thirty-five..

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

June 8th

June had come, and it was time for everyone to say goodbye until the next semester. Sad was an understatement, really.

Nayeli cried when Bri and Tripp left for New York, and she did too. She made such good friends, she didn't wanna be without them for so long. Especially since she didn't know if she and Samara would be roommates next semester.

She didn't even want to think about saying bye to Armani, she teared up just thinking about not seeing him for two month's straight. He'd be working so it'd be hard for him to come visit, and she would also be working, just to keep her busy during the summer months.

She was going to teach ballet to the preschoolers and the elementary school kids at her mom's company starting the Monday after she got back, and she was excited to do it. She hadn't been dancing nearly as much as she'd like, so this was a win win for her.

Armani got a job as a line cook at a local restaurant in his area, and he was pretty excited as well. He'd be working in his first professional kitchen ever, and he didn't know what to expect, but he was looking forward to it nonetheless. What he was not looking forward to was being apart from Nai. Neither of them were really prepared for that part of the break.

"Nai watching you pack is really depressing me sis," Lea pouted. She hated to see her friends leave, she'd be alone in Louisiana until August.

"I know, I'm sad too, I wish I could take you with me, Lea," she sighed, closing up her last box.

"Me too! I'm gone get sick of seeing Shamari ugly ass every day," she rolled her eyes. Her younger brother lived to annoy her, it seemed. She was always complaining about how badly he loved to irritate her but she always forgave him. He and her older brother Shareef just fought, on the other hand.

"Tell Shamari I'm gone beat him up if he don't let you have a good summer," she laughed. "But seriously, I'm gonna miss you, we gotta FaceTime all the time, me you and Bri, we're gonna watch Cheer together," she said.

"Definitely, movie night once a week just like normal," she smiled, giving her another tight hug before Armani came in to grab her last box. "Okay, you be safe driving all them hours, stank. You let me know as soon as you get home okay?" Samara spoke.

"Okay I will. You behave yourself down here, alright? I love you roomie," she grinned.

"I love you too roomie," she smiled sadly and Nayeli made her way out the door to leave Samara to finish packing her stuff.

She sighed long and hard, knowing the last and hardest goodbye was next.

"Armani," she pouted, walking over to her car where he stood, just now getting her trunk closed. He looked up from his phone at her, sliding it into his pocket and opening his arms for her. She gladly went to him, laying her head on his chest.

"I don't wanna leave you," she said in a sad tone, making him even more sad than he already was.

"I don't want you to leave me either, mi amor," he rubbed her back slowly. "I know you're excited to see your family though, right?" he asked her, pulling her back to look at her face.

"Yeah of course," she nodded. "But two whole months without you? What am I supposed to do?" she whined.

"I know baby, I feel the same way. Like who gon rub my back for me after I get off work? Who's gonna take me to Wendy's and buy me twenty nuggets," he joked, making her laugh.

"Who's gonna give me kisses every morning while I'm still half sleep and then text me that my breath stinks," she teased back, making him laugh harder.

"I'll still text you every morning and tell you get up and brush that funky mouth," he leaned down to kiss her. "I'm gonna miss you so much mamas," he mumbled, pulling her even tighter to him and kissing her on the forehead.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Mani," she sniffed, sounding close to tears. "FaceTime me every night unless you're really tired from work, then you can just sleep if you want to—"

"I'm gonna call you every night, mama," he chuckled. "If I'm that tired, you just gonna have to watch me sleep," he spoke. She smiled again and nodded.

She knew she had to get on the road soon, she had a very long drive waiting for her. Armani walked her to her car door, opening it up for her and she climbed in, starting the car and immediately rolling her window down. 

"Can I have another kiss please?" she asked, as Armani leaned into her open window. He smirked and nodded, grabbing her face and kissing her slowly.

"See! What am I supposed to do without that for two months," she whined again, between short pecks to her lips.

"I really don't know baby, because I'm already feening for another one," he chuckled, licking his lips. "I need to let you go before you end up in that back seat," he shook his head, staring at her.

"I mean, I'm sure we could—"

"Nayeli," he laughed. "You gotta go, mamas. Yo' daddy gon find me and kill me if you're running late,"'

"I know," she chuckled. "Okay, I guess I'm gonna go now then," she spoke, tearing up again.

"I love you, baby. Drive safe aight? Call me when you get home," he kissed her again. Right after that her one tear finally fell, and he quickly wiped it for her.

"I love you, papa. I will, you drive safe tomorrow too, don't speed," she said sternly, getting her seatbelt on. "I'm gonna miss you," she said again.

"I'm gonna miss you too, mi amor. We'll see each other again before you know it okay? Besos," he tapped his lips and she smiled, leaning out her window to give him one.

He finally backed up from her window, waving at her so they would waste all their time standing around and saying bye. She waved at him too, blowing kisses at him until she finally drove off, and out of the parking lot.

Seven hours into her eight hour drive, Nayeli was exhausted. She left at 11:30 in the morning and it was now 6:30 in the evening. She ate all her snacks, drank all her water and listened to four playlists and she was nearly dead at this point.

She grabbed her phone and quickly FaceTimed Armani so he could keep her awake with conversation. Having nobody to talk to this entire time was making everything even worse.

"Hello?" he rasped through the phone, letting her know he just woke up.

"Hi babe," she cheesed, happy to hear his voice.

"Wassup mamí? You okay?" he sat up and stretched in his bed.

"I am, I'm just so sleepy babe, I feel like I'm about to fall asleep right now," she groaned.

"Damn, I'm sorry mamas. Here, sit up, because you look like you're slouching and that's not gonna help. Sit up straight," he instructed and she did so. "Good. You ate all your snacks didn't you?" he asked and she laughed, nodding.

"I only have these nasty sour skittles you keep in here," she scrunched her nose up looking at the unopened bag.

"You better eat em, because if you fall asleep I'm gon whoop your tail I promise you that," he said, making her laugh again. "You think I'm playing with you, Gianna, and I'm deadass" he chuckled.

"You're calling me Gianna now?! Wow okay, Keandre," she called him by his middle name back.

Luckily thanks to Armani, at 7:45, Nai pulled into her driveway very awake and alert.

"Okay I'm finally here, papa. I'll call you before I go to bed, thank you again, I probably would have been dead without you," she spoke dramatically.

"Okay, mamí, you're welcome " he chuckled. "Tell your mama I said hey. Te quiero," he spoke in Spanish making her heart flutter.

"Yo te quiero más," (I love you more) she grinned, making him smile as well. She spoke it so well, he loved hearing her talk back to him in Spanish.

After they hung up, Nai yawned loudly, grabbing her purse and her keys, heading to the front door.

She unlocked it and pushed it open, hearing the tv going loudly, making her smile hearing the princess and the frog playing, knowing Sarai was forcing everyone to watch her be Tiana.

She set her stuff down and crept into the family room to surprise everyone, since she technically wasn't supposed to be home for another half an hour. It was still the beginning of the movie, and Almost There was just starting to play. Sarai was in character in front of the tv, singing to Nadira.

"Mama," Sarai chuckled just like Tiana. "I don't have time for dancin'. That's just gonna have to wait a while," she sang, making her dad smile at her.

"Ain't got time for messin' around," Nayeli joined her, coming into everyone's full view, making all the kids jump up off the couch. "And it's not my style," she continued, watching her mom and dad's eyes get wide. Her brothers and sisters all attacked her in hugs, basically knocking her to the ground, where Polo and Dior also greeted her enthusiastically.

"Hi you guys! Y'all was watching my favorite movie without me huh?" she asked them, holding Sarai at her hip once she finally got up off the floor.

"I didn't know you were coming sissy!" she defended.

"We definitely told you your sister was coming home today," Gionni laughed. "All y'all move your stank butts, lemme say hi to my baby," he pushed all his kids out the way and grabbed Nai up in a a hug, instantly making her feel right back at home.

"Me next! Move Gionni," Nadira fussed, pushing at his side until he finally let her go, and she hugged Nai even tighter.

"Okay, mama me next please," Omari tapped her. He was already almost Nayeli's height and she was in shock.

"Bubby, you are so tall, oh my Lord, I can't take it, I just saw you on your birthday!" he was now 12 and almost 5'6 already. She knew he'd be a giant one day.

After she said her hellos to everyone, she was forced to sit on the couch with everyone else and watch Sarai flawlessly execute her role as princess Tiana, and she was so happy to be back.

The next evening, Armani was entering his house as well, sighing. He was excited to see his mom and his sisters but his dad was a completely different story.

"Hermanooo!" he heard loud yells coming at him, and next thing he knew he was on the floor.

"Do y'all have to be so damn violent," he chuckled, kissing their cheeks once they all got up off the floor. "I missed y'all," he grinned.

"I missed you too ugly!" Josefina hugged him around his waist.

"I missed you more," Camila said sweetly. Anyone could see how much these two adored their big brother. They fought and argued all the time but at the end of the day you could always catch Camila or Josefina or both chilling with him in his bed while they watched some cooking show.

"Where's mamá?" he looked around for her. She'd usually be at home, in the kitchen dancing to some music.

"She's on the phone with Tia Inez, outside," Camila sighed. "Her and papí been fighting a lot," she told him as they walked towards the back door.

"Fighting?" he stopped short. "Why didn't she say anything when I saw y'all?" he asked.

"Because the fighting started after you told him you weren't playing ball no more," Josefina said after a short silence. "She stood up for you, and it made him mad. Now, he just picks fights about any and everything Mani, it's so stupid," she sighed.

"You serious?" he asked, looking between them. They both nodded sadly. "Lemme catch him yelling and screaming in my mama face," he chuckled bitterly. They both knew Armani went up behind their mother, and the fact that he and their father weren't even on speaking term made it much easier for him to stand up for her.

It was going to be a long and very stressful summer.

*summer vacation song from high school musical plays in the background*

lol hey guys! how's everyone? i hope y'all having fun during the quarantine 💀

i hope you enjoyed this chapter! nayeli has successfully finished her freshman year at college WOOOP

their goodbye was just so precious 🥺

armani's home life sadly hasn't improved :/ how are we feeling about it?

leave me some thoughts! next chapter ill have a little more to say lol.

till next time ❤️

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net