How to Love.

Chapter Eight.

"Hey I've got a question."

She motions for me to continue.

"Do you-" I'm cut off by whistles as life guards begin to jump into the pool.

"We've got to get out." Alex grabs my hand pulling me out of the along with her. I'm in shock seeing someone floating face down in the water.

Alex sees the expression on my face and turns me away from the sight. "I think we should go." She suggests getting out things together as she guides me to the entrance.

I slowly take a deep breath to process what I just saw. "You okay?" Alex questions and I nod. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" I nod as Aaliyah wraps a towel around me walking me to the car.

"Let's just go," Aaliyah says to Justin who nods getting into the car.

The car ride as silent, I was trying to process what I just saw. No one saw struggle or anything?

"You okay?" Alex presses as she searches my face for a response all i can do is nod.

"What were you going to ask me at the pool." I shake my head, looking out of the window.

"I forgot," I mumble letting out a quick breath.
That crazy shit that happened caused me to forget what I was going to ask.

—

Later that night, I was sitting in bed on my laptop getting everything set for school in a few more months.

I had Alicia Keys' "You Don't Know My Name" playing through my speakers, with candles lit trying to relax myself.

Someone rung my doorbell, and I'd ignored it since I wasn't expecting any company.

I wanted to be mosey though, so I threw on my robe and headed downstairs. Lai stood at the door with some tall dark skin guy who had golds in his mouth.

The both of them snapped their heads in my direction when I cleared my throat. "Oh—! Israel." Lai chuckles nervously.

I raised a brow looking between the two of them wanting to hear answers.

"This is my boyfriend, Nick. Baby this is my roommate Israel, the one I was telling you about."

He smirks with a nod of his head. "Ah, this is that Israel. Nice to meet you finally, little ma." I frown my face looking up at him.

"Yeah I'm that Israel, I heard nothin' bout you." He pulls back his hand that once was stuck out for a handshake.

"Damn, she is mean." He chuckles but then becomes serious. "I'm gon' be staying with y'all for a few weeks, no more than three." He explains and I don't say a word.

I look at his arm that had blood leaking from it, I look from his arm to Lai. "What happened to him?"

"Just a little accident, nothing serious." He assures and I shrug. "Maybe you can help her pull together her rent." Is all I say before walking back upstairs to my room.

—
"Why didn't you just tell me that then?!" The next morning my sleep is interrupted by shouting, I sit up slowly letting out a groan.

"What the hell.." I scratch my head looking at the time.

3:27AM stares me directly in the face. "I didn't know how—! Besides, I thought I'd get it taken care of." Lai whines, sounding a little scared.

He laughs sourly. "What am I here for if you can't call on me when you actually need something?!" I huff kicking the covers off of me practically snatching my door open once I touch the nob.

I knocked, well more like banged on Lai's door and the commotion haunted for a second.

"Shut the fuck UP! Damn! I got work in the morning—!" I snap, stomping back to my bedroom and slamming the door.

I groan getting back into bed attempting to get comfortable, but failing at my attempt.

I flip over on my side and look at the time. 3:29AM

I lay completely still, until I feel my eyelids becoming heavier by the second and drifting back off to sleep.

—

This chapter is ignorantly short, I know. But it's my way of introducing a new character.