She closes the door behind him and wraps her arms around his waist in sincerity. Looking up at his tall frame with her puppy eyes.
Lakeith loves her touch so much. So much that he knows it was only going to make him forget the reason he even came. So he removes her hands and takes a step back from her...
Evelyn smacks her teeth, chuckling.. "Come on, why you acting so stank ? "
"And why haven't you been answering my calls?" He questions, ignoring her self explanatory question.
She sighs, "Well, trust me when I say this... I don't want this sounding cliché, but it wasn't you, it was me. I felt really embarrassed by my parents behavior so instead of telling you how I really felt, I- I ignored you."
"What ?" He furiously questions.
"It wasn't only you. I ignored everybody who was calling and texting me. Come on, give me a break. I meant you no harm. Truly."
"Okay break it down to me like I' am a baby because what you're saying ain't making no damn sense. I can understand that your feelings were all over the place. But instead of coming to me for comfort you ignore me? Tell me something worth my time Evelyn cause you pissing me off." He replies.
"Look at how you're speaking to me now. That's exactly the reason why and that's all I can really tell you..."
"Come on Evelyn, you really think I like talking to you like this? I'm only speaking to you like this because you fucked me up. Not because of anything else so give me the real reason. You only making it harder for yourself by stalling mama."
"What more do you want me to say? I already told you everything besides one thing."
"What's the one thing?"
"Well I would never ask you to change who you are for me, but.. you're really bland. Almost like a stick in the mud when I talk to you. It's hard to tell if you would really care about the things going on around me or not. You kind of scare me. So I guess you can say it was the real reason as to why I was reluctant."
Lakeith was never one to care for too much and he wasn't the type to fuel with happiness or empathy when someone told him something. He was sort out of touch when it came down to feelings.
Not purposely though, it was only how he was as a man. And something he was really used to being like. Though if it was bothering Evelyn, he knew he had to change this for her.
Lakeith wanted her comfortable. Otherwise, the relationship they were striving for would never feel real to either one of them. A woman wasn't supposed to be scared of a man and vice versa.
"I apologize for making you feel as if you couldn't come to me in your distress. You know I care for you though Evelyn and would never try to put you in an uncomfortable position, so that alone should've gave you enough knowledge to tell me all of your feelings earlier. You have to communicate with me or we're always gonna end up with the short end of the stick. I want us to work and if we don't work out, I don't want a lack of communication being the reason."
Evelyn crosses her arms and gives him a crooked look, "Hm.. so if we were to break up, how would you want it to end?"
"Don't speak that into existence before we even get started." Lakeith snaps.
"You already did, so answer the question..."
He heavily sighs, "A mutual agreement. No hard feelings. Maybe even friends."
"Hm." She rolls her eyes.
"What's your problem?"
"I just feel like you're scolding me. I'm not a child."
"Baby you know I'm not trying to scold you. Plus any grown man with two good eyes can immensely see you're no child." He says, evidently referring to how greatly she was shaped..
"Well, I'm not convinced. I'm sorry if I' am not as open about communication as you are. But you're no holy spirit. You're scolding me about communication and transparency, but you fail to do the same thing for me."
"Meaning?.."
"I' am talking about your brother, Lakeith. Your brother. What was your brother going to say at the dinner table? I saw the look you gave him. You can't sweet talk your way out of this one. I was blinded by your little gestures then, I won't be blinded now. So talk!"
"Mama look.." He says, attempting to place his finger in her belt loop in order to pull her closer before she pushes his hand and moves farther away from him..
"No! Don't do that! I don't need you trying to swoon me over. I need you to tell me what I wanna know. So tell me."
Lakeith then sits down on the couch and stares into space for a few seconds before speaking, "Growing up and entering adulthood, I was always the player. Always chasing the girls. Couldn't even live without them. Every woman I have ever dealt with always felt safe in my arms, whether we were serious or not. I was the kind of man women needed to stay away from if they didn't want their pretty little hearts broken into two. This all changed though when I crossed paths with this one woman. I believed she was the one so much I even stopped fooling around before we became serious. And when we did become serious, I brung her around the family. Of course, they had their suspicions about her, but I was in love and didn't care. I wish I would've listened to them though because she- she ended up leaving me for another man and I took it pretty damn hard. I couldn't do anything. I didn't sleep, eat, nothing. The demise of our relationship humbled me though. Because no matter what anybody tells you or how much you think you're above it all, you really do reap what you sow. That was my karma for me and looking back to how I treated all of those women, I'm glad that was all karma did to me. And as far as my brother, I guess he believed I would never get over her. So I'm guessing he was only surprised ? I don't know. But that's all it was Evelyn. And I want you to know I would never do the same thing to you. I'm passed my reckless phase in my life, and I'm a changed man."
"That's what they all say..."
Evelyn didn't want to be negative after he spilled majority of his life so far to her because what he told her explained a lot. Him telling her this made her realize he didn't want to play anymore games because he had already played enough for more than one lifetime and that he didn't want to be abandoned. It's his worst nightmare and she could tell so she understood him better.. but his past was nearly too much to take in.
Now everything sort of shifted in her mind and the energy that surrounds them was now weird because Evelyn was making it weird. Evelyn didn't want her first lover and hopefully final lover to be a former philanderer. This changed her views on him but she wanted to be easy on him like he was on her..
"I'm not lying to you, Evelyn. With you, I'm a different version of myself."
"Sure.. I bet you said the same exact thing to all those other women."
"Evelyn please stop contradicting everything I'am saying to you..."
"I mean I'm trying with you Lakeith I really am and the lord knows I've never been with no real man before.. And I'm scared. I'm scared of you! When you seriously become involved with someone.. you just don't have eyes in the back of your head so whatever your lover tells you.. you just have to believe in them.. you just have to trust them. You would never know they're doing something behind your back unless they confess or if they're simpleminded enough to leave something laying around. It's a scary love world out there and I need to be able to trust you.. I need to be able to feel secure in everything you tell me. I don't want to continuously worry in the back of my mind that you're probably out there chasing some other woman's tail when you're not around me. That's an exhausting way to live.. I don't wanna live like that Lakeith.. "
" I swear, I'm telling you the whole truth. Just because women may have shared the same man, don't mean they get the same version. I'm real with you. I have nothing to fake with you. All of this is real. I have no reason to mess around on you. Why would I look you straight in your eye, tell you I wanna court you, just to end up fooling around on you? That makes no sense. "
"I don't know.. why don't you men make it make sense ? Because you men do it everyday.."
Lakeith says in an exhausted tone, "Evelyn.."
Evelyn loosens up and sighs, "What was her name?"
"Who ? "
"The woman who was dumb enough to leave you."
"Pamela."
"Was she pretty?" She asks as she decides to be close to him after all, and sits on his lap.
"Not as pretty as you. You're the prettiest thing I have ever seen.. period."
"You mean it ?" Evelyn widely smiles.
Evelyn had the most prettiest smile as well. She always smiled like a big kid whose mother told them to go get money from their purse so they could buy something.
Lakeith would legit pay just to see such a pretty smile. Once he escaped the other world her smile seemed to put him in he says.. "You know I do.."
She smiles and grabs his chin. "..Well I'm not angry with you Lakeith. I was only worried because I'm not those kind of women who believe cheating can be overcome.. One time is already two times too many for me you know ? But we both haven't been as transparent with one another. So I won't be hypocritical. I guess the past is the past. It doesn't define us." She reassures, leaning into place a small kiss on his cheek before he moves his head back.
"What's the problem now?" She adds, growing frustrated as she looks down and begins fiddling with his Rolex..
"Do you really wanna be with me? I mean like really. For real. No games? Because I don't need this happening again. I don't wanna be thinking everything is okay between us and then you begin ignoring me again. I would do nearly anything you ask me to do, but I won't have you reeling me in whenever you think I'm good for you."
"Look.. if this is about the tickets.. I have no problem reimbursing you. I have my own money you know.."
"I can care less about the tickets now. I'm asking you a serious question because if you only wasting my time, I'd like to know now so I can save my soul from you and leave."
"Huh ? Save your soul from me? You're acting as if I'm some kind of bad person. Look who's being whim now ? You really need to work on that temper of yours because I don't like how you're charging at me- "
"I'm not saying you should be burned at the stake mama. I just can't help but to think I'm feeling you way more than you feeling me. I don't wanna be in a relationship like that. This has to be 50/50 not 80/20."
Evelyn's eyes roll to the back of her head as she crosses her arms, "I understand your concerns, but I want to be in a real relationship with you Lakeith. I like you a lot. I'm not trying to waste time with you."
"Well.. shit, you already did enough of that. I mean you already taking long on deciding if you wanna be courted or not.. I'm not gonna be around you forever.. I'm gonna have to eventually leave you and when I do.. I would love to leave knowing that my woman wants to be my wife." He says in a condescending tone.
Evelyn gets up from his lap, "And I told you I was gonna think about it! Don't push me! I- I'm only twenty one.. barely getting the feels of a real legal life.. let me live! I said I want to be in a relationship and that should be enough for now so if all you are going to do is take ten steps back while I'm trying to move ten steps forward then you should go. I have my reasons as to why I'm taking this as slow as I want to.."
Lakeith sighs, "Alright, I apologize. I'm just bugging and I'm in my feelings. Come here, I'm sorry okay?" He then guides her back on his lap as she observes him suspiciously.
"What's the reasons baby? You still don't trust me or something?" Lakeith adds.
Evelyn looks down at their connected hands in her lap.. "It's not even that.. I don't want to talk about it. Not now.. I just wanna have fun. I don't wanna think."
"Okay.. well you promise to tell me one day ?"
"I do." Evelyn nods before adding... " I really am sorry though. I've never been with a man before. It was always church and school. Especially church. Even if I didn't wanna go. And all the way up until I finished college I went head first into being an army nurse. So I never really had time to find a liking for men. Besides my constant daydreaming. .. This is really fresh to me and I don't really know how all of this relationship stuff works but I need you to know, I'm trying and I'm learning as we go along."
"Well, so far.. you're doing good."
She leans in and pecks his lips.. "Thank you."
Lakeith then slowly licks his lips and playfully closes his eyes as if he was on top of the world or something.. "You've got the sweetest kiss I've ever tasted."
Evelyn shyly purrs at him with a certain beam in her eyes before she shakes her head and says, "I'm sure Marlena is annoyed by now."
"Yeah more than likely.. she probably thinks you're up here taking your sweet time. On the way up here I walked straight past her and Asia. Neither noticed me.."
"Yeah you don't have social media so there was nothing to show them. Though I'am sure they are gonna have a field day when they see you when we come out."
"You don't sound too happy.."
"I'm not.. you're mine and all they're probably gonna do is drool over you."
Lakeith chuckles.. "You don't have no competition baby. I only have eyes for you. Come on.."
She nods and stands up with a small smile on her face. Once she locks up, he heads to his car while she heads over to Marlena's car to tell her she wasn't riding with her since Lakeith brung his car. And when she does, she proceeds to walk back to Lakeith's car before Marlena calls for her.
"So I see your man came. What were you doing in there?" Marlena suspiciously raises her eyebrows, with a small smirk riding up the corner of her lips.
"Nothing, nasty. And he's not my man.. yet."
"Girl bye. Hold on." Marlena says before tilting her glasses, and peeps through his see through windows.
"Oh wow girl. You did good. He is fine. I know you two had to do something. You don't have to lie."
Asia agrees, "Yeah girl. He is fine. I'm surprised."
Evelyn rolls her eyes. Of course Marlena and Asia would be surprised she found interest in a good looking man. Since she was quirky and awkward sometimes, everyone close to her believed she would have horrible taste in men as far as looks.
So whenever she got a boyfriend, they thought it would always be someone strange looking. Sure she found a little humor in their beliefs, but she knows how to pick her men.
"I'm leaving. We'll follow you guys. Bye!" Evelyn laughs as she waves them off and walks across the street.
Once she gets in his car and he follows after Marlena and Asia, she looks around before landing her eyes on a camera that sits near his radio. She smiles, "You brought your camera..."
"Go ahead and take some pictures if you want."
Evelyn cheekily smiles as she takes pictures of herself, some of Lakeith driving, and quick pictures of her city.
When everyone arrives, Marlena and Asia were the first ones to leave and go straight inside. Evelyn instantly becomes confused until she receives a message from Marlena, saying they were only going to the restroom.
She finds this quite suspicious since they were beginning to be ' buddy buddy ' in a sense. They could never be around each other for too long. But she has always wanted them to be cordial with one another, so she was going to keep her suspicions to herself.
As the pair walk in union, she takes in the breathtaking atmosphere. It was already night time as well, so of course the energy was even more outstanding. The rain only added more calm feelings as well. She was content.
Vague trap music could be heard as they get closer to the entrance way...
When they manage to get in, she notices it was past ten minutes and Marlena and Asia were taking forever. Evelyn sighs and whips out her phone. She calls Marlena, then hearing it ring three times before she answers. "Where are you two?" Evelyn questions.
"We're literally around the corner girl. Cool it..."
"There's a hundred corners around here. Why do you always do this?-"
"Make a left and we'll be there. Quit whining and hurry up." She says before hanging up.
"Calm down baby. Let's just take a wild guess and pick any side. She really do this all the time?" Lakeith questions, looking around.
Evelyn nods and walks with him. "Yup. If it isn't the grocery store, it's at a party and if it isn't those two, it's at a freaking carnival." She complains as he chuckles.
They then make a random turn and fortunately find them quickly. Though, as they walk closer, she sees another woman with them and she couldn't make out who she was until passing people move...
Briana! Evelyn thinks. Her eyes widened and she unintentionally releases Lakeith's hand as she runs towards her, and nearly tackles her to the ground.
"How in the world did you get here? Why didn't you tell me?" Evelyn screams as Lakeith finds his way back near her.
"I couldn't tell you about a surprise. But you can thank Marlena and Asia for making it all come together. They told me you would want to see me around this time." Briana smiles.
She shakes her head in rejoice and embraces everyone before she hears a commotion for Marlena as all of her fans ask for pictures and autographs. Thankfully they weren't too crazy so she didn't have a need for any of the guards she brought with her to do any kind of damage.
Sometimes, Evelyn forgets her sister was well known because around each other they always acted normally, though she was proud and wanted to be just like her one day. In her eyes, her sister is everything.
Once all settles down, all of the girls then look at Lakeith. Evelyn rolls her eyes, already knowing what was going to happen. They begin drilling him with questions in unison. Though he speaks with Marlena first. This was to be expected since Lakeith did tell Evelyn he wanted meet her and was a fan. He harmlessly admired her.
Evelyn does want to oppose to everything all together though, but it seems like they were all having fun so she leaves them be. For the next few hours, they play every game and ride every rollercoaster they could think of before they ultimately get food and relax at an open bench. They were truly having a good time...
During the loud chatter in the air, Weekend Girl by The S.O.S. Band plays. Evelyn cheerfully perks up and grabs Lakeith's hand as Marlena and Briana eye them in awe..
"I love this song. Come on." Evelyn says, nearly pulling him off the bench.
Lakeith chuckles, "I'm warning you now... I don't know how to dance."
"Oh please, it's a slow song. A two step will suffice." She laughs and grabs his hands once more.
As they dance, a two step did suffice for him because it was easy and since she knew how to dance already, of course she was unknowingly being a hotshot. He lionizes her, making her ask, "Please don't tell me I have something around my mouth. Those nachos were kind of messy..-"
"You're beautiful." Lakeith smiles.
Evelyn observes the grin on his face. She wasn't around him for years and didn't know him like the back of her hand yet, so she didn't know if he smiled an awful lot before their paths met. But she did know he smiled plenty around her and started doing so nearly as soon as he really took a good look at her face.
So if she was the reason for him smiling more, she felt spesh because his smile was unforgettable. She'd always remember a smile like his..
"Oh.. thank you." She finally responds, as she wraps her arms around his neck more firmly while they sway.
"Promise me something." He continues on.
"Hm ?"
"Promise that you'll always come to me for anything. I wanna be with you through every thing. I got your back."
".. I have my own back."
"Are you always so liberated ? I know you do but know I'm here too."
Evelyn laughs, "I'm sorry.. I promise."
Loving the feeling of this strong woman succumbing to him, he soon leans in and kisses her.. This wasn't their first kiss, but it definitely felt like it was.
This was different. Every time they kissed.. it was always Evelyn who commenced the move because Lakeith respected the bubble she put up and when she did feel like kissing him, she kissed him as if they were in elementary school. Small pecks as if they were children..
Though this time, Lakeith made the move and kissed her like a real woman. Evelyn finally felt like a real woman because she was with a real man. The feeling was like no other.
For the first time in her life she really understood the true meaning of the word ' fulfillment '. Evelyn was fulfilled.
Evelyn has no oppositions to this man. She loved the feeling of his lips on hers. They didn't have to officially say anything, they both knew they were in a relationship now.
Was the courting process beginning? No.. but a relationship was a start..
She pulls back from their meaningful kiss and says, "This is our song now."
"Our song." Lakeith agrees.
Evelyn and Lakeith hug each other and all she could do was close her eyes and smile. She was happy and couldn't believe she was really diving into romance. This was real life... Their lives have only just begun..