Chapter 3 #2
I closed the shop promptly at six and didn’t even wait for the rest of the guys to head out. JV had a key to lock up the shop so I knew they were good. JV dropped the flowers off straight at my spot. As soon as I got home, I took care of my hygiene needs, smoked a blunt, got dressed and heeded out.
Allur opened the door and looked me up and down. I grinned. She crossed her arms and poked her hip out.
“So, where are you taking my cousin?” she asked.
“Bowling.”
“Will there be food included?”
“I would hope so.”
“Good and what are your intentions?”
I chortled. A smile tried to take over Allur’s face. I watched her fight it.
“We’re just hanging out and getting to know each other. I’m sure you’ll be one of the first people to find out what’s up though.”
“I better be,” she said. “And what time are you going to have her home?”
“Club closes at two,” I joked.
She rolled her eyes.
“Please note I’m older than her,” Novi said as she hip bumped Allur to make space for her in the doorway.
“Barely.”
“Two weeks and three days,” Novi said matter-of-factly.
I could tell from the look they exchanged that this was an argument they had frequently.
I held the flowers in my hands out. Novi’s eyes jumped and she blinked at me for a moment before her hands rose to grab them.
I’d gone with three dozen roses. They were a safe bet and classic. I didn’t think you could ever go wrong with them and Novi looked like she thought they were beautiful too.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
She handed them to Allur who looked between the two of us and grinned.
“Have fun you guys,” she sang.
“Don’t wait up,” I countered.
She pushed me with one hand and I laughed as I offered Novi a hand as if she needed help getting down five steps. I opened the car door for her and let her decide on what music to play in the car.
The bowling alley was only twenty-ish minutes from the house and it was a cool and smooth drive.
We got shoes and a spot within ten minutes of walking in and I plucked the typical dark blue ball that I felt I always used.
Then, I collapsed at the little screen to put our names in while Novi went in search of a ball.
I watched her go from one side of the building to the other, plucking up different balls and testing their weight before she finally decided on one.
I’d put her name in first so she rolled first. It only took that first round for me to know this wasn’t something she was good at. I did my best to tone it down and meet her where she was. Ultimately, I lost the first game by ten points.
Novi collapsed on the seat beside me. She nudged me with her elbow.
“You’re full of shit.”
“What?” My eyebrows fiddled together.
She gestured toward our aisle.
“You let me win,” she accused.
“I didn’t let you win.”
“Yeah. You did.”
“Alright, I did.” I chuckled. “But, I mean, I think it’s bad date etiquette to crush your date at something you invited them to.”
“That’s valid, but I’d rather you crush than lie to me.”
“Throwing a bowling match isn’t lying.”
“It’s deception.”
“Alright.” I nodded once. “If that’s how you’re going to take it, I won’t let you win shit no more. You’re done.”
We laughed together.
“Yeah, okay. Let’s see if you’re as good as you think you are.” She hopped up.
“I’m better,” I said.
“And so humble too.”
I winked at her and hopped up too.
I watched her roll her first ball and grimaced as she hit three balls. She exhaled and shook her hands out while she waited for the ball to come back. I tilted my head as I watched her second throw and cringed. Fuck. I was going to dust her.
I gave her a tight smile when she turned around. She giggled.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” She cut her eyes at me.
“Because you’re beautiful,” I said. “And bad at bowling.”
She covered her mouth as she laughed. I plucked up my ball. I walked to the lane and rolled it easily and spun around to face her without having to watch.
Strike.
“That’s got to be luck,” Novi accused.
“Alright.” I didn’t argue.
She licked her lips and headed back to the stand to get another ball.
It wasn’t luck.
I rolled several strikes in a row and ended up beating her by over a hundred points even while I was fifty points away from a perfect game.
She asked for a tie breaker so we rolled again just for me to dust her again, this time by seventy points.
I whistled as the final points lit up on the screen.
“Okay. You dusted me.” She collapsed beside me. “But I’m going to say y ou set me up since you picked out this whole bowling thing.”
“I’ll take that,” I grinned at her. “But now it’s on you to pick out the next thing we do together. You choose. I’ll pay.
“I’m capable of paying, Kaleo.”
“I’ll snatch your choosing ability,” I threatened.
She laughed. “Yeah, okay.”
I went from the bench to the floor and propped a knee up. I tapped it. Novi looked down at me.
“Foot,” I said and tapped again.
She set her foot on my knee and I unlaced the ugly ass bowling shoes she had on and slipped them off for her. I grabbed her shoes and helped her slide her foot in. Then, I repeated the task with the other, sat back beside her and toed my own bowling shoes off.
“Thank you, Kaleo,” she said sweetly.
“You’re welcome, November.” I grabbed my shoes and jerked them closer.
“Are you close with your mom or just your dad?”
“What?” I looked over at her.
“You told me that your mom got to name you after her family and that she dealt with some stupid ass men.”
“Yeah, nah.” I put my shoes on. “She uh, she went ghost when I was in elementary school. She got married to husband number three and dipped out. I don’t talk to her or know what happened to her. I think Rob keeps up with her but I wouldn’t know.” I leaned back and looked at Novi.
I didn’t bother telling her that my parents had gotten married at eighteen. She’d loved my dad’s fast life and shit when she’d had Rob and me, but when he’d started settling down she’d dipped out because she loved drama and chaos almost as much as she loved the fast money.
Her second husband had been some little drug dealer that played video games with Rob more than he worked or hung out with her for real. He’d gotten lit up on the block and made her a widow.
Husband number three had been a supplier to a bigger drug dealer.
He hadn’t liked her being a mom so we weren’t around him much but she’d drop by randomly with clothes and snacks.
After he went upside her head one too many times and my dad and uncle went upside his, she’d cut contact.
She’d reached out when they’d actually gotten engaged but our pops hadn’t let us go to the wedding and ole dude moved her to a whole different country a few months later.
She hadn’t called or written after that but at least she’d signed her rights over to make sure our pops could make all the decisions he needed to without her if it came down to it.
“I’m sorry to hear that, Kaleo.”
“I’m good.” I shrugged. “I’ve never wanted for anything and she showed me exactly the kind of nigga I don’t want to be.” I exhaled. “My dad and I are close though. That’s my dawg.”
“He sounds like a good man.”
“He is.” I let my eyes drift over Novi from her head on down and back up. She noticed. She shifted slightly in her seat. “What about you? Are you close with your family?”
“I am. My parents are good people. They’re a little overprotective sometimes but I know they love me and want the best for me.”
I nodded at that.
“You deserve that.”
“You deserve it too.” She nudged me with her elbow. “Your mom leaving or whatever isn’t a reflection of you and isn’t because you deserve less or something.”
“You trying to read me, November?”
“No. I’m just saying.”
“Well, thank you. I know that though. I promise.”
“Good.” Novi looked off to the side then back at me. “Kaleo,” she said my name quietly.
“Yeah?”
“You know you don’t have to try to save me, right?”
“What?” I scoffed.
“You said you hated men like the ones your mom dated and I’m assuming you saw me stuck with a loser and didn’t want me to end up like her, but I don’t need you to save me. I’m not going back and I’m not your problem.”
“I know.” I reached over and let my hand lightly close around the back of her neck.
I let my thumb trace up and down the side of her throat.
“November,” I said her name and waited for her to look at me.
“I’m a lot of things, shawty, but I ain’t a liar so hear me when I tell you that I’m with you right now because I want to be and I like hanging out with you. That’s all. I promise.”
“Okay.” She nodded and I mirrored the gesture.
“Alright.” I exhaled. “Let’s get something to eat and get you home before I have to knock JV’s two front teeth out in honor of Allur.”
I climbed up and stretched. Novi laughed. I offered her my hand and helped her up.
We got dinner in a little diner on the outskirts of the city together and talked about random shit, her favorite movie right now and my favorite sports teams just sharing mundane facts while one hour bled into two then three.
And when I brought her to Allur’s, I walked her to the door.
“Thanks for hanging out with me,” Novi said.
“I had fun.”
“Me too.”
“So, you’re planning the next outing?”
“Oh, definitely.”
“Alright. Bet.”
“So, how was it?” she asked.>
Novi shifted on her feet. She looked up at me. I watched her eyes drift from my eyes to my mouth. She licked her lips.
I took the offer.
I reached over, grabbed her chin in my hand, leaned down and kissed her softly, just one soft kiss.
“Have a good night, Novi.” I spoke against her mouth and she nodded with her eyes still shut.
I kissed her a second time.
Then, I took a step back and another one.
I waited at the bottom of the steps for her to get inside and hear the lock slide into place before I headed to my car.
There was a chance JV was right. Shit. Maybe I was intense and started to like people in no time, but fuck it. We were here and I’d already proven I could beat her ex up so it was what it was. What or who was going to stop me or her or us?
I wasn’t in denial. I liked spending time with November and I couldn’t wait to see her again.