10

CHAPTER TENadonis pov

██████████████████████

"I WANT IT TO BE MOVED MORE TO THE LEFT... YEAH, PERFECT!" Elizabeth been yelling at me and my boys all day. Our university got this Spring Fling shit coming up—a dance nobody's really finna go to. Or if they do, they gon' show up drunk as fuck. Especially them athletes. Ion know what it is with them, but they be the main ones lit.

I climb down from the ladder and look up at the Spring Fling banner hanging between the two pillars in the café. Elizabeth made it herself—it's pretty, with dogwood flowers and allat. She got dogwood flowers tatted on her forearm too.

She told me they reminded her of her grandmother. Said the woman was strong but soft when she felt like being. I would say I hope she found peace... but honestly, she was horrible when she was alive. So maybe she found some kinda peace in hell—doubt it though.

Elizabeth walks up and wraps her arms around my side, resting her head on my arm. Her lil cute self still can't reach my shoulder."Whatchu think? Does it look good?"

I nod. "Yeah, you did your thing, ma."She cheesin' up at me, so I grab her chin and make her look up before kissing the hell outta them plump ass lips.

Elizabeth got a round face, brown skin, a wide nose, almond-shaped chocolate eyes, pretty heart-shaped lips, thin arched brows, and locs that stop at her shoulder. Even with the bags under her eyes and some acne bumps showing up, she still pretty as hell to me. That's my girl.

"No, we did our thing," she corrects, just as we hear folks cheering in the gym.Guess the group finally got the tablecloths untangled.

"Okay, let's get to work. Bri, help me with the tablecloths. Zoë, grab the silverware and placement sets. Let's go, people," she calls out, already snatching tablecloths from the athletes. I laugh, watching her boss everybody around.

Then my phone buzzes in my pocket.

I pull it out and my breath catches in my throat.

+*:ꔫ:*﹤

Tell your mom thanks again. The cobbler didn't even make it past midnight lol.

damnnn it was that good? how you get my number?

Boy, just know the cobbler was good.

You stalking me ma? If  wanted my number you could've asked me personally.

True true. Next time I know to ask you first

Yeah do that.

Boy don't be slick at the mouth?

Boy? Who you callin a boy?

You duh, don't get smart wimme 🙄

Come and shut me up then

+*:ꔫ:*﹤

"Why the fuck would you say that..." I mutter, rolling my eyes and locking my phone. Her text stopped coming in, and now my heart racing like I'm in trouble. That shit was corny as hell, but why it got me feeling like this?

"Why would say what?" Elizabeth's voice pops up behind me, making me jump lowkey.

"Shit, Liz, don't sneak up on me like that."

"Whatchu doing that got you spooked?"

"Why I gotta be doing something to be spooked?" I side-eye her, trying to keep it cool. I can tell she knows I'm hiding something. My face heating up and everything. She can't see it, but if she touches me, it's over.

So when she reaches for my face, I lean away and fake a yawn.

"Let's get this shit over with. Come on. My momma got this event tonight," I say, grabbing her hand and leading her toward the others setting up decorations.

Ion know why I feel like a damn kid sneaking behind my momma's back, but this? This feels worse.

I let out a breath and get back to work.

██████████████████████

Momma had all the family members out hea tonight. Our backyard was spacious as fuck. Long ass tables set up with big white tents covering everything. She was smart for that cause it's drizzling a lil bit, but folks still vibing.

My uncles in one corner playing cards with cigars in their hands, smacking the table every few minutes like it's war. In another corner, my aunties gossiping all loud, talking bout who pregnant, who cheating, who got evicted. Same mess, different gathering.

Liz came with me. Said she hadn't seen my momma in a while and wanted to come, and who am I to tell her no? My momma love her.

I hold Liz's hand as we walk through the yard, rubbing the back of it with my thumb while we speak to different family members. Everybody saying how we look cute together, and I just smile and nod. Liz eats it up, she blushing and nodding her head.

We finally make our way to the cousins table. I pull out a chair for Liz and let her sit before pushing it in.

"Wassuh, lil boy," my older cousin Kensin says, dapping me up across the table.

"Boy, you came out yo momma pussy one day before me, don't lil boy me witcho peanut-shaped head." I mush his head and the other cousins start laughing.

"I know your monkey, Curious George long-nose looking ass ain't talking," he shoots back, chuckling as he nudges my shoulder.

I shake my head, smirking. "It's always the ones shaped like a thumb talkin the loudest."

Everybody oooh'd and started cracking up. Kensin just shook his head.

"Hey Liz," one of my girl cousins said, waving at her. "Girl you still putting up with him?"

Liz laughed and leaned in. "Somebody gotta keep him in check."

"Good luck wit dat," another cousin mumbled, sipping out her red cup.

I sat down next to Liz and rested my hand on her thigh under the table, watching her laugh and joke like she belonged here. Because she do. I just .. shit at this point I don't know what I want anymore. Clover messed my head up for real.

My phone buzzes in my pocket again. "Speaking of the devil," I mumble underneath my breath while pulling out my phone.

+*:ꔫ:*﹤

My bad I was trying to get myself ready before I head over to your house.

You comin to the cookout too?

Uhh yes, I'm always comin for the food na. Why you don't want me to come?

Chill ma, I was just askin.

Hm. Okay.

Don't be like that. I'll see you when you get here aight?

+*:ꔫ:*﹤

Ain't nothing pop up for ten minutes. Just silence. Then finally she texted okay.

That's all. One word. But it was enough.

I smiled a little, lowkey. Kept my eyes on my cousins while they laughed about some dumb shit—somebody baby daddy getting caught at Planet Fitness with another girl, but my mind wasn't really there. I was nodding and chuckling, playing along, but for real? I was somewhere else entirely.

Focused on when Clover was pulling up. What she was gone look like. Bad as always.

Every time she show up, it's like she don't even try, and still shut the whole backyard down. And here I am, sitting next to my girl with her hand on my thigh, while I'm thinking bout another woman. My momma would beat my ass if she could hear my thoughts.

But it ain't even on no I want her type shit.

...Okay maybe a lil.