In exactly an hour, Jaylan's and I sleepover starts and I haven't even finished packing for the night.

I scan the room, taking in the explosive, multicolor tissue paper, construction paper, scattered markers, glue... Oh, there are the scissors.

Heaviness fills my chest as I finish my last piece of Jaylan's away gift. I lick the envelope and scrunch up my face
at the glue on my tongue.

There are exactly two months' worth of duplicates of 'Open when you feel...' envelopes for my boyfriend on his NCAA journey. My hands hurt so bad from writing all those letters and instructions on what to do when he may feel in my absences.

I stayed up all night after he dropped me off from Hershey Park. And I made duplicates because, knowing my novio, he is very rotten to the core and doesn't listen to anything.

Like yesterday, he ate his candy bar before I could even tell him what plans I had for it. You bet your bottom dollar that I made him make another one.

I furrow my eyebrows, thinking how he thought he was so darn cute, licking his lower lip and getting the chocolate off his mouth.

I grab my phone sitting to the left of me and smile at the photo we took last night of him and I at the restaurant.

He's biting my cheek with his teeth but was gentle about it and no harm was taken in the photo. I wish he would just give me one nice photo, without the crossed eyes, the middle finger, picking my nose, or even like this biting my cheek instead of a simple kissing one.

My Novio can be so difficult sometimes.

A message pops up from my Mamá, making me swipe to clear. I just don't want to deal with her right now.

February is finally over.

Which means a lot of things for me and it's kind of overwhelming. I wish I could say I want to take one day at a time but it's going to be hard.

No one ever wants to experience their parents getting a divorce or actually happens.

You always think your family will stay together thick and thin but I guess not always.

I twist my lips as another message appears from Mamà.

I sigh, reading Mamá's text over and over again. Her words are just not affecting me like they used to. They don't warm me inside as much anymore.

Is it okay to feel angry?

Mamá💐💗: Mi dulce mija, te quiero mucho y solo quiero que sepas que estoy pensando en ti y que superaremos esto un día a la vez. Te amo por favor háblame cuando tengas tiempo. (My sweet daughter, I love you so much and I just want you to know I'm thinking of you and we will get through this one day at a time. I love you, please talk to me when you have time.)

My vision blurs up and I toss my phone to the side, making a crinkle sound where it lands. I wipe my eyes and take a big, deep breath.

"Tonight is about you," I softly say to myself looking at my body mirror. It's reflecting the disaster around me, like my life.

I can't believe Mamá and Papà are divorced.

I can't believe Mamá is no longer a Lucero... She went back to Ortega but Isabela said last night it's likely it could change to because Señor Ricardo asked her, Mateo, and Abuelo if he could have her hand in marriage but he didn't even ask me.

Isabela also told me that Papà took a trip to Yucatan just to get away with Señor Mathias.

I hope he is careful.

I thought yesterday would have been unbearable to get through but Jaylan helped in every way he could for me to get through it.

He is a true friend and companion. I understand now why all of his teammates adore him and worship him. His simple acts of kindness and love shows his selflessness, even when he tries to hide it.

I don't think I could have asked for anyone special to be more than Jaylan. Granted, Wilmer Vanderrama is still processing his loss and I told him in my dream that it's just not working out between us. He wished me a goodbye with a kiss, or tried to, until Jaylan tossed him aside, hoisted me up around his waist, and told me he no longer has my heart, sweet Elizabeth.

Yeah, it was my fault for catching up on Amor En La Calle trienta y tres last night. But the episode was sooo good. Valentina finally stood up to evil Valeria and kissed Juan right in front of him with so much fire and passion because they were so in love.

I sigh romantically, thinking about how Jaylan is still scared to take a step farther. Like last night, I climbed over the car console and straddled him, wanting that igniting friction like the time at the diner. I partially blame Naughty Lizzie for that but I couldn't take it anymore. He did that palm wheel thingy and I just burst into candy.

He did that sexy surprised laugh as our lips connected.  I even surprised myself I did that but I wanted the little Televenola episode out of my head if I didn't act. Otherwise, I would have said Dámelo, which means give it to me...

Yeah, I'm glad I didn't say that. I just would like to take one step farther. After our night of him touching my mangoes, I want more, I just don't know how to ask for it. Lexi and Maxine say it's easy but it's easy for them because they don't overthink like I do. I wince, thinking about the harsh pinch Lexi gave me about not comparing myself.

I'm just thankful Jaylan's not pushy and he has been patient with me. And for his patience, I just want to reward him in some way. I hope tonight gives him that push to open the door. I furrow my brows, looking at the navy blue gift bags with white glittered spec tissue paper that I kept from Galentine's Day.

He almost saw his other present but I shoved him out of the room before he went into dysrhythmia for seeing all the lingerie. I honestly don't know what he likes so I hope these three selections will be up to his liking. One is my personal favorite choice, one is Lexi's, and... the last one is Maxine's choice, which I think I might not do.

I crinkle my nose, thinking of the contraption and how to get it on. I want tonight to be perfect but am just also going with the flow to see what happens. I'm curious what transpires and see how hot we can make each other feel and learn what we both like and do not like.

Believe me, I'm intimidated by the lack of experience I have, well, none compared to Jaylan but he makes me feel so special, confident... sexy. He makes me feel beautiful every time, with my glasses and crazy bed hair. Lexi said I'll like everything, with hinted wiggling eyebrows. She was one step closer in drinking a whole box of wine with me but she just delayed it.

I shake my head in disappointment and shift my attention to my bedroom door that softly opens, which never happens.

"Lizzie, are you ready?" Max pokes her head in my room.

Oh, it must have been Marcus opening my door.

"Hi Marcus!" I beam.

He waves his hand out the door and Max smacks it away, coming in beaming giddily because she can't wait to hear what stories I have for tomorrow.

I furrow my eyebrows as she tosses my dice to me and I crinkle my nose. I am not sure if I actually want them back now because they're kind of stinky.

"Thanks Lizzie, we had so much fun with your games you invented," Marcus says from the door and Maxine shoots him back with a look and pointing out.

Marcus peeks in with a big smile and my smile relaxes because I forgot with Jaylan leaving, so will he and Max. I frown, staring at her looking in my mirror and checking herself out in a long, grey sweatshirt covering her body that's probably Marcus. She refuses to deny it's his but whatever.

There is no shame in stealing your boyfriend's clothes, I do it. Lexi does it. It's not a crime, I mean, I have about seven sweatshirts and five T-shirts, although now I expect that I have to give the most comfiest one back tonight.

I frown, looking at the black folded sweatshirt neatly placed by my belongings and his gifts.

"Stop looking at me like that," Max orders, waving her finger.

"Like what?" My eyes soften to mess with her.

"Like that... that! Lizzie, stop it," she squeaks.

"But I'm going to miss you." I poke my lower lip out and she grumbles, coming over to my bed. Kicking the tissue paper, one connects to her like a magnet.

"Stop it, Lizzie. It's just one month and a few days." She sits on my bed and crinkles at my messed up cutting of Jaylan and I's photo at 7-11.

"That's if-" I smirk, she slants her eyes at me for even speaking that to existence. I really hope she can come home earlier. She has enough trophies and trinkets. Why did she need to win another one?

Marcus laughs from the door, leaning on the door frame and folding his arms "Yeah Lizzie, she's a little too boastful lately."

"Max, we talk about being humble," I correct her and she rolls her eyes at me.

"Humble," Marcus repeats and I look at Marcus because he might have to get a chart too.

The only people who don't have one are, well, me, Stephen, and Jordy.

Although I did make Coach Tyree a sticker chart for Jaylan being on time because apparently he likes to be late. I got after him about it and he told me to take a chill pill!

He is lucky he is cute.

"Lizzie, do you want to walk to Jaylan's house?" she warns.

"No." I giggle, stand up from the ground, and hop right on the bed next to her, making the bed dip.

Maxine's eyes darken at me and she hugs me on the side. "I'm going to miss you too, butterball." She rubs her face next to mine, squishing my cheek.

"HEY, THAT'S MY NAME!" Marcus calls out from the living room.

Maxine furrows her brows and I giggle. "He is lying Lizzie, I would never call him that. Don't worry, you're my butterball."

"I'm not!" Marcus shouts.

"Marcus, I told you I had to give Lizzie a talk!" she shouts back.

"Maxine, I don't need the talk." I furrow my brows and get up from the bed.

"Oh, please oh please oh please!" she begs, holding on to my arm and stopping my feet.

I don't know how many times I told her I don't need the talk, she really will not let this go... I guess when Jaylan gets, well, a little bit more serious... like maybe for the night he wins.. Then yes, I'll ask but as of right now...She has to calm down.

"No," I say, moving it and walking through the millions of colorful tissue paper on the ground to put on his sweatshirt.

"At least let me talk to you about - Go, Marcus!" Max growls.

He laughs as he throws his head back and shakes it. After a few laughs, his eyes drop down to my bags. "You want me to take any of these to the car?"

"NO!" Maxine and I both say because I don't want Jaylan seeing any of his gifts.

"Alright, alright." He throws his hands up, walking out my room and shutting the door.

"Okay." Maxine bounces on my bed, with her eyes wider.

"Maxine, what do you want to say?"

"I mean, you want to talk about how magical you feel orgasming or-"

I shake my head, waving my hand at where this conversation is going and she pokes her lip out.

A loud sigh leaves me. "Fine, but make it PG thirteen."

"How about TV fourteen?" she bargains with a plea in her green eyes.

I sigh and she bounces up and down on my bed. I guess I've got to give her something because this is her favorite subject. She studies it better than her education. I told her to be a sex therapist but she just shot it down because she said sex is recreational not work.

Her voice fades in my ears as she goes on about circular motion and all about using the thumb or something but my brain is thinking back about our last girl's outing. After our spa day we took a trip to the naughty store, and it was like music to Maxine's ears.

I just wanted to look at their lingerie and pajamas because it was more uniquely, well-fitting for my body shape. While Maxine was too busy looking at some paddle boards and weird, weird things, Lexi took me to the side and talked to me about what feels good and what does not feel good but the key thing was to relax and don't over think when we are in the moment.

She says she wishes she was in my position with Stephen and the newness of how Jaylan is so gentle and slow with me. She says the best thing to do is communicate how you feel. She also told me foreplay is also just enough to satisfy each other. Just thinking about all the things she says Stephen does with her makes my cheeks warm.

As somebody turns up my hearing, Maxine Boston accent moves fully in tune.

"Don't worry just know go slow, the slower the better. I just want to say, tonight just let everything go with how you are feeling. Your body will know and your brain will tell you what you are ready for or not. This is all new for you... and new for him in a different way."

I shrug up my shoulders and Max pokes out her lip at me. "I told you his magic words would get to you."

I giggle, shaking my head and she pulls me into a hug. "I'm only telling you this because you're my butterball... but Marcus asked me to be his girlfriend and... I said I'll think about it."

I gasp with wide eyes and cover my mouth with my hands. She sinks her teeth in her lower lip because having a boyfriend is in her rulebook is a big NO but I think Marcus erased it.

"You'll think about it!" I speak through my hands loudly

"Shhhhhhh, yes but that means I have to delete all my-" Maxine looks down, probably a bit ashamed of her countless seven day a week events.

I nod even before she even said the word about the sneaky link.

"Even Tristian McCoyy." She sighs, falling back on the bed and squishing Conor.

"Hey!" I say, pulling him but she stops me.

"You know what Marcus said?" She holds on to Conor.

"What?" I grunt, trying to pull Conor out from dying of suffocation.

"He wants to meet Noelle," she softly says, fluttering her eyes closed.

I stumble a bit from the words and Maxine sits up, running her fingers through her hair. "He does?"

"He does, I showed him photos of her and he just fell in love with her without knowing her," she softly says, holding on to Conor, whose button eyes are welled up in tears.

Maxine NEVER shows photos of Noelle to just anyone. It took her forever just to show Lexi and I. It's not that she is ashamed of Noelle. I think it's just painful for her to admit she can't be with her or have her. She looks just like Maxine. The strawberry blonde hair, the green eyes, the freckles but thank goodness she is shy and quiet just like me.

That's why I'm her God mom, I was appointed to.

"I think that says a lot Maxine, it shows that you trust him," I admit

She fumbles her fingers into her hair. "I'm just scared it might be too good to be true, I mean look wh-"

"My cute NBA draft boyfriend said to me last night on the way back that dwelling on the past can affect your present with no change in your future. So let the past fade and the present take over."

Maxine rolls her eyes and looks at me. "I hate that he is right."

"Me too sometimes." I giggle.

I told Jaylan he should write a book but he laughed at me like it was some kind of joke and said I was cute. I mean, he isn't wrong but neither am I.

"How are you holding up anyways?" She shifts the conversation.

I blink, trying to get rid of the blurry vision and shut my eyes, letting Justin Bieber talk for me. Maxine clears her throat because, just like Jaylan, they want me to feel more than just one emotion instead of joy.

"I guess I'm alright, I don't really know how I feel." I look down at my monkey ankle socks.

"When my parents got a divorce, I was really angry. But my mom told me that it doesn't change our family dynamic, if there are two houses or one... I just wish my dad lived by that motto." She fiddles with her hand in her lap.

No parent is perfect but I hope one day our parents realize the seeds they plant bear so much fruit in our lives to the way we think, act, and live by.

I mean, if I think back to what Jaylan told me or the experiences I had with my parents, then I should be really angry, mean, hateful, and tearing people down. But Abuela told me that bitterness is the result of clinging onto negative experiences and we must cling onto what is good to be grateful of what we've been through to overcome those negative experiences.

I sigh, thinking about Mamà's text. I just need to find the right words to say before I say something that would ruin our relationship. It's rocky enough as it is.

"One day at a time," I softly say.

"One day at a time," she repeats. "Come, today let's get your clit attended to."

"MAXINE!"

━━━━━━━✿━━━━━━

"Jaylan, can't you pick another color!"

R&B music plays quietly in the background, with the sound of beads rattling in my arts and crafts box, courtesy of a monstrous tyrannosaur hand. The twinkle lights highlight Jaylan's smile magnifying his mischievousness right now. My Green Leafy King made a fort just like the ones you see on Pinterest with the twinkle lights and all the comfy blankets.

He even has Olivia nicely propped up, waiting for me, even though her button eyes were slightly homesick knowing she'll be away from me for a whole month or maybe less...... But it might be less because....... her Papi is misbehaving......

"Jaylan!!!" I grunt, moving the beads away from him.

Jaylan's cackles follow through his home as I furrow my eyebrows at him for taking all the shades of pink and shades of yellow beads for our boyfriend and girlfriend bracelets.

His laugh is well-deserved and it's from the heart. It's cute, hearty, joyful, and hopeful. I'll miss hearing his cackles but I won't miss.... the teasing.

He takes another bead from my pile, making me grunt. With a small leap over him, I try to get it back but fall right across his lap.

"Ohh, I like this." Jaylan's free hand rubs my conga drum.

"JAYLAN!" I shout, with giggles after.

He cackles, rubbing my butt as I try to get the bead that he switches to his other hand. I grumble and he taps my conga drum again, this time with more connection. My body jolts and he laughs. I turn up to face him and he bends down to kiss my forehead.

"Why can't you be nice?" I furrow my eyebrows.

"It's my last day." He releases a smirk and keeps threading his bracelet like he could do no wrong.

"You are lucky you are cute," I grumble because he's messing up my predetermined pattern..

He gasps with an open jaw and I giggle at him because I finally admitted it out loud. "That's the first time you called me beautiful."

"I didn't say all that. Don't be so crees muy muy (full of yourself)" I furrow my brows.

"Thanks for calling me sexy," he arrogantly says.

"I said, don't be so full of yourself" I adjust myself, straddling my legs around his waist.

He arches his brow and licks his lower lip at me. "Careful." He grins, kissing my finger.

"Can I have my bead back now?"

"Nope." He grins wider and laces the bracelet around my wrist. I uncrinkle my nose as he moves so gently with it and kisses my wrist, making the butterflies spin around and getting dizzy.

The warmth begins to grow between us, like the butterflies are preheating their ovens inside of me. My eyes observe his handsome features. His syrup brown eyes, full of adoration, get lost into mine. His beard is well-groomed to his jawline and his lips so full, making me want to kiss them. How can a six foot seven basketball player make me a bracelet?

"You are going to miss me." He kisses my nose and finishes tying my bracelet. It's actually really pretty how he has some sort of color organization with the light yellows, blue, green, and white.

"Yes." I breathlessly say.

"You know why I choose these colors?" He pulls me close to him and our bodies are so close, with no space in between.

He strokes my face as I look down. His close proximity really makes me feel warm inside, like the butterflies have a nice campfire going.

"Why?"

One of his large fingers taps each color, "Blue because blue means trustworthy and peaceful, green means you are very refreshing and natural to be around and very balanced, and the yelllowww means you bring joy. But this yellow I felt like it meant you are always optimistic about things. And the white, you're pure, innocent, and just all around good." He ends with a kiss on the side of my lips.

My eyes water up,"Jaylannnn."  That's the kindest thing he has ever done, despite him not sharing the yellow beads.

I dip my chin down and he cups it with two fingers. Our eyes greet each other and focus on each other "You make my heart warm, you know that?" his voice husks.

"You make my heart warm too." I sink my teeth in my lower lip and he leans in, kissing my lips at the end.

I smile how thoughtful he put in all this. And now everytime I look at his mismatched pattern, I will think of his words.

"You think that about me?" I place my hand on his shoulder close to me.

"Of course I do, babe," he says, with one lift up of his legs so we're sitting on the coach.

How did he do that?

My eyes flicker into his, the light honey mixed maple syrup he's been having on me since the skating rink. "You're my favorite person, you know that?"

Warmth spread across my chest at his raspy words making the butterflies snuggle on their sofa with their comfy blanket. I tilt my head on my shoulder and he cups my conga. "You hungry?"

"What did you make?" I beam, rubbing my hands together.

"Well, let's see what Door Dash has." He smiles.

"Jaylannnnn."

"Lizzieee," he whines. "I hate cooking. And you won't eat vegetables."

I tilt my body backwards, laughing and he pulls me back in, rocking me side to side. He pulls out his phone and slants his eyes for a second but shakes his head with a smile. "What do you want, baby?" He bites his lower lip.

"Mmhmmmm," I think for a moment.

"How about we get America's Best Wings?"

"Bet, same thing?"

Warmth spread across my chest the fact that he remembers what I like from there and I nod with a soft smile. "I guess we can open presents now."

"Oh boy." He rubs his hand together

"But not all of them," I warn.

"Babe, I'm just leaving for a month."

I ignore his complaint and swing off his body. I skip over to the teal bag because the navy blue ones are upstairs, where I hid them in his bathroom cabinet.

He obviously hasn't forgotten them though. "Hey, what about those bags upstairs?"

"Oh, those are for, umm later." I giggle and he arches his brown and acts like he's getting up. "JAYLAN!"

"Shhhh, the whole neighborhood is going to hear."

I grunt, going over to him and plop right on the sofa. Bouncing, he cracks up. I'm not sure why.

I place his bag in his lap and he arches his brow and digs in. I sink my teeth in my lower lip when he pulls out the full stack of letters I wrote to him as soon as he told me he wanted the sleepover to be on the night before he leaves. Each letter expresses when he feels something. Some envelopes have special days that I know he will have to celebrate and I have instructions on how to do them.

He holds up 'When you need to laugh.' I knew he was going to open that one. He opens the colorful envelope with the goofy glasses I drew and takes out the confetti pieces that fall out the envelope. I giggle because it got on his lap, so now his legs are all glittery.

He sucks his teeth playfully and kisses my cheek. He looks down and begins to read the letter I wrote for him whenever he feels like he can't laugh. I notice his eyes get glossy and as he holds me to him reading silently. He softly kisses my cheek again and holds up the polaroid photo of me crossing my eyes with my glasses.

"Thank you, Squeaker." He clears his throat.

"You're welcome. The letters are when you feel something like when you're mad... or sad... or even miss me," I softly say and his eyes lighten up like honey.

"You wrote all these?" he says, astonished as his eyes roam over the whole pile.

"Every night... Before I went to bed," I humbly admit.

"Squeakerrrr," he teases and warmth spreads across my cheeks. "You are too kind to me, you know that?"

"Do you like it?" I sink my teeth in my lower lip.

He smirks. "I like it enough to open all of them on the bus."

"Jaylannn!"

His smirk widens and he looks at me again with those lightened brown eyes "I'm kidding but yes Lizzie, I can't wait to open them because it will make me feel like you are with me."

Silence fills the room but the warmth between us grows stronger as our arms touch each other. I look away and he laughs, softly wrapping his arms around me. I slowly pull out the Nike box and he arches his brow at me. I wave my hand to knock off his nonsense.

I like Jaylan but not enough to buy him brand new Nikes. I'm on a nursing student budget, despite my last purchase for my new belly ring on Etsy... What? I couldn't resist. Plus, good lingerie is not cheap either.

He opens the box, revealing all the fun gag gifts like fuzzy banana socks that he said he would be the only thing he wore. The box has photos of us, quotes about how I miss him and he is my favorite person.

Because, well he is.

"Sap queen, you are killing me." He holds up a keychain of a half puzzle piece and I have the other.

I giggle and he kisses my cheek again but more sloppily, making me crinkle my nose at the wetness. He points at one photo of me at Virginia Beach, making me giggle and he arches his brow.

"Keeper." He takes the photo off playfully and sticks it in his pocket. I playfully smack his chest.

"Alright mine turn!" Jaylan leaps up from the sofa and he ducks out from under our fort.

"DON'T go upstairs!" I remind him.

"I'm not not not." He waves and I giggle as he steps on the stairs loudly.

"JAYLAN!"

"Elizabeth, chill ouutttt." He laughs.

Does anybody else's boyfriend likes to tease? Because I think he does just so I get after him. I hear him rattle something, making me extra excited when he ducks down under the fort and smirks with a Toy Story gift bag. And he said that was for Malachi because he was leaving soon to go back to his mom, who is being released from prison.

I feel so bad for Malachi but Jaylan's aunt and uncle really did a good job building a relationship with his mom to make sure their family unit isn't broken.

"Seeeeee?" He dangles it in my face.

I giggle and he plops it on my lap. "Is it something with Woody?"

"No." He lays on his stomach and looks at his phone. "Food will be here in twenty minutes"

I nod and push my bag first but he pushes his first. I giggle at him just being silly right now. I remove the tissue paper and pull out the first wrapped gift. I arch my brown, open it slowly, and gasp. When I look at him, he grins.

I'm just going to fall into pieces.

Jaylan just got me a Spotify keychain of our favorite song with the Slurpee photo. We were listening to NeYo on Spotify because he said that out of all R&B singers he can tolerate, it's him.

"Here look." He scans his phone and it begins to play on his Alexa.

"Jaylannn." I crinkle my nose and kiss his cheek, getting a little beard hair in my mouth. He cackles and gives me a sloppy one back.

While Neyo keeps playing, he clears his throat as I pull out my next present, a slightly bigger one. I shake it to be funny and he presses his lips. I unwrap it and poke out my lip. I thumb over all the photos he took of me, only embarrassing ones at that, that are all over the box.

I open the lid and there are fuzzy striped socks, a mug that says, 'I'll miss you to the moon and back' and lots and lots of candy. He really put this all together?

"Jaylan," I softly say, putting my hand on his face.

No matter what he says, he is a sap and so sentimental. I love that about him. He snuggles up next to me and kisses my face softly. "I'm going to miss you, Squeaker."

"I'm going to miss you too, Rabbit," I say softly, although probably not that nickname. "Thank you for all of this."

"You're welcome." He taps his lips with one finger. "There is a kissing fee though."

I giggle as I lean in to kiss him but the doorbell rings and he groans, quickly pecking my lips. The butterflies in my tummy are expanding in my belly, to the edges, all ready to burst out. I get off the coach and come out of the fort to see Jaylan closing the door.

Before he walks a single step, he's eating some fries. "Jaylan."

He swallows and grins. "What?"

━━━━━━━✿━━━━━━

"You got a little somethin..." Jaylan playfully touches my chin, making me furrow my eyebrows at him. "Right here."

I fling a few drops of water at him and he flings some back like a whale jumping back into the ocean with his big hand.

"JAYLAN!"

He cackles loudly, poking out his lip at me. He softly connects his lips on my eyebrows and his hand right on my conga drum.

From playing freeze dance, Uno Flip, which ended up in a big argument and me putting Jaylan in a head lock for him switching to neon, to stuffing our faces with all kinds of junk food, watching old home videos of him and Jordy in high school, to watching his favorite movie Big Momma's House, we're currently having a full blown soap war washing dishes that Jordy forgot to clean before he left for the evening.

I say this sleepover has actually been a success so far. Jaylan and Jordy were really bad boys, putting soap in Uncle Steve's hot tub on vacation and - Ugh, I've got suds in my mangoes.

I furrow my brows as Jaylan grins big at my soapy mangoes and I plop a good bit of soap right in his beard. The bubbles crackle softly as a few pop.

"That'll teach you!" I laugh, but a burst of water streams down my mangoes, making Jaylan take off running with his big, loud dinosaur feet.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU!" I run after him.

He goes straight upstairs, thinking he is slick because I yawned while we were washing dishes. He asked if I was boring him and I said no, yawning again because he knows I don't stay up past nine thirty. I have to get my nursing beauty sleep. He gasped, making the opportunity to splash water right into the middle of my mangoes in my tank top.

It got hot inside and his eyes got so dark, I thought he was getting sick. I make it halfway up the stairs when he grabs my waist like a maniac, making me squeal loudly.

"I got you now!" He flips me upside down, making me laugh uncontrollably.

"Jaylan, my mangoes! They're falling out," I gasp, holding my tank against my chest.

He laughs, opening the door. Seeing the twinkle lights turned on makes my heart warm. He kept saying he would take them down after Valentine's Day. He has a cute, little romantic set up with a bottle of wine, my favorite too, and -

Wait a minute, is that fruit! Is that strawberries?

The bed dips down as I land down, bouncing up a bit.

"I know you have games," he teases.

"Jaylan, I don't know what you're talking about." I giggle, as he crawls on the bed like a cat.

He drags my legs down and I do a rescue roll out of his cage.

"Why is there fruit up here?" I point and he smirks, tossing a melon dew in his mouth.

"Because you are going to try some."

"Don't be loco, Jaylan." I shake my head, looking over my shoulder with his gift bag in my hand.

"Well, this is my game, see what Lizzie likes the most." He bites into a strawberry, making my throat dry.

I furrow my brows as he smirks, biting down and letting the juices flow over his lips.

"Come on, play with me." He pats the bed and I sink my teeth in my lower lip, putting the bags down.

He plays some soft R&B music in the background and it makes the butterflies in my tummy slow dance around. "Alright, I'm going to blind-"

My head shakes so fast that my eyes blur. "No no no no no."

"Lizzie," he chuckles quietly. "You didn't let me finish."

I crinkle my nose because when I think of blindfolding, I think about Christian covering Anastasia's eyes and, well... You know how that went.

"It's going to be a guessing game of what you like better."

"Jaylan, do you want me to gag?"

He throws his head back and laughs loudly, holding his hand over his heart like I said something so comical but I'm serious. Does he want me to gag on the fruit?

"Babe, come on," he chides like he doesn't believe I'll puke on his bed.

I twist my lips and he hands me a black cloth. The soft silk brushes over my fingers and I look down at all the types of fruit on the tray.

"Let me tie it," he offers.

I shift my body and he ties it where I can literally see nothing but darkness. I panic, grabbing his wrist and touching his watch by accident.

"Relax, relax," he softly cackles.

"Is this really a real game?" I huff quietly because it feels like low grade torture.

"It is," he rasps, softly kissing my lips. The warm and softness as his lips move over mine relaxes my shoulders.

When he pulls back, I nibble my lip and take a soft breath at the heat between us.

The bed dips a bit as he scoots closer to me. "Ready?"

"No." I crinkle my nose and he laughs softly.

"Alright, here." He smoothes a sweet but watery substance by my mouth. "Bite it."

I sigh and take a soft bite, earning myself a squish on my tongue that makes me want to spit it out right away. But Jaylan also softly groans and I giggle as some of the juices drips down my lips. Taste-wise, it's sweet like citrus but with a slightly tangy aftertaste, but the tiny bumps between the squishes wrinkles my nose. "Is that kiwi?"

"How did you know that?" Jaylan asks with a slight rasp in his voice as his rough thumb strokes over my lower lip.

"Because of the yucky amount of seeds," I admit, wishing I had a napkin I could run over my tongue.

He laughs. "True, I hate kiwi. Alright, here."

He places another fruit by my face and my nose crinkles because I know exactly it is from the tart smell and dry, bumpy texture. "EW! Jaylan, don't make me..."

My protest is too late. While speaking, I bite down into a raspberry, making my stomach clench and I cough. He cackles hard and I gag a bit more, only making him laugh harder.

"Eww Jaylan." I stick out my tongue, trying to scratch it off with my nails.

"Alright, alright here." He wipes my hands, then hands me a glass. I take a sip of the smooth tasting Sutterhouse Moscato wine. Can't this count as fruit?

I swish some in my mouth and then swallow. "Never do that again."

A small whimper trembles my lips when he takes my wine glass and continues, "Next option."

"Jaylaa -" I start when he stuffs a harder, fibrous, tropical-citrus option onto my tongue. The acidity burns slightly into my taste buds but it's marginally tolerable.

"Pineapple," I croak out, chewing it and bursting the flavor into my mouth.

His warm breath fans over my ear with his deep voice. "So, you like it?"

"I wouldn't go that far," I admit, earning me more hearty laughs that vibrate the side of my neck. He chases his laughs with a soft kiss into my neck, tingling my skin with a few goosebumps.

He's lucky I like that.

"There has to be one here..." Jaylan mumbles, then proceeds through option after option that tests my patience. Not even the kisses he traces on my neck in between tastes, making my heart beat faster and veins pulse, are enough. This is why I don't need a behavior chart.

Soggy, wet, and mild watermelon I spit right back into Jaylan's hand, along with honeydew and cantaloupe. Both were improvements in the texture department over watermelon but the bitter taste put them right into the same yuck pile.

Small, round, hard, and slightly bitter blueberries were tolerable except Jaylan pours a handful into my mouth when I mention it's not bad, ruining that moment.

Another small whimper leaves me when he rubs a smooth, dimpled fruit over my closed lips. Even with the sweet, tangy smell, I know it's a strawberry but I'm not opening up on this one. "You should have covered it in chocolate."

Jaylan laughs, lifting the blindfold off my eyes and I squint from my eyes adjusting to the lights. "You had fun, didn't you?"

I take the strawberry he's holding and bring it to his lips, ignoring his question. I like seeing him eat it but he shakes his head.

"Eat it with me." He grins smugly. I crinkle my nose but the butterflies kick my stomach to quit it. He wraps his arm around me and sticks the cut strawberry partially in his mouth. I lean forward and he bites the end, making the other part fall onto my lips. Before I slip it in, he pushes it by kissing my lips.

Jaylan chuckles, licking his lower lip and making the butterflies go straight down to my ovaries. "I think I won the first game."

"Not a chance." I grin smugly and go over to the navy blue bags and right into his bathroom, closing the door.

My heart races as I see the bags' contents waiting for me, but I'm all in at this point.

Edited and spiced by still_just_me.