Made To Believe ✔️

Chapter Nineteen

DIANA'S POV

"What are you doing?"Salome asked when she brought me my lunch at the counter like she always did.

We were still doing the healthy eating diet thing so lunch for the day was a chicken salad. It looked delicious though, better than the kale smoothies we'd had for breakfast. Those were yuck.

"Staring at my phone waiting for Kareem to text or call."I replied honestly.

"He's still not talking to you?"Salome inquired.

"Oh he is, just short cold texts that make me feel as if I'm texting with my dad and not my potential boyfriend."I answered feeling very frustrated.

Ever since my date with Kareem a week ago where we had ran into his family, he had been behaving very weird. We barely talked anymore, didn't see each other and whenever I suggested that we meet up he always had an excuse as to why we couldn't.

The first few days it made me feel insecure that maybe besides his family I'd done something to make him pull away from me. I mean it was the first time we'd kissed and it had been amazing according to me. I was still dreaming about our kisses yet Kareem was acting like that night never happened. Salome had knocked some sense into me when she saw me doubting myself and made me realize that what Kareem was going through had nothing to do with me.

Seeing his family after so long when they'd completely cut him off must have been hard for Kareem. I just wished he'd talk to me about it so I could help him get through it. I wasn't his girlfriend yet but we were getting there and were a lot closer than we had been at the beginning. It wasn't my place to push so I just left him alone with the hope that he wouldn't completely shut me out. Kareem and I had something good going and I didn't want to loose that.

"Kareem will be fine and he'll be back here to woo you before you know it but for now eat your food."Salome demanded pushing the plate of leaves, chicken, boiled eggs, tomatoes, onions and some other stuff I couldn't tell closer to me.

I forced a smile and picked up my fork digging in. It was surprisingly not as bad as I thought it would be. I still couldn't stop thinking about Kareem and how the poor communication would affect our relationship but I had to try and be positive. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt because everything had been going great before we ran into his family.

After lunch I made myself busy by unboxing some books I'd purchased and arranging them on the shelves. I always enjoyed doing that but I wasn't feeling it, just forcing myself to do it since no one else would do it for me.

The bell at the door rang indicating a new customer but I didn't move to go serve them. Sophia was around so she would do it for me.

"Hi is, Diana around?"The unmistakable voice of Kareem asked.

My eyes widened in surprise since I had not expected him to drop by suddenly without calling or texting first. I didn't hear what Sophia told him until I heard the heavy steps of his boots headed my way. I could even see the top of his head from above a few shelves that were separating us. Finally he found his way to me and suddenly the one week I hadn't seen him felt like an eternity. Unable to stop myself I dropped the book I had been holding back into the box and walked towards him wrapping my hands around his waist burying my face into his chest. It was definitely Kareem alright smelling like engine oil, pine trees and an undertone of the mango scented soap he used.

Kareem was not expecting my hug since he stood rigid for a few seconds before he finally hugged me back wrapping his big, warm, strong hands around me.

"Why aren't you more mad at me?"He whispered against my hair.

"Because you don't deserve my anger. I have no idea what you're going through and I can't make it worse by being mad at you."I replied.