If It's Easy.

CHAPTER XVI

Hesitation was the name of the game as I contemplated answering Stuart. He'd been on the other line for almost an hour, chatting about how well his mom was doing. It made my heart happy to hear him so excited about her recovery. Even though, the thought that it could be all in vain never left me. I'd heard about my own dad going to several rehabs and making noticeable strides, but never sticking with them. Despite my doubt it was nice to hear that his mother was closer to being able to move back home.

"So....?" He asked again, taking me from my thoughts. His voice sounded eager, still he knew it was a chance I'd say no.

"I don't know Stu. I told you I'm kind of in a serious relationship." My voice shook a little. Part of me, liked the fact that Prince and I were being faithful completely. Though, I felt tied down, and pressured to not to talk to other guys. Even though he hadn't expressed that I couldn't.

"I know, but she'd really like to see you. She asks about you and..." he paused, deciding whether he'd continue. "...Cynthia all the time." He added with a sigh.

My face twisted at the mention of her name.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have even brought her up..." He spoke up, after I'd been quiet for awhile.

"It's fine." I lied. "...but I definitely can't come if she's going to be there." I said, shaking my head, like he'd see me. The sheer mention of Cynthia was beginning to make me sick as of late. By then we didn't even acknowledge one another at all, though I'd been ignoring her she'd recently began to ignore me. I was standing in the middle of the kitchen. My mom had let me miss school, so I could get my hair done for my last yearbook picture. Apparently Stuart had missed too, for whatever reason.

"Oh no." He said, as if he'd given me the wrong impression. "She won't be there." He continued, with a little chuckle. "I'm just saying she's always asking about y'all. You remember how cool we all use to be...damn, I miss those days."

Me too.

"So who will be-" I paused as Ronald passed me to get to the fridge, after waiting a moment I asked. "So who will be there?"

"Just me, my mom and dad and you, hopefully." His voice was hushed, as if talking in his regular tone would make me refuse. "It would really mean a lot to her." He pleaded.

I chose not to make him wait any longer. Being that, I'd already made up my mind. There was no way I could say no. Mrs. Johnson was always kind to me in the few years since I'd met her. She'd always been supportive of my relationship with Stuart. After agreeing to go to Stuart's house for dinner I waited for Ronald to stop stuffing his face, so he could drive me to the hair salon. If my mom hadn't been at work I would have drove her car. Or even if Prince was in town, he could've drove me, unfortunately I was stuck with Ronald for a few hours.

♫♬♪♩♭♪

"I'm going to tell you right now. Don't get nothing too sexy." He fussed, in his gruff voice. We'd just made it to the salon. He hadn't even turned the engine off yet. "Get something age appropriate." His seriousness, almost made me wonder if I'd dressed inappropriately for my age, the answer would be no. But nothing was ever good enough for him. Not even my 'good girl' approach to life, as others had called it. I'd always remember my seventh grade teacher telling me "Licia, your such a goodie two shoes.". Before her, it'd just been my peers accusing me of being too good. For once, after what happened a few nights before, I didn't feel so boring. It scared me and...

thrilled me.

"Why are you getting out?" I asked him, noticing he'd flung his seatbelt off his lap.