It Started With Lake (Book 1)

Chapter 24: Lake

I rubbed my temples as a migraine hit me, full force. Mrs. Jefferson kept bragging about Xavier at the dinner table, and I was growing more impatient. I could tell Emani was tired of the conversation by her constant yawning. My baby wasn't interested in nobody but me, and it made me happy.

Picking up on my attitude, Mrs. Jefferson said, "Lake, am I boring you?"

I shook my head with a cold smile. "No, ma'am."

Emani squeezed my hand under the table, and I kissed her on the cheek to piss her mom off. Mrs. Jefferson's face twisted with anger, and for a second, I thought she might jump across the table and kick my ass. I can be petty when I want to be.

Seven seemed to sense the tension and said, "Mom, I want more strawberry lemonade."

I love that kid.

"Eat your food first, Seven," Mrs. Jefferson replied in a stern voice.

"I have to go pick up my sister, but it was nice meeting you all," Xavier chimed in. He turned to Emani, and they exchanged numbers. The whole thing pissed me off, and I got up and went outside for a smoke. All I could think about was Emani giving that guy her number and how I wanted to kick his ass.

"Lake!" Emani yelled as she hurried towards me on the sidewalk. "Why are you out here? I was worried about you."

I blew smoke out of my mouth and ignored her. I was still irritated that I let her drag me to this stupid dinner in the first place. Her mom will never accept me, and I don't even know why I try.

I took another drag before saying, "Why did you give him your number E?"

Emani sighed. "Are you serious? I just went along with it, so my mom would be quiet."

"Did you know he was coming tonight?" I asked through gritted teeth.

Emani shook her head. "Of course not, or else I wouldn't have come. Why are you acting like this? I'm with you, remember."

"I couldn't tell inside. You and Xavier were chatting it up the whole night. You fell right into your mom's trap, E. When are you going to stop letting her control your life?"

"I was just polite, Lake. Xavier seems nice, and it wouldn't hurt to have a friend in New York."

"He doesn't want to be your friend. I could tell by the way he kept staring at you," I hissed, rolling my eyes. Emani could be so clueless, and usually, it was cute, but tonight it annoyed me.

"There you are. Emani, what are y'all doing all the way over here?" Mrs. Jefferson said, coming up to us. She was the last person I wanted to see.

"We were talking, mom."

"Yeah, you made things pretty loud and clear, Mrs. Jefferson. You clearly want Emani with someone else, and I'm done being nice. It never gets me anywhere anyway," I said to her. "I love Emani. Why is that not good enough for you?"

Mrs. Jefferson's mouth dropped open, and Emani gave me a warning look. I'm usually respectful to my elders, but her mom had pissed me off for the last time.

"Emani deserves better than some bum off the street. You have nothing to offer her. Xavier comes from a wealthy family, and that's what I want for my daughter. What are your plans, Lake?"

I didn't say anything. The truth was I was still trying to decide if college was right for me. I haven't told Emani yet, but I did get accepted to a few colleges in Chicago.

"Mom, that's enough!" Emani shouted at her mom. "Lake and I will find another way home. I can't stand the sight of you right now."

Mrs. Jefferson's bottom lip quivered, and she glared at Emani. "I'm just trying to help you. He's not right for you and will always be the trash you found on the street."

I put out my cigarette and began walking in the opposite direction. I'd had enough of the drama and just wanted to go home.

"Lake, wait!" Emani shouted, but I tuned her voice out.

By the time I got home, my anger had evaporated. My eyes flickered to the empty beer bottle on the kitchen counter, and I threw it in the trash. I sat down on the nearest barstool and glanced at my phone. Emani had been texting and calling me nonstop, but I wasn't ready to talk to her yet. I still didn't like the fact that she was so friendly with that Xavier dude. Maybe I was being territorial, but it rubbed me the wrong way.

Jordan stepped into the kitchen, drinking strawberry lemonade, and sat down across from me. He had on grey sweatpants and nothing else. He loved walking around half-naked all the time.

"How was your night?" Jordan asked, noticing the scowl on my face.

"Emani's mom tried to set her up with some college guy, and I lost it. I left dinner early."

Jordan laughed, and I rolled my eyes. "That woman hates you. She's wrong for that, bro."

I nodded, taking a sip of my water. "Then Emami had the nerve to entertain it. She didn't check her mom until after dinner."

"So, let me guess you're mad at Emani as well?"

I nodded again.

"Lake, it's not that girl's fault that her mom is overbearing. I think you should cut her some slack, especially if she checked her mom. As long as she didn't kiss or do anything with him, she's good in my book."

"They exchanged numbers," I informed him as images of the night came back to me. I grabbed a beer from the fridge and took a sip. I usually don't drink but screw it. It burned my throat going down, and I spit it in the trash can.

Jordan doubled over in laughter. "That's what you get for drinking, goofball." He grabbed the bottle and swallowed it like a pro. "But back to what I was saying, maybe she just did it because her mom was there, Lake. We both know Emani loves you. Y'all need to talk and figure y'all shit out before she goes to New York, and you never see her again."

Jordan was right. I was acting like an idiot.

Instead of calling Emani back, I decided to go to her house. I felt like we should talk in person and not over the phone. I stopped by a flower shop and got her a bouquet of roses. I couldn't wait to end this night on a better note. A surge of excitement moved through me as I parked on her street. I turned the car off and grabbed the roses off the passenger seat. The curtains in her living room were open, and I gasped at what I saw. Xavier and Emani were sitting on the couch, and he was whispering something in her ear. She threw her head back, laughing at whatever he said. Then his hand touched her knee, and I turned around before I lost it.

I vaguely remember Xavier saying he had to go pick his sister up at the restaurant. Yet, he was here with Emani laughing as if they were friends, hell a couple. I threw the roses on the ground and got in my car, speeding away. After tonight I was done with Emani and trying to fit into her perfect world. She would soon be off to New York, and it was probably for the best I let her go. Obviously, she wasn't the person I thought she was.

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Hey guys! If you've made it to this point, I appreciate you for reading. I know a lot happened in this chapter, and I would love to hear from you in the comments 🤗