The Calm

Prologue

"Where you want to go now?" I look over at the clock and it is around one in the morning.

"I should probably head home before Joy has a heart attack." His devious grin tells me what he is about to say next before he says it.

"You know you are always welcomed at my house." That actually does not sound like a bad idea right now. Joy hates when I come into the house late anyways. She would probably prefer it if I just come back when everyone is awake.

"You know what, that would probably be best." He immediately starts his car and pulls out of the park's parking lot.

"Ain't got to tell me twice." I laugh as we drive down the semi-empty roads towards his home. "You don't mind that my uncle is not home do you? I think he had a date tonight or something, and he usually is not back until morning."

"Chris," I grab his hand, "I trust you." He glances over at me and smiles. Most adults just see him as a little thug that is not going to get anywhere in life, but he is my sweet, kind, cute, and totally misunderstood boyfriend. He flips his hand over and grabs mine. I lay my head on his shoulder as he drives the rest of the way.

"Babe, wake up." I feel him kiss my forehead and my eyes flutter open. We are parked in the driveway, and I climb out of the car. He waits for me to get on his side, then grabs my hand and leads me into the house. When we get inside his little sister is in the kitchen with some of her friends and they are trying to pop some popcorn. "Cherish, don't make a mess. You know Unc won't like that shit."

"Whatever fat head. Make sure you keep your business down. No one needs to hear when you are fucking throughout the entire house." I feel myself blush as he flicks her off before we walk to his room. He leads me to the basement door, and he lets me walk down first. I walk over to where I know his light switch is and cut it on.

"Sorry about her, but you know how me and my sister are."

"You two are definitely related." I sit down on his bed and kick my shoes off.

"See, I would be offended, but it's true. We are more alike than I can stand." He comes back out of his closet in his sweatpants and a wife beater. I take my hoodie off and hang it on his bed post. Where is his remote? After practically flipping his bed over I find it under one of his pillows. Once I cut the TV on, he cuts the light over the stairs on, and cuts the main lights off. It's so cold down here though..

I feel the bed shake as he climbs in. "Still no heat I see.."

"Well, come over here so I can keep you warm." I crawl over to him in the bed, and climb under the covers. "And give me my damn remote, acting like you run something." I laugh as I give him his remote and get more comfortable. He flips through channels and I just wait for him to decide on what we will watch.

"Booyyy, choose something!" I feel him laugh. He is doing this on purpose, knowing it would annoy me. I reach for the remote and he lifts it up to a height he absolutely knows I can not reach. "Chris, stop playing." I feel him laugh again.

"You are so little Zah.." He keeps laughing and I hit his chest.

"No I'm not!" I whine. I shove my face into his neck and he just continues to laugh.

"Okay baby, I'm sorry." I don't move. My face just stays in the crook of his neck. "Aye girl, man up. I like my women strong." He starts poking me in my tickle spots. He is the one person, other than my sister, that knows where they are. I try to push him away, but his grip around me is too strong.

"Okay baby, you can stooOo-p!" He makes me screech again. I take my free hand and I hit him in his tickle spots.

"Bruuhhh, stoooop." We both are eventually laughing and kicking, and we can barely tell the other to stop. Soon, he gives in and stops tickling me so he can use his free hand to stop my free hand. "You play too much."