MIXED EMOTIONS

8. IS IT LOVE?

"I'm stuffed!" I had too much pancakes, eggs and bacon in my belly.

Kristian laughed, while paying the bill. "Keep the change, as your tip." he said, to the pretty brunette waitress. This doesn't get me mad, because it will never happen. Unlike the girl he was flirting with back at the park. He beamed a smile at the waitress, then turn his attention back on me. "You know gonna pay me back right? Got you eating good and all."

I laughed. "Boy, please! Never. You invited me. remember?" I said with a little attitude. He laughed again, this time harder and louder. When he pulled himself together, he said, "I'm just playing with you, girl!" I bawled up a napkin and throw it at him. "Shut up." I said, full of giggles.

Since we're here together, I took advantage of asking about Lexi. Just so I could see if he was lying or not. You could always tell when he's lying in person, not over the phone though.

"So, you talked to Lexi?" I asked.

"Um, yeah. I did. Why?" He responded, then looked over at the busy waitress who was going up and down the restaurant serving customers. This means he's trying to avoid what I'm about to ask him.

"Is she still mad? Can you talk to her for me?" He looked over at me, and sighed. "Why can't you talk to her? I always have to get in the middle of y'all silly arguments." I rolled my eyes. Whenever it came to me and Lexi having a little disagreement, he would act like this.

"She's not going to listen to me, you know that. She hasn't been answering any of my texts or calls." I tried to convince him. He didn't budge, so I had to beg. Literally. "Please? Just this once. Please, Kristian?" I repeated over fifty times. He eventually got tired of my begging and agreed to talk to Lexi. Finally! Fighting with Lexi is the last thing I needed right now.

When I got home, I smelled waffles, eggs and maybe grits coming from the kitchen. The smell was mouthwatering and it caressed my nose, so I followed the smell. I walked into the kitchen seeing Charles cooking, with his 'Best Chef!' apron on. He noticed me standing in the kitchen, so he asked, "Want some breakfast?" My nose said yes, but my stomach, which is now felt over weighing, said otherwise.

"No, I'm good." I turned down the most delicious offer.

Before I could walk out the kitchen my mother walked in, still in her robe and slippers. She doesn't acknowledge me, neither do I.

When I said I was keeping my distance, I meant it.

I made my way upstairs, closde my door and plopped down on my queen sized bed. I didn't realize how tense I was, until I relaxed my shoulders. I laid there, not making any sudden movements for a few minutes, and start to doze off. But my phone makes me sit straight up on my bed. I glanced at the caller ID with sleepy eyes, but I was able to make out the name Jayden, across the screen.

Now, I'm alerted. I answered the phone, and laid back down with a smile on my face. "Good morning, babe. How you doin'?" Jayden said, his voice sounding smooth and calm.

"Good morning baby! I'm doing good..." I said, with the smile still on my face. "You have plans for today?" I continued, hoping he doesn't.

"Oh, I was going to shoot some hoops and hang with my boys today. Sorry babe." I'm a little disappointed. With Lexi not talking to me, and Kristian being busy with other things, me avoiding my parents and Charles, I could use some company.

"Oh..." I responded. He must've heard the disappointment in my voice, so he said, "Sorry, I thought you might need some space with everything going on," I guess that makes sense. But I was still a little disappointed. "I can cancel, if you want me to..."

"No, you don't have to do that. Go have fun. I'll call Lexi and see if she wanted to do anything." I lied, so I won't seem desperate, although I was bummed he made plans already.

"Alright, Chanel. I have to go, but I'll call you later, okay?"

"Yeah, okay. Bye baby." I said, not wanting to get off the phone right now. "Bye Love."

Then it registered to me. Jayden has never said 'I love you' to me before. He always seemed to get around it, like calling me Love. Yes, we've only been dating for a couple of months, but every time we were together, I felt like we've been together for a much longer time. I wonder if he just likes me a lot, or is he in love with me? I didn't know. And I don't think I'll ever know.