I jerked up and glanced around disoriented. The room was dark. I realized I was laying in Jay's bed but he was nowhere to be found. I looked at my phone and saw it was midnight. I also saw I had several texts from my groupchat I had with Kendra, Chantel, and Yasmine. The sleepover. I had flaked.
I sighed and quickly sent an apology. I was surprised when Chantel replied back.
You really bailed on us for Jay like usual, she texted.
I fell asleep at his house, I responded. I can still come.
Don't bother. We don't want you.
I was taken aback by the rudeness and hurt. Jay's door opened and the light turned on. He was shirtless and had a towel wrapped around his waist.
"Hey, sleeping beauty," he said as he closed the door.
I frowned.
"What's wrong?"
"The sleepover," I simply stated. "Why didn't you wake me up to take me? Now they're mad. They think I chose you over them."
"You looked peaceful, I didn't want to wake you," Jay said. He opened his dresser and pulled out a pair of basketball shorts.
He casually removed the towel from his waist and I couldn't help but take a peak. He pulled his shorts on and caught me staring. My face heated up .
"I see you looking," Jay said with a smirk.
I rolled my eyes playfully.
"Can you take me to Kendra's in the morning?" I asked.
"Yeah, sure," Jay said. "You staying the night here?"
"Might as well." My dad was under the impression that I was at Kendra's house so I could get away with spending the night this one time. I had never slept over at any of my ex boyfriends' houses so I was surprised at myself for even suggesting this.
I got out of Jay's bed and grabbed my pj's from my duffel bag I had packed for the sleepover.
"Wait, I don't remember bringing this inside with me," I said to myself. I looked at Jay who was smiling at me. "You brang my bag in here?"
"Yeah," Jay said. "Just in case you decided to stay over I took it out of the car."
"You didn't wake me up on purpose." I shook my head and walked to the bathroom to clean myself up really quick. After washing my face and changing I returned to Jay's room. He had knocked out quick. He looked relaxed while he slept. I wondered what he dreamed about. I crawled into bed next to him and fell asleep.
The next morning, I woke up to light beaming in my face from the window. Jay was doing push-ups. His grunting and back muscles were making me tingly. I unplugged my phone from the charger and was confused when I saw my phone was temporarily disabled. The only reason it would be locked was if someone had attempted to get into my phone unsuccessfully. Just like I had done to Jay yesterday. What if he had caught me snooping and decided to get me back by going through my phone as well?
I took a deep breath, catching the attention of Jay. He stopped doing his push ups and stood up from the floor.
"Good morning," he said. Because of his experience as an athlete he was barely out of breath.
"Morning," I responded. "It's weird my phone was disabled when I woke up just now." I allowed my tone to be confused in order to not let Jay know that I suspected he was the reason behind this.
"Damn, that is weird," Jay said. "You know yesterday I thought I had exited from my text messages but when I unlocked my phone they were open."
I put my hands underneath my thighs to keep my body from shaking. Other than that I remained neutral. Jay's face was hard to read at the moment, but his eyes bore into mine's.
"I don't like having my shit touched," he finally said after a long pause.
"I never touch your stuff," I said.
"I didn't say you did."
Another moment of silence. I went onto my phone and let my friends know I would be on my way to Kendra's house.
"Who are you texting when I'm right here?" Jay asked.
"Kendra and them," I said setting my phone down. I stared at Jay and raised an eyebrow. "What's up."
"I don't know."
Jay sat on the edge of the bed next to me and grazed his thumb over my lip where the bruise was.
"Do you trust me?" Jay asked.
I didn't answer right away. There were still things I felt Jay was never honest about in terms of his relationships with everyone in his life, not just Destiny. Jay sensed my hesitation and his expression became annoyed.
"When I ask you something you need to answer," he said.
"Okay," I said slowly. I stood up from the bed.
"Where are you going?"
"To shower and then you're going to take me to Kendra's house?"
"Who's gonna be there?"
I sighed heavily. Him and his questions.
"Who do you think?" I snapped. "It's just a sleepover. Girls only."
"I'm going to hang with ya'll," Jay said.
"Why..?"
"Why not?"
"You were never invited and I think it would be awkward to have my boyfriend at a girl sleepover."
Jay stood up and got close to me making me back up.
"Well if I can't go, then you not going."
"Why does it have to be like that, Jay?"
"Because I said so."
***
As Jay and I walked up to Kendra's porch I felt a sense of regret to agreeing for him to come with me. Regret and embarrassment. It was either he come or I stay at his house and have my friends stay mad at me. But I wondered if him tagging along would only make them even more upset with me for flaking last night. Kendra opened the door and I was surprised she smiled.
"Hey, girl," she said as she gave me hug. She turned to Jay. "Aw, it's so cute how you walked her to the door. We got it from here." Kendra pulled me inside and she scrunched her face when Jay followed me.
"Um, is it okay if he hangs out with us?" I asked.
"Oh my god, you're like a lost puppy," Chantel said. Who that comment was directed to I wasn't sure. She crossed her arms. "This is a girls only zone, you need to leave."
"Bitch, this aint even your house," Jay said.
"Well, it's mine," Kendra said. "And in this house we don't call girls bitches, so you need to go."
I awkwardly looked from Jay to Kendra.
"Okay, we'll go then," Jay said, grabbing my hand.
"I didn't say Amore had to go," Kendra said. She grabbed my hand and pulled me gently towards her. Jay did the same and they were having a tug of war with me as the rope.
"What is your problem?" Chantel asked Jay. She went from joking to being serious.
"Can you guys stop pulling me?" I said as I continued being yanked.
Jay pushed me towards Kendra making me fall against her.
"Fine, stay your ass here then," he said angrily. "Don't bother texting me either." Without waiting for my response he turned around and stormed out of the house. Chantel shut the door behind him.
"I can't believe I used to like that crazy nigga," she said, shaking her head.
Yasmine walked into the living room in a robe with wet hair.
"What did I miss?" she asked as she used a towel to dry her hair off.
"Jay's crazy ass wanting to stay here," Kendra said.
I looked at her. She was usually so nice and calm but Jay had irritated her. Kendra looked back at me.
"What's wrong with him?" she asked me.
I just shrugged and sat on the couch. I was honestly embarrassed and was afraid if I spoke I would start crying.
"Okay, let's not let Crazy Jay ruin our girl time, I'm hungry," Chantel said. "Let's make pancakes."
The girls all seemed to quickly forget what had just went down as they eagerly walked into the kitchen but I remained fearful at what this incident would mean for me once Jay and I hung out again.
"Stop frowning and help us with breakfast," Chantel said to me. She flipped a pancake on the pan, but it ended up falling apart. "Damn it!"
I laughed and playfully pushed her.
"You don't know what you're doing move," I said.
"Show us a tutorial then since you know what the fuck you doing," Chantel said.
I poured some pancake mix into the pan and in that moment forgot all about Jay.
After stuffing our faces with pancakes we spent the rest of the day watching tv and gossiping. It felt good to laugh and be happy. I'd honestly forgotten all about Jay. I didn't even text him which was his request and I wasn't going to be the one to reach out when he was the one in the wrong. By night time Yasmine put on some scary movie on Netflix and it had all of us feeling paranoid.
"Look behind you, dumb bitch!" Chantel yelled at the tv.
"Girl shut up," I said.
A hard knock on the front door made all of us scream and jump.
"It's just a movie," Kendra said, rolling her eyes. "Ya'll are such babies." She got up from the couch and went to go answer the door. A few seconds later the lights came on. We all turned to look and I was surprised that some guys from school were here.
"I thought this was a girls only event," I said.
"I got bored so I invited some over," Kendra said with a shrug.
"So Jay could have stayed."
"If you want his weird ass here then tell him to come."
I looked at my phone and saw an empty screen. I put it back down and bundled myself in a blanket at the corner of the couch watching everyone mingle with each other. I turned my attention back to the movie.
"Why you over here by yourself?"
I looked away from the tv and saw Darius.
"Hey," I said. I smiled.
"You always look mad." Darius sat next to me.
"Do I?"
"Yeah or like you be in deep thought, in your own world."
"Well, I usually am."
"Jay not coming? I told him we were coming by here."
I swallowed. So Jay knew these guys would be here. I already knew he would be mad at me. I quickly grabbed my phone and sent Jay a text.
"I'll keep your lonely self company until he gets here," Darius said.
"I don't need company," I said quickly.
"You want to be a loner so bad."
I rolled my eyes.
"Can you stop calling me that?" I said.
Darius laughed.
"My bad," he said. "What movie is this?"
"I honestly don't know. It's stupid though."
"I saw you jump earlier at one of the scenes."
"Shut up." A smile formed at the corner of my lips.
The doorbell rang and Chantel went to answer it. Darius and I chatted a little while watching the movie.
"Amore, your crazy nigga here," Chantel said.
I turned around and saw Jay behind her. I gave Chantel a look and forced a smile at Jay.
"What's up I was just asking your girl where you was at," Darius said to him.
Jay didn't say anything and walked over to the couch. I looked up at him.
"Can I sit by my girl or is your ass staying in my way?" Jay asked Darius.
"Shit, my bad." Darius stood up and laughed. He probably thought Jay was being playful but I could hear the seriousness in his voice.
Jay sat next to me.
"I texted you," I said.
"I know," Jay said looking straight ahead. "Before or after all these niggas showed up?"
"I didn't know they were coming. That's why I texted you because I wanted you here."
"Doesn't seem like it if you were talking to Darius."
I didn't say anything. As I stared at the tv it went black.
"Let's play truth or dare," Chantel said. She threw the remote down and grinned.
"Nobody want to play that game," someone said. "We not in middle school."
"But if it was spin the bottle or some shit your perverted ass would want to play. Shut up."
Everyone laughed.
"Jay and Amore, you lovebirds playing?" Yasmine asked.
I looked at Jay from the corner of my eye. His decision would ultimately be mine so I waited for his answer.
"Sure why not," Jay said to my surprise.
"Ooh this should be interesting," Chantel said. She looked at me and winked.
I wondered what she had up her sleeve.
👀