Love to Hate You

Chapter 13

EZRA'S POV
Leaving Jasper's apartment was rough for me. I hate where we left things but we needed space. Time to think. I call my good friends, Mariana and Jeremiah for lunch. I sit down at a table in the pizzeria and wait for them to arrive. Shortly after a spicy latina walks through the door. I wave to her and she smiles.
"Hey!! It's my favorite gringo!!" Mariana said, kissing my cheek and then sitting down across from me.
"Hey, It's my favorite sister from another mister!!" I said. She smiles and shakes her head.
"Where's Jeremiah?? I thought that beautiful chocolate man would arrive before I did." She said. Not even a second after, in came mister popular himself. Sporting cornrows and a killer smile with swagger.
"What's good, y'all?!" He said, giving me a bro handshake before sitting down.
"Mari was just talking about how you're a sexy black man and all that." I teased.
She glared at me, playfully.
"Càllate!! I can tell him my damn self, Gringo!!" She said with her usual amount of Hispanic sass.
"Well, this fine ass black man is hungry!! Tell me you ordered already!!" Jeremiah said, rubbing his stomach.
"Nope. Told the waitress that I was waiting for my friends. She'll come around again." I said.
"Tell us about your new boy toy!!" Mariana excitedly said.
"I don't have a new boy toy. Jasper is just a friend. That I just so happen to kiss a few times." I replied with a boyish grin.
"What?! You kissed him?! When?!" She said.
"I'm going to go order food. While y'all chit chat." Jeremiah announced before getting up.
"Tell me!!" Mariana nudged me with her foot under the table.
"He kissed me last night but I ruined everything." I said. She rolls her eyes.
"How could you ruin everything?? You are literally perfect."
"He's used to casual sex and I told him that I wanted a relationship." I said as I fiddled with my fingers, knowing that she was going to be brutally honest with me.
"You are so old fashioned. Nobody wants to wait until the third date to have sex anymore. We live in a world where tinder exists!! Just fuck the guy." She said.
"Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!" Jeremiah chants as he puts down two pies on the table.
He sits down and smiles like the six foot idiot that he is. We all grab a slice or two.
"So, what were you guys talking about??"
"This idiot gets the perfect opportunity to fuck the guy he likes and instead asks him to go steady with him!!" Mariana laughs.
"Listen, man. You a cool dude but don't you ever have fun?? Like not everybody you like is gon' be relationship material. You can't cuff everyone. Some peeps just a good time." Jeremiah said before taking a huge bite.
"Jasper is different. I'm in love with him. Like I would gladly marry him tomorrow, if I could but he's so afraid of commitment. I don't know what to do."
Mariana holds out her hand with long red nails and I squeeze it gently. A small act of love that warms my heart.
"If someone doesn't want the incredible guy that you are then it's their loss." She said followed by a small smile. Jeremiah nodded in agreement with his face stuffed like a chipmunk.
"What about you guys?? When are you two going to hook up??" I said. They both look at each other and laugh.
"Yo, I love this girl. She's a baddie but there ain't no way I'm going to be chased around with a sandal." He joked.
"Hey!! It's la chancla and you're right to fear it's power. My ma still scares me and I'm a grown woman." She laughed.
"There's nothing scarier than a mad black woman. My mom didn't need no sandal. She grab whatever was close by and chuck it at me." Jeremiah said.
"My mom would bake cookies and channeled her inner Dr.Phil." I chimed in.
"Oh, guys!! I totally forgot to tell you. We absolutely need to plan a road trip. Work has me stressed and I really need my boys. So, schedule some time off next month. Road trip!!" Mariana said.
"Road trip to where??" Jeremiah asks. I was going to make some suggestions but my phone began to vibrate in my pocket.
I pulled it out and glance at the screen.
"Jasper's calling." I said. "Hello??"
"E!!! Little problem. Like just a teensy weensy tiny soo tiny problem." He said. His voice kind of echoed. Like he was in a bathroom or something.
"Jasper, are you drunk??" I asked, slightly ticked off.
"Noooooo. I'm not drunk. I'm totally fine. I'm not drunk. Nope. Not one bit, baby." I could hear the sound of music and people partying in the background now. Which confirms that he is definitely out. He never calls me 'baby'. So, he's definitely drunk.
"Where the fuck are you?? I'm coming to get you." I said. Mariana and Jeremiah look at each other concerned.
"I'm at a birthday party but listen, baby, just listen. You have been on my mind, baby. Like why are you in my mind?? It's not fair." He rambled on.
"Jasper, focus. Where are you??"
"Um, I'm at...hey, where am I?? Wilmington avenue?? I'm at some fucking place named Wilmington, baby!! What a stupid name." He laughed.
"Jasper, don't go anywhere. I'm coming to get you. Do you hear me??" The line goes dead. Which means he either hung up or his phone died. I'm really hoping it's not the second one.
I won't be able to find him any other way. I put my phone back in my pocket.
"Sorry, guys. I have to go be a knight in shining armor." I half smiled.
I run out the door and hop on my motorcycle. Speeding my way over to an unfamiliar destination. Hoping that Jasper is actually there. There was a house that stood out from the rest with balloons and half naked people loitering the lawn. I park my bike, making my way towards the house. Following the sound of the music to the back of the house. I stick out like sore thumb, being the only person fully dressed. I search for Jasper through the crowd of people. I find him in the pool with a beer in each hand.
"Jasper!!" I shout but he can't hear me over the music. I really don't want to have to drag a grown man out of the pool. Luckily, he just so happens to look my way at the right time and smiles ear to ear. Splashing around, he walks on the pool floor and climbs out. His muscular body dripping wet and staggering it's way towards me.
"You know, you're not supposed to wet your cast. Why are you drunk so early in the day??" I said. He struggled to stand up straight, losing his balance slightly.
"I'm not drunk. Relaaaaxxx. I'm chillin'." He drinks the rest of his beer in his right hand and I snatch away the one in his left. Broken arm and he still manages to hold his beer just fine.
I drape his arm around my shoulder and help keep him up straight to walk.
"Let's go. We're leaving. You need to sober up." I guide him to my motorcycle and instruct him to hold on to me as tight as he could. Which he does without hesitation. We arrive at my apartment and I'm hoping he has sobered up a bit but from the looks of it, he hasn't.
"Jasper, you need to stop calling me drunk and what the hell were you thinking getting in a pool like this?! You could have drowned. You can't even stand up properly." I scolded him.
"Ezra, Ezra, Ezra. You beautiful masterpiece."He said and just staggered to my couch and fell asleep. I can't even stay mad at him anymore. He's safe and even if it was annoying, he called me. He could have called anyone else and banged them but he called me. I'd call that commitment. If only he could see it.