Rolling over onto my side in my bed, I open my eyelids just enough to check the time on the alarm clock near my bedside. Seeing that the time is passed noon, I groan and close my eyelids. I let out a groan, realizing that I have to still deal with Jason and Aaron. A week ago, life was less complicating. After several minutes of agonizing hunger pains, I finally decide to get out of bed and do something with my life. Dragging my feet to my bedroom door, I grabbed the robe hanging over the door. I slide my feet into my furry slippers lazily.

I walk towards the kitchen and stop short when I hear a familiar voice. Oh my God! Like why is he here? Jason lets out a hearty laugh to something Charles has said.

I look over my shoulders, debating if I should just go back to my room and hide for the rest of the day. I roll my eyes in irritation at the sound of Jason's voice as he talks happily with Charles.

I trudge towards the kitchen with thoughts of putting an end to my belly begging me for nourishment.

"Mel, you were knocked out!" Jason practically screams the moment I enter the kitchen. I cut my eyes at him, annoyed that he believes we are cool after he slipped away to Leslie's home. He lead me to believe he was staying the entire night. "Hey, Mel, I got to get some shoes today. You want to go?" He asks, completely ignoring the icy expression on my face.

I grab a bagel and put it in the toaster. "You should ask Leslie to go with you." I say coldly with my back to him.

I quickly look over my shoulder to see his expression. The smile on Jason's face drop and from the pained look in his eyes, I can tell I killed his joyous spirit he had only moments ago. Goal accomplished. From the corner of my eyes, Charles pretends to shudder and stands up.

I glance at my brother as he throws his hands up, laughing out loud.

"I'm sorry, but the temperature just dropped in here. On that note, talk to the two later." He shakes his head walking out the kitchen. Jason puts his sandwich down and just sits in his chair, looking stunned.

"You called me this morning?"

Finally, my bagel pops up, but suddenly I don't have an appetite anymore. I lean against the kitchen island, bringing my eyes to his.

"Yep. Leslie answered your phone telling me that you went there earlier this morning, because her parents were out of town." I answer, trying to leave the hurt out of my voice.

"Wow, Mel . . . I. . ." He shakes his head at a loss for words.

I want so badly to ask him what happened between him and her last night, but that's not my business. Maybe Kerri is right about him wanting to choose times when he wants to be just a friend.

"It's fine, she's your girlfriend, and I guess you had to make up for leaving her at the movies."

"I didn't know you called me."

"I didn't know that I would have to call you this morning. I mean, you did fell asleep in my bed, so I naturally thought when I opened my eyes, you would still be there. Silly me, huh?" I keep my eyes on him, and I'm sure he could clearly hear the frustration in my voice.

He stands up, breaking eye contact with me. "I'm about to go. You're trying to make me feel guilty for being with Leslie last night. You act as though she isn't my girlfriend.

No, that's not me, buddy. I just sit there as he grabs the rest of his sandwich and cleans his spot off the table.

"Man, this is crazy." He glances at me, and I don't say anything. I'm not going to say anything else. It is already clear to me that he did have sex with her this morning by his reaction. "I got to hear it from her how I'm always choosing you over her. I come over here to spend some time with you, and now I'm hearing how you're upset that I went to my girlfriend's house earlier this morning." He gives me a look. "Really?" He walks out the kitchen angrily, but I am willing to bet money he isn't as angry as me.

The only reason he is hearing it from me, as he puts it, is because he keeps playing mind games with me. I wouldn't have anything to say about what he's done, if he stayed acting like a friend. I roll my eyes as Charles walks back into the kitchen, and sits at the table looking at me.

"Want to talk, lil' sis?"

"No." I try to put an end to whatever his two cents are.

"Fine, I will talk. I couldn't help but overhear the conversation between you and Jason." I sigh, turning away from my brother. "You got to remember that he is still a man at the end of the day. Laying in bed with you and not being able to touch you is probably not the easiest thing for him."

I angrily turn back around. "So, it's easier for him to pick up and go somewhere else? I mean, he just told me that he doesn't care, if she walks out on their relationship, or dump him. He's expecting it!"

"Melissa, he is not your boyfriend. He is someone else's boyfriend. You can't really be mad at him."

Watch me. Yes, I can.

I give Charles a dirty look as I walk out the kitchen with my dry bagel. That is it. I am going to call Aaron up and go with Kerri's plan. I am done going through an emotional rollercoaster with Jason.

*****

After settling things straight with Aaron and explaining to him why I really couldn't stay last night, we agreed to go to Terrance's house party together.

I sit in front of the television most of the day with thoughts about Jason. My thoughts and heart are not on the same page on how to handle him. My heart just wants to text him and apologize for making him feel guilty about spending time with his girlfriend. My thoughts just want to stay angry at the fact that he actually left me last night, after me ditching my first date and him ditching his girlfriend. It's almost as if it didn't even happen, like a dream.

My phone vibrates, and it's a text from Jason. I look impatiently at my phone.

Still mad? 🥺😔

I put my phone down on the table, wondering what advice Kerri would have for me replying. She would probably tell me to ignore his ass and treat him like a friend. I smile, imagining her saying those words. Sold on the sad emoji, I pick up my phone and decide to text him back.

Not as much.

Aww . . . Melly baby hate when we argue.

Me also. Even more than you

We good?

Always Jay bae 😗

Lol luv u Melly bae. U kno what?

What?

I still need to get my shoes.

N u tellin me this cuz . . . .??

I laugh, shaking my head. Only Jason. My phone rings, and I pick it up knowing it is Jason.

"What's up?" I stand up from the couch and walk slowly to my room already knowing exactly what he wants.

"I'm about to walk out the door, Melly. I'm about to go get these shoes. Come and go with me. Let's hang out at the mall."

"Yes." It's not like I was doing anything much anyway.

"Great. I'm parked outside already."

I look out my curtains and see his car. I shake my head and head to my closet to change clothes quickly.

"Jas, I will be out there in a minute. Bye."

"Bye, babe."

I go through my closet trying on clothes and tossing them on the bed and floor. I decide on a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a yellow halter top. I slip on some yellow wedges, and look in the mirror. My brother walks pass my room and then walks pass again.

He walks into my room grinning. "You look good, Melissa. Knock him dead."

"Get out!" I smile as he runs out of my room, being stupid.

I take one last look at myself in the mirror, before deciding that I look good enough to go. I take a deep breath as I grab my purse and open my front door. We're only going to the mall. I keep chanting to myself to keep myself calm. I walk out my door and close it. Jason is already leaning against the passenger's side. As soon as he sees me, he opens the door for me as soon as he sees me. His lustful gaze falls over my body and his eyes bulge a little with excitement.

A small smile slowly come across my face as I ease into the car. I let out a nervous breath, hoping to keep my heart from beating so damn loud.

Jason gets into the driver's seat and looks at me, while licking his lips.
He starts the car and keeps looking at me. "Damn, Mel."

"What?" I grin at him, loving how he is at this exact moment.

He shakes his head. "I love how my color looks on you."

I grin, because wearing his favorite color wasn't an accident.

"I don't want to go to the mall, anymore." He laughs a little, but I can tell from his tone that he is serious.

"Where you want to go?"

We make eye contact for a moment and then he goes back to paying attention to the road.

"Melly, baby, let's make things simple when we get to the mall. I don't want guys trying to get your number and everything, so we should just say . . . you know, that we're together."

I look at Jason wondering if he honestly thought that I would buy that. "Fine."

I don't care that he doesn't want other guys talking to me, because I don't want to talk to any other guys, anyway.

*****

Inside the mall, Jason drapes his arm around my waist with his hand inside my back pocket and holds me close to him. It feels so natural walking with him like we are together. Never kissed, but we look so great together. The whole time he has my heart racing.

"Melly baby, you want something to eat?" He asks, leaning closer to me.

I shake my head no as we are walking out the door from getting him some shoes.

"You should let me buy you some heels, so you can wear them with those zebra print boy shorts you got on now."

My mouth drops opened, and I push him playfully. "Jay, keep your eyes off my ass-sets."

I start to walk away as he walks slowly behind me. I turn around and realize he's doing that on purpose. He smiles at me, and I shake my head and keep walking. Jason runs up to me and puts his arms around me. He slides his hand in my back pocket again. I put my hand in his back pocket, and he looks down at me, smiling so hard.

"Let's get in the pool, Melly." I give him a crazy look. "Don't look at me like that. It's hot out." He looks at my body. "It's hot here."

"Okay." I agree.

"Okay." He repeats after me

I picture myself prancing around his backyard in my little two piece that I've been hiding forever. This bikini will definitely send a strong signal to his brain that I am more than a friend.

*****

I am in the bathroom looking in the mirror at my butt. Jason is already in the pool. I grab a towel to attempt to cover my stomach. All summer long I've been wearing a one piece when getting in the pool with Jason. Now I have on this cute little number Kerri bought me over the summer for me to wear, instead of my one piece. She would probably hi-fived me, if she knew I finally had the guts to put it on. What's more, in front of Jason.

His parents are gone. Jason is the only child and that's why for the most part, he gets whatever he wants.

I step out the bathroom and quickly walk to the backyard. I walk through the sliding doors making eye contact with him. I take the towel off in a dramatic fashion and let it fall to the ground. Sauntering over to the edge of the pool, I take a seat.

Jason swims over to me and put his arms around my waist, pulling me into the water with him.

"Damn, Mel." He breathes out, still holding me.

Instinctively I hug my body from both the chills of the water and the fact that I am in his arms.His body is so close to mine. I feel so naked in front of him. We have never had so much skin touching. I put my hair up in a ponytail.

"Let me beat you again, swimming to the end and back, so you can carry my bag all next week. Carry me, also. Piggy back style." I grin at him wickedly.

He laughs as I take a couple steps to the side, putting a little space between us. Jason moves behind me and slides his arms around my body. Feeling his hands on my inner thighs, I put my hands over his. He moves his hands from my thighs, slowly up to my stomach. I close my eyes in a daze, feeling his soft sweet kisses on the side of my neck. I'm not sure if he is going to try to kiss me, but I am more than ready for us to kiss. He turns me around to look at him, and I swallow hard. We should have kissed a thousand times, before this moment.

"What if I win?" He asks, suddenly.

I look at him in confusion. What? "Win . . . win what?" I quickly gain my composure, replaying his question.

"In swimming?"

"What do you want to win?" Why is he asking silly questions, instead of holding me? Why is he playing with me? Who cares about who wins? Kiss me! My thoughts shout out, annoyed that he can turn his feelings on and off in an instant.

"Your first kiss." A sly smile grace his handsome face.

I don't know what I expect for him to say, but that was far from it.

"Deal." I turn around trying to figure out if I want him to win. I glance at him as he licks his lips.

"It's okay to lose this one." He smirks at me.

Truthfully, I am scared to kiss Jason. I already know Jason is more experienced than me in everything.

"Rules are the same. Swim to the end and back here. First one back wins."
I look at him, "Let's do it."

"Jason!"

We turn around to Leslie, who has a hand on her hip. She stands by the glass sliding doors, glaring at us. I wonder how long she's been there, and how has she witnessed between him and I.

"Damn, Leslie, you ever heard of the phone?"

Or knocking? I have the urge to chime in, but it's not my place to handle.

"What the hell is going on here?" She isn't paying attention to his question. "I bet you would have liked a warning call about me showing up. Is this what you do, when we're not together?"

"We're just swimming. Is that a problem?" Jason raises his voice a little to match her tone.

"My problem is that I did call your ass, but the phone kept going to voicemail. Then, I come over here to check on you, and you're in the pool with her!" She spats out, angrily.

Oh boy. I look at her and him. The way she is looking at me, I already know that it's a problem. I'm sure me wearing a bikini doesn't make the problem any smaller.

"Maybe you should go, Mel." Jason says, but his eyes are literally begging me to refuse.

I nod. "Next time." Leaving is okay with me. I've already done enough for today to get my point across.

They both watch me as I get out the water. Her mouth drops opened when she sees how little my yellow bikini is. I grab my towel purposely hitting her with it as I walk pass her. I hear Jason trying to plead with her as I walk through the sliding doors. For a man that doesn't care about getting dumped, he has a lot of apologies. I roll my eyes and can't wait to make him jealous next Saturday.