Cleopatra

Chapter 11 - 4 Letters

C L E O

"I swear I'm gonna leave if you don't hurry the fudge up!" Aiya shouted in frustration as I finished getting dressed.

I basically ran downstairs nearly slipping and falling to my death in the process. "It's not every day rush, sometimes it's just chill, you know, go with the wind and all that shiz." I joked as I put my white high top converses on completing my outfit.

"Whatever Cleo, you always take your time as if we don't have places to be." Aiya said kissing her teeth. "...At least you look good for bae." I had on a white crop top and denim dungaree shorts because it's summer and sometimes you need to unleash the legs for the world so see.

"Yass chica." I said laughing as I opened the door so we could leave.

Me and Aiya decided that we would go and watch one of Reuben and Anton's basketball games seeing as I had told Reuben that I would go to one of his games but obviously exams took up 90% of my time.

When we got to the youth centre it was actually packed which was strange considering it was only a friendly game. This also meant that me and Aiya didn't have to buy tickets beforehand. We saw JV, Lola, Indya and Tez so we went to sit with them. Both teams were warming up so Reuben hadn't seen me yet; Tez and Aiya went off somewhere, probably to go and share saliva before the game started so I was left with the rest of the girls. When Indya saw me she rolled her eyes and turned to put both earphones in clearly not wanting anything to do with the conversation that I was no part of.

"Case of the bitter ex." JV said after giving me a hug. When I heard that Indya used to be Reuben's girlfriend I was slightly surprised but at the same time I wasn't really.

Indya is md pretty and exactly the type of girl you would expect someone like Reuben to go for. Javeria saw the look on my face and quickly covered it up. "You've got nothing to worry about though."

"Yeah, that slyly makes me think I've got something to worry about." I said sitting down next to her.

Lola and JV shared a look and I instantly knew something was up. I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Nothing. Reuben really likes you." Lola reassured me putting emphasis on the 'really'.

"So why did they break up?" I asked because honestly I was curious.

JV rolled her eyes. "Irreconcilable differences, stop worrying about it." I bit my lip not actually taking in what she said. "Okay fine. Basically whenever Reuben doesn't have a girlfriend Indya couldn't give two shits, but now she's acting funny. She's just jealous, Reuben doesn't care about her like that which is why I'm telling you not to worry about it, okay?"

"Alright then." I nodded and quickly shook off any feelings on insecurity because I'm really not one of those girls to worry about ex-girlfriends but it is kinda hard to do when said ex-girlfriends looks like some next supermodel. Okay Tumblr model but still.

"Okay maybe we shouldn't have told her that." Lola said taking her seat next to Indya.

"Cleo, you okay?" Aiya asked as Tez came to sit next to me and pulled her into his lap.

"Yeah." I replied looking from Tez to Aiya. "Ugh, okay you cringy couple, which number is Reuben?"

Tez shook his head. "Rah Cleo, you can't even tell who your man is, that's bad."

"Shut up you monkey. I can't see."

"Aye number 13!" Tez shouted with his loud mouth attracting unwanted attention.

Reuben looked up from whatever pep talk his coach was giving them and he gave Tez one of those head nods. When he saw me he smiled and winked at me and yet again I couldn't fight this annoying urge to smile back so I just looked down. I knew he could still see me smiling though because when I looked back he was laughing.

Tez saw all of this and wouldn't stop elbowing me. "Aiya I swear to God I will injure your boyfriend." I said glaring at him. He put his hands up in surrender as the whistle went and the game began.

The game was really interesting but it was just my luck that I was sitting between two rowdy black girls. Both JV and Aiya were screaming as if they were playing 2K15. I thinking they actually believe that screaming "No, go left," was actually gonna get whichever player to actually go left.

The game was pretty even until the last two minutes where Reuben scored 3 points winning the game.

***

"Stop you're all sweaty Reuben." I said as I ducked under arm as he tried to grab me for the second time.

"Swear down Cleo, I don't even get a victory hug or nothing." He said pretending to sulk.

"Shower first then you'll get a hug."

"Or you could shower with me and we can forget the hug." He smirked.

"Shower. Go. Now." I rolled my eyes and pushed him away so he could do his business.

I could literally feel Indya burning holes into the back of my head and of course when I turned around there she was, glaring at me as if I had just murdered her cat. I understand that her and Reuben are "friends" or whatever the fuck they are but trust me, it's not easy being around someone who clearly has a problem with you.

After the game we went to get something to eat which ended in us all splitting up, Anton, JV and Lola went to Nando's. Tez and Aiya went on some romantic date thing to Pizza Hut. And I had come to the conclusion that Indya eats rabbit food as she went home. Not that I was hoping she would stay. I on the other hand, am still a child at heart so Reuben bought me a Happy Meal and after that we went back to his house.

I was really trying to just chill and be with Reuben because I hadn't seen him in such a long time, but my mind kept going to stupid things. For one, I couldn't stop thinking about Jamal, not in an "I love you" sort of way or anything like that. It's just that I honestly do want to be friends with him but at the same time I wouldn't want Reuben to be best friends with a girl I don't like. In fact I would hate that, especially if I don't trust the girl and it's clear doesn't trust Jamal.

Which brings me to the whole Indya issue. I just can't help thinking that she's gonna succeed In her plan to "win" Reuben back. I mean she's clearly known him longer than I have and that's pretty hard to compete with. She just seems like that sort of girl. It's annoying because I'm really not the type of girl to actually care about ex-girlfriend drama. But they was I see it is, what's mine is mine and I'm not sharing.

"Cleo, what you thinking about?" Reuben asked, presumably due to the fact that I was sitting on the edge of his bed being completely quiet for the last 10.

"Stuff." I said bluntly.

Reuben looked at me. "Like what?"

I shrugged. "I dunno."

"You're stressing about me and Indya innit."

I looked up at him as he stood in front of me and frowned. "Should I be stressing about you and Indya?"

Reuben shook his head. "Nah, you should cos I don't care about her." He lifted my head up by my chin so that I was looking him in the eye. "I don't even think about her, 'specially not when I'm with you."

His forehead was resting against mine and I couldn't bring myself to look away from him. "I love you Cleo, so you don't have to worry about any other girl aight."

"You love me?"

His lips met mine and I placed my hands around his neck as we kissed.

He chucked. "That answer your question?"

"I love you too." I said and he smiled showing his dimples.

"You better else that would've been bare awkward."

I laughed. "You're not serious."

From now on I'm going with how I feel and I'm not gonna let anyone else bother me.

Especially not ex girlfriends.