Lennox POV
I woke up the next morning to the sound of mine phone ringing. I didn't need to check the Caller ID, I already knew who it was. "What do you want?" I sighed into the receiver. It's six in the morning and the sun had barely even risen.
"Where the hell are you?" Beckham's voice bellowed causing me to scrunch up my face, frowning at the phone as if he could actually see me.
He needs to take that bass out of his voice. "I'm not in the mood for your shit, so cut it out. I'm at home. I told you yesterday I was going home. Don't act surprised."
Did he think I was going to spend the day with him just because we had sex? I told him yesterday that I wanted to spend quality time with Jayce-Lynn. Around 4am I ubered back to my apartment so that when I grabbed Jay from Ms. April I didn't look the poster child for The Morning After. Now, I have time to take multiple showers, straighten up my apartment, drink at least a liter of Pedialyte and pop some aspirins.
"You were drunk as shit! How'd you even get home?" Why is he still yelling? I don't understand it. I promise I cannot be any clearer. I'm too hung over to have the band-with to deal with this.
"Uber." I responded curtly before hanging up the phone and changing his contact setting to Do Not Disturb.
I'm not trying to be harsh. Honestly, I'm not. I just have no desire to participate in a conversation about boundaries and relationship politics at six in the fucking morning. I don't think that's unreasonable. I also don't think it's unreasonable that Beckham would call to make sure I was okay, a text would have sufficed. Now that he knows I'm alive there was no reason to continue that conversation. Not when there's oh so important sleep for me to catch up on.
Beckham basically rented me for two years we have so much time to figure everything out surrounding 'us'. However, I only have a few hours to catch up on sleep. It's obvious which matter is more pressing.
Just as I was drifting back to sleep my phone began to ring yet again. I swear I'm gonna through it at the wall, letting out some sort of incoherent grunt I reached over towards my night stand grabbing the devices. Eyes still closed and head buried under the covers.
"What?!"
"Damn.. And here I was thinking you might've been missing a nigga." I couldn't help but let out a small laugh. It's Malakai in case it wasn't obvious, though it should have been. Obvious that is.
"No one misses your ugly ass." I rolled my eyes sitting up against my headboard.
"I bet you miss this dick."
Oh no, It's too early for this. I said nothing in reply. Not because his statement was true. Because the urge to remind him I'm never left feigning for anything or anyone could possibly jeopardize our arrangement. One thing about me, I have options. Always.
I awkwardly cleared my throat after a few moments, "Umm.. Anyways child. Why are you calling me?"
Before he had a chance to respond someone began knocking on my door. I don't like people enough to be this popular. Why are you bothering someone who doesn't want to be bothered? Glancing at the clock I saw it was now about 10 am. Oh my god, it's still too early for this shit.
Sighing exasperatedly I drag myself out of bed because who ever was there obviously had no intentions of leaving. I could still hear Kai's voice in my ear even though I didn't have the slightest clue as to what he was saying.
"Wait, sorry. Hold on, there's someone at the door." I trudged down the hallway of my apartment towards the front door.
Swinging open my front door, none other than Beckham's predictable and overbearing ass stood in front of me.
"So, who's at the door?" I couldn't help but laugh because he probably had a good idea of exactly who was at the door.
I gestured Beckham inside with my free hand before shutting the door behind him. "Soooo I'm not gonna be free until tomorrow, if you want to meet up then?"
"You're really still talking like your boyfriend didn't just show up. Girl that's some real pimp shit." His laughter rang through the receiver.
I smiled softly making sure not to give too much away with my face. I could practically see Beckham's wheels turning he's trying to figure out who I'm talking to. "It's not even like. Seriously."
Beckham looks pissed as hell, he took a seat on my couch and threw his legs up on my coffee table. Without removing his shoes. This isn't the first time he's been to my apartment. He knows the rules. He's blatantly disrespecting me in hopes of getting an emotional or irate reaction. He's obviously forgotten that's he's not dealing with a basic bitch.
"What's the deal with you two anyways? Seems like you have every reason to be perfectly happy with your white boy. I see you on the blogs and shit."
I leaned up against my banister shaking my head, "So you're stalking me or something now? It's like this; the grass isn't always greener on the other side. It's greener where you water it."
"And sneaking around with me is better for your relationship because..."
"Because its receiving hydration from multiple sources. It takes more than just rain water to keep a lawn green. Anyways, apply that same logic to your classes okay? Study accordingly."
If you're confused this is me laying the groundwork for the lie I'm getting ready to tell within the next five minutes.
"Study?" The confusion in Kai's voice was evident but I didn't have the time to explain.
"Awesome, well I'll catch up with you later." I quickly hung up the phone before it lead to even more questions. Then walked over to the kitchen pulling a bottle of water out of the fridge. "Shoes off or get out it's your choice."
"Who was that?" His voice was dripping with disdain.
"Shoes off or get out." Beckham's eyes darkened as he literally kicked off his shoes, flinging them across the room. His ass is lucky he didn't break anything. "Who were you talking to?"
"Kai a friend from school. He's from my study group, he's been having a hard time and I think we talking to him about why he shouldn't drop out. Or do you want me to call him back so you can hear it from instead?" I tilted my head to the side staring at him quizzically.
If Beckham was even a semi-rational individual I would have just told him the truth. He has these insane double standards; the behaviors that he rationalizes and excuses for himself he attempts to punish or berate me for. Which is insane, I'm grown as hell and honestly don't owe him anything.
"Don't be so damn condescending, Lennox. You were basically flirting with him right in front of my face!" At this point I couldn't help but laugh, full on guffawing.
Beckham has not only flirted with other women in front of me. On numerous occasions at that, he's also done much worse. Or did we forget about that time he had a girl on her knees in his living room while I was there. He has a lot of fucking nerve trying to instigate any sort of conflict over a phone call. Not to mention Beck is pushing thirty, acting like a high schooler. Jealous over a phone call? That's beyond immature.
"You're too old to be acting like this." I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly. "Anyways, I assume you didn't come over to act like an asshole so what do you want?"
"I was coming to check on you after last night but you seem totally fine." I raised my eyebrows at his tone.
"I just needed to sleep it off, I had a bad trip. That happens sometimes it's perfectly normal."
"Do you regret it then? I knew we shouldn't have since you weren't feeling like yourself but you were just—"
I cut him off, "—I don't regret it. I told you I knew what I was doing, I wasn't that gone."
My smile reassured him even though I was lying through my teeth. I do regret it, just not in the way that he thinks. I'm not upset that it happened it's just... It's complicated.
I set my bottle on the counter walking over to Beckham, per usual he looped an arm around my waist pulling me down on to his lap. "I didn't tell you to do all that." I rolled my eyes playfully, "Look, it's probably going to be rather complicated between us for the foreseeable future. This thing we have it's anything but conventional, but it's ours."
He nuzzled his nose into the crook of my neck "So you're not upset with me?"
"For sleeping with me? No. However, You came to my place acting like a damn fool and throwing your shoes around!" I shoved his head away.
He let out a deep chuckle running a hand through his long dark hair, "That was a bit much I can admit that. How about you let me make it up to you, I'm really good at apologizing." He threw me over his shoulder, tossing me on to the couch.
I attempted to swat his hands away, "Beckham stopppp. My couch is white and it's leather." I whined as he was trying to pull down my shorts.
"Plus I need to go get Jayce soon." I reminded him, "We're having a girl's day."
Now having successfully removed my shorts, Beckham repositioned us so I was seated on his broad muscular shoulders. "Then I'll be quick and try not make a mess. Though the last part's really up to you." He smirked up at me before his face disappeared between my legs.
"Beckyyy! What are you doing here?" Jayce-Lynn had a wide smile on her face looking as cute as ever as Ms. April led her into the apartment. Beckham and I were now showered and of more decent appearance. And my couch was now also properly disinfected and seemed to have survived our transgressions.
"Becky, look at my hair. Isn't it so pretty? Mimi did my hair yesterday and Nana April wrapped it for me.." At this point I tuned the adorable child out, she talks at a mile a minute. It can be too much sometimes.
"Your hair looks fantastic, Princess!" Beckham affirmed. Jay now scampering over to us climbing into his lap.
"Now I've seen this young man a lot in passing but I don't think we've ever been properly introduced Lennox." Ms. April gave me a knowing look.
"Ms. April this is Beckham, I guess you can say he's my boyfriend." I laughed lightly, "Beckham this is Ms. April she's... She's family."
"Is Beckham his real name?"
"Ms. April." I rubbed the side of my temple, ay caramba.
Beckham furrowed his eyebrows together, pointing towards me "Wait, her name is Lennox but my name is the questionable one?"
"She's named after Lennox Lewis, her dad was a fan." Ms. April interjected before I had the chance. I never knew my father but that much is true, he was the one who picked my (first) name.
My mom was going to change it because allegedly he walked out on us while she was still pregnant. I say allegedly because I don't know when he left, he hung around long enough to find out that I was going to be a girl and name me Lennox. Anyways, my mother said she took one look at me and I looked like a Lennox, and every other name suddenly felt basic in comparison. That's a sentiment I whole-heatedly agree with.
"Wait, who's Lennox Lewis?" Beck once again looked confused.
"Oh Lawdy." Ms. April shook her head grabbing a chair from the dining table, pulling it towards the couch where Beckham sat. "Len why don't you get started on dinner, sweetheart? Beckett and I here have a lot to discuss."
"It's Beckham, Ms. April." I reminded her getting up from my place on the couch. Cooking is probably one of my least favorite things in the world but it's the least I can do since she watched Jayce-Lynn for me.
So much for our girl's day, but as I looked at my little sister while I prepped for dinner I noticed she didn't look at all disappointed. She looked happy. At first I didn't understand but then I realized watching everyone listen attentively to Ms. April as she told the story of Lennox Lewis, one of the most successful Black boxers in the biz. They all look like a family and that's why Jayce looks so happy. This is what families are like. As happy as I was for her I couldn't help but feel a pang in my heart. She's so happy, but it's not real. It'll break her little heart if she ever realizes that. I can't let that happen...
This was a cute little filler chapter and in the next one we shall resume with our regularly scheduled programming complete with of Lennox's shenanigans. Oh and Malakai comes back, I know y'all missed his fine ass.😉
Also Dear Ghost Readers, start commenting and voting please. Emphasis on commenting. I love reading everyone's comments they're like real-time reactions to the story and super entertaining. They're a large part of the reason I enjoy writing on here. Much appreciated!
~Lee