#3 Lost in You (fan fic - in progress)

Chapter Thirteen

I spent the free time after my first morning class running stairs with Tika and Char.

That was a mistake.

My legs already felt like jelly from the night before. And this morning Lo took a pic of us together in his apartment and posted it on both our IG pages with the only caption being "good morning". Lo never posted anything but football pics on his page.  He definitely never posted a woman.  So the post of us together had become an entire thing.  His page had been buzzing ever since then and by extension so had mine. Kayla called Tika the moment she dropped me off at Lo's apartment complex so she was already full of questions. And I was already annoyed.  Plus the fact that the only person who knew I was a virgin up until last night was Lo, I really wasn't ready to share yet.  But Tika just wouldn't shut up about it. My mind was all over the place and I was just trying to concentrate on not passing out.

"Leave her alone Tik." Char waved at her as she sat down to rest and hydrate.

"Ok well at the very least you can tell us if you are officially back together or not?" Tika looked hopeful like a puppy waiting for a treat.

"What kind of question is that? You did see that picture right?" Char asked incredulously. "Lo Beckham put a picture of a woman on his IG page. Y'all about married in the minds of us gen Zers."

I giggled. "Yea ok. We're back together."

"Yes!" Tika hopped up and down like she just won something. "See! It's all me. I knew if I just persisted on keeping y'all up on each other, eventually you'd be back together."

Char rolled her eyes. But I let Tika have it. I loved how she was so genuinely happy. That's why she was my girl.

My phone buzzed just then with another notification. I looked at it and frowned.

"What?" Tika narrowed her eyes at the expression on my face.

I shook my head and lied. "Nothing."

"That doesn't seem like nothing." Tika moved to look at my phone but Char grabbed her arm.

"Tika can you give the girl some room to breath?" Char pulled her away. "Come on we're running again."

"Fine." Tika followed reluctantly. Leaving me staring at my phone. I hit the link of the IG handle that just liked another one of my photos. It brought me to a page full of pictures of a pretty brown skin girl. I hadn't thought much of the fact that she followed me over the winter break. In fact I followed her back. She had over five million followers and it seemed like she was some sort of child actor based on the comments. I really just thought it was all PR. It had to be. But then she started liking all of my photos. She just liked the pic that Lo took of us this morning.

Sabria Payne. That was her name. Maybe I'd heard it in passing. I think she was on some goofy show on the Disney channel. But she was definitely a stranger despite the fact that she looked so familiar to me.

She was very thin and petite but not exactly short, and she wore her hair big and natural around her pretty rich brown face. I had been avoiding thinking too hard about what had truly been bothering me about this girl for awhile now. But then I finally let myself think it. She looked just like me when I was sixteen.

I laughed at myself but then decided to DM her anyway. She was following me for a reason after all.

Me: Hi, do I know you?

She answered back almost immediately.

Sabria: Hi! No sorry. I get a little excitable and you're so pretty. I'm Sabria. Actually I'm not sure how much you know about me. I wasn't even sure if I should reach out or not.

Me: I'm not sure what you mean...

Sabria: I'm your sister. We have the same dad.

Wait. What? I felt myself begin to panic after that. Theres no way. I braced myself for her to say she was a cousin or something. I didn't know anyone in my family outside of my mom. My legs finally gave in at that moment and I sat down.

Me: this must be a mistake. I don't even know my dad.

Sabria: You are Janae Patterson right? Grew up in Atlanta and is now a student at LSU on the soccer team? How do you not know our dad? Gavin Payne. The producer. He has your entire life plus pictures in his office. That's how I found out where to find you.

Now I really began to panic. I'd heard of Gavin Payne. Who hadn't? His name was all over the music industry. And before that he was a big time actor.  She was his daughter?? And now she was saying I was his daughter!! And her half sister!! This all ran through my mind several times. But I was still having a hard time digesting it. 

Me: did he tell you about me?

Sabria: No. I kind of overheard my parents talking about you when they thought I wasn't listening.  Well actually they were arguing. But what's new. So I snuck into my dads office and went through his stuff when I was at his house. He's gone a lot even though he's supposed to be spending time with me. So I pretty much get the run of his house.  When I found out I actually have a sister, I was so excited! I know we don't know each other but I want to get to know you.  I don't get out much or have many friends.  But now I have a sister! You can reach me anytime on my private cell: 2165557823. Or my privateIG: @505briadafool. My mom and my assistant have access to this one.

I frowned. What sixteen year old has an assistant?

Me: ok. I'll reach out when I can.

She seemed like a sweet girl but I definitely was not planning to call her back. At least I not until a highly necessary conversation with my mom.