Me: Thank you, handsome.
I slid my phone back into my pocket, then reached out to move a few of the arrangements aside, just enough to reach the lock. The bouquets were thick around the doorframe, so it took a little time to maneuver. Wasn’t shit about this gesture cheap. Lil Q could bring them inside since his ass wanted to skip school.
As soon as I entered the house, I heard giggling coming from the kitchen, and I sauntered in that direction. Lil Q’s words caught my attention on my trek down the hallway, he was talking and pausing to kiss her after each sentence.
“Seeing that smile is worth more than a pound of gold.”MWAH!
“I look to you whenever the world feels cold.”MWAH!
“You never judge me, just give me your soft hands to hold.”MWAH!
“That’s why if a nigga ever play with you I’d have to up that pole.”MWAH!
Jameera and Lil Q were so caught up in each other that they didn’t even hear the wheels of my suitcase rolling over the wide-plank wood floors. She was sitting on my counter with her hands in his pajama pants, while he kissed the crook of her neck. The visual left my stomach queasy.
“Excuse me!” I snapped. “Jameera got her ass on my counters where we put food while you in this bitch sounding like you the ghetto Langston Hughes!”
They scrambled away from each other, embarrassment written all over their faces. Lil Q’s girlfriend, Jameera, was a little hippie at heart. Her afro was always in some wild, free-flowing style. Half up with a hair clip, braids in the front with gold hair cuffs dangling at the ends, and her afro spilling out in a soft halo. Today, her hair was pulled into two large puffs, andher edges were laid. A gang of waist beads hugged her hips, and a gold arm cuff glinted against her cinnamon brown skin.
“So I take it you stayed the night, Jameera?”
“Ummm…” She faltered, fear flashing across her face. When her lips parted, you couldn’t help but notice the gold covering her fangs and lateral incisors on both sides of her mouth.
“Don’t lie. I heard you when I called Lil Q last night. He’s standing here bare chest with pajama pants on, and you are wearing a sports bra and a pair of his boxers.”
“Ma, chill.”
“I’m chill,” I monotoned. His head turned to the side, probably shocked by my lack of anger. Usually, I met his bullshit with rage, but I was still high off my night with Yaseer and the flowers that I wasn’t going to let their shenanigans ruin my mood.
“What’s wrong, Mama? You sick?”
“Yeah, Mama Marissa. You good?” Jameera quavered.
“Y’all not about to keep stressing me out,” I shook my head. “Jameera, do you make sure you take your birth control daily?”
“I actually switched to the patch,” she clarified, lifting her shirt so I could see the patch on her lower back.
“I still want you guys to make sure you are using condoms. Better to be safe than pregnant.”
“We do, ma,” Lil Q confirmed.
“Good. Now, Lil Q, hand over those keys, and Jameera, go get dressed so I can take you home. Does your dad know where you stayed last night?”
“Uhhhh, he’s out of town,” she faltered.
That was nothing new. Jameera and Lil Q had been dating since their freshman year of high school. It was just a coincidence that we all relocated from Miami to Tampa. Her dad worked in the music industry, and he worked more than he parented. Her mother had passed, so she was home alone a lot.I didn’t mind her staying over when he was out of town, but I explicitly told them Jameera could not stay the night while I was out of town. In fact, Lil Q’s ass was also supposed to be at Jury and Tech’s house for the weekend. It was no secret they were sexually active. Lil Q and Jameera both got kicked out of school after she was caught giving him head in the parking lot.
Jameera had plenty of family here that she could’ve stayed with this one weekend. That was the whole reason her dad moved them to Tampa after his wife died. To keep her close to family. Like I said before though, I wasn’t about to let them stress me.
“Come on, ma. I apologize for breaking the rules. You don’t want to take my keys. Then you’ll have to drive me everywhere.”
“Definitely not,” I scoffed. “You’ll be catching Ubers and Lyfts at your own expense. Or better yet, Jameera can give you rides.”
“I’m going upstairs to change because it’s hot outside. Jameera, get your things so I can take you home. Lil Q bring those flowers from the porch into the house for me, please.”
I left the kitchen before they could protest. It took a minute for me to rummage through my clothes to find something to wear. Karina and Jury weren’t lying. I was living in joggers and sneakers since moving here. Getting cute just wasn’t on my agenda. The only reason I decided to be presentable in Miami was because I couldn’t let Quinten see me looking a mess. That would probably fuel his desire to win me back.
When you think about it, we could say I have Quinten to thank for my appearance when I met Yaseer. My joggers and high bun might not have caught his attention to the same degree that the dress and heels did.
