Beauty In Paradise

Chapter 5

Reunited

     "Where are you right now?" I text D'vontez. He responds "At the park." I look up, smile, hold my laugh in and say "I like the plaid shirt you have on." He starts looking around and finally replies "How do you know what I'm wearing?" I laugh as low as possible, then text "Turn around." He turns around and I quickly snaped a picture with the flash off so he wouldn't see me. Before he could text back I sent him the picture. He really started looking around this time and replies "How did you get that pic?" With his back turned to me I sneak up behind him, leaving my hiding spot behind a big bush, and say "Because I took it my self." He turns around with confusion all over his face, then smiles, and says "Why didnt you tell me you were here?" I pause "Because it wouldn't have been a surprise surprise. I wanted it to be a surprise and it worked perfectly since you were already here." He grabs my hand and embraces me in his arms. It felt so good to be in his arms. We stood there for a while until he broke the silence "I've missed you - how long are you gonna be here?" He steps back and I look up to him and say "Two and a half months." He smiles and says "Really? That's great." I look down at my phone and say yea, it is, and as much as I would love to stay with you right now, I have to go surprise my brother." He gives me this sexy ass sad face and says "I guess I can handle one more day without you." Then he smiles and says "Naw, I'm just kidding, go handle yo buisness - see you later."
     On the way to my moms house I start thinking about all the stuff I'm going to do this summer with Kell and still manage to see D'vontez. Our one month franniversary just passed a week ago on June 14th and summer break just started two days ago on the 21st, so I'm trying to split myself evenly. I wish Val was here, she'd know what to do. I've decided to text Kell "I cant make it this summer. Sorry😔." He texts back "😥Why?" I'm sure he's hurt, "Kell, please believe me when I say, if it wasn't something important - I would already be there." He responds with "I know, I love you and hope everything is ok." I end our brief conversation with, "Thanks for understanding - I've gotta go, bye." As soon as I put down my phone my mom calls me "Why in the hell is Kell saying you're not coming?" So I text her "Are you around him right now?" After she reads it she says with an attitude "No, why?" I pause for a second and then say "I am coming but I'm trying to surprise him. I'm actually already here - Dont say nun to him though. But this is what I need you to do - take him out to get his mind off of things. Then when I text you ima need you to bring him home and I'll be hiding in his room somewhere - okay." She says, "Aw that's sweet. I got you baby."
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     "My'kell. Where you at baby?" I respond, "Out." "Well bring yo ass home since you wanna get smart. I ain't your sister." I walk home and my moms waiting at the step for me, "Its about damn time. Now, as I was going to nicely say before you got smart... "Go change - we're going somewhere." I dont even ask because I can tell she's just as upset as I am that Jay's not here. I mean, why else would she ask me to go somewhere with her.
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"Jay, how are you? How is Kell?" My bestfriend calls and gets straight to the point. So I say "Dont know yet - I'm still try to surprise him." I can just imagine her face as she breathes in "Ohhh, ok." Moving on from that conversation she asks "Have you heard from D yet?" I smile self consciously and say "Yeah, actually I have. But that's a story for another day that most likely will never be told." She sucks her teeth, "My point, so tell me now - you really like him, don't you?" I take a second to think about this question, then respond "Yes - I do. Hes really sweet and even though we are so far apart, he makes it his will to tell me I'm beautiful every day and try to make me smile..." I pause and she says "Umhm, keep going." So I finished "Like he text me not too long ago and said 'A smile is an inexpensive way to change your looks so smile for me today and everyday.' I was speechless." We both took that moment to let that sit in until she says "Damn girl, he had me speechless and he ain't even mine. I wish Monte' was like that but fuck him. D sounds like a keeper." I sigh and quickly say "I'm falling for him." Val pauses for a long second then says "You say that like it's a bad thing. This is my first time, in like 4 years, hearing you even speak about a man of your own. Be happy. Fall in love, if that goes wrong, fall in love again and again. Hell nobody's perfect. Take me for and Monte' as an example. I'm just glad you're giving him a chance. Does he know?" "Know what?" She laughs "That you're falling for him? If not, tell him. Hes not Mann-Mann. He might even love you too." Mann-Mann is my first love. His name is Rodney Wells and our relationship was perfect until... Facebook happened. But Vals right "I dont know what I'd do without you bestie. If I could kiss you through the phone, I would. But I No, I dont think he knows I'm falling. And I'm afraid to tell him." She sucks her teeth again and says "Girl you need to let him know what's up, like ASAP. So get off the phone with me and call him. Bye." And just like that my bestfriend hangs up in my face.
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The longer it took Kell to get dressed, the more he prolongs getting to see his sister. I'm trying not to tell him that so I say, "Kell, stop taken to sweet time. We got things to do." As he walks down the stairs he says "Okay ma, dang... what's so dang important anyways?" I look at him, even though I already know the answer, and do the mom thing and ask "What's wrong with you baby?" And immediately he falls into my arms crying and saying through sobs "Jay's not coming." I step back, wipe his tears, and say "Baby you know your sister's a busy person and-" He cuts me off "I know, but she never misses summer break." I continue, "She might still come. Let's go out and get your mind off some things." When he doesn't move I grab his hand making a goofy face and say "Come on." We both laugh as we walk out the door.
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     I finally get a text from Tomorrow, "I'm gonna pretend like the car broke down so just tell me when you're ready" A quick response back "Okay." Kell gets out the car and asks me why we've stopped in the middle of nowhere. So I say "The engine went out." He looks up at me and says "Again - mom, we seriously need to get that fixed." He's trying to act mature but I can see it all in his face that he's mad. He gets up and walks away from me.
     "Sis, where are you when I need you?" I respond back, "I'm sorry Kell, what's wrong?" He text me back one word, "Everything." So I had no choice but to text Tomorrow, "I'm ready." I couldn't make him suffer any longer, it's dark out and I miss him like crazy. Tomorrow responds, "Finally."
     I look back at my mom, who seemed to be really struggling, when the car roars to life. I hop in and say "Let's go home - please." Mom doesn't argue. She just puts the car in reverse and heads home.
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     When mom pulls up, I'm just getting off the phone so it gives me time to readjust myself. The first thing Kell does is come to his room. I left a sticky note on his doorknob that read "I miss you." It took him minute to open his door. But when he did, he came in, sat down and text me, "I miss you more and wish you were here😭" I don't respond. I quietly come out from behind his closet door, jump on top of him and say "Stop wishn." I smother him with hugs and kisses while I tickle him to get him to smile. He smiles and says through laughter, "How did you get here?" I sit up and say "Surprise! And I drove - duh. You know I wouldn't miss this for anything in the world. I love you too much." He hugs me again with tears falling down his cheeks and says "I never realized how great it feels to have you around, until today. Thank you. I'm really thankful for the time we have together. I love u so much." Still holding him I say, "Kell you're gonna make me cry. Wipe yo face man - I'm bout to go get some sleep. You need to go to bed as well. I love you, goodnight." He wipes his face, gives me one more hug and says "Goodnight."
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      "D where you been hiding all morning?" The oldest of my four younger siblings ask. So I say "I've been out Gaven, why - what's up?" My 17 year old brother has always looked at me as a bestfriend so he comes to me for just about anything. "Ain't nun up with me - I'm tryna ask you that. For the last few weeks you been walkn round this piece mopin, like you lost ya bestfriend or sumn. Then today you're all smiles. What's up? We fam man, you can tell me what's up." I shake my head, "Iight look Gav, I met this girl a lil over a month ago and I'm really feeln her. At first I was gonna play her like I do all these other hoes but shes different. I can feel it." "So what's her name?" I look at my brother and say with a smile, "Beauty." "If you feeln her like you say you are, her name must not be an understatement." "Not by a long shot, see."