Through the depths

Chapter 3

Darien

Darien reached for the hot chocolate his mom placed in front of him. The house was once again quiet. Everyone left hours ago after they all sat around and shared a memory of Yasmine that they will cherish. He wished Jaz stayed. She should've been there to hear how much her sister was loved. He knew she thought everyone in the neighborhood would treat her sister's death like a casualty, in reality people cared about Yasmine. She was one of the few in the new generation in the city that didn't strip or sell her soul for money. She worked two jobs at a time just to make sure her and her brother was ok. People admired her for it.

It was wrong to think, but Darien wished it would've been any other low life in the city instead of Yaz. Not just because he knew her death would destroy Jasmine, because he too loved her. She was the sister he had but never prayed for. Now as he sat in his mother's small kitchen reflecting on how it got here, he couldn't help but feel conflicted. Yaz's death was a blow to the chest for a lot of people. But her death also brought back Jasmine. The woman who took his young heart with her when she left the city. Seeing her after six years caused something strange to rise to the surface. Her beautiful smile warmed his heart, but the memory of her driving away still stung.

He wished the years had been rough for her as it was for him without her. Evidently, he was the last thing on her mind. Her timeless beauty did little to help ease his emotions. After all those years she still had that firm athletic build. Toned thighs with strong calves, the effect of her running track all these years. Her honey brown eyes still captivated him, made him feel as though he was swimming in sweet nothingness. Her skin still gave him the urge to place his lips on it, then his tongue, as if she was chocolate ice cream in the blazing summer heat. Jasmine didn't have full lips like her twin sister or the thick curvy figure that drove many men in the city crazy, but she still held her own. He would choose her any day over some big ass and breasts. No woman's smile could ever make his heart feel as full.

He could not get this woman out of his head or his heart. Now that she was back, he was not ready to watch her drive away again. Something Darien knew she was rushing to do.

"I'm guessing you will not be going to bed anytime soon."

his mother approached

"You need to remember she is not here for long Dary, don't allow her to hurt you again." she spoke, knowing exactly where his mind had travelled to. She was the only one who truly knew what he went through when Jasmine left. It had broken him beyond repair. He didn't sulk or cry like a heart broken woman. But he did some things that at the time he wanted to believe she was the cause of. His mother loved Jasmine like she was her own, but Darien didn't doubt that she blamed Jasmine.

"I know Ma, trust me I'm good. I'm not stressing over that. I just know she will need some help to cope with Yaz's death, and to deal with Khalil."

"That's not your job, I'm sure she has friends for that." She explained. She gripped his hand firmly.

"Promise me, Dary. Promise that you will not allow yourself to get close to her, to feel anything for her again." Darien gave his mother's hands a small squeeze and smiled.

"Ma, I promise you have nothing to worry about. That was kids' stuff" he assured her. She smiled and kissed his forehead.

"I'm heading to bed, don't have more than a cup of hot chocolate Darien. You know you'll get sick." She warned before walking away. Darien laughed and brought the cup to his lips.

The promise he made to his mother still running through his mind. He lied. How can he not allow himself to feel for her again when the feelings he's had never dwindled? He understood his mother's warning though. He always blamed the mistakes he made in his youth on his lack of maturity at the time, his mother fractionally blamed Jasmine. After all, his mishaps did not start happening until she left. Jasmine didn't mean to make him feel worthless when she chose to go chase her dreams and leave him behind but still, he felt it. He'd wanted to leave with her, but he didn't have the heart to leave his mother or the city. When he asked her to stay a semester behind to help him decide, Jasmine made the decision herself to end the relationship. He recalled that memory like the pain was just inflicted.