me & tomfoolery

Same Coin pt. 6 | Devin Booker Short Story

"Laila, are you serious right now?"

With her hands in her head, Laila had no choice but to feel overwhelmed and disappointed in herself.

"I am... I can't believe this." Laila had nowhere else to go and the only person that she could go to was a fellow mother.

After that night in the villa, Laila and Devin weren't sure what was going on but when they got back to Arizona they acted on it.

Flashback

With a week of distance between them, Laila had found the words to say because she had been radio silent all week. Devin didn't attempt to call or text her either, he felt guilty about the whole situation. A line was crossed and he couldn't go back.

She knew the only person at her door was Devin and opened it without even looking through the peephole.

"Hey."

"What's up?" Devin gave her a side hug as he entered her space. The same warm vanilla and spice scent covered the place. He preferred her home to his because it felt like there was love there. 

"You want anything to drink?" She offered walking into the kitchen. "Whatever you got."

She had made sweet tea recently and it was also Devin's favorite. Pouring him a glass she hummed a song that couldn't get out of her head. He watched her intently as she also grabbed a few snacks. She was fully clothed and looked good, he could stare at her face all day.

"So let's address the elephant in the room." He started. "Yes, lets."

"Clearly we're both attracted to one another. And we haven't been acting on it." Laila didn't say anything, she allowed him to continue. "I'm right?"

"You're right Booker." She could finally admit she was attracted to him, she hoped he dare not say anything else about it and leave it as that.

"So why haven't we acted on it?"

He was leaving the reasoning up to her. He knew what his issue was but if it was worth sharing, he would have to find a way to tell her. If she said she wanted to be friends, he could live with that and push his truth down. If Laila said she wanted more, that would almost cripple him into submission.

"Cause you said that wasn't your intention. I wasn't out here dating so yeah, it was kind of like that."

"So if I had said I wanted you, you would've given me the chance?"

Immediately no, Laila would have stayed away from him. Deep down she already knew what he wanted and when he decided to play the long game, she didn't object to it. She allowed herself to get comfortable with him and now they were here.

"No, you know that and that's why you told me otherwise."

Precisely.

Devin said if angle one didn't work, maybe angle two would, and clearly it did. But it was no longer what he wanted, he wanted to pretend the whole thing never happened.

"Lala, what you wanna do now?"

She didn't understand why it had to be up to her at all. She wanted to have less control over things because she was an over thinker. Taking a chance she approached him, she knew there was something behind his eyes and she probably wouldn't know until she aput herself on the line.

She kissed him. Devin taken by surprise because, although Laila was daring he wouldn't expect her to initiate anything between the two. When her mind registered what she had done, she quickly walked away.

"Dammit Devin, I wasn't supposed to do that. I'm sorry." He watched her pace out of the kitchen into the living room. "What you sorry for?"

She should've used her words, that would've put them in a better place. "I shouldn't have kissed you. Let's call it a night. I can't do this right now."