𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐘 | 𝐦. 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

12

Tonya's POV

It's Friday now and I'm really happy. Today's the day that I go on tour with Marlon and his brothers. I'm really excited because I've never went outside of the country before.

As I sit up in my bed, I look over at my dresser and notice my phone hanging off the hook. Oh gosh, I must've fallen asleep while Marlon and I were talking last night. This is so embarrassing..

I sighed, hanging up the phone as I got out of bed. I really need to get ready! Jumping up, I run to my dressers, picking out pajamas, comfy clothes and outfits for the days I'd be with them. Marlon told me they'd be on tour for the whole weekend I think, so I only need clothes for a few days.

I did my hair and brushed my teeth. I took a shower the night before so I'd just be able to pack and leave this morning. I really couldn't contain my excitement but I didn't want to seem overly eager.

I wanna seem relaxed and cool, even though my heart will probably be beating like crazy inside because of a certain someone.

I packed my bags and once I was finished, I glanced at the time. It was 11:00 am, so I'm sure the boys were getting ready right about now, too. I walked downstairs, looking around for my mother who was already making breakfast.

"Good morning, Tonya," my mother said with a smile. "Morning, Ma. I wanted to ask you something," I say, a little hesitancy in my voice.

My mom sort of had a problem with me going out on my own, not over to Marlon and his brother's house of course. She was good friends with Mrs. Katherine. I was just a little unsure if she'd be okay with me going out of town with them.

"Yes, baby?" My mother asks me, turning the fire off of the stove and sitting her spatula down so I had her full attention. "Um.. I was going to ask if I could go with the Jackson brothers," I tell her.

She scoffs with a smile, "Girl, of course. You always goin' over there anyway, why you decidin' to ask now?"

"I meant.. out of town." I elaborate.

My mom's eyebrows visibly rise. "Out of town where?" she questions me, a little surprise on her face. "Ma, it's only on tour for a few days. Please, I've never been traveling before and I thought it would be fun-"

"You can go."

"Ma, please. I really want to hang out with Marlon and I-" I stop in my tracks as I realize what she's told me. "..What?"

"I said you can go, hun," my mother repeats with a laugh. "I know we really haven't had the money to travel a lot and you just wanna hang out with your friends while you're still a teenager, I get it. And did you say you wanted to hang out with Marlon..?" my mom questions me with a smirk on her face.

I can't fight the smile from my face but maybe she'll see it as me thinking she's joking. "Come on, Ma. Stop," I chuckle, looking back towards the stairs. "Well, I'm glad you said yes because I already packed my things," I tell her, making her laugh.

"Girl, you are too much," she tells me, walking over to kiss me on the forehead. "You have fun now, sweetheart, okay? You got everything ya need?" she asks me, and I nod. "Well, you should get to callin' Marlon, let him know you're ready if he's coming to get you," she tells me.

I nod at my mother's words once more making my way up the stairs so I wouldn't have to see her smug look again. I wonder if she can see how I feel about Marlon.

I make my way upstairs and take my bags back downstairs. I look over to the phone on the wall in the kitchen and am about to call Marlon until my doorbell rings.

My mom looks over at me with a grin to which I playfully roll my eyes at. Setting down my bags, I walk over to the door and open it, being met with a very handsome Marlon.

He's got on this nice outfit, a white button up shirt that has a few buttons unbuttoned exposing his chest and he's wearing a warm colored plaid jacket over it with some black slacks. I've always thought Marlon dressed well, but he went all out today. I wonder why.

As I'm taking note of this outfit, I realize I've just quite literally looked him up and down and it would've been impossible for him not to notice it since we're face to face with each other. I tried to play it off as I playfully shove his shoulder.

"Dang, my brother lookin' dapper today," I tell him with a shy, awkward smile that he luckily doesn't really notice. He seems to appreciate this compliment because he laughs, swiping imaginary dust off of both of his shoulders.

"Don't he always?" he asks, rhetorically of course, but my silly, love struck self responds to it anyway before I could stop myself. "Yeah."

"Huh?"