TEACH ME NOT 2 HATE LOVE

42

👧Tajea POV 👧

On my way home from work, I called up Regina, demanding that we meet up at my place right now, and she agreed. After all, we need to have a very serious chat face-to-face about what she did.

But don't worry. I'm not going to kill her. Hopefully. I just want her to know I'm aware of her scheme and make her feel as bad about it as I do.

I mean, what was she thinking trying to get me and Nik together? She knows how much I used to despise men. Well, I still kind of do. OK, put it this way: Nik and Tyrone are the exceptions.

She knows about my oath—that I'm done with men and relationships. So what made her think that this was a good idea?

This just makes me look pathetic, as if I were desperately in need of a man.

OK. So, she probably did this out of good intentions and a kind heart. She was probably thinking that what she was doing was in my best interest.

Well, it didn't turn out so bad. I get to be the mother of a precious boy. My wonderful child, little Nik.

Yes, there is Nik. As much as he's the pain in my whole existence, he literally gets under my skin in a good way. Some parts of me are glad to meet the little prick and to be together with him and little Nik. We are like a family.

But still, I won't let her off so easily.

By the time I'm done getting my very quick evening shower, Regina comes barging into my bedroom, concerned and worried sketches all over her demeanor as she bombards me with a ton of questions.

"Girl, are you alright? Are you hurt? What trouble have you gotten yourself into now? Who did you hurt? Did you and Nik have a fallout again? Oh no, what did you do to him?"

"Did you get me this job so you can set me up with Nik?" I dropped the bomb without warning, leaving her speechless for about five minutes.

"Well, I—I," Regina stuttered, probably still trying to figure out how I knew about her hidden scheme.

"Girl, you better not lie to me, or I'll beat your ass for real. Then I'll apologize later." I threatened.

"Alright. Geez." She exhaled deeply. "I was worried about you being lonely for the rest of your life, OK. And then I met Ms. Radnor, who told me about her wonderful son. And that she doesn't want him to die alone and unhappy. So we. I've decided to get you two together. But man, you two turned out to be a handful. I never knew it would be so difficult to get two people together."

"You have no right to do this," I yelled at her.

"I know. But I only did it because I care," Regina voiced remorsefully. "Girl, are you mad at me?"

"Yeah, I'm upset." I put on my best angry poker face. Besides, what is there to be mad about now? Absolutely nothing. Like I said earlier, I want her to feel bad about what she did.

"Are you planning to quit your job?" She was worried. "Please don't. I see how much you love it there. Plus, little Nik would be sad if you left."

"I'm not insane to walk away from twelve K a week." I smiled slyly. "And beside, how will that arsehole raise that adorable boy without me?" Plus, Nik might lose his mind (literally) if I walked out on him. Not that I want to.

"Oh, thank goodness." She took a breath of relief. And just like that, her guilt was replaced with excitement. "Now tell me, how did your date go with Nik?"

"You mean that ambush you set me up on Wednesday night?" I retorted, rolling my eyes.

"You know about that too." She laughed tensely.

"Yes, I do," I assured her.

"You two were taking too damn long to get together. So, Ms. Radnor and I thought to give you a little push," Regina said.

"Nik and I will never be more than we are. He's my boss, and I work for him," I said. Not convincing at all, girl. "So I'll appreciate it if you and his mother stop trying to get us together."

"OK, girl." Regina nodded with a smile. "So, what happened after the date?" Man, she's persistent.

Sigh. Should I tell her the truth or lie about it? In the end, I told her what happened at that place after they left us alone that night. I told her every detail of that morning too. Nik confessed that he liked me, and I turned him down. The Travis drama.

What Nik did to Travis' family for my sake. How it scared me that Nik was changing. And last but not least, how he forced me to sleep with him last night.

Regina was so caught up with the juicy stuff to be too concerned about the other bad stuff. Girl, just keep on smiling like an idiot. And you know what they say—idiocy is very catchy. I found myself smiling, too. Like a jackass.

"Oh my, girl!" she shrieked. "There is hope for you two after all. You don't know how happy that makes me."

"This doesn't change anything between Nik and me." I tried to convince her. Myself.

"Are you sure about that?" She smirked.

"Yes," I said. "Now hop off my back."

"Alright. We'll see."

"So, how are things with you and Tyrone?" I changed the very awkward and uncomfortable topic. Talking about Nik gives me goosebumps, and not in a bad way.

"We're better than ever now," Regina said. "Well, that b*tch ex of his, Marsha, whatever her name is. That desperate little wh*re is still trying hard to sabotage our relationship. We had to take out restraining orders against her a few days ago."

"Do you want me to kick her ass?" I suggested. That girl was begging for a beating from the first time she came to my sister's house with her BS.

"Thank you. But I can take care of this myself," Regina said.

"Well, you know where I'm at if you need me."

"Yeah. Oh, did you know Nik and Tyrone are now business partners?" Regina asked, or maybe she was telling me that.

"It's not like we talk about everything," I responded.

"I thought you would know, now that you two are so close," she teased. Here we go again. I should have kept my big mouth shut about what happened last night. Everything. "Soon we'll all be going out on double dates."

"Gina." I warned her to stop with the fairy tales. As nice as that sounds, it's never going to happen.

"Sorry." She really wasn't. She found me and Nik's saga too amusing to stop harassing me about it. "I'm just so happy for you."

"Whatever." I smiled like a fool again, which made her smile back. What's gotten into me? Get a hold of yourself, girl. "So, what's the business about?" Like I care, but anything to take the talk off me and Nik. But that's wishful thinking.

"Your boyfriend. I mean your boss. (Oh, for crying out loud, Nik.) He had agreed to assist Tyrone with the development of his new technology," Regina said. "Tyrone was so excited, we made love repeatedly for hours. And still, the boy was unable to sleep that night."

"That's wonderful." Yawn. Yeah, I'm feeling sleepy. That is why I throw down in bed.

"Move over." Regina ordered. I took the right side of the bed, and she took the left. She then whispered in my ear. "You are not mad at me, right?"

"If you don't shut up and let me sleep, I'll kill you," I grumbled.

"OK, goodnight." She took a sleeping position and didn't bother me for the rest of the night, which is a good thing because I get to sleep like a baby.