Everytime

Chapter Five

"How'd you sleep?" Eneesa asked
"I didn't" I mumbled.
"What why? I thought you and Austin, worked it out if you know what I mean" she said nudging me with her elbow.
"Oh we did" I said. Both Eneesa and Eniyah looked at me confused.
"But then, he worked it out with someone else last night" I said. They looked at me with sad eyes.
"Are you sure?" Eniyah asked
"Ask my wall" I mumbled. They looked at each other, searching for a possible excuse to make me feel better.
"Maybe it wasn't him? Maybe someone was just in his room, there were a lot of people there" Eneesa said hopefully.
"Well, was there another Austin there? Because the girl only moaned Austin a few hundred times" I said.
They looked at each other again.
"I'm sorry Av" Eniyah said.
"It's whatever" I said rolling my eyes and making my way back up to my bedroom. I crawled into my bed and got under the covers. I lied in bed scrolling through social media. I glanced over at the balcony I didn't even know I had until last night. I got up, rolled a blunt and slid the door open. I lit the blunt and placed it between my lips. My hair was in a messy ponytail, my large sweatshirt was extra baggy and my sweatpants were also extremely baggy, and I still had makeup on from the night before.

After taking a few hits, my peaceful morning was disturbed.
"Well good morning" Austin said, lighting a cigarette and closing his sliding door. I looked over at him, took a hit, and shook my head. I rested my elbows on the balcony and looked out at the city.
"Good talk" he said leaning over the balcony the same way that I was. We stood there on silence for a few minutes.
"Something on your mind?" He asked, tapping off the ash from his cigarette. I did the same with my blunt.
"Nothing" I said, holding smoke in my mouth. After I tapped the extra off my blunt, I inhaled the smoke and started feeling good.
"So is last's nights offer still on the table?" He asked, taking another drag from his cigarette. I chuckled.
"I wouldn't count on it" I told him as I slid my door open and walked inside. Besides, even if I was annoyed with him, I couldn't today because my parents are coming for dinner. I turned my shower on, slipped off my clothes and jumped in. I quickly washed my hair, face and body, and hopped out. I threw on my clothes for the day. An oversized sweatshirt with a pair of boots.

I made my way downstairs.
"So what are you thinking for dinner tonight?" Eniyah asked. I shrugged my shoulders.
"What do your parents like?" She asked.
"I don't know, Italian" I said.
"Okay, that narrows it down" she said sarcastically.
"Lets just do something simple, spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread" I told her. She nodded.
"Okay, I'm going to Starbucks, anybody want anything?" I asked. They told me their orders, so I wrote them down in my notes on my phone.
I walked out of my house and made my way to the elevator. I walked in and clicked the ground button.
"Hold it" a voice said. I stuck my foot in front of the door and of course, Austin walks in. I rolled my eyes and stood on the opposite side of the elevator.
"What are your plans tonight?" He asked. I looked over at him then back in front of me.
"Dinner" I said plainly.
He nodded and walked over to the buttons on the elevator. He pressed the emergency stop button before we hit the ground floor. I looked over at him.
"What the hell did you do that for?" I asked.
"What's your issue" he said staring directly at me, completely ignoring my question.
"I don't have an issue Austin" I said sternly.
He pushed me against the elevator wall and placed his arms on both sides of my head, so I was cornered.
"You heard me last night didn't you?" He asked with a smile plastered across his face. I rolled my eyes and ignored him.
"Come on babygirl, you tried to make me jealous, I had to get you back" he said licking his lips. I ignored him once again except this time, I turned so I wasn't looking at him. He chuckled, and clicked the go button again.
"Don't worry, you'll be the one behind that wall soon enough" he said. As soon as the door opened, I stormed out. I stepped inside of my car and started the engine. My passenger door flew opened and Austin hopped in. He closed the door and looked at me.
"So, I'm going to need you to lose your attitude" he said sternly.
"If you don't get out now, then you're coming with me to Starbucks. He sat back in his seat and crossed his legs. I rolled my eyes and begun driving.
"Technically, you can't be mad at me, we're not dating" he said
"Thank the gods above" I mumbled.
"Oh shut up, you know you'd love a chance with me" he said chuckling.
"I'll have to pass" I mumbled, clearly not amused. He looked over at me concerned. He leaned over and started kissing on my neck.
"Austin" I said quietly. He kept going.
"Austin, not now" I said pushing his face away.
"You suck" I groaned and sat back in his chair. I pulled up to Starbucks and ordered my drinks. I pulled around the front window and handed the woman my card.
"Austin?" She said while handing my card back. He looked over at her wide eyed.
"Uhm- do I know you?" He asked.
"Yeah, it's Jamie! I was over last week?" She said, more as a question.
"Sorry sweetheart, I don't recall" he said through gritted teeth.
"Oh, got it" she said annoyed and slammed the window shut. After a few minutes someone else opened it and handed me my drinks. I set them down in his lap and he held on to them. Most of the ride home was silent. We got in the elevator and silently made our way to our apartment.
"See you later?" He asked, standing outside the apartment.
"Don't count on it" I huffed and walked inside. I was greeted by my parents sitting on my couch, being entertained by my friends. I set the drinks down and my parents hugged me.
***
"So, have you considered college yet?" My father asked.
"Dad" I groaned.
"What? I'm just concerned about your future" he said sternly.
"College isn't for everyone" I told him.
"Yeah well, your mother and I both went, you should have been enrolled right out of high school" he said.
"Well, I'm not" I mumbled.
"Is this going to be your life then? Unable to live on your own? Partying every night?" He asked
"And so what if it is?" I yelled. My friends and mom sat their quietly. My mom wasn't strict like my father. But anytime my mother chimes in, he shuts her down completely. There was a knock at the door. Eneesa and Eniyah were quick to jump up and volunteer to get it.
"I just simply won't have a daughter who is a stay at home house wife. Is that what you want for your life? Just to be a servant to a man for the rest of your life?" He said. I rolled my eyes. I looked up from my dad and saw Austin standing there behind my parents. I looked at him wide eyed. Why is he here? He's going to be the reason why I get murdered by my parents.
My parents turned around and looked at him.
"Who's this? You didn't tell me you lived with a man" my dad yelled.
"Dad, no, this is, uhm, my neighbor, Austin" I said introducing them. My mom stood up quickly and shook his hand. I'm sure she was dying to get out of the conversation between my father and I. I picked up the dishes and took the to the kitchen. My father followed.
"So he's your boyfriend?" He asked as I loaded the dishes into the dishwasher.
"No dad" I mumbled.
"Really? Cause I don't know any neighbor that just comes over uninvited. I rolled my eyes and snatched his dish from his hand and loaded it.
"Why did you even come here?" I groaned.
"I had the prediction that you'd be failing miserably and I just wanted to prove to myself that I was right" he said.
"Whatever dad" I mumbled.
We sat their silently for a minute. We heard guitar strums from the living room. My dad and I walked into the living room to see Austin sitting next to my mother.
"Wow I really don't know how you got me to do this for you" Austin said to my mom. My friends and mom laughed.
"Alright, lets see if I can remember how to play this damn thing" he said and strummed a few chords.
The women in the room were watching him like hawks.
"Okay, this is a song a wrote, it's called Feeling Whitney" he said and kept strumming.