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THE GREEN-MORALES HOUSEHOLD was now locked in a one sided battle.
Jalen had fucked up, he knew that but it was now day three of the civil war between him and his girlfriend and he had more than waved a white flag.
But Noelani had held steadfast to her anger and irritation and now he was facing the third day of tense silence and attitude filled replies.
Jalen sat in his car, still parked in the garage, one elbow bent up so he could rub his forehead wearily at the prospect of another day with a pissed off significant other.
After a few more seconds of peace, Jalen released a sigh full of defeat before extending an arm towards his passenger seat where his backpack was resting and getting out of the car.
The house was almost silent.
Almost.
Jalen almost missed it but there was the faint sound of thumps coming from the basement.
His eyebrows were scrunched a bit in confusion but he flung the basement door open and then made his way down the steps, his sneakers making a tapping sound against the metal staircase before pausing at the scene before him.
A new pale blue punching bag had been tied to the ceiling and Noelani was going to work on it; punching and roundhouse kicking the object over and over again.
Jalen looked behind him in a bit of disbelief before stepping forward and clearing his throat, "Hey. I thought the doctor said to lay off the kickboxing because of your stitches? And where's Lani number two? She's not with Leilani is she?"
Noelani didn't stop assaulting the punching bag as she spoke, her voice a little gravelly from her physical exertion, "With my dad and Erin. They wanted to see her."
For a moment, the thuds and thumps of the punching bag moving against Noelani's boxing gloved covered fists was the only sound in the room.
"Can you... Baby, can you stop with the punching bag for a moment?" Jalen asked after dragging one hand down the length of his face.
"Nope. I bought it myself so I can do what I want with it." Noelani snapped back without stopping.
"I deserve that," Jalen replied.
She was quiet, her focus only on the punching bag in front of her.
A little aggravated now, Jalen moved from behind her to in front to force the punching bag to stop and Noelani turned to face him with a glare so vexed that Jalen wanted to disappear for a moment.
"What now Jalen? What?" She asked in a bland tone.
"I just wanted to-." Jalen started to say but Noelani interrupted him, "To say sorry. I heard you. I heard you and I saw the flowers but honestly," She shook her head, "I don't wanna forgive you right now. I don't have it in me."
Jalen licked his bottom lip and then heaved a sigh, his hands still on the punching bag, "Why not? You can't be mad forever. Holding grudges isn't good."
Noelani stared at him with an unidentifiable expression in her honey brown eyes for a moment before scoffing and starting to unstrap her boxing gloves with a chuckle that held no warmth, "Holding a grudge? Is that what you think I'm doing? Holding a grudge?"
"I mean..." Jalen trailed off, "It didn't mean to come out. I apologized. What more could you want from me?"
Jalen closed his eyes and bit back a curse that was meant for himself.
That was obviously the wrong thing to say.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck.
"I want you to leave me alone and go to our room." Noelani replied before dropping the punching bags on the floor and then taking out the hair tie that held her curls in a bun, "Oh, excuse me. Your room. I forgot."
"How long are you gonna hold onto this, Lani?" Jalen followed her up the stairs to the kitchen, "I mean it's been days. Enough is enough. Please."
At his words, Noelani whirled on him, making Jalen stop in his tracks, a bit surprised, "Do you not understand what I've given up? The things I've done and haven't done to make sure that you have nothing to worry about? You might pay the bills sure, but it's me who makes sure that Alani is changed and fed. Me who makes sure that you never see a dirty dish or dog poop. Me, who moved back to California, knowing how much I hate it, because you said you needed me here! Yes, you pay the bills and keep the lights on but it's me who's made this place a home for us!"
Jalen stared down at her, his eyes wide at her words, "Given up? What have you given up?"
Noelani shook her head opened her mouth to reply when the front door opened, stopping her from whatever she was going to say next.
"Hey, Noel..." Leilani paused before glancing between the two and letting a smile grow on her face at the obvious tension in the air, "Trouble in paradise?"
Jalen scowled at her, "Shut up, Leilani. This has nothing to do with you."
"Don't talk to my cousin like that." Noelani replied, the expression on her face impassive.
Jalen shook his head at the wide smirk on his adversary's skull before walking over to the fridge and pulling it open to scan the contents, needing a break from the conversation.
"Are you doing anything tonight?" Jalen could hear Noelani ask Leilani and without turning around, straightened his posture just the tiniest bit.
"I'm always doing something," Leilani replied in a smug tone, "There's this party in Inglewood. You want in?"
At that Jalen turned around, his bottom lip twitching, "You don't like parties anymore, remember?"
The two women turned to him, each one with a dismissive look.
"Anyway," Leilani turned back, "C'mon. You can wear something of mine," She pulled Noelani to the first floor with a giggle leaving Jalen completely dumbfounded.
"What the fuck just happened?"
NOTE FROM KY there's a new story about shareef o'neal, make sure you check it out! vote & comment, porfa!
