After an hour and a half, I'd finished my workout and was on my way back home.

As I was pulling into my driveway, I received a text message. It was from Eli.

"Be ready @8."

I guess he's agreed to let me come with him. It was only 1pm so I had time to spare. I was kind of excited, I have fun talking to him, it wasn't awkward like it usually is when meeting new people. Everything flowed smoothly.

I walked into the house and saw Cam and Jesse had brought over their gaming systems.

Kendall sat in the recliner and twiddled her thumbs on her phone screen.

"You two do know that you don't live here, right?" I asked as I closed the door behind me.

"Right? Isn't that tragic?" Cam stated.

I rolled my eyes and walked to the kitchen.

I grabbed a yogurt and spoon then went and sat on the couch between Cameron and Jesse.

"Who's winning?" I asked as I opened my yogurt and stirred it.

"Me, of course." Cam responded.

"Not for long, bitch." Jesse stated.

"Yea, whatever."

"Have you decided what we're doing tonight?" Jesse asked me.

I licked my spoon before I answered. "I won't be here." I replied before eating another spoonful.

"What do you mean you won't be here?" he asked.

"I have somewhere to be." I replied.

"And that is?"

"And that is...none of your business." I said and gave him an obnoxious smile.

"Yea okay."

"Wait!" Ken shouted. "Is it..." she continued and I nodded.

"YES!!!" she yelled and I giggled at her.

"Is it what? IS IT WHAT?!" Jesse asked.

"Nothing." I replied and ate more of my yogurt.

"Leyla." he stated and paused the game then put his controller down.

"Dude-..." said Cam, feeling disrespected.

"Yes, Jesse?" I asked respectfully.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"To mind my business. Where are you going?" I asked and ate another spoonful.

"I'm about to hit you." he swore.

"Whatever makes you happy, big brother." I said then got up to throw away my yogurt cup. "I'm gonna go shower." I stated and headed down the hallway to the bathroom.

____________________________________

After my shower, I put on casual clothes then we all decided to go get something to eat. I let them choose and they argued for about twenty minutes before actually making a decision.

We hopped into Jesse's car and he drove to the destination.

...

After we ate and walked around, shopping and hanging out, I only had an hour before I had to leave with Eli.

We arrived back home and Cam and Jesse were about to leave to go get ready to go to the gym.

"Thanks, don't come back." I joked as me and Kendall got out of the car. "We'll be back tomorrow. I expect breakfast." Jesse stated.

"Can it be the French toast you made before?" Cam asked.

"How many times do I need to tell you two that I'm not your mother?" I asked.

"Just once? Pleeeeaaaassseee?!" Cameron begged.

"Alright, fine. I'll see what I can do." I stated.

"Awesome." he said and Jesse began backing out of the driveway.

Ken and I went inside and put our leftovers in the fridge.

"How do I smell?" I asked, needing to know if I should take another shower.

"Like coconut and vanilla." she answered.

"Great." I said.

"So where are you guys going?" she asked and I froze.

"Umm I don't know. He said it was a surprise but that I should dress casual." I lied.

"Oooo cute. But let's talk about last night." she stated.

"Didn't we talk enough about last night?"

"Yea, but you missed one important detail." she began and I cocked an eyebrow.

"THE KISS!!!" she shouted. "HOW WAS IT? HOW DID IT FEEL? IT WAS YOUR FIRST ONE YOU SHOULD BE ECSTATIC!!!" she screamed and I laughed at her energy.

"It was good." I said.

"Just good?" she asked and looked disappointed.

"Alright, IT WAS GREAT!" I admitted and she screamed in excitement. "His lips were all soft and it was like a hint of liquor on them but it was sexy not gross because they were also sweet somehow."

"Wow. So romantic." she hummed. "Think you'll get another one tonight?" she asked and walked into the living room.

'I hope so.' I thought to myself.

"Maybe. Who knows?" I said.

After about thirty more minutes, he called me.

"Hello?" I answered.

"I'm outside."

His voice sounded deeper than usual and still gravely and I'm almost certain the feeling it gave me was what people meant when they say "eargasm".

"Okay, I'm coming." I said trying to keep my composure.

"Alright." Eargasm.

We hung up the phone.

"Well it's time for me to go." I told Ken.

"I expect details again when you get back." she stated. I nodded my head and wondered how I'd do that without mentioning the ring then walked out of the door.

I hopped into the car with Eli and he put his phone down.

"Hi." I greeted.

"Hi." he replied and backed out of the driveway.

"You know, you never finished your questions for me." I stated.

"You're right, but if we're being honest I wouldn't know what to ask." he claimed.

"I'll answer anything, just like you." I replied in fairness.

"Okay, what do your parents do?" he asked.

"My mom is a pediatrician and my father is a contractor." I replied.

"And your brother?"

"He's a fitness trainer."

"I see. What're they like?" he asked.

"My mom is very sweet, she just wants her kids happy and successful and she's probably the nicest woman I've ever met. She could be set on fire and have a broken arm but would still do anything you asked of her as long as it doesn't hurt anyone." I explained.

"My umm...my father was...harsh." I began. I don't enjoy talking about the man. "He's nothing but rage and hellfire. We try to avoid him."

"I'm assuming he's abusive." Eli stated.

Wow, no beating around the bush with this guy.

"Yes. At first it was just to Jesse. My father got my mom pregnant when they were young. He blames my brother for him not living a life that he wanted. He didn't love my mom she was just another pretty face to get into bed with. He'd hit my brother with anything around him if it wasn't his fists. I remember one time he beat him with a hot frying pan." I started and I looked down and fiddled with my fingers.

"It's okay if you don't want to finish."

"No, it's fine. I mean you gotta talk about it at some point." I sniffed and took a deep breath. "Jesse then took up football and being athletic. He started to get bigger than my father in both height and muscle and that scared him. So he left him alone. Which sparked Jesse to become addicted to working out. Afterwards, my father started targeting me. He'd throw me into things, call me out of my name, insulted me, and tried to blame anything that wasn't perfect on me. I started working out with Jesse. Not to get bigger than my father obviously but just to get my mind off of it, then it became a habit for me too. When I turned 16 my mom finally divorced him. We didn't blame her for it taking so long, she likes to try and heal people, but she finally realized there was no saving him."

"I'm sorry you experienced that." Eli stated.

"Oh, no, it's fine." I laughed the pain off. "Everyone goes through something. It's a part of growth." I explained.

"That's one way to put it."