Just Listen

Chapter 21

KP's POV

The night seemed to drag on. Cece left me a bunch of messages that I for one, still wasn't sure whether to answer to. I was so confused, could they- "Kamilah?"

"It's open." I called out and Amandla walked in. Something about her just wasn't right. She was more like family than just a maid.

"What can I do for you?" I asked, cheery.

Amandla smiled, "I want to get to know you. Who is Kamilah?" She questioned.

Her question stung me. Like whom do I say I am? My ancestry? I know nothing of that. She saw my face fell and gently held my hand. "It's okay, I just wanna be your friend." If she wasn't so nice and cute, I would have thrown her out of my room. We started randomly talking about things when an incoming call disturbed us.

Caller Unknown...

I picked it up. "Hey," my breath hitched. Fresh tears stung my eyes. I could not find my voice. "Kami, are you there?"

I cleared my throat and pushed back the tears. "Yeah, hi." My response came out rough, unlike what I had wanted it to be. Amandla excused herself and left my room.

"Can we talk? I miss you..."

Hearing him say those words made my heart swell. "I miss you too Gelo. Of course we can talk." I'm pretty sure he could hear the excitement in my voice.

He chuckled, "I was pretty bummed out when I learned that you transferred to another school."

"Yeah, well, I had no say but I'm loving it. How have you been?" I chirped.

"Good." There was silence. Awkward silence for the first time.

Memories of that day we broke up played in my mind.

"Why did you call? Forgiven me?"

There was silence before he responded, "Come on, of course, if I hadn't I would not have called you. I missed you, Kami." I blushed.

"So, I can call you Daddy G again?"

"Sure princess."

"I have to go, I love you." Gelo said before hanging up. At this moment I could literally do a somersault. Thrilled that I had Angelo back. That night I slept peacefully, until I got woken up by my own screams.

I had a nightmare about my dad's accident. The memories came flooding in and I could not control my tears. I missed him. More than anything. Uncanny is my mother but...she'll never make up for what she lost.

Going back to sleep was hard, eventually sleep enveloped me like an embrace.

Upon waking up in the morning, my brain replayed the last scenes of my nightmare making my heart throb. The burning pain of a harsh reality. Angelo never called...classic false awakening.

Auntie came in and found me almost in tears. Seeing her. Her face. Her smile. My eyes became bloodshot. The tears that I held back, now flowed freely. My bottom lip quivering.

The moment she saw my face, she rushed to my side. "What's wrong?" Concern was embedded in her question.

"Nothing..." I croaked. Auntie cradled me in her arms. She rocked me back and forth until I stopped crying. She gently wiped away my tears.

"Talk to me sweetie, I'm here for you..."

"I'm not ready to move on, auntie. I'm not sure if I'll ever be." My response came out in a hushed tone. Wiping away a stray tear. My aunt had nothing to say. "First, my best friend betrays me. Sets me up against my boyfriend..." I paused, auntie scrambled to her feet heading towards the door.

I chuckled bitterly, "It's okay, you can leave. They all did."

She spun around flabbergasted. "Sweetie tha-"

"My boyfriend left me. Dad died. Mom was never there. I'll understand." I brushed her off, staring into nothingness. She gave me a sad smile.

"All I wanted was to close the door." I closed my eyes as I heard her speak.

I know I should be ashamed, but. Auntie gracefully walked over to me on the bed and gave me a hug. Stunning me. "I know you're sad, but I'm here. I love you just as much as Michael does...did."

"Kamilah! A girl is asking for you downstairs." Amandla stuck her head in the doorway without even knocking. I gazed in my aunt's eyes, feeling the exact warmth as my father's.

"Tell the young lady she'll be there in a few, she has to freshen up first."

"Thanks Aunt Veronica."

She nodded walking out of my room. I took a shower and decided to put on shorts and a shirt. Tying my hair in a high ponytail. Lucrecia's presence greeted me in the lounge. "Hey!"

"Hi," I went to the kitchen and she followed.

"Breakfast?" Amandla questioned. We both nodded.

After we dished up, we went to the garden in the backyard and sat down at the patio. "About yesterday," Lucrecia started. "I can explain."

"You don't have to." I responded, hiding my face behind the coffee mug and avoiding eye contact.

"Look Kami, I know you saw."

I stared at anything but her. "There's a lot to say and it's complicated." She cleared her thought and began telling me her story.

"You're lovers!?" I breathed out, astonished.

"Kami! Keep it down." She shushed me.

"Sorry, but isn't it illegal? Aren't you a minor?"

"Technically no, I'll be eighteen in a week."

My mouth hung open. "Unbelievable Lucrecia. That's your father..." I reasoned.

"Step dad. Please stop with those judgemental eyes!" She threw her hands back in emphasis, clearly getting pissed off.

"Look, I'm sorry. I'm just being a concerned friend. Does your mother know?" I queried scooting closer to her side.

"Of course not. They aren't together. We just have family dinners every once in a while to catch up, that's all." She defended. My eyebrows raised upward.

"Really?"

"Yes!"

I raised my hands up surrendering. "Okay, if you know what you're doing. Whom am I to judge?"

"Please don't tell anyone. You're the only one who knows. And, I would like to keep it that way till daddy finalizes his divorce."

I choked on my coffee. Coughing hysterically, I gave her a are-you-for-real look. "I can't help it. Sure, it'll break mom's heart but Kami I love him and he loves me. He'll do anything for me."

I wasn't sure whether she was lovestruck, blind or confused. Secretly dating her stepfather behind her mother's back, who could probably still love him. Possibilities were Mr Donna was two timing them. Oh God! I face palmed myself. Feeling rather lost than she probably was.

It took me a moment to collect my thoughts. It was wrong, but it was her happiness. I didn't want to lose another friend...and so...

"How is he?" I giggled, earning a grin from Cece. I mean like what could go wrong?