• • •

One month later

"Stay right there." I groaned while arching my back, "That feels so good."

"Stop moving." Jaxon instructed as he continued his movements.

"Can you put more pressure?"

His thumbs pressed harder into the flesh on the bottom of my feet, making me sigh in happiness.

This was the best foot massage I'd ever gotten.

"You need to work on changing your noises of appreciation. They sound so similar to when we have sex."

I laughed, "This is better than sex."

Jaxon and I were in a much better place than we were before. Me apologizing for snooping and him apologizing multiple times for saying what he said.

I believed that he actually sorry, so we put it to rest. I still had my doubts about what Heidi said, but I was never given a reason to distrust him, so I didn't.

It also helped to remember that no matter how much I wanted to be in an actual relationship with him, we weren't. That was harder to accept since we did everything that couples did.

He slept at my apartment majority of the time, we went on 'dates' that were really just us going random places in the middle of the night, and we never went more than a couple of hours without talking.

Still, we weren't together.

After placing my foot back on the bed, he returned to his spot at the head of my bed, "Go to sleep so I can leave."

"You can leave now. I told you that you didn't have to wait."

"Just for you to call me at 2 in the morning saying you hear noises."

"It's fucking ghosts in here Jaxon." I insisted, "I told you I should've just rented an apartment in my old building."

Instead, I ended up getting one closer to campus, closer to him, further from everyone else. It wasn't bad at all, and the rent wasn't outrageous, which I had to consider since I refused to let him pay it.

"If you rented an apartment there, the noises wouldn't be ghosts, but actual people breaking in your house to steal food."

I laughed, "The one time I tell you about that and you won't let it go."

Someone had broken in our apartment before, stealing bacon and eggs from the fridge, along with salt, pepper, and other food items.

My grandma wasn't that upset since she said they must've really needed it. We needed it too but okay.

"Whatever you say. Go to sleep."

I turned on my side, lifting my arm for him to slide his through and closed my eyes, "You should sing to me."

"Take your ass to sleeeppppp, so I can leavveeee." He sang in an overly loud voice.

I snorted out a laugh before focusing on falling asleep.

• • •

"I think red is your color Ky." Ava said while flipping through a wedding book.

Needing friend time, the next day I invited both her and Nasir over to watch t.v and talk mainly. I ordered pizza and wings, and we were now laying on the couch listening to Ava attempt to plan her wedding.

"I like you in red too." Nas agreed.

"Every color is my color." I corrected them, "You pick whatever and I'll wear whatever."

"Who's your maid of honor, Ava?"

Her eyes flickered to mine before she quickly looked down again, "I uh, haven't made my choice yet."

If this was her way of telling me that it wouldn't be me, she was doing a terrible job.

I decided to help her out, "I think you should pick someone from your side of the family. Like Emily." I said, referring to her cousin.

She continued to look down, "I was thinking of asking Sarah."

Sarah was Matt's sister. Who she hated.

"Ain't that the one you stay talking about? Said she look like she on meth or something?" Nasir asked.

He's my spirit animal.

"I wouldn't even let her in the damn church." She sighed, "But Matt said her feelings would be hurt if I didn't ask."

"It's your wedding. Tell Matt she can be his best man."

I laughed while standing up to go through my soda can away.

It didn't bother me at all who she picked since, as Nasir said, it was her wedding.

When I made it back in the living room Ava looked up at me, "Heidi asked about you last night."

"What'd she say?"

"Nothing really. Just asked where you were, how you were doing."

Heidi tried to reach out to me through Jaxon but I declined. I wasn't up for whatever game she was playing.

"Ummhum."

"Do you not like her?" She asked closing her book and leaning forward.

"Yes I like her, nosy."

"Well I don't. She's always looking at me funny, like she wants to say something but is scared."

Before I could respond, my phone rang.

I didn't recognize the number, so I stared at it before answering, "Hello?"

"Hi Kyser." A man greeted as if he knew me.

Frowning, I pulled my phone away to look at the number again, "Who's this?"

"Chris."

Such a common name, I know at least 3 off the top of my head, including a boy I went to school with.

"Which Chris?"

"The Chris that used to pay to fuck you."

My head snapped towards Nasir who was looking at me questioningly. Putting the phone on speaker, I motioned for Ava to listen, "What do you want?"

He laughed, "You'll never guess what I found out."

I waited for him to elaborate, "My buddy's fiancé used to be a prostitute."

Ava's eyes were filled with horror as she stared at me.

_______

author's note: fun fact: that actually happened to my mama. they stole the detergent too lmaooo.

thank you for understanding & thanks for reading 💕