"You said no more fighting!" Shawn's voice boomed through the room as he reprimanded his younger sister.
"During the school year!" Will argued back.
We all occupied one of the bedrooms in the home. The girls and I sat on the bed, while Shawn, Eric, and Calvin stood in front of us like they were our fathers.
"I don't give a fuck Will. He was a whole nigga twice your size!"
"What else was I supposed to do? He was tryna take advantage of Nick!" She motioned towards Nicki, who had her head rested on Rocky's lap, it not being hard to tell she was drunk.
"And since the hell when did you have a boyfriend?!" Eric demanded.
Eric was the baby in Will's family, but he definitely had me thinking otherwise as he pressed his older sister for answers. So much so I didn't even think about the fact his 15 year old ass was even at the party.
"He's not my boyfriend!" Will snapped.
Eric knew better than to believe that. "Well he's something and I don't like it."
"You don't even know him!"
"Guys do we really needa be fighting about this at a party?" I cut in, sensing Will's growing annoyance.
"Don't even get me started on you." Calvin chasisted, glaring at me. "What the hell was that bold shit with Nico? I told you to stay away from him."
"So you thought you could get into a fight with Jaden and there would be no consequences?" Rocky spoke for me. "She went through hell so the nigga wouldn't kill you and I mean that with the utmost seriousness."
"That true?" Calvin asked me and I just softly nodded. "Why didn't you tell me Janae?"
I took a breath. "There was nothing to tell you about. It was between me and him."
"What do you even- No it wasn't Janae!" He yelled angrily at me, making me flinch.
Calvin never yelled at me. At least not like that.
"Calvin I'm so-"
"Go home." He commanded, inhaling deeply from his nose, as he looked to the side.
"Cal-"
"Go. Home." He opened the bedroom door. "All of y'all. Now."
Slowly, each one of us got up from our positions, leaving the room without another word. The night was officially a disaster as we trudged out of the home, the party back in full swing like nothing had happened.
All of us pilled into Nicki's mother's car, Will in the driver's seat since Nicki was in no state to drive. Our lively mood was now dead as we sat in the car, coming to terms with the fact that we had actually gotten kicked out.
"So, where are we going?" Will asked, breaking the silence.
"What time is it?" Kaylen wondered.
"A little past 12," Rocky responded from the passenger's seat.
"Can we get food?" Nicki asked. "Please. I'm really hungry."
"So burgers and then Nicki's," Will concluded as she started the car.
"Yup," Rocky confirmed, the car starting to move forward.
Kaylen placed her hand on my leg. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm good," I assured. "Just over this night."
"Hang in there, it's almost over." She told me, and I just rested my head on her shoulder, hoping she was right.
🖤
When I got home from sleeping over at Nicki's, Calvin wasn't home. Rashad told me he said something about meeting up with Tyree before his shift at Eddy's, and I couldn't help to think that was code for him avoiding me.
He was mad. Mad enough to not even wanna have a conversation with me about it. And I honestly didn't wanna have that conversation with him either. I would much rather he talk to me about crashing his party 'cause he'd get over it. But Nico, I just didn't know.
If Quincy found it serious enough to be the thing that broke us apart, Calvin for sure could hold this against me until he left for college.
I had an afternoon shift at the grocery store, working at the register, while dealing with a pounding headache.
It was like I was the one who was hungover and not Nicki.
I just wished my break would come around soon so I could possibly sneak a nap in the break room.
Funny how me wishing to be away from my job quickly gave me a reason to stand up straight and pay attention. My eyes widened the size of quarters, seeing Quincy absentmindedly placing items from his cart on the belt. He finally looked up when he was finished, and as soon as his eyes met mine, he looked as stunned as I felt.
"I- I can go to a different-"
"It's fine." I rushed out. "I mean, it's all good." I calmed my vocals, taking a small breath. "Already got everything up here." I started to scan his items in silence, an awkwardness clear in the air.
"I saw what happened at the party last night." He blurted out, making me freeze for a second. "I'm glad you're okay."
"Thanks." I muttered as I continued to focus on getting him out of my sight as quick as possible.
"We could be cool, right?" He asked hesitantly, making me look up at him curiously. "I mean, just 'cause we didn't work out doesn't mean we can't be cool. This awkwardness is weird, Nae."
It almost felt like a knife to the heart, hearing my nickname come out of his lips.
"$15.73." I just told him.
Q pulled out his wallet, the knife in my heart twisting as I recognized it as the wallet I bought him for Christmas. He handed me a twenty-dollar bill, and I swiftly got him his change and receipt before making sure he grabbed all of his bags.
"We're cool by the way." I finally spoke up.
"Cool." The smile that reached his lips made me feel warmth.
"Cool." I repeated with a nod, watching him walk away.
And as much as I didn't wanna admit it, he looked good. My eyes not leaving him until he was out of my sight completely.
Guess God didn't want me to be with him when he turned absolutely and undeniably sexy.
I rolled my eyes at the thought and got back to work.
It was always something.
🖤
One of the most inconvenient things that came with Calvin and I's tension was that it had to happen the night before a scheduled family dinner. This dinner specifically was important because Rashad was introducing his new girlfriend, Laura, to us.
When I entered the house and saw Calvin, he brushed past me without a word. Before I could address it, Mama was already yelling at me to get in the shower and put on something presentable because Rashad was on his way.
I put on a simple dress and sandals before helping Ma and Kelly in the kitchen, Daddy and Calvin doing some grilling out in the back.
"You girls go set the table outside. I got it from here." Ma started to shoo us away.
Kelly and I just did as we were told, leaving the kitchen just in time for her to greet Laura and Rashad as they hit the front door.
"How do you think she's gonna be?" I asked Kelly in a hushed tone.
"I hope she's decent, I mean she's with Shad." She responded as I helped her cover the picnic table with a tablecloth.
"I think he really likes her," I spoke, starting to put some plates down. "He's serious about her."
"You really think?" She wondered, pulling an unconvinced facial expression.
I let out a giggle. "Yes."
"Y'all." Rashad's voice spoke, catching our attention, seeing him making his way out with a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder.
My first observation was that she was short. We all were at a good height range. All the boys being over 6 feet. But the girl in front of my eyes was even shorter than I was. My second observation was that she was pretty. With a dark chocolate color skin tone and the bright dress that complimented it, she had looks.
"This is Laura." He smiled.
All of us just greeted her politely with smiles as Rashad introduced us. It wasn't long before all of us to got around the table and start chatting, trying to get to know the newcomer.
She was Rashad's age and went to school for nursing, something that she and Ma instantly connected on. And they met after having the same class in their freshman year, being friends ever since. She seemed like a genuinely nice girl, and as long as she made my brother happy, she was cool in my book.
"How was the graduation party last night?" Dad asked, looking at Calvin. "You have a good time?"
"It was alright." He shrugged softly. It was clear throughout the dinner that he wasn't in the best of spirits.
"You didn't have a good time?" Ma wondered. "You didn't get in until late last night." She pointed out.
"I had a good time." He nodded.
"Was Lyrica there?" I asked curiously, not remembering seeing her throughout the party. My question not getting a response, Calvin just shoving more food in his mouth, making me suck in a breath, taking a sip of my water.
"Was she?" Kelly nudged him with a smile.
"She was there." He responded.
So this is how he wanted to be.
I just continued to eat, deciding to let him do his thing. I didn't need to start anything with a guest at the table.
"How was hanging out with the girls?" Mama asked, looking to me.
"It was cool. We just hung out." I simply explained.
"Are y'all okay?" Rashad asked, looking between Calvin and I. "You're making me feel like I'm supposed to be sad."
"I don't have a problem." I told him. "Calvin's just not talking to me."
"There's been nothing I have to say to you." Calvin responded. "What are you talking about?"
"You have nothing to say to me? Like at all?" I gave him a look.
He finally looked my way for the first time that day. "No."
"Okay." I shrugged, taking a sip of my water.
Kelly just looked between the two of us. "What's going on? Y'all never act like this."
"Nothing." We replied in unison.
"Then let's act like it." Dad spoke.
"You gonna talk to me?" I asked Calvin.
"I don't want to talk to you." He snapped.
"You can't seriously be mad at me about this."
"I can't be mad at you?" He looked at me like I lost my mind. "Janae are you kidding me? This is exactly what happens when you don't listen when I talk to you."
"And what about you? The whole Jaden thing? You didn't listen to me."
"Our beef is our beef."
"It's not just about you all the time!" I couldn't help but shout.
"Janae!" Mama snapped.
"Now I get why Quincy broke up with you." Calvin said. "There's only so much people could take dealing with you."
Wow.
"So how was y'alls first date?" I asked, looking to Rashad and Laura. I had nothing appropriate to comment back to his petty as so I decided to be the bigger person and push through.
All I knew was that was low blow and a bitch move.
And I hate bitches.