Damani

I took a seat on the bed and I watched her as she looked around. She was so beautiful and today she just seemed different.

Maybe it's because your family likes her. I thought.

"This is your room?" She asked looking around.

"Yes, like it?" I smirked.

"No too boyish" she said and laughed. She sounded like an angel.

She took a seat on the chair infront of me. Her demeaner was relaxed for a second I forgot she was in a gang. She was sweet, joyful and not too serious and mean as the first day we met. She took out her phone and read through her messages, few seconds later she had a sweet smile on her face. Her straight, white shiney teeth lite up the room, I couldn't help but smile back at her eventhough she wasn't smiling at me. I loved this side of her, guess it's because this side reminded me of mom, her dark side though, that's what captured my heart, her sassy controlling attitude.

She was so focus on her messages and she kept wearing the Ray of sunshine on her face, I couldn't help but peek over in her phone to see who she was texting.

"Dude what are doing?" She said pushing me in my head and gave me her evil glares.

"Trying to see who stole your attention from me?" I said sitting back down.

"You're not God" she replied sucking her teeth.

"So you going to leave me here all lonely and confused?"

"What's confusing you?"

"Come sit beside me and you will know." I replied patting the open space beside me on the bed.

"I have something to tell you?" She said walking over with her sexy self.

She bent down putting her face directly in my face and then lick my lips before she paste a smirk on her face.

"We are not having sex in your parents house" she said softly.

I looked at her with my eyes wide open, while she walks away taking her seat and went back on her phone.

"They wouldn't know... my room is sound proof"

"Don't care" she replied without looking up from the phone.

Before long the door brusted open and Aiden pushed his head through.

"Mom's ready for you both"

"U neva learn about knocking first"

"Supposed we did a do something?" I added.

"I would fucking watch" Aiden said laughing and walked away.

"See exactly my point" Jay said heading to the bathroom.

We made our way down to the dinning area, everyone was already down there sitting and waiting for us. Dinner smelt great, and was giving that thanksgiving dinner vbyz. Mommy was a great cook, learned everything she needed from Granny back in Jamaica. As grams would say "put her foot innna it". I took my seat beside Dominic and Jay sat beside me. Mom lead us off with a prayer then we all got down into the meal.

After Marcia said Grace, I watched as everyone enjoyed each other company. Damani shared me a plate then shared himself one. I looked down on what was made. I haven't had anything on this plate before, honestly Dad never make any Jamaican meals and I hardly even ate food from Courtney, so I don't even know if she ever cooks anything like this before. I was unaware of my facial expressions and my staring until I heard Nicky addressed me.

"Julianna right"

I looked up at her with the fork in her hands, her attitude was not pleasant. I didn't want to make anybody feel bad. Normally I would careless about anybody feelings but Damani's family was so sweet to me I didn't want to disrespect anybody in their home.

"Yes"

"Mommy spent all afternoon cooking this, are you going to eat?" She said rolling her eyes.

"Nickelia!!" the godly voice shouted from the head of the table.

"But Daddyyyyy"

"I'm sorry if I offended anyone" I said.

"Hey what's your problem?" Damani said with a mean demeaner.

"Honestly I want to eat so badly because it smells damn delicious but I never had this before." I said looking over at Marcia.

"She neva have Jamaican food before baby.." she turned to Neil and said. "Poor thing maybe don't know what she's eating."

"Jay you haven't had Jamaican food before?" Damani said looking over at me.

"Daddy never cooks and I don't eat from my step mother because I don't like her" I said pushing the chair out to get up.

"Heyyy baby, don't be ashamed. Don't go" Damani said holding my hands.

"Your eating oxtail and rice and peas" Marcia said with a smile. "Jamaican rice and peas not the white people shit....try it" she added with a smile.

I pulled back my chair and took up the fork. Damani whispered in my ears to eat the meat first and I did as told. The flavours and the spice lite up my face. This was delicious, it tastes as great as it smells. I looked over at Marcia and Neil giving them a thumps up unable to say anything because my mouth was full. Based on my reaction everyone started laughing.

"Know you would like it" Damani whispered in my ears and I replied by shaking my head.

Soon Nicky was more relaxed and stopped showing up her bad attitude. The family talked about whatever came to their minds; school, Damani, Dominic's job and random topics. They smiled, laughed and sometimes through in a few cruse words. I enjoyed listening to them. Every now and then Damani touches me or whispered something nasty in my ears as if we not sitting infront of his family having dinner, so to punish him everytime he looks away I take one of his meat and Aldane and Ali would laugh.

"Julianna I couldn't help but overheard you saying your dad doesn't cook" I heard Neil asked. Damn I guess it was my time to be the head topic.

"Yes, he's Jamaican but I guess the only part of the culture he brought with him was the badwords" I laughed.

"Bwoy so it go, a good thing me carry Marci with me cause all me wudda dead fi hungry" he said and everyone laughed.

They continued on the topic of culture. Marcia and Neil shared stories of how they would go to dance (party kept on the street), the river and football matches. They also started talking about food and what they longed to eat and soon after they were planning a trip to go visit their families back home. While they talked Nicky cleared up the table and since I was the other female present I helped her.

We made our way to the kitchen with the dirty dishes. She throw the leftovers in the bin and packed all the cups in the sink with water. I watched her with amazement, I never saw anyone washed dishes like that.

"You can rinse" she said point at the open sink beside her.

"Then place them in the drainer" she added.

"You don't use a dishwasher?" I asked out of curiosity.

"I don't I like doing it this way" she said handing me the cup.

Soon I felt arms around me, I turned to look and it was Damani.

"You a wash plate though?"

"We leaving in 15 minutes"

The 15 minutes ran off quickly, soon we were outside and Marcia was begging for us to come and visit again. I reassured her that we would and she smiled. Turning around I saw Damani talking across the road to the guy from earlier today. I gave Marcia a hug and entered the car to wait on Damani to return.