YOU & I - LaMelo Ball

31

A FEW DAYS LATER

MARIAH
-

"Babygirl! It's good to see you again!" Lavar yells and pulls me into a hug.

I wince, forgetting how loud he could be.

"It's good to see you too pops." I pull away and interlocked my hand with Melo's again.

Lavar smiles and shakes his head.

"I knew y'all wouldn't be apart for long! Melo you better not fuck up this time boy!" Lavar goes back to grilling.

"I'm gonna go say hi to everyone else Dip, I'll be back." I say before smacking his butt and running off while laughing.

I walk across the lawn by the pool where mostly everyone else was.

"Mariah! Hi it's been a while sweetie." Noni, Melo's grandma, gets up to give me a hug.

I hug Tina, Robert, and LaVelle too. "Yeah I'm just getting better and stuff like that." I say while smiling.

"Are you and Melo okay again?" Robert asks and I nod. "Yeah we're better."

I tell them bye before going inside to find Zo and them.

"I know that ain't Mariah?" Zo shouts as I walk into the kitchen.

I take my shades off and laugh.

"Hey gang, ya bitch is backk!" I smile and sit beside Gelo and Ally.

Ally gives me a hug and Gelo mean mugs me playfully.

"You're so fake." He shakes his head and I laugh and roll my eyes.

"You didn't call or text me, so you're fake."

I put my hand up in his face and we both laugh as he pulls me into a hug.

"Gelo, Lavar wants you outs- oh. Hey Mariah." Evoni comes into the kitchen with a Caprisun in her hand.

I smile slightly and pull away from Gelo. "Hi Evoni."

Gelo gets up and goes outside and Evoni takes his seat next to me.

"Zo please make me a drink, this juice ain't cuttin' it." She shakes her head and throws the empty Caprisun away.

"So how's life been treating you?" She turns back to me and I shrug.

"Good, getting better day by day. What about you?"

She nods hesitantly. "Pretty good, I'm gettin' there."

She smiles and I return the gesture.

"You and Gelo made it work too huh?" I smirk and she shrugs.

"Somethin' like that. For now it's 'no strings attached', according to him." She mumbles the last part.

She quickly smiles and looks back up at me.

"But I see you and Melo made up." She gestures towards the ring and necklace.