Devil on the Rooftop [Book 1]

Chapter 94 - Arisa -

I invited Wade inside for some lemonade but he said he couldn't stick around long. Apparently, the car he drove belonged to a friend and he promised to return it before sundown. I respected that. Although, there was a little part of me that wanted to catch up. I wanted to know what our old friends were up to and how his physiotherapy was going. I really wanted Wade to get back on the horse and start playing basketball again.

"Thanks for walking me over," Wade said, unlocking the black Toyota. It was parked two blocks down from where I lived.

"It was my pleasure," I smiled. "Thank you for dropping by."

"I'm sorry it took me so long to show my face," he apologized. "Hate to think about it but maybe if I came sooner, you wouldn't be dating someone else."

I let out an awkward laugh. "Get out of here," I said, trying to avoid talking about Loyal Wilson. It was better for Wade to stay in the dark about that, especially after he made the trip over to reconcile.

"Stay in touch this time around," Wade said. "I didn't give you my number for it to sit in your contacts list."

"Same to you," I replied.

And just like that, my ex-boyfriend drove out of the neighborhood. It was such a strange and nostalgic feeling, seeing him again, talking to each other like we used to, and letting water flow under the bridge. Wade was a good guy, despite what he put me through, he was good to his core and I could see that he still cared about me. I was happy to hold onto that feeling and move forward with closure.

Mom came home a lot earlier than expected, and for the first time in a while, we ate dinner together. She asked about Jackheights and how my classes were going, to which I could only reply, "Good."

As if I could tell her about the rooftop losers. As if I could say I got a boyfriend but then went and kissed another boy. I was still recovering from the whole mess. I especially couldn't talk to mom about all the shady stuff those dummies were doing behind the scenes. I had decided to keep my nose out of it but it still bothered me from time to time. I wanted to ask Loyal more questions about his customers and how he obtained answers to all the mid-terms and exams but a part of me was afraid to know the answer.

"Have you ever been caught between two boys, mom?" I asked, picking at the greens on my plate. I couldn't come forth about my boyfriend's truth, but I could get advice on love.

"You're caught between two boys?" she asked surprised.

I nodded. "And they're like best friends. I mean, I turned one of them down already but there is this like uncertainty at the back of my chest that I can't seem to shake away."

"Why do you think that is?"

"I don't know," I replied thinking of Khaleel. "Because even though one of them scares me and keeps me on my toes, I'm afraid that falling for him will come with a lot of baggage."

"Everyone has baggage, Arisa," Mom replied. "Do you think the other boy, will come worry-free? There is no such thing. Every relationship has its own issues, and whether you choose the safer bet over the uncertain one, none of it will matter if you're not a hundred and ten percent committed to making it work."

My heart ached a little. "Were you and dad committed to making it work?"

"Of course," Mom said. "We had some awful fights, your dad and I. We still do with his work keeping him overseas for so long, but we work hard to stay together. Love comes first no matter who you're with, Arisa and if you can't see yourself being able to fight for them then it won't last."

My heart shriveled up. Loyal Wilson might be the safer bet, but that didn't mean he didn't have his own issues. The guy was looking to get emancipated from his family, so he could decide his own future and walk his own path. I didn't know much about his family but it was probably going to be difficult for him to make amends with them after the fact. Especially since they were so adamant about him taking over the family business. I had to start thinking about what I could offer him. I also had to decide what I wanted from a boyfriend. Would Loyal be able to meet my expectations with everything else on his plate?

"Speaking of your father," Mom said. "Make sure you give him a call soon. Peru time. He's been wanting to chat with you since last week."

I smiled. "Life of an archeologist."