invitation

melo

"No she not finna get in my bed, I'm not trynna sleep on the couch." Gelo hissed. I kiss my teeth.

"What about Lonzo's old bedroom?" Gelo suggests.

"Naw. Ant is sleeping in there tonight."

The choices were slowly dwindling down.

If my dad came down here and saw that we were still up, he would whoop our asses.

It was now 3:45 in the morning, and Gelo had just rudely shaken me out of my sleep.

I carefully made my way up the stairs with Maya in my arms, Gelo trailing behind me.

"Cmon bro where she gone sleep?" Gelo asked me anxiously. Dad could wake up any minute and I guess he wasn't trynna get a lecture about staying up late when he had practice in the morning.

I wasn't either.

Suddenly, I heard a door slowly creek open and I instantly ran into my room.

Gelo does the same but in the opposite direction to his room.

I guess we was being too loud.

I quietly shut the door and let out a deep breath, that was a close one.

I looked down at Maya and she was still sleeping as if nothing happened. Damn, she looked cute while she slept.

"Lookin all peaceful and shit." I whispered quietly to myself and made my way to my bed.

Guess she was gonna have to sleep here for the night. I didn't want to go back into the hall because well, that would be the end of me.

I pull the comforter down so I could tuck Maya in. I didn't want her to be cold.

After I lied her down on the bed, I grabbed a cover and pillow from my closet and got ready to make a small palette on the floor.

That's when she stirred in her sleep.

"No, come sleep with me please." As soon as those words left her mouth, I made my way over to her.

"Shit, don't gotta tell me twice." I really wasn't trynna sleep on the floor.

The bed was already warm from her body so I didn't have no problem getting comfortable.

_____maya

You ever have that one sleep when you have no idea where you're at but you feel so comfortable and warm that you don't even care?

Well, that's how I felt right about now.

My eyes were still closed and I continued to hug whatever I was cuddling with, tighter.

"Damn, I can't breathe, shawty." Somebody in my dream says while gasping for air.

Oh wait, that wasn't in my dream.

I finally open my eyes for the first time today and here I was tangled up with LaMelo.

Both on our sides, I somehow wrapped my legs around his torso, my arms around his neck.

Oops I guess I was chocking him.

I quickly detach myself from him and I look up to see him smiling as wide as ever.

"My bad." I apologize.

"It's okay, I was fine with it."

Still confused as to how we got here, it was now question time.

"How did I get here?" I asked my first question.

"What you mean? We drove here." He answers.

I roll my eyes, "No, stop acting dumb Melo, how I get in your bed?"

"Because you did." He shrugged.

"You wanted me to go to sleep with you so bad." I laugh, assuming.

"Actually you were the one who wanted me to get in the bed with you, I was gonna sleep down there." He points down at the floor where a cover and pillow was placed.

Wait, he wasn't gonna sleep in the same bed as me?

That was very courteous of him..

"Well thanks, I guess?" I say while trying to get up.

Melo was quick to grab me by my waist and pull me back down into the bed with him.

I turn around to face him, with a questionable look on my face. Before I could ask him anything he speaks.

"Just lay with me for a lil bit?" He countered.

It was bad but as soon as he asked, in my mind, I was already accepted.

I nod my head slowly, moving closer to him to rest my head on his bare chest. I could hear his heart beating as we lied in a comfortable silence. It was pretty nice actually.

All good things come to an end right?

A bang on the door made the both of us jump.

"Melo! Breakfast is ready. Get yo ass up!" Lavar shouted through the door. This causes Melo and I to laugh. Lavar was always loud for no reason.

"Okay dad, we coming." This nigga was really slow.

He just has to say we. Now not only Gelo, but Lavar gone think we messing around.

I'm convinced Melo doing this stuff on purpose.

"We? Oh hi Maya!" Lavar greets me through the door.

"Good morning, Lavar. We coming." I accepted the situation as it is and I facepalm.

This time Melo allows me to lift myself off the bed. I slowly walked over to his bathroom.

"Do you have any extra toothbrushes?" I ask Melo. My morning breath wasn't bad at all but I wanted my teeth clean regardless.

"Yeah under the sink."

I opened the cabinet under the skink and looked around. I spotted a pack of new toothbrushes but right next to it was a cracked picture frame of a mirror selfie Melo and Ashley took in this very bathroom.

In that moment I felt disgusted. Even though I knew that Ashley and Melo were no longer a thing, they were together once before.

I felt a small pain in my heart, and I got up and began to brush my teeth.

I shouldn't be feeling like this.

Melo and I were only friends after all, right?

___

"Wow this hits, Lavar." I complemented his pancakes, bacon, and eggs.

"Thanks, honey! Nothing but the best from the Big Baller." He yells. I just chuckle to myself.

I kept my distance from Melo the rest of the morning. He owed me nothing and same goes for me. We weren't in a relationship or anything.

Things can change in the blink of an eye, though.

I was sitting by Tina and Gelo at the table. We were chatting it up as per usual.

"My husband makes delicious food." Tina tells me, and I agree. We laugh together.

"Ay, what's up with you and Melo?" Gelo asks me.

"What you mean?" I asked Gelo. Who was acting dumb now?

"Something is off. I feel it."

"You weird, Gelo. I hope you know that." I disregard his question.

"Says the one who has likes my brother. Now that's weird." Gelo mumbles while laughing.

I pretended that I didn't hear him.

From across the table Melo blurts, "Maya, can I talk to you real quick?" He looked concerned.

I shrug my shoulders, whatever he got to say, he can say it right here.

"In private." I sigh and dismiss myself from the table. He leads me to the upstairs patio. It was quiet and secluded, not to mention the beautiful view.

"What's up with you?" He asks me.

"Nothing." I mumble and cross my arms.

"Cmon shawty, I know there's something wrong, what did I do?" He made my heart do a flip. I could tell Melo genuinely wanted to know what was wrong with me. He even blamed hisself.

"Okay, well when I was going to look for a toothbrush, I found a picture of You and Ashley." I admitted.

I look up at him, waiting for an reaction. He tries not to laugh.

"What's so funny." I ask, offended.

"Wow, I'm sorry Maya. It's just that that picture was meant to be thrown out forever ago. I guess the maid never got to it."

"Oh so you weren't trynna keep it?" He shakes his head quickly, still smiling.

"Okay whatever. I didn't care anyway." I lied.

"Yeah sure, shawty. You so didn't care." He puts his arm around my shoulder and I take it off, running in front of him down the stairs.

He quickly runs after me but I was the first one to make it to the bottom of the steps.

"Let's go! I won." I cheered.

"Mane, whatever you cheated." Melo waves me off.

"You're just a sore loser." I teased.

He just mocks me and we make our way back to where the family was.

"There they are! We have some good news, guys!" Lavar informs us. My brother and Lonzo also decided to make an appearance.

"Kyle, I'm glad you're okay!" I say relieved.

"It was only a flat tire, lil sis. Chill." He laughs at me.

"It doesn't matter." I pout and cross my arms.

"Okay! I have an announcement to make!" Lavar  interrupts me. The camera crew made their way to the living room, to record us.

"Yaw ain't ready for this one." He smiles with anticipation.

Everyone starts looking at each other, confused.

"We're going to Hawaii!" He reveals.

Wait. Why are me and Kyle here then, if it's a family vacation?

"And the Kuzma's are coming along!" Lavar finishes.

I spoke too soon.