Chapter 47

Marshall POV

"So you're going on a date?"

"It's not a date"

"You're going to hang out with a woman alone in a public place?"

"That's right"

"So it's a date" Hailie beamed at me.

"No, it's not, we're not dating"

"But you ARE seeing each other? Hanging out? Alone?"

"That is what I said, Hai"

"So you're going on a date"

I turn and give her an annoyed look "No"

"Okay, why isn't it a date then?" She replied as she crossed her arms giving me an expecting look.

"Because it's not" I say, giving her a glare "Cut it out, daddy fucked up years ago and it's complicated"

"Whatever you say" She said picking up her bag walking towards the entrance of my house" You better get going, you're going to be late for your date"

"It's not a dat-"

"Have fun, love you!" was all I heard cutting me off before the front door slammed.

The apple of my eye was giving me a goddamn eye twitch.

Turning up demanding we go for dinner then bombarding me with questions until I give in.

Story of my life.

I grunt to myself as I roll my eyes and checking myself in the hallway mirror.

Dressed casually in a bomber jacket, T-shirt, jeans and a pair of AF1s, I decided this was it.

It wasn't a date.

I mean shit there is still far too much drama to deal with and get my head around for that.

And technically we had already slept together.

I grabbed my keys and started to head to my car, locking up the house behind me.

I get in my car and start driving in the direction towards Leila's house.

I wasn't gonna lie, I was nervous.

Of course years of being plagued by anxiety didn't help, even in the smallest of situations, it's made everything a big issue.

Hailie's light taunting had put me on edge.

I wasn't even sure where to begin with Leila, I mean to push anything with her would be terrifying.

So, starting off casual made sense, light and uncomplicated.

I pulled up outside Leila's house, jumping out and walking to her front door and knocking.

The front door flew open in record time, only to see Alec looking down at me.

"So, yall going out huh?"

I glare up at him "Yo she let you back in the house bro, good for you"

"She ain't ever been angry at me for this short of time, probably something to do with your stupid ass" He leaned against the doorframe and smirked at me.

"You gonna let me in billy goat or you just gonna stand in the way"

He snorts and pats my shoulder "Shell be right out Romeo, don't be a dickhead, and have a good night"

I roll my eyes and dab him as he strolls past me towards his car.

I walk in close to the front door behind me, standing in the hallway.

"Leila?"

"Superman, you're early"

"I, uh..." I say as I turn, my eyes set on Leila, who was dressed casually in a long-sleeved white crop top, fitted black jeans and a pair of grey and white air maxes, hair loose around her shoulders.

My stomach flipped, I had to refocus myself for a moment, I smirked and tried to act casual "Well I said a time didn't I?"

"I'm impressed" she said giving me a small smile.

---

"Bowling?" Leila said with an amused half-smile, as we stood at the entrance by the counter "What are we? Sixteen?"

"What, too good for bowling?" I say as I turn to the young prepubescent assistant and point to Leila "Can you believe this? She thinks she's famous or somethin'"

"I uh... sure" He laughed nervously, ringing up the shoes and handing them over the counter "Enjoy"

I handed Leila her shoes and we walked over to our lane, sitting down and putting them on.

"Bowling is one of the things I enjoy, the girls always loved it, it's simple and everyone still had fun, even when you're on your ass"

Leila nodded "Funny, I thought of you as a person with a competitive streak"

"Oh yeah baby, I didn't say I was gonna let you win" I said with a wink and she pursed her lips at me "But, I'm a gentleman so imma let you go first"

She rolled her eyes standing up and grabbing a bowling ball, standing at the start of the lane "How chivalrous of you, remember that quote for when you cum before I do, again" she then proceeded to bowl a strike.

I stare at her with my mouth agape"Really? You said you c-"

"Oh shut up I'm kidding, your turn player" She smirked playfully, sitting down.

I shook my head and took my turn, getting a strike, no surprise, because we all know I'm amazing at everything.

"See, pro"

"All I see is a lucky shot" She said shrugging in return.

"Woman please, Marshall Mathers doesn't do lucky shots, he simply excels in everything he does"

"Are you really talking in third person right now? Is this actually real?"

I snort at her and flip her off.

"Classy"

We bicker playfully back and forth for the rest of the game until she finally bowls the last strike and winning, it's refreshing, I haven't had this much fun in a while and it didn't feel forced.

Just old fashioned fun.

"So what now loser?"

"Not the most humble of winners are ya?"

She batted her eyelashes "Not when you're as amazing at everything like I am"

I roll my eyes and poke my cheek with my tongue to hold back my smile, even though I one she was mocking me, I look down and begin to change back into my Nikes "You hungry?"

"Sure, I could eat" She said sitting down and changing back into her shoes "what do you have in mind?"

"I know a place, it's not far"

We both stand, return the shoes and head to my car.

Not long later we are pulling up at Detroit Fleat food truck park.

"Love this place" Leila said looking around, brown eyes illuminated by the glow of the dull party lights.

"Same, sometimes when we stay back at the studio because of a deadline we come down here for a breather and something to eat"

We both ordered some food and then found a table away from the crowds, and are.

"Chicken and waffles huh?"

"Guilty pleasure" Leila said smiling sheepishly moving the remainder of her food around her plate nervously "My mother would always scrape up just enough money on our birthdays when we were kids and take Tommy and I out to breakfast and order Chicken and Waffles"

"I get it, it's something so simple yet it means a lot to you" I said with a knowing smile "I got those kinda guilty pleasures too"

She smiled and nodded looking down "I'm pretty sure we haven't been bothered once tonight"

"Yeah, I don't get bothered in Detroit, it's mainly the other cities I get mobbed, I'm pretty lucky that people respect my privacy enough so that I can live a semi-normal life now, when I first blew up it was crazy, people were literally knocking on my front door"

She nodded and we both finished up our meals, taking a walk through the park back towards the car.

"So how was LA?" Laila asked, casually pulling her jacket around herself, hair gently belong behind her in the subtle breeze.

"Yeah was good, finished the song I needed Dre for, sometimes a week in a different city is all I need ya know, a change of scenery gets the creative juices flowing"

"New song huh? So that album you won't be dropping out of nowhere should be finished soon right?"

I let out a loud laugh and lose my footing over a loose rock on the walkway making me stumble into Leila almost knocking her over, grabbing her before she lost her footing.

She laughed as I had caught her, brown eyes staring up into mine, I could get lost in them for hours-

"Um, I appreciate you saving me Superman, but people are staring... wanna let me go?"

Oh.

"My bad" I say as I let her go.

I hadn't realized I was holding my breath at the time.

We continued to walk back to my car and head back towards Leila's house.

We were both standing at her door, silently, I wasn't sure why but it made panic rise in my chest.

"So, uh, it was nice just hanging out"

"Yeah it was, thank you again, I haven't had fun like that in years"

I wasn't sure how this would go, I knew I wanted to do it again, that was the only thing I was sure of.

"So would you be up for spontaneous again?"

"Absolutely" She said with a smile, and emotion flashed across her face that I hadn't seen before.

"Great, glad we could do this" I said, standing there awkwardly.

We stood for the moment and while my mind was screaming at me millions of questions and going over the scenario on my mind a million different ways, I decided enough was enough.

Grabbing Leila and pulling her into me, I kissed her hard and slow on the lips.

Something I had been fighting with myself about all night.

Pulling apart she looked almost out of it, before opening her front door and turning back to me biting her lip.

"Goodnight Superman" She said in a low whisper, before closing the door behind her.

Her whispered words leaving me a mess, leaning on the door frame of her front door.

"Goodnight Lala"