Chapter 31
(Shayla)
“Lauren, guess who’s home!” I smiled as I walked in with my luggage. Robert, Mary and Matt followed behind with my other bags.
“Shayla!” Lauren screamed and ran up to hug me.
“How are you?” I laughed, hugging her back.
“I’ve been great! Oh my gosh, I’m so glad you’re here!”
“Says the one who couldn’t wait to get peace and quiet when I left,” we all laughed.
“Tell me what it was like! How was it?”
“It was great. I had so much fun!”
“That’s good. Oh, hi, Matt,” Lauren awkwardly waved at him.
“Hey,” he nodded at her.
“Shayla, we’re going to go. We know you’re tired, so you get your rest. Okay, sis?” Robert hugged me. Matt came over to me and kissed my forehead.
“What was that for?” I laughed.
“I’m glad you arrived here safely! I’ve coming over tomorrow to talk more about your trip, okay?” I hugged him. “You know you’re my favorite sister, right?”
“You remind me all the time,” I laughed. “Just don’t let Mariah know when she gets older though.”
“We’ll be too old for her to even care,” he laughed.
“Alright, bye, Lauren and Shay,” he said and left after Robert and Mary.
“That was weird,” I took my luggage to my room.
“So, what did you do? Did you hook up with that Michael guy?”
“What do you mean, ‘hook up?’ Like kissed him?” I unzipped my suitcase.
“You know,” Lauren sucked her teeth. “I missed your dumb goody two shoes behind.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“’Hook up’ means make our or have sex. Did you have sex with him?”
“Oh, gosh no! What kind of girl do you think I am?”
“Well, I thought a little bit of my traits would have rubbed off on you,” she laughed.
I made a face, “um, no.”
“Well, did you kiss him?”
I blushed, “yes…”
“Did you get any tongue action?”
“Oh, gosh, Lauren!” I laughed.
“Well, did you?!”
“I don’t kiss and tell.”
“So, you did!”
“I didn’t say that!”
“You did get some tongue action. Is he a good kisser?”
“Jeez, Lauren. I don’t kiss and tell!”
“Please…?”
“He’s a great kisser.”
“I knew it!”
“How?”
“You must’ve got somethin’ else, girl.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re glowing!”
“Why does everyone keep saying that?” I laughed. “I got a tan supposedly. It must be that.”
“No, it’s not your tan. You’re in love, aren’t you?”
“What makes you say that?”
“You’re glowing, Shayla.”
I blushed, “whatever.” I put my suitcase on the floor.
“What makes you so in love with him?”
“He loves children. Like, the fact that we can be ourselves when we’re around one another. I mean, I can see the person he is when he’s not in the public eye. I love how he understands me and he’s so charming, Lauren. He’s my first love…”
“Your first love?”
“Yeah…” I smiled.
“Wait, is he, like, your first boyfriend?”
“If you don’t count kindergarten, yeah.”
“Wow, girl! Do you think you two will get married?”
“I’ve never really thought about that. But I hope so.”
“My Shayla is growing so fast! So, tell me,” she paused.
“What?”
“He didn’t ask for any ass at all?!”
“No,” I shook my head. “He’s not like that.”
“Well, he must have gotten hard after looking at that banging body you’ve got on you, girl!”
I rolled my eyes, “stop it.”
“Did he?”
“You’re so thirsty, Lauren! How would I know?”
“You didn’t feel a slight poke when he kissed you?”
“No…”
“Wow. Well, Ima leave you alone. Goodnight,” She got up and made her way to the living room. I shut my door and lay back on my bed and looked up at the ceiling. I wish I could get those pictures out and put them in frames, but knowing Lauren, she wouldn’t leave me alone about dating Michael. I sat up and pulled the phone over to me. Is now a good time to call him? He might not even be home. Maybe I’ll try anyway. I’ll at least leave a message. I dialed his number and lay back on the bed as I waited for someone to pick up the phone.
“Hello?” Someone asked.
“Randy?” I smiled.
“Shayla? Hey!”
“How are you?”
“I’m great now that you called,” he flirted.
I shook my head, laughing, “is Michael home?”
“Yeah. He’s in his room talking to mom.”
“Do you think it would be okay if I spoke with him?”
“Sure, just give me a minute.” I bit my nails in nervousness. I don’t know why I’m nervous. Oh my gosh! I can’t even put Randy’s photo up…. I looked at my nails and smiled as I remembered Michael kissing my hands and telling me how beautiful he thought they were.
“Hello?” Michael breathed.
“Hey,” I smiled. “Why are you breathing so hard?”
“Hey, babe. I was just about to call you to make sure you got home alright, but Randy didn’t give me the phone, so I had to chase him.”
I laughed, “I thought I heard running.”
“Yeah, that was us. How was your flight?”
“It was great, I guess. I slept through most of it.”
“Really?” He laughed.
“Yeah, it’s really relaxing.”
“I know, right?”
“What did you all do after I left?”
“We went home. I wasn’t really in the mood to do anything after you left. So, I stayed in my room and talked to mom.”
“I really didn’t want to go. It was so much fun being there with you.”
“I didn’t want you to go either, babe. I was so tempted to leave with you, but I remembered you had school.”
“Stupid school,” I laughed.
He laughed that sweet laugh of his. I closed my eyes and remembered when he kissed me. Those soft lips of his against mine was so heavenly. “Shayla?”
“Huh?” I opened my eyes.
“I thought you were gone for a second there,” he laughed. “What happened?”
“I was just thinking.”
“About?”
“Nothing,” I blushed.
“Liar, I hear that smile in your voice.”
“Fine, you caught me,” I giggled.
“What were you thinking about?”
“All those times you kissed me…”
“Oh,” I heard him smile. “Those were some magical moments, huh?”
“Yeah,” I yawned.
“Shayla?” He asked. “What time is it over there?”
“Like, ten.”
“Ten? Aww, with your jetlag and everything, I know you’re exhausted.”
“No, not really,” I yawned again.
“Babe, you’re so sleepy,” he giggled.
“I can stay up, Michael. I want to talk to you.”
“What if you fall asleep on me?”
“I won’t. Trust me,” I smiled.
“I believe you, but you need your beauty sleep.”
“Okay, fine, but you know what?”
“What?”
“You owe me a letter. Promise me you’ll write me tomorrow.”
“I promise.”
“Really?”
“I don’t break my promises.”
“Okay,” I smiled. “Goodnight and I expect a letter, Michael.”
“You’ll get it. I love you, babe. Sweet dreams.”
“I love you too,” I smiled and put the phone on the receiver. I pulled off my shoes and socks, turned off the light and crawled into bed. I can’t wait to see him again.