"Who the hell is that now?!"
Bella squawked with annoyance. About an hour after letting Andre come in the door bell rang for the second time that day.
The girls looled at each other.
"I'll get it."
AJ got up this time. Andre looked over at Riele. She tried not to notice. Under the dining room table he nudger her knee with his own.
"What?"
Riele whispered to him, glancing at Bella and Latoya.
"Come outside for a sec?"
Andre tilted his head in the direction lf the back yard. Riele shook her head.
"I can't."
She replied.
"Why not?"
Andre touched her thigh under the table. She tensed. He smiled.
"Stop... I just can't okay?"
Riele moved away from him, uncomfortably. She kept her eyes on Bella, Latoya, and Linda still wrapped up in the details of Latoya's party.
"Come on..."
Andre prodded. Riele was thankful AJ came back with new company.
Diggy, Julius, and Paco.
"Hey what's... Up?"
Diggy's sentence dropped off as he saw Andre sitting beside Riele.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
Diggy asked him, leaning down to peck Latoya on the lips.
"That's what I wanna know."
Bella scoffed. Andre shrugged.
"Just came to chill... And spy."
He replied, nonchalantly.
"There ain't nothing to spy on and you know it."
Linda rolled her eyes as Julius put his arms around her neck and kissed her cheek.
Riele couldn't help feeling envious of them. She had to admit, she missed Jace a lot.
She missed the cute romantic moment like that.
"Hey AJ, can I talk to you for a minute?"
Paco beckoned AJ to join him in the living room.
"Me?"
AJ pointed to herself, a little shocked. Paco cracked a lopsided grin.
"Yeah."
AJ got up from her seat.
"Sure... I'll be right back ladies."
AJ left and Riele was struggling internally with herself. She felt Andre's presence so strong beside her.
And it was tempting.
"I'm gonna be outside."
Andre scooted his chair back and winked at Riele before leaving.
Riele took a breath and watched him go. Jesus. This was getting tough.
.....
Outside Andre pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it. Meanwhile, his phone rang at the same time. He also pulled that out of his pocket.
Jace was calling.
Andre glanced back at the house before answering.
"Yo?"
