Someone Like You

Chapter 40

Zeniyah

Thankfully Prince was able to hook up with a private jet since Malik doesn't have a current passport for now. The flight took less than 2 hours and we took a cab back to my apartment. I throw Malik an oversized t-shirt and some basketball shorts, before changing into the same thing. 

"You hungry M?" I yell from my room to the next 

"Nah," he says back 

"You tired?" I yell again

"Nah," he says again

"You tryna smoke?" I ask and I hear silence for a while before hearing him say, 

"Hell yeah," he says making me laugh. I go into my closet grabbing my smell-proof container. I pull out 2 pre-rolls and an envelope I've been saving before I run to the living room where Malik is sitting on the couch watching CNN. 

I grab the remote and turn on The Chi before placing my legs on his lap and lighting the roll. 

"So, you smoke now?" he asks with raised brows

"Why's that so shocking to everyone," I say passing it to him

"You used to get on my ass about it," he says laughing

"Yeah but my anxiety and migraines only got worse over the years," I answer him 

"I'm sorry," he says sadly and I just shrug

"Here," I say handing him an envelope

"What's this," he asks opening it and looking at me with wide eyes

"Niyah what the hell, I thought I asked you to do something good for yourself," he says 

"Shut up Malik, it's the money you gave me all those years ago plus a little more because it's American instead of Canadian," I say to him with my eyes closed

"I'm not taking it," he says tossing it back in my lap taking the roll

"Why Malik it's your money, you told me to put myself through school and that's what I did, I had 2 scholarships plus student grants. I took a loan which I've paid back so take your money," I say putting it back on his lap

"Niyah what am I supposed to do with this," he says

"How about you put yourself through school now?" I ask him

"I don't know man I'm 26 years old with only a high school diploma, sure they removed the charges but that doesn't mean I didn't lose 6 years of my life," he says sadly 

"Come on I know you, Malik, you always had bigger dreams than even me and Zeb, tell me, what did you think about while you were locked up?" I say sitting up to look at him better

"Well...um when Prince told me you were in New York I thought about paying him to own the 2 clubs he owns down here, he said they're closed for now but I could open them, so I could be closer to you, you know," he says unsurely 

"Malik," I say punching his shoulder, "That's an amazing idea, and you have a vision for interior design you could make them the hottest clubs in the city," I say to him

"Are you sure Nyny?" he asks and I smile nodding. We stay silent for a while smoking the rest of the roll. 

"Hey, Ny?" he says and I hum in response

"You still have those dreams?" he asks "The ones of what happened to Zeb?" 

"Yeah sometimes but I have a feeling I won't be having them anymore," I say 

"Really, that's good, why though?" he asks

"I saw him, I saw Zebadiyah," I say and Malik scrunched his face