ella mai, cheap shot.

Time really passes by quicker than I could've ever imagined here. Everyday better than the last, everyday bringing with it something fun and exciting.

I kicked my feet from within the crystal clear water of the pool and lightly swung my head from side to side. My arms stretched out behind me as my upper body swayed too. My eyes shut behind my sunglasses, my sun hat blocking away the rays, my head and shoulders covered by the straw vines.

I smiled to myself as a breeze swept through and I felt the warmth of the sun subside just for that brief moment.

My phone went off from behind me, ringing from within my beach bag sitting on the lounge chair. I grunt before having to step up, removing my feet from the water.

I walk to the chair before taking a seat to better enable myself to search through the bag. I struggle around trying to grasp the phone in time. I pull it out too late though, the ringtone silences as soon as I have a clutch on the device.

I look at my screen for the Caller ID, it flashes Amanda along side a red heart emoji. A smile makes its way across my face the smile widens when the phone begins to ring again. Her names displayed across the top of the screen.

I swipe to answer and the first thing I hear is, "Jeez, why'd it take you so long?"

I laugh, "Well hi Amanda, I miss you."

She scoffs, "Oh save your miss you's, when are you coming home? It's been a week and a half now."

I pulled my face back because I didn't know the answer to that question, "I don't know, Amanda, I haven't thought about that."

"You haven't what? Lerato, I mean I'm not rushing you or anything but girl..." She trails off.

Letting out a chuckle I tried to ease her, "Yeah I know but it's just so nice here."

She scoffs, "Did you meet someone there?" Before I can even respond she speaks, "Is he human? Oh my gosh, Arab men are lick-worthy, dammit, I'm jealous!"

I really let out a laugh at her words, a very loud laugh, "Excuse me? I did not, I don't even think I know a human. The men though? I will agree they are certainly very very gorgeous. It's as though every single one of them were hand crafted and gifted with knee-buckling smiles. Goddess." I say as my eyes roll back and my head pushes back.

She laughs this time, "Oh my gosh! I'm so jealous, have you at least seen one that you like?"

I shake my head, even though I do feel very grilled, I love this conversation and I missed just gushing to her. Even though I don't have anything worthwhile to tell, I just missed it. I love speaking to my best friend, I almost felt at home.

"Not really, I mean, they all are gorgeous but nah."

I know she rolled her eyes, "Oh c'mom Lerato, there has to be at least one that took an interest in you, even if you didn't take an interest in him."

I think for a moment and instantly two people pop into my mind, "Okay, I have a friend –"

She squeals, "I knew it!"

"Oh shut up, anyway, I have this friend he's extremely sweet and I don't know. He has this new habit of giving me compliments out of nowhere and you know friends give friends compliments so at first I thought nothing of it but it's been going on for a bit now."

The night at the restaurant was the first of many, Amir probably doesn't go a day without giving me some kind of compliment. Or even making me feel better about the Micah situation or something of the sorts.

Beforehand I hadn't known how to respond to any of it but now, now I smile and try throw one back at him. Then I think we fall into a back and forth flirt dance that I cannot get out of soon enough. It always ends when we've both got a ghost of a smile playing on our lips and our eyes locked.

I successfully avoided seeing Amir for two days after that started happening more frequently, mainly because I did not like the dance and I wanted out. Which I received on the third day when we both came to an understanding that it was weird and we should stay friendly.

"What? But if he's cute and sweet what's the issue? Keep flirting!"

I roll my eyes, "He's unmated Amanda, so eventually he will meet his mate and then what the heck will I be left with? Another broken heart, so no thanks."

I hear a swishing sound, "Okay Okay," I assume she was nodding, "I see the logic. Okay, second guy – hit me." I hear more movement.

"What are you doing?"

The movement goes on for a little longer before it stops, "I was getting into place. I know this story is the one I want to hear."

I know this is the story she was waiting for that's why I started with the Amir story because I know that one's going nowhere. Like I said, even telling her useless stories makes me feel elated.

"I mean, I'm not sure of this one either okay. I'm not sure how I feel or why I feel like there's possibly something I feel."

She coughs, "Excuse me? Jeez girl, that sounded confusing as fuck," She pops her gum, "But I understood."

"Good. So, there's this guy, like two days after my arrival I went skydiving –"

She gasps, "You went skydiving without me!"

I clear my throat and put on my best spokesperson voice, "Can all questions and outbursts please be left till the end of the story."

She scoffs, "Yeah, fine."

"And there was this guy, he was handsome Manda, hand-fucking-some but at the beginning I wasn't paying attention too afraid of the jump. However, after the jump he reappeared and I got to see him in all his glory and guess what? He was there to see me, to make sure I was fine."

I didn't see him until like three days after that and I was a bit taken back when I did. I was at the amusement park with Amir and he actually spotted him. I was a bit confused that they knew each other but I didn't think much of it. That's when I learned his name was Raheem.

They spoke for a bit before he asked how I was and so forth. We parted ways and days later I saw him again but this time I was alone. I had gone to the aquarium – I know, I know so tourist of me, I swear I've stopped doing tourist things – and he was there too.

I asked him what he's doing there and it turns out that's somewhat of his safe space. The trip turned from a one man trip to a two man one.

"Since that day we've basically been more or less seeing each other. Once more it was by accident again and after then we decided well we might as well actually become friends since fate was clearly bringing us together."

I finally hear a noise from the other side, "Friends?"

I chuckle, "Yes Amanda, friends."

"Have you seen him purposely since?"

My head shakes from side to side even though I know she can't see me, "No I haven't actually."

To be honest, seeing him accidentally is much more exciting because I can see the excitement in his eyes when he spots me. It has almost become some sort of game, we know the odds of seeing each other so often are supposed to be slim but we've gotten so used to it happening we high key expect it to happen.

"And I like it that way, it's cute. I like the look in his eyes when he spots me."

Amanda made a gushing sound, "I knew it! I really knew this story was going somewhere. And I knew there was a boy!"

I laughed, "Amanda he's a fully grown man."

"There's a man!"

I threw my head back and laughed, "Goddess, I missed you."

◇

I was sprawled on my bed surfing the web on my laptop when my phone started to ring beside me, I paused my Spotify playlist before picking up the phone.

The callers name flashing at me, Raheem and my eyebrows shot up meaning my eyes widened. Oh my god. Why is he calling me?

I answered before he hung up, "Hey," I try to sound unphased.

"Hey Sprinkle, what are you doing?"

I scrunched my brows, "Busy?"

He chuckled, "You don't sound very sure."

I wasn't sure but suddenly the thought of actually having to meet up with him was making me nervous. Bumping into him again is much more convenient and I could be much more chilled when we bumped into each other.

"I'm not sure I am."

He laughs, "I can hear that so I'm waiting outside."

"Outside?"

I looked at my attire, sweatpants and a spaghetti strap. That was not going to cut it at all, wait a minute!

"How do you even know where I'm staying?"

I could hear the pause in his voice, he wasn't expecting me to ask that, "I asked Amir."

"That's not creepy at all."

"Nah, it's actually not."

I hopped off the bed, "Ah ha, sure we'll go with that. Anyhow, where are you trying to take me Raheem?"

"Just c'mon down and you'll find out."

We hung up and I changed into a pair of high waisted jeans and a black bralette with a cropped jean jacket. I grabbed a black Chanel bag and headed out. I walked out the building and spotted Raheem leaning against a matte blue Lamborghini Aventador.

I walked across the street toward him and I could see the smile on his face, "Hey Rainbow Sprinkles."

I rolled my eyes, "Hey Raheem," I gave him a hug once I reached him, "So, will you tell me now what this is about?"

"There's not much fun in that."

He opened the passenger side door and I got in, I don't know what kind of car I thought he drove but I did not think it would be a Lamborghini. Although, I suppose it is appropriate.

He started the car and took off, the sun was setting so I have no clue where we could be going that was going to be open for much longer or worthwhile to enter at this time.

"Beautiful car you have here."

He chuckled, "Is it 'typical.'"

I nod, "Very."

"Next time I'll try and bring something non-typical."

I pulled a face, "How many cars do you have?"

He looked at me briefly, "I actually don't know."

So far all I knew about Raheem besides his name is that he owns many things here and I suppose that makes him rich? That's not much to go by and at this point I'm in no mood to even invest one percent of me into someone I know nothing about.

Not to mention I'm so convinced that the Moon Goddess is purposely giving me all these closed up secretive creatures of the opposite gender. Unfortunately for her and Raheem I am no longer interested in breaking down false walls.

My tone came out snappy and unforgiving, "Who are you exactly?"

He didn't flinch or even look phased by my change of tone, "Can you take me out on a date first? Jeez."

I instantly snapped out of my mood, "I'm so sorry that was unnecessarily rude of me."

I couldn't attack everyone who didn't disclose the slightest bit of information on themselves. I really have no right to be snappy and demanding of Raheem, he owes me nothing. Micah actually did, he owed me the truth but Raheem... he doesn't and I shouldn't be snapping at him as though he does.

"It's okay, there's a lot you don't know about me and there's a lot I don't know about you but we'll change that. I knew I wanted to change that from the moment I saw you that very first day." His eyes were staring right into mine and I couldn't turn away, in fact I didn't want to turn away.

I knew the car wasn't moving because I couldn't feel the movement which only made me not want to turn away even more. Until I felt the fear begin, the fear that he might start moving in for a kiss and I definitely was not ready for any of that so I turned my head to look out the windscreen to see where exactly we were.

He cleared his throat and spoke, "Yeah, uhm, we're here."

My face contorted into one of confusion, I know I haven't been here that many times but I know this house. I could spot it from a mile away, heck I could pick it out from lookalikes, I knew this house.

"This is Alpha Khalil's house."

Raheem chuckled, "No, this is my house. I'm Khalil's older brother, this is my Pack."

—

Khalil, Amir, Raheem?? Who's your favourite?

I love Amir, what a sweetheart. Don't think I have a favourite though. 😂 love all my little jelly tots equally. Yes, even Micah.