A Recipe for Disaster (Clash Of Cliches Book 2)

Chapter 21-... and It's Very Inconvenient

Chapter Twenty-One- ... and It's Very Inconvenient

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Chadwick Boseman. Our king. Our superhero. Our fighter. Black Panther. His portrayal of King T'Challa wasn't just for the kids, it was for US!!! Representation matters, and so many of us saw ourselves in the movie Black Panther, a movie that wouldn't have worked as well as it did without Chadwick as the titular character. His passing has brought me to tears multiple times since I heard the news, and although I knew him only through movies and interviews, I still feel a sense of loss. I think most of us do, especially considering how difficult 2020 has been for everyone, with all the fear surrounding Covid-19, the people we've lost, all the natural disasters, racism in full force and less hidden...everything that's happened has made me realize that time can be fleeting. My late aunt used to say, "life is too short," and that makes me think of all the things people leave unfinished because they think they'll have more time. I'm trying to make sure that I don't leave this story incomplete, because even if nobody is reading it, finishing it means that I didn't give up. Pushing through and writing a chapter even though I'm still struggling with my characters voices is hard, but not following through is harder still. I still have a chance to finish what I started. Unfortunately, the people we've lost this year weren't afforded the luxury of time, and it breaks my heart.

Rest in eternal power and everlasting peace, Chadwick. Like you said in Black Panther, you never yielded, and you leave behind such a beautiful, awe-inspiring legacy that your name will live on forever.

XXX

The words hung between us as I stared at our interlaced fingers. Exclusive. Yet another thing I didn't have on my summer 2015 bingo card.

"I thought you didn't do commitment," was all my frazzled mind could come up with. God, where was a sarcastic joke when I needed it?

Huffing out a laugh that had only the barest tinge of humor laced through it, Kameron said, "I normally don't." The warm pads of his fingers rubbed small circles over my skin as he glanced pensively at me. "I mean, you saw my parent's relationship play out in front of the whole neighborhood, right?"

Boy, did I! But admitting that would be in really bad taste, and it would reveal that, when it came to the Wallace family drama, my mom would have given the neighborhood gossip a run for her money from the tea she had accumulated by talking to Kameron's mom, tea that I had overheard countless times.

On purpose, of course. I may be accused of many things, but nobody has ever called me bad at eavesdropping.

I cleared my throat before replying. Time to be delicate. What would diplomatic Jermaine say?

Nothing, obviously.

"Somewhat. I mean, it's not like I was following the events as they happened like my favorite reality show, but I kinda got the gist."

Luckily, Kameron didn't press me on the vagueness of my answer, and he nodded, staring off into space. "They were fucked up." I watched his serious profile as he blew out a breath. "The last two years they were together, I saw the most toxic behavior ever. Can you blame me for not wanting to commit to anyone?"

"Mmm," I murmured evasively, my mind flitting back to a few short minutes ago. He said we would be exclusive, so did that mean I broke him, and he wanted to commit to me?

Before I could think further on this interesting topic, Kameron interjected, pausing my thoughts. "And please don't say some shit about how you'll be the one to change me and make me see how wrong I am, because I've heard that before."