20-year-old university student Maliyah Tijjani is independent and fierce, yet damaged. She's been damaged for many years of her life and she is trying her best not to bring her past traumas into her new profound freedom. She avoids dating to maintai...
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I woke up to the smell of food and the sound of faint reggae music coming from the kitchen. I groaned and reached for my phone on the nightstand.
8:49 PM
I tried to text Athena, however, the resort had no service or any local WIFI connections. It's fine. No big deal. I locked my phone and placed it back on the nightstand.
I walked into the bathroom to freshen up a bit. I rinsed my face, did a few breathing exercises, and walked back towards my suitcase.
I slipped my silk white robe on and walked out to find Bilal cooking. Like full-on cooking.
He had several pans on the stove and was currently cutting up an onion. He was shirtless and had nothing but linen white pants on. He was fine.
"Putain!" he grunted, wiping the tears from his eyes with the hand he was holding the onion with. Fuck!
I laughed, which startled him and made him look up.
"Oh! You're awake! How'd you sleep?" he said, smiling through the pain.
"Good, now move over," I said, as I walked over to the kitchen and grabbed the knife and onion from his grasp.
His shoulders dropped and he stepped aside.
"Qu'est-ce que tu prépare pour le dîner? I didn't know you could cook." I asked, watching him stir the green beans. What are you making for dinner?
"Well, I'm making baked chicken-" he pointed to the oven, " green beans, and mashed potatoes with garlic bread. I hope you're not allergic, the nearest restaurant is extremely far,"
"It's fine." I finished cutting up the onions for him.
"My Mom taught me how to cook. She didn't have any daughters so she taught all of her sons the same chores a daughter would do," he explained.
I laughed.
Yes I do the cooking, yes I do the cleaning *Nicki Minaj voice*
"I didn't know you listened to Bob Marley," I said.
"I Shot The Sherrif" was playing. I loved Bob Marley. My Dad used to play his songs all the time when I was younger.
"There's a lot you don't know about me Maliyah," he joked. "It's almost as if you're afraid to ask me things anymore."
"Well you're my boss now Bilal," I mentioned. Duh.
"Partner, Maliyah we are business partners." he corrected. Damn. He had a point. "If you want me to be your boss, I can-"
"Nope, we're partners. You already said it," I quickly said.
I looked over my shoulder to find him staring at me, and he quickly got back to whipping the mashed potatoes.
