Chapter 14
chapter fourteen
ivory
I scrolled through the channels, looking for something to watch on tv. Donavan had to go to practice a few hours ago. He made us breakfast, it was delicious and gave me the itis so I was planted on the couch ever since he left.
As I was flipping through channels, I saw his face on Celebrity Insight. It used to be a gossip news channel for celebrities but ever since the last two reporters got fired, they’ve started sharing more positive news.
Donavan was being interviewed, still wearing the clothes from this morning. That dark blue polo fit his body deliciously, the PGW logo on his chest drawing attention to how impressive he is.
I turned up the volume, “Mr. Matthews, it is so good to have you back. Are you nervous this year?” Donavan gave the news reporter his best panty-wetting smile, the one that was supposed to only be reserved for me.
I don’t think he understood the power he had over women and men. Lord knows I underestimated it myself.
“Nervous? Nah, I am actually excited this year. One of my favorite people is here with me and this will be her first time in a long time seeing me play in person. She’s been here since before the start of my career, so I can’t fuck this up or she’ll never let me live it down.
” He’s right, I’d clown him and then comfort him.
The news reporter’s smile dimmed a bit, “Oh, is she a special friend or just a regular friend? Are we giving exclusive news here?” She wiggled her eyebrows. I watched him contemplate on what to say, he stared right at the camera and if I didn’t know any better, he knew I was watching.
“She is the most special kind of friend, one that I never want to lose. Now, it’s nice talking to you, but I gotta get back to practice.
” Donavan gave her one last smile before walking back into the building; the news reporter’s eyes followed him until she cut the camera back to the reporters at their studio.
My phone vibrated on the coffee table, it was him.
Did you like what I had to say, special friend?
How did you know I was watching? Do you have cameras in here?
I looked all around the room searching for a tiny red light, but I didn’t see anything.
No, I just know that you like to watch the news when you’re bored. I knew you were bored because your entertainment (me) left. Now, check your email, I left you a surprise there.
You don’t know me… well maybe you do a little bit. What kind of surprise, a good one or a bad one?
Stop playing with me, you know I give the best surprises. I’m definitely better than you, you can’t hold spilled water. Be ready to ruin the damn thing before I can even get excited.
He wasn’t wrong, it was my toxic trait. I’m just a girl, though, I loved seeing the joy on people’s faces when they opened the surprise. The only problem was that I didn’t have a patient bone in my body, so I often skipped the build up and got straight to business.
Yeah yeah, you might be right. But whatever, I’ll do better this year.
Be for real, Ivy it’s not in you, princess, and that’s okay. Now, go check your email and follow the directions. Be safe, I love you.
My heart crawled up my chest with his admission, I mean it wasn’t the first time we’ve said those words. But, did he mean romantically or just our regular best friend love?
He must have felt my panic.
I know you not over there tripping about something you already knew. You know I love you, Ivy, you’re my best friend. Now, say it back so I can go about my day.
I love you, too.
I showered this morning, so the only thing I had to do was get dressed and retouch my hair. My last creamy crack was before my doom day, so I cut off the permed ends and now I looked like a dirty tennis ball.
I had a few emails to check but I left those to focus on the one from Donny, it was an address to a location that was not too far from me. He left the details out, all he said was to dress in comfortable shoes and an outfit I didn’t mind getting a little dirty.
He left the truck with me, but my anxiety about driving in a new town had me ready to pull out a rideshare app.
Text me when you’re ready, I have a driver ready to take you where you need to go.
He never failed to surprise me with his attentiveness, I didn’t have to remind him about the things that bothered me. Donavan was ready with solutions in place.
Today, the weather called for a pair of jeans and a cute top. Once I did my five minute makeup routine and alerted Donavan, I was out the door.
Stanley, the driver, was a sweet older man who told me all about the historical buildings we passed on our way to the destination unknown. What was it with all the men wanting me to know everything there was about Arizona?
The only thing I could think about was that episode of Martin when the little boy lied about Martin being his father because he didn’t want to move to Arizona.
“We are here, madam, thank you for keeping me company. Have a great time with Mr. Matthews, he’s a good young man.” He sure was.
“Thank you, Stanley.” He tilted his hat and drove off, leaving me still confused about what I was supposed to do next.
I looked around my surroundings, there was a lone brick building that looked like it’d seen better days.
There were no signs visible and a few of the windows were boarded up.
A white van was tucked on the side, just like the ones in the scary movies.
There was no way I was about to be on the news because I asked the owner of the van for directions.
Pulling my phone out, I facetimed Donavan, and he answered immediately, smiling.
“What the hell are you smiling for and what are you up to? You tryna get rid of me, because if so, you ain’t have to drag me all the way to Arizona to do so.”
I tried to look in his background, but his face was all in the frame.
“Turn around,” When I turned around, he was stepping out of the scary van.
“Why would I try to get rid of you, Ivy? You know I need you, now come on so we can go before we are late.”
“You call me dramatic, but you are too, because why didn’t you just wait for me outside that creepy ass van. You know I watch Criminal Minds religiously, so sue me for not wanting to be with an unsub.” Donavan just shook his head.
He opened the door and it was just us and the driver. They both were tight-lipped about our plans.
Donavan grabbed my hand, intertwining our fingers. “I can’t have you complaining I haven’t touched you since this morning.” He teased.
Rolling my eyes, I hid my smile. I didn’t realize physical touch was one of my love languages. My ex didn’t like to be touched unless it was sexual so I often went without these small moments.
“Oh, shut up,” We drove for a total of fifteen minutes before we reached this open field with a big hot air balloon waiting.
I looked from the window to Donavan’s smirking face, I can’t believe he remembered this!
“Donny, what the hell did you do?” The van stopped and I almost rushed out but a pop to my hand stopped me in my tracks.
I know he didn’t just pop me like a damn child.
“What I tell you about touching doors in my presence?” I arched an eyebrow at him and rolled my neck for extra emphasis on how fucked up he had me.
“Donavan, I know you didn’t just pop me, what the hell is wrong with you?”
He got out of the van and reached for my hand to help me out, but I crossed my arms.
“Would you rather I spanked that ass later for you disobeying me?” Who was this man and where the hell was my best friend?
“Donavan, I don’t know if you sniffed too much dust out here but you got me messed up.”
He gave me a boyish grin that I wanted to be mad at, but he was so damn cute, it was hard.
“I’m sorry, princess; now, will you get out of the car? I was trying something new, but, clearly, it didn’t work. You’re not the type to be dominated, but don’t touch another door. Princesses never open their own doors.” That’s right, princess treatment only.
I grabbed his hand, “That’s right, don’t get the game fucked up.” We looked at each other and busted out laughing.
There was only one balloon in the middle of the field. I told him in college that it was my dream to ride in one with the love of my life. Watching the world around us while a few hundred feet in the air was so romantic.
Donavan tipped the driver and led us over to the balloon; our pilot was waving at us. It was a black woman, too, so cool.
“Mr. Matthews and Ms. Jones, welcome. My name is Tiara and I’ll be your pilot for today. We will be in the air for seventy five minutes, the wind isn’t too bad today, so we should have a pretty peaceful ride. Any questions?” We shook our heads in unison.
Tiara taught us how to climb in and we went over the safety precautions, I was excited but nervous as hell. My left leg was trembling as she started messing with the fire for us to start our ascent. Donavan wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in for the heaviest kiss.
It was lengthy,
every nibble,
caress of his soft lips,
and dip of his tongue pulled me into his world.
I whined when he pulled away, every time he kissed me, I lost my every train of thought.
“Look around, Ivy,” I unglued my eyes from his lips to take in the beauty surrounding us.
All of my nerves were gone and replaced with amazement at God’s most beautiful creation. I let out a spontaneous laugh, it was exhilarating being up this high. It almost gave me the same high that kissing him did.
“I can’t believe you remember the things about me that even I forget. Have you always been this perfect and I’m just now noticing it?” I stared up at him.
Donavan blushed, I didn’t call him out on it, because he would only deny it.
“I’m not perfect, Ivy, you know all the fucked up shit about me. It’s just that you are worth every effort to be perfect for you. Every detail about you has been embedded into my mental, so yeah, I know everything there is to know.”
Donavan had a drug problem in college, but he kept it a secret.
I only knew because I noticed how much he depended on those pills.
He started taking Adderall after his ADHD diagnosis, but I saw how it was affecting him.
Donavan became very agitated when he ran out of his prescription and almost violent once his doctor failed to fill it in enough time.
I accused him of being addicted and afterward, he almost blacked out on me. I told him I would tell his parents and the school board if he didn’t go to rehab. He called my bluff until he got a call from Braylin, who came up to the school and dragged him there himself.
We made up an excuse to his professors and got him into online classes for the spring semester of his sophomore year. I did most of his assignments for him and Braylin covered the homework, we worked as a team to get him back on track.
“You’re not fucked up, you were just going through a tough time. But that’s okay, we handled it for you.” I didn’t want to say the thing out loud in case Tiara was money-hungry, word of his stint in rehab never made it out to the public.
“Now you see why I have to make sure you get everything you want; I wouldn’t be where I am without you.” I doubted that, it was me who was a mess without him.
“Good thing we have each other then, right?” I kissed his chin and laid my head on his chest, gazing at the view.
Donavan squeezed me tighter, “That’s right, baby.”