where you wanna go mamas?"
"I don't know, somewhere though."
I huffed, "Out to eat it is."
"Oh yeah let's go out to eat," She laughed."
Shawn turned around and glanced at her and smiled.
"TiTi, is this your boyfriend?"
"No, this is my friend Shawn."
"Hey, Lil one."
"Hey, are you my titi boyfriend?"
He laughed, "Yeah, I am actually."
I shot my head towards him twisting my lips as he told lies.
"I can't dream?"
I shook my head laughing as we pulled up to AppleBees. Shawn grabbed Liah as he tickled her. I smiled seeing he had an different side than he shows. We sat down ordering as Liah asked multiple questions about my favorite color or did I like her drawing.
"Shawn?" My stomach dropped as I recognized that voice.
"Shy, what are you and Shawn doing here... together?" Aubrey asked.
Shawn looked around as I tried to come up with an lie.
"It's a 25 for 3 deal and Shawn decided he would be the third person to tag along." I smiled
She looked at me suspiciously before nodding.
"Oh, because I thought you both were like together or something."
"No, of course not. I'm not attracted to her you know that." Shawn laughed
I looked down smashing my tongue to the roof of my mouth to stop the tears.
"You okay Titi?," Liah said grabbing my hand.
"Yeah I'm okay baby, I gotta go to the car and get my charger." I lied.
I got up grabbing a napkin dashing out my seat. Even though he was playing, it still hurt to hear them words... Was he even playing ?
He said you know that as if they had that conversation before. I always had low self esteem when it came to me and how I appeared to people.
Was this all an act? So much is flying through my head as uncontrollably tears run down my face as I lay my head on the steering wheel. I've never felt pretty. I've been told I am... but I've also been told that they'll never hurt when, then they did.
Someone telling you that their not attracted to you when you thought they were is one of the worst heartbreaks and things you can ever be told.
I wiped my face as I seen Aubrey walking out to her car pulling off. I blew my breath looking in the mirror combing my hair out with my fingers. I slowly got out walking back in to overhear Shawn and Liah talking.
"I think you hurt my Titi feelings."
He didn't reply as he saw me sit down and smile at Liah.
"You like the food?"
She nodded smiling back. "Im going to take you home afterwards than Saturday we're going to finish it but have DD tag along instead, that's fine?"
She nodding endlessly. I began to eat as I felt Shawn staring at me, I dared not to look up.
"You know I only said that to make her not suspect anything right?"
I gave Liah my phone and headphones so she wouldn't be so focused on our conversation.
"It doesn't bother me," I laughed.
"You just ran out to cry Shy I'm not stupid."
"You sure didn't run after me."
"How when you left me with Liah? I wasn't about to leave her alone in her with Aubrey." He semi-whispered.
"Shawn, we can't keep doing this."
"What do you mean? Doing what?"
"This. All the flirting and kissing has to stop, you make it seem as if your hiding me in embarrassment."
"Embarrassed? I only said that so she wouldn't get all riled up."
"Because you care what she says right?"
No response.
That was what I was afraid of, me being his go to when Aubrey is not making him smile.
"Because she means something to you, while I'm just someone who your not attracted to right?"
"It's not like that Ke'Shyla."
"It's exactly like that Shawn. You don't care about me. So let's leave it at that."
He looked at me before looking back at his phone. Liah eventually told me she was done and I hurriedly picked her up and walked out the door.
"I can put her in if you'll like." Shawn quietly said.
"I got it, just go ahead and get in the car."
Liah grabbed my face and brung her lips to my ear. "I think you are beautiful titi."
I smiled kissing her multiple times and she giggled. "Thank you my favorite niece."
I got in the car checking my phone to have 4 missed calls from Travis, 3 from Keisha and 7 from Mali.
What the fuck is going on?
My phone connected to the car as I pulled off and started ringing to call back Trav.
"WHY THE FUCK AREN'T YOU ANSWERING THE PHONE!"
"I was out to eat with Liah Travis, what's wrong?" As I said then words Shawn became tense.
He breathed in before exhaling slowly.
"Are you okay?" I mouthed
He nodded.
"Mom is in the hospital, they found her passed out, everybody is up here except you so get here now."
"How is she?"
No response.
"TRAVIS!"
"It's not looking so good."
I ran a red light speeding down the street.
"Shy there is a kid in the car, one that is NOT yours... slow down."
I did a quick glance to Liah to see her holding on the seat for dear life. I parked the car and dusted into the hospital leaving Shawn and Liah behind.
"Room for Kennedy Myles."
"Ma'am she's in critical condition you're going to have to wait until the doctor approves visitation."
"Fuck you mean, bitch if you don't give me that damn room number-
"Shy stop." Shawn pulled my arm to the waiting room.
"What happened!" I screamed to Leon
"... She had a heart attack and stroke."