Just A Little Longer. #2
Her eyes connect with mine, and she uses one of her fingers to push her glasses back up the bridge of her nose.
I always thought she looked so damn fine in her glasses, and I loved that she wore them instead of contacts.
They brought out her beautiful, chocolate eyes and round cheeks.
Plus, she had the kind where you can change the frames, so every time she changed her hair color or outfit, she got a new one to match. It was adorable.
“No, I’m not avoiding you,” she replied. “Why would I be?”
“You look tense. Want me to give you a massage later?” I ask. It was a genuine and innocent offer, but by the way her body froze, you’d think I asked if I could go down on her or something. My eyebrows furrowed as I squeezed her thigh gently. “Hey, are you good?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine!” She said, quickly getting up from my lap.
Well, she wasn’t wrong.
“Uh, I’m going to go throw your game clothes in the washer. I’ll be right back.”
Before I could reply, she damn near bolted out of the kitchen, and I was left sitting there looking dumbfounded. I scratched my head before turning to look at Zaiyre. All she did was shake her head, sighing deeply before exiting the kitchen as well.
Had I done something wrong?
Zseyah - October 7th, 2023
“Smooth,” Zaiyre said when she found me in the washroom. I didn’t even look up, but I rolled my eyes because I already knew what she was talking about.
That hadn’t been the first time I’d run from Kayla’s affection, but I knew that it wouldn’t be the last. She was a physical-touch type of friend, and I loved it because, secretly, so was I.
However, every time she touched me, I hoped it was more than just a platonic friend type of thing.
Sometimes my thoughts ran wild, and all I could do was fantasize about us together.
“Earth to Zseyah,” my sister called as she waved a hand in front of my face.
“Huh? Oh, uh, did you say something?”
She rolled her eyes before hopping up onto the laundry table. She didn’t say anything as I tossed Kay’s clothes into the washer and added a capful of detergent. The whole time, I was thinking about how her hands had felt on me once more. Damn, I was such a lost cause.
“So, are you ever going to tell that woman that you’re in love with her?
” Zaiyre asks, breaking the silence. I look up at her with mock confusion.
She sighs deeply, rolling her eyes. “Zee, everybody in the world can see how gone you are for her. It’s been obvious as hell since the first time you introduced her to us. You remember that, right?”
Oh, I remembered, alright. How could I ever forget it?
It was that first Christmas after we’d all moved into the shared house, and everyone was heading home for Christmas.
At the last minute, Kay’s plans got canceled because her moms had won a two-week cruise that had to be cashed in before the end of the year, so Kay told them to go enjoy themselves and that she’d be fine.
Yes, I may have been eavesdropping a bit, but only because she talked so loudly whenever she was on the phone.
Anyway, when she hung up, I was rolling my bag down the stairs, but she stepped out of her room just in time to help me.
We got to chatting, and her canceled plans came up, and before I knew it, I’d invited her to come spend the holidays with me.
To my surprise, she accepted without hesitation and even offered to drive us.
When we arrived, my family instantly took a liking to her, and vice versa.
I think that was also the moment I realized that my feelings for her were way beyond platonic.
I hadn’t admitted to anyone at that point, but my sister had picked up on it and hasn’t let it go since.
She has always been team Jakayla, even when I was with Sasha.
Now that we were no longer together, of course, those feelings had been blooming again, but I was once again too scared to do anything about them.
“I remember,” I finally admit with a sigh. “It’s different now, though.”
“The only difference now is that y’all are both single, and y’all have been for a while,” she points out. “So, why not see where this goes? Y’all are already a happy little family. What’s so bad about making it official? Don’t you want that?”
“I do.” I nod, crossing my arms over my chest. “God, I want that so much, but just the thought of things turning out the same way they did with Sasha gives me pause.”
“First of all, let me stop you right there, Zseyah Shanae Morris,” she says, a serious expression on her face. “You know good and well that Kay is nothing like that woman, and she has never given you a reason to think that’s even remotely the case.”
“True, but-”
“Zee, when you were with Sasha, you dedicated all of your love and time to her. You always gave her one hundred percent, yet she took that for granted, but who was the one who has been by your side this whole time?”
“Jakayla.”
“Exactly! She’s the one who stepped up even when she didn’t have to,” she replied.
“I know you’re scared, but Zee, that woman loves you.
She loves your daughter.” She smiles softly before patting me on the shoulder.
“My ex never did half of the stuff that Kay does for you, and you two aren’t even a couple.
You deserve to be happy, sis, and I know in my heart that she’s the one who can help with that.
Just talk to her, if not for you then for me, so I can live vicariously through you. ”
“You’re such a trip.” I chuckle, shaking my head. “I promise, I will. Just not today. I have to take these types of things at my own pace.”
“And I respect that, but when y’all do finally get past this will they, won’t they bullshit, please make sure I’m the first one to get an invite to the wedding, okay?”
“Girl, get out of my face,” I laugh, pushing her away from me gently. She laughs too. “Now, come on and let’s go back out there before she thinks we’ve run away.”
She chuckles as I finally start the machine, then we exit the laundry room.
When we make it back to the kitchen, Jakayla is nowhere to be found, so we share a look of confusion.
After a few minutes of searching, we find her out back in the small garden, picking some flowers.
Zaiyre winks at me before heading back inside.
I shake my head as I walk over to where Kay is.
“Hey, we were looking for you,” I said once I was beside her. She turns to me with a smile, handing me a small bouquet of wildflowers. “Thanks, but what’s this for?”
“Just because,” she shrugs. “You’re loved and appreciated, you know that, right?”
“Of course I do.” I nod.
“Good, because I don’t want you to ever think otherwise. I know that Sasha triggers unwanted memories and feelings, but just know that I’ll always be in your corner to help you get through them, okay?”
“Yeah, I know, Kay,” I chuckle. “You’ve been such an amazing friend all of these years, and that in itself means so much to me. Thank you for being there for not only me, but Sera as well.”
“Always,” she chuckles, placing her hands on my hips and pulling me closer.
My breath caught as I stared up at her perfectly round face, perfect smile, and perfectly dimpled cheeks.
I wanted to kiss her so bad right now. “Y’all are my family, Zee.
I’d do anything to make sure that you and my Princess are well taken care of.
Even when you get married again one day, I’m still gonna be there to support and love y’all. That’s how much y’all mean to me.”
I don’t reply as I let her words sink in.
I knew that there were just innocent, friendly promises, but a part of me couldn’t help but think that they had so much more meaning.
I wanted to ask her about them, but I could feel that anxiety bubbling up in my stomach.
What if I was misreading this whole situation?
I couldn’t take any more heartbreak, so I decided to leave it alone for now.
“Thank you,” I say once more before pulling away. For a second, it almost seemed as if she were sad about it, but I didn’t dwell on it. “Dad should be back by now, and I know he’s gonna want help in the kitchen. How about we go see how he wants to put us to work, hm?”
“Yeah, sounds good,” she replies with a smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes like it usually does. She took my hand in hers and let me back inside.
The rest of the night was pretty uneventful, but I couldn’t help but notice how quiet Kay was instead of her upbeat self.
When I asked if she was okay, she admitted that she was just tired, so I let it go.
But I still had a sinking feeling that I’d done something to upset her…
or maybe it’s because I didn’t do something?