LONDON'S POV

I laughed because for sure I couldn't have heard right.

"Ethan you think everything is a joke."

"That's funny cause I ain't joking" He responded, seriousness evident in his tone.

There was a silence between us while I took a moment to process.

I wanted to know what caused this change of heart because if I can remember correctly he was all for the strictly friends bullshit.

I shook my head, laughing a little bit "I'm starting to believe you think this is a game"

"What you mean?" He asked

"My feelings! The hell do you think you are? You can't just rejec–"

"I never rejected you" He corrected me

"Well you can't just put me in the friendzone, wait until I've come to terms with it and then ask me on a date." I vented, getting upset.

"Since this my first time asking somebody ona date of course a nigga ain't gon know the rules" He laughed

I kept a straight face for as long as I could before breaking. "I hate you" I said, laughing with him.

He sucked his teeth "Please"

"Shut up!" I could already see the ugly face he was making.

"So, you gone let me take you out?" He asked again.

"Ummmm" I hummed, acting as if I wasn't sure.

"Stop playing with me girl"

I played in my hair for a while. My mind was telling me to say no but I was just too curious to see how it would go.

Technically, this would be my first real date in a while. Lyr's little set ups definitely don't count.

"Yes." I smiled, "I'll let you take me out. Give me a day so I can see if I'm free"

"Right now"

I laughed, getting up to check my calender "Stop I'm serious"

"I'm serious too. I got important shit to do this whole week" He said nonchalant

I pulled the phone away from my ear, looking at it like I would look at him if he was there at the moment. "You're crazy"

"I've been told, be ready at 9"

I opened my mouth to protest but by then I was listening to the dial tone.

"Asshole" I tossed my phone on the bed and sat down.

Sitting for a few minutes I realized that he meant 9'oclock right now. I scrambled around for my phone and checked the time. 7:28pm.

At this point hope was lost. There was no way I could get ready in less than 2 hours, a shower alone is already an hour for me.

I searched for Lyric's contact and pressed call. It rang 3 times before she answered.

"Yellow" She laughed, making me turn my face up. This was a serious situation and here she is playing around.

"I need your help!" I rushed out

"On my way out right now. Do you need me to bring anything?"

I panicked some more "No just hurry"

I heard her open a door "Kay" She said, hanging up afterwards.

I went to Ethan's contact next.

Lon😩: I hate you!! 7:35pm

Instead of waiting on a reply and wasting more time I went into my closet to search for something to wear.

After the whole club scene, Lyr thought it would be a good idea for us to go splurge at Fashion Nova.

So this time around I had more to choose from. I threw stuff around until I came across the one I knew was perfect for the occasion.

It was a light pink Rita dress.

I felt like it was perfect because it was out of my element which is exactly what I was aiming for. I didn't wanna be the usual, boring and predictable Lon tonight.

I went back in my bedroom and laid the dress down.

DING DONG!

I rushed to the front door and opened it for Lyr. "Finally" I scoffed, pulling her inside and shutting the door behind her.

"What happen?" She said breathlessly

"I have a date" mentally clocking the amount of time I had left I pushed her towards my room.

"A date!? Wait a minute now" She tried to turn around but I kept pushing her.

"Tell you after I'm ready"

Once we got in my room I closed the door behind us and sighed "Can you find some shoes that go with that while I shower? I literally have like 40 minutes"

Not waiting for an answer, I went in the bathroom and started my shower.

I stayed in for 20 minutes.

I didn't need that much time for makeup and my hair because I planned to wear a natural look and put my hair up in a bun. I was gonna wear a choker so wearing it down wouldn't really compliment that.

"Did you find some?" I asked, coming out of the bathroom to see Lyr lounging around on her phone.

"Oh yeah, those strapped heels" She pointed to some heels I must've brought during our shopping spree because they definitely were a pair I haven't seen before.

They were cute and went with the dress so I couldn't complain. Not that I had time to be doing that anyway.

After I dried myself and did all my hygiene stuff I slid the dress on. "Come zip this" I called out to Lyr who was still all into her phone.

She got up and came over to where I stood, in front of my full body mirror, and zipped the back for me.

"Thank you" I said as she followed me back into the bathroom. I started to apply the little makeup I would be wearing while she did my hair at the same time.

"2 birds with one stone" She smiled at me through the mirror when she was done.

"Exactly" I nodded, putting some lipglass on.

She went to go get my shoes for me while I applied a little mascara.

"Your phones ringing!" She called out, rushing back into the bathroom with my shoes in one hand and my phone in the other.

I grabbed my phone and answered, Holding it against my ear with my shoulder while I put my shoes on.

"Hello" I said. Lyr laced them up for me while I laid my edges and made sure everything else was decent.

"I'm down the street. You ready?" Ethan asked, sounding just as nervous as me.

"Yes, are you?" I giggled

"Real funny" He laughed

"I'll see you when you get here. You better look good for me too" I joked, hanging up before he could give a smart ass response.

"Okay we're all set" Lyr sighed. She linked her arm with mine and walked towards the front like a proud mom.

"This is so exciting, Oh yeah! Are you gonna tell me who the mystery nigga is now?" She asked with her eyebrow raised.

I laughed at the face she made before I spoke "Oh that, well it's just–" I started to say before the doorbell cut me off

"He's here Lon hurry up! Breath check" I blew my breath in her face and she gave me a thumbs up before pushing me to the front door.

"Be cool okay, like don't be weird because you might scare this guy off" She said briefly, checking me one last time then opening the door.

"What the h–"

"Damn" Ethan furrowed his eyebrows as he looked down at me, totally ignoring the confused stare I knew he was getting from Lyr because I felt it on me as well.

He looked good enough to eat and by the look I was getting I would say I did okay myself.

"Meanwhile hello!!?" Lyr waved frantically in front of us, breaking our stare.

"Oh yeah. It was E" I said, pointing out the obvious.

"Wassup to you too L rock" He nodded, putting his arm around me.

"I want answers" She said, still looking lost.

"You can get ya explanation later but right now we got somewhere to be" He answered, pulling me away in the process.

"Love youuu!" I called out to her as I looked over my shoulder.

She just stood there giving me the finger. She'd be over it and ready for me to fill her in by the time I got home. No worries

Ethan opened the door for me, waited for me to get in then went around to get in himself.

"Hey" I said awkwardly

"Wassup" He answered, smirking. He probably thought there was something wrong with me.

"You look nice" I complimented, buckling my seatbelt.

"Thank you" He glanced over at me "You look good too"

He pulled off and began driving.

"You know L gone chew your ass out" He said in a laugh.

I sighed. "Trust me I know"

"It's aight, cause Ima have to hear Zay mouth for a good 2 weeks." We laughed

"God they're annoying. Those two were really meant to be I'm convinced" I said, turning to look out the window.

I listened close to the radio that played on low. I noticed a song I was familiar with start playing so I turned it up.

"I love this song oh my god" I cooed as Until The End Of Time by Justin Timberlake played.

Ethan looked over at me and laughed.

I sucked my teeth "Don't even do that! You know this used to be that work"

He nodded, turning it up more. "True"

The rest of the way we rode to whatever throwback came on. From Boys ll Men to 112, even SWV.

It was funny because he would act like he didn't want to sing along but end up singing his little heart out by the middle of the song.

"You a trip" He laughed, killing engine.

"That's all you" I smiled up at him as he helped me out.

To my surprise it was a restaurant I wasn't quite familiar with.

It was the Gramercy Tavern.

Ethan held onto my waist as we walked up.

"Geez what did you do, make reservations for 20 minutes till close?" I joked, seeing that there wasn't anyone else here besides us.

With something as elegant as this I was sure that there would be more people on their way soon.

"Nah" He laughed, opening the door for me. "It's only us for tonight"

-

👀lol