Strong ✅

WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE

E

ver since Saturday, Aaliyah hadn't talked to Jordan. He really made her day better though; seeing two drunk teenage boys running around the house like five year olds, then locking them in rooms, only for Ashley and she to end up kissing them and still Aaliyah learned something interesting about Jordan and his past.

♦

A

fter Jordan and Aaliyah had finally stopped laughing, he decided that he better get home, but asked if she could drive him. Aaliyah grabbed her jacket and pulled her hair up into a messy bun. They headed to his house and when they got there, Jordan asked if she wanted to come inside. Aaliyah just nodded and they headed up to his doorstep.

"Mom! Dad! Debbie and Dinah! I'm home." Jordan shouted through the house just as someone knocked on the door.

"I'll be right back." Jordan trailed as he headed up to door. Though it wasn't any of Aaliyah's business, she went to see who it was as well. She peeked her head through the hallway and saw at the end, Jordan and an older woman with a baby. She tried to hear what they were saying.

"--take care of the baby, Brielle. I'm only eighteen and I'm a father of a woman's baby who is five years older than me. I want to be there for Adalynn, I do, just I'm worried I'll mess up. And I have company, Bri." He said through frustration. He looked back and his eyes met Aaliyah's.

'Shit!'

Aaliyah went back to the living room and tried to play it cool.

"Bri, go on and play with Addie in the living room. I have to talk to someone real quick." Jordan dismissed and Aaliyah quickly ran to the kitchen. He found her and closed the door.

"Aali, how much of that did you see?" He asked cautiously.

"Just the part where you said you're a father." Aaliyah said smoothly. His eyes were wide open and he started to flip out.

"Can you explain it to me, please?" Aaliyah continued and he nodded.

"That woman, Brielle, was a friend of mine. A family friend. She was my cousin's best friend and I invited her to my sixteenth birthday party and one thing led to another and the next month, she came to me saying that she was pregnant with my baby. Eight months later, Adalynn Morgan Green came into this world and Bri and I tried to be together for Addie's sake, but we decided against it. Now Addie's one and a half and she's literally the best thing that's ever happened to me. My parents don't know about her though. I stayed in New York with Bri for a year, but they thought that I was doing a internship program thing, but I really had a job at Starbucks and was providing for my family. Please don't tell anyone. If my parents found out, they would disown me. My sisters are the only ones who know and you, now. I want to keep it this way. Please!" He pleaded and gave Aaliyah the puppy dog eyes. She knew that she couldn't resist them, so she just nodded and he engulfed her in a grateful hug.

"Jordan, if Addie's around you most of the time, who do your parents think she is?" Aaliyah asked.

"They think that I'm just babysitting Brielle's daughter. They have no idea she's mine." He replied.

"But doesn't Addiebcall you Daddy?" He nodded.

"Aren't they suspicious about that?" Aaliyah asked.

"No. The story Bri and I came up with was that Addie's dad abandoned her and Brielle. My parents figure Addie calls me that because I'm the only fatherly figure in her life." He summed up.