The Harper Family: It's a Relationship Thing (Wattpad Version)

Communication

Jordin

I had to learn how to communicate with Mercedes. It's not like I had much experience in this area since the women I hooked up with didn't talk. They more or less moaned with me.

My family tried to help me. It didn't work. Their ideas differed from mine. I prefer to communicate in other ways. My family felt talking was better.

"Did anyone tell you that you're terrible at communication?" Mercedes asked me as we sat on her couch.

"Everyone has." I bobbed my head.

"Sex is not communication."

"But can't we incorporate it?"

"So, if we fight, you want to use sex to rectify the issue?"

"I don't see a problem with that."

"No."

"You're not making this easy."

"Relationships take work. It's what one does when they're with someone."

"But I enjoy sex."

"There's nothing wrong with sex, but you must communicate effectively with your partner. Didn't you ever talk to your previous partners?"

"Does moaning count?"

Mercedes gave me an unamused look.

"What? You wanted honesty. I enjoy sex. We haven't even made it past first base."

"Because sex isn't a game."

"A guy has needs."

"You need to keep your needs in check."

"Fine." I was learning Mercedes wouldn't give in easily and challenged me. The random girls that I took home didn't care about talking. They wanted to hop on my dick. It served a need.

"What are you thinking about?"

"How women didn't want to talk."

"What kind of women did you meet?"

"Easy ones."

Mercedes shook her head.

"What? You asked." I shrugged.

"Okay. Let's switch gears. What makes me different from those other train wrecks?"

"You're not easy."

"I'm sorry I asked." Mercedes sighed.

I chuckled. "Let me rephrase that. You're easy to rile up."

Mercedes arched her brow.

I turned my body toward her. "You're so different from the girls I had met. You listened to me and didn't dismiss me. You talked to my dads without judging them. You didn't give in when I copped an attitude. You stayed when others would leave."

Mercedes knitted her brows.

"I don't know anything about relationships, and it scares the hell out of me."

Mercedes placed her palm on my cheek and caressed it with her thumb. "It's okay to have fears in a relationship. It's not okay to hurt someone because of your fears."

"Is that why you haven't dated since your ex?"

"I didn't want a guy to pay for what Gary did. I lived in this bubble where everything was good. Then one night, that bubble popped. My world imploded that night. It made me question everything about myself."

I placed my hand on Mercedes's. "You should have never questioned anything about yourself. You did nothing wrong. Gary had a choice, and he chose to betray you. I would never do that."