One Step Closer

OST/ Six

One Step Closer/ Six

                               Criss pulled into her parking spot. She sat in the car, pondering over her evening with Alonzo. Upon hearing his tale, and such, she didn’t feel he was such a caution anymore, but she still knew she had to tread carefully regarding, Kylie’s mother. She thought about how in the middle of the night, they had inched closer to each other…how she felt his warm breath on her neck, making hairs stand. She could get used to having his arms around her…but then she thought about Kylie. Alonzo hadn’t asked her to be a part of Kylie’s life, but she knew eventually to accept him, she would have to accept Kylie as a part of him. She would also have to accept what ensuing drama, that Kylie’s mother was going to bring…did she have the fortitude to embrace it all?

                               Well…we’re just friends right now. If and when Alonzo wants to talk about that, then we will, thought Criss, as she finally mustered her last thoughts together, and stepped out of the car. She walked up the stairs to the apartment and unlocked the door, stepping in. Austyn was lying on the sofa, sleep…she stirred at the sound of the front door closing. She sat up, giving her roommate a sleepy smile. “Hey,”

                              “Hey,” Criss said. She pushed the extra bulk of the comforter out of the way, taking a seat on the sofa. Austyn laid into her lap, as Criss played with her hair. She gazed upward, into Criss’s eyes. “How was your date? I see you didn’t come home last night,”

                               “Alonzo was…cool. Really cool. We had a great time last night,” smiled Criss, with that same look in her eyes that Austyn herself had Thursday evening when she stepped in the house. “We may try to hook up again next weekend,”

                              “Wooooow…you got some, didn’t you?”

                              “No! Alonzo and I didn’t do that. I don’t know- I mean…I was willing to go there, but…I mean, I can’t blame him”-

                               “Criss! You’re not makin sense,” whined Austyn with a scratchy voice. “So you guys didn’t do it…what? Is he gay now? Or is he doin another Bryant”-

                                “Hell no!” exclaimed Criss. “Alonzo is not Bryant, not by a longshot. And no, he isn’t gay. There definitely is some like there…,”

                                “Criiiiiiiiiiiiss! Youre makin me confused,” whined Austyn, as Criss giggled. Criss looked at her bestie’s pouty lips. “We’re just taking things as they come, Austyn. Not trying to move too fast, not trying to move too slow. He’s not throwing his daughter up in my face, he wants to keep all that separate for right now, and I can respect that…I’m not sure if I’m ready for all that myself,”

                               “Ohhh gawd! I don’t know if I could wait…I would have his yummy caramel body all up in my”-

                               “Austyn!” shouted Criss, covering her best friend’s mouth, as she let out a muffled giggle beneath Criss’s fingers. “You are something else, girl…I’m gonna go shower, then let’s go out for lunch,”

                                As soon as the two rose from the sofa, something fell to the floor. Criss picked it up…she’d recognize that artifact anywhere- her father’s wrist watch. “Wow…my dad’s watch. Wonder how’d that get here? Usually, he hardly ever takes it off,”