Pleasurable Expectations

t h i r t y - s i x

I deemed the rest of this Saturday a "me day." Michael dropped me off at mine during the middle of the day and immediately changed into comfy clothes. I wanted a day where I didn't have to ponder on what Jeremiah was hiding from me, especially with the new revelation that we actually come from the same world. That was an issue for tomorrow. That's why I was standing over the stove as I danced along to music playing on my TV in an oversized T-shirt. Nothing screams "lazy day" like your boyfriend's shirt and no pants.

A call vibrated my phone, Sienna's contact on the screen. "What's up girl?"

"I'm double-checking you and J are still coming to King's party today," Sienna answered.

I paused, my lips puckering as my eyes widened. Amid all the drama, I totally forgot that there was still another party for King's birthday, and it was anything but lowkey.

"Ara, do not tell me you forgot," Sienna said after a few moments of silence, her mouth opening in slight annoyance.

"No, of course not," I denied before plating my food. "We're gonna be there."

I made a point of smiling into the camera, Sienna's skeptical gaze on me. She knows I'm lying and that I for sure forgot about the extravaganza she was throwing, but I think she let it slide.

"I need you and J there at eight because I'm bringing King at nine-thirty, and I need everything to be ready before we get there," Sienna directed.

"Don't even worry about it," I assured as I sat on the couch.

Although I had planned for my day to be spent by my lonesome as I did who knows what, that entire plan changed once Sienna reminded me of the party. Not only was it my bad for forgetting about it in the first place, but I knew she wanted to make sure King's party went off without a hitch, and I was one of the people she trusted to ensure that happened.

I continued, "We will make sure everything goes perfectly. You think Jeremiah would help you plan this whole thing for it to go up in flames?"

Sienna narrowed her eyes at me before she nodded. "Okay. And don't be on some colored people time, I mean eight."

After a few more minutes of me convincing Sienna I know all my responsibilities for tonight, I finished up my lunch. I wanted to spend the little time I had left to myself on the couch with good food, a show I enjoyed lightening my mood before I had to let Jeremiah know what the plan was.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard as nerves kept me from typing a message to Jeremiah. I shouldn't be this nervous to send a text to my boyfriend, the man I spend most of my free time with, but after last night...

I didn't know if Jeremiah was waiting by his phone for me to reach out, if he was battling with sending a message himself, or if he wanted nothing to do with me right now. I walked away from him after he all but pleaded for me to stay, after all. If the roles were reversed, I would feel at least a little of hurt, and I didn't know if I'd want to deal with him. But I knew him. I knew he wasn't dreading the thought of a text from me; he was manifesting it.

"If you don't just send this text..." I uttered to myself before my fingers began typing away, relaying everything Sienna told me about tonight.

A quick conversation followed the initial text, but we could sort out the details fairly easily. It was weird texting Jeremiah and having every message deal with nothing but business. No flirtatious messages, no questions of how we're doing, just party business.

I huffed to myself in the mirror as I prepared to leave out for the party. My makeup was pristine, a subtle purple applied to my lips to match my sequined gown. Seeing Jeremiah tonight was going to be awkward and I'm not even sure if I'm ready for him to be in my face yet. I gave a pep talk to myself as I flipped a piece of my straightened hair over my shoulder before heading on my way.