caressed Jalen's bare back as he stirred.

The pillows behind his head were fluffed, feather filled and the matching comforter over his boxer covered lower half was free of creases.

"This isn't my bed..." Jalen muttered to himself as he started to sit up.

The sun peeked through the curtains protecting the balcony, giving Jalen enough light to survey what was clearly a hotel room.

The flatscreen was hung on the wall while a chestnut wood dresser stood underneath.

A full length mirror was hung near the door of the bathroom on the right side of the room.

"Oh, good you're finally up." A feminine voice echoed from the left side of the room.

Jalen turned his head towards the voice, then lifted his hand to protect his eyes from the sun.

The girl the voice belonged to had opened one half of the curtains, her back turned away from Jalen.

"What?" Jalen asked, rubbing his left eye.

"Tip for the wise, kid," The girl moved the other half of the curtains revealing the outline of a beach and clear blue water below, "If you're gonna come surfing with me, maybe learn how to swim first."

The girl turned around, revealing herself to be Noelani, looking the best she's ever looked.

Her tan had set in, making her skin appear a golden brown sugar tone, shining against the outline of the light. Her hair was a few inches longer, the darkness of it contrasting against the light blue flowy dress that she had on. Behind her right ear was a set of ombré pink and orange plumerias.

"Come onnnnn." Noelani groaned as she came around Jalen's side of the bed.

Jalen glanced at the other side, realizing that there was only one bed in the room and that the right side of the bed was distressed like someone had been sleeping there.

"What's going on? Where are we?" Jalen let Noelani pull him out of bed.

Noelani snickered then leaned forward to press her lips against Jalen's cheek, "We're in Hawaii, kid. Come on, get dressed. We have breakfast with my mom in about thirt-."

"What? I don't.." Jalen pulled away from her, a little alarmed.

"What's wrong?" Noelani raised an eyebrow.

"I don't understand why I'm here. I'm mad confused."

Noelani chuckled, pressing a hand to the right side of his face, "We've been dating for almost four months. Don't you think it's time that you've met my family?"

Noelani started to lean up on her toes in an effort to get closer.

She was about to press her lips onto Jalen's and he was going to let her.

Jalen wrapped an arm around her waist....

Jalen woke up when he felt himself starting to slip off of his long twin bed.

He reached his hand out to the bed post in an attempt to keep himself on the bed but failed, rolling back first onto the floor with a thump.

"Ah, shit." Jalen groaned as he rubbed the back of his skull.

Jalen slowly rose from the floor and sat on the side of his bed.

'We've been dating for almost four months.'

The dream seemed so real, so lifelike that Jalen had to take some time to ponder his own subconscious.

Is the bet so heavy on my mind that I've started dreaming about her?

Jalen leaned back onto his bed, his eyes fixed upon the white ceiling.

He kept imagining how her hands felt over his face and how quick she was to get next to him.

Nothing like the real life Noelani who refused to touch him unless he initiated it first or they were sparring in their training sessions.

The brightness of her smile, the softness of her skin, the plumpness of her lips...

I wonder if she's up.

Jalen snatched his phone off of his nightstand to check the time.

3:27 am.

It is pretty late...

Doesn't hurt to try.

Jalen pressed the phone symbol next to Noelani's name, starting a phone call.

Jalen anxiously pressed the phone to his ear, silently wondering if he was making a fool of himself.

She answered on the third ring, "Hello?"

Her voice was raspy with sleepiness.

"Hey, Lani." Jalen replied lowly.

"Uh... Jalen, it's almost three thirty in the morning." Noelani replies.

"I couldn't sleep because well uh, I was thinking about you. I wanted to hear your voice." Jalen admitted in a soft tone.

"Jalen... It's late. You can hear my voice tomorrow."

"I know but... Lani, you've been heavy on my mind lately. I was just laying here and..." Jalen trailed off.

"You should really be asleep, kid."

Jalen pauses, "Can I pick you up for school tomorrow?"

Noelani chuckled, "Yeah, I would like that. I'm gonna hang up okay? We can continue this conversation tomorrow okay?"

"Wait, can you just-? Can you just tell me if you're thinking of me too? You never said how you felt about me."

Noelani was quiet for a little making Jalen wonder if she had hung up.

"I... I've been thinking about you too. All I do is think about you." Noelani sighed.

Jalen felt himself grin at her words.

"I shouldn't have said that." Noelani continued in a whisper then hung up the phone.

Jalen licked his bottom lip in satisfaction then rolled over to start falling back asleep.

Maybe it's not just the bet that's got her on my mind.

If I wrote a sharife and a jaygup book would y'all be interested?

vote & comment, porfa!