Laila Rose POV:
On my way to my sister's house I group FaceTime Yvette and Natalie.
"You won't believe what this nigga just told me," I begin, as I fill them in on my afternoon.
Of course Yvette was ready to "shoot out both of his knee caps" as she explained it, but I told her I would handle it.
Which I still don't know exactly how I am going to do so.
Natalie being more reasonable suggested that Jay and I should take a break for right now.
Since it's clear only one of us is still taking this relationship seriously the thought does linger in my mind.
I just can't picture my life without Jay he's always been my constant.
I even have his initials tattooed on my wrist.
Not purposely, it was a drunken night and we both got each others initials tattooed on each other.
When I arrive at my sisters I get dressed while still on the phone with the girls.
We aren't saying much, but neither of us have made an attempt to hang up the phone.
I let my sister know I'm headed back out before I leave.
When I get back to the apartment I blow my horn and shoot Jay a text since I'm still on the phone.
"Why you bringing that nigga," I hear Yvette say .
"Girl, I need to keep an eye on him he obviously is not to be trusted right now," I truthfully say.
I hear her smack her lips through the car speakers causing both me and Natalie to laugh.
"Well I hope you know when I see him I'm beating his ass," she clucks,
"Please don't," I grunt.
I then see Jay coming out of the apartment dressed in a short sleeve black button up shirt with half of the buttons open revealing his tattooed chest. He paired it with all black Balmain jeans with rips in the front and black and white air Jordan 1's.
He hops in the car and kisses the side of my cheek.
"Wassup baby," he says, while sliding his seatbelt on.
"Wassup lying, cheating, ugly ass nigga," I hear Yvette say through the car speakers.
I hurriedly try to take the phone off speaker, but she keeps going.
"So you like cheating on my friend huh? Wait till you get here I'm finna wh-"
Her sentence is cut off by me finally turning my phone Bluetooth off.
I give Jay a faint smile, but his expression isn't pleased.
"Why you always telling them our business, damn" he says aggressively "you know she crazy right? She'll probably have one of her goons try to take me out or some."
"She is not finna have one of her friends take you out, " I say with a chuckle trying to lighten the mood back up.
The air in the car is thick and Jay is giving me a disapproving look.
I make sure my phone is hung up before reconnecting it to the car then put some music on as we pull out the apartment complex.
When we get to the mall all of the girls are already there waiting by the door.
I quickly give everyone greetings and hugs.
I give Yvette a look so she doesn't do anything to Jay she rolls her eyes and when I go to hug her I punch her side.
"Be nice," I whisper in her ear.
She turns her lip up at my demand.
As we begin walking through the mall
I see Yvette walk behind Jay and smack the back of his neck.
The slap was so hard I heard it echo.
Everyone turned to see what it was and Yvette just shrugged as if nothing happened.
While Jay screeched like a girl.
"Why you do that Yvette damn," He huffs, while rubbing the back of his neck.
She gives him a evil smile and makes her way to walk with Kennedy linking their arms.
...
We've been in the mall for a couple of hours.
I didn't see much and I've been debating if I still want to buy Jay a birthday gift since he's been out here clowning.
Of course Yvette bought a billion things, things she don't need I should add.
And the rest of the girls picked up a couple of things as well.
Outfits for Jay's party, jewelry, shoes, etc.
Jay picked up a pair of Jordan's as well he almost didn't get them, because I was about to drag him out the store for being too friendly with the cashier.
He claims he was just being polite, but she was eying him pretty damn hard.
"Ooh let's go in here Kev wants the new iPhone 12 and I want to surprise him," Natalie announced.
We all walked into the store going out separate ways as we got inside.
Kennedy and Yvette went to play games on the demo phones while Ivy and Rubi went to sit on a bench near the door. Natalie goes to get in line since she already knows what she is buying.
"I gotta go the restroom I'll be right back," Jeremiah let's me know kissing my cheek.
I give him a fake smile.
I begin to walk around the store just looking at any and everything.
A few minutes later I feel a hand slide across my lower back.
"Ummm I think not Jay you-" I stop myself when I turn fully around to see a familiar face.
He is definitely not Jay.
"Not Jay babygirl. The names Kordell," his voice was charming but powerful he holds his hand out to shake mines "and what would your name be beautiful."
I stare at him for a second as my eyes travel from his lips to his eyes then back to his lips which form into smirk.
His chocolate skin is glistening and his eyes are the perfect shade of brown.
"I see it still takes you a second before responding," he jokes.
He is about to retract his hand, but I quickly reach my hand out to shake his.
"Laila, Laila Rose" I say sweetly "and I'm just shocked to see you again is all"
He brings my hand up to his lips and kisses the top of my hand .
His lips are soft and I feel butterflies form in my stomach.
I give him a small smile.
"So Ms. Laila. How have you been," he asks, sticking one of his hands in his pocket and the other on the table near us enclosing me between him and the table.
I feel my breath slow down at his closeness.
Whatever cologne he has own must be putting me in a trance, because once again I find myself speechless as he stands there with a small smirk on his face.
He clears his throat a little and I snap myself back to reality.
"I've been good, I actually got your messages I just haven't had time to respond yet," I tell him.
"It's okay babygirl I understand it was a reach anyways I know you told me you had a boyfriend I wouldn't want to interfere," he says.
Confidence is just dripping out of this mans pores and it's intoxicating.
He licks his lips and I'm not sure if he is doing so slowly or my ass is just horny and seeing things.
"Oh yeah, that's complicated but I'm glad I ran into you again," I say truthfully.
"Same here, I thought I'd never see your beautiful face again," he compliments.
I open my mouth to say thank you when I hear someone clear their throat behind Kordell quite loudly I might add.
Kordell turns around to see who it is and Jay is standing behind him with his arms crossed and brooding eyes
"My bad brother you tryna look at something on the table," he asks.
While placing his hand on my waist sliding both of us over
My body shivered at his soft touch and a small smile formed on my lips, but I quickly removed it when jay made eye contact with me.
"Nahh, BROTHER I'm tryna see why you talking to my girl," Jay says sternly, stepping a bit closer to my newly found acquaintance.
I slide myself in between them so that neither of them start a scene rubbing my hands down Jay's shoulders to relax him.
"My bad, I didn't realize this was your WOMAN," Kordell says emphasizing "woman" "we were just having a quick conversation is all I saw her standing over here by herself."
"Oh iight dawg well now I'm here so you can step," Jay tells him aggressively, while pulling me closer to him.
"Relax Jay" I say slyly "he's a friend."
"I ain't never met him," jay scoffs.
"It was nice seeing you again Laila rose," Kordell says smoothly giving me a wink "maybe I'll see you around" he then turns to walk away
Jay steps in front of me when Kordell is out of view "why you smiling so damn hard and who the hell is that," Jay questions.
"I'm not, and I told you he's a friend relax I can have guy friends," I reply, walking towards the line where Natalie is.
Jay of course follows behind me. I roll my eyes knowing he is following me closely and probably still has something to say
"No the fuck you can't," Jay argued his voice getting loud.
"Aye, hell nahh y'all need to relax I been standing in this line 15 mins and y'all are not about to get us kicked out," Natalie states looking between both Jay and I.
"That's him," I say lowly.
"Nahh your friend being a hoe," he says.
Both Natalie and I turn to look at him.
I feel myself get annoyed immediately and I decide to walk away before I go off on his ass.
"Baby, I ain't mean that," I hear Jay say from a distance.
I walk through the mall with no specific destination just wanting to be away from Jay before I put my hands on him.
I feel my phone buzz in my back pocket and I pull it out.
When I see Jay's face pop up on the screen I click decline
I'm about to slide my phone back in my pocket when I bump into someone.
"I'm so sorry," I sincerely apologize and when I look up it's Kordell.
A smile graces my face when I see him.
"crazy running into you again. Twice in one day maybe someone tryna tell us something" he laughs.
I laugh as well, "someone like who" I question folding my arms in front of me.
"I don't know faith, God, Cupid, somebody" he shrugs "I mean unless your boyfriend is behind you."
"Nahh, he back at the store I just needed I breather it was kind of crowded in that store," I tell him.
"I feel you, but why didn't your boyfriend walk with you," he asks, putting air quotations around boyfriend.
"I told you it was complicated," I shrugg.
He licks his lips and gives me a heart throbbing smile.
"Well if you were mine I would never leave you alone beautiful," he added, stepping closer to me.
I look at his lips then his eyes and once again back to his lips.
what is it about this man that is so damn attractive.
"Let me walk you back to the store babygirl," he offers.
"Sure" is all I say as we head back in the stores direction.
"I hope I don't have to knock your boy out when we get there, I would hate for that to be your first impression of me" he states his tone sounds as if he is joking but his face tells a different story.
"Don't worry you already made a good first impression on me," I tell him, with a wink.
