I miss Jaylan. It's too quiet.

I dunk my Oreo in my speckled Oreo milk. Biting down the mush cookie, I stare at the cartoon drawing he made of us on last month's calendar of Candle Day.

It's National Oreo Cookie Day... And Jaylan is not here to celebrate it with me.

I frown, twisting apart the Oreo eating the cream and cookie side first and cookie only side last.  If Jaylan were here, I would have made him try all 85 flavors or at least  as many of the flavors I could find. I actually hid most of them in my secret box so Maxine or Lexi wouldn't throw them out.

Taking a Peanut Butter Oreo, I pop it in my mouth as I write down a key intervention for stroke patients.

Hopefully, he will follow my instructions tonight about the Oreos that are needed for our virtual date. I guess we will have to do it in person next year but, thankfully, we will be celebrating at nine tonight and boy do I have a surprise for him. 

I smirk, shifting my gaze to my naughty store purchases. Lexi and I went shopping yesterday for her and Stephen... He is going to like her purple choice that I picked. She is actually going to do a fashion show for him too. According to my new favorite resource, Cosmopolitan magazine, spicing up long distance relationships enhances bedroom intimacy.

I know, I know... I shouldn't be reading that to Naughty Lizzie but since leaving off with Jaylan the way we did Tuesday night, my mind has been on what more could we  do or what can we do while apart.... And I also think about what I want the night we meet again will be like. What would it be like to... Have an actual telenovela steamy credit rolling scene. 

Knowing Jaylan, he will probably collapse and fall right to bed, like an old man snoring loudly in my ear. I even miss sleeping with his trachea crushing arms but it's been nice to breathe normally and sleep upside down with my feet by my pillows and my body at the edge of the bed.

I miss that.

Snickering, I lick the cream of another Oreo this time red velvet thinking how he would collapse right onto his hotel bed on top of Olivia.

Oh, Olivia has told me a lot... She said her Papi has been staying up late with Jordy and she can't sleep with them giggling. I told her if she wants to come home then she can and then her Papi said not a chance, squeezing her too tight, drooling on her while she is trying to sleep.

I miss him.

I didn't realize how much I did miss him but him not being here has been almost as equivalent for him being here with all the pranks, nicknames, and nonsense he has sneakily put together.

Like Thursday morning, when they got to Indiana around ten in the morning, he said he already lost the first aid kit that I worked so hard on. It made me cry because everything was neatly placed incase of emergencies. I guess Jaylan felt bad and it showed on the screen because he VEMOd me money for some candy after that. I got a new bag of gummy bears and... They are almost gone.

Taking another sip of my milk with my crazy straw, I think about Jaylan's increased antics on Friday. I decided to stop by his house and clean up the house using my superior cleaning products. Plus, I still couldn't find my missing blue underwear in my nightgown set. When Jaylan threw them, they like disappeared but I found them stuck behind his lampshade.

My face grows warm thinking about that night over and over again lately. How he reveal my nightie like a curtain to see the prize underneath. I will never forget his prickly touch against my skin and I miss it so much.

Twisting my lips I sigh, missing how he strokes my face admiring my dimples and round cheeks.

The guys are hidden messy boys but you would never know it. They use weird cleaning products and keep leftovers for more than four days. I threw out all their vegetables because, well, there's no sense of having anything in the refrigerator since they will be gone for a month and half.

I tossed out their yucky Pine Sol and used Fabuloso and Pinalen until every whiff of boystink was gone. I was mid-dancing while cleaning the kitchen when Jaylan screamed in his RING device! I spilled the mop bucket all over the floor but it was really shiny after I was done.

Saturday I thought I was Jaylan prank-free until he told me he had a surprise in his car trunk. Of course I like gift surprises, so I open it and it's his cutout from the locker room on Senior Night. I actually like it and it's a perfect bedroom decoration.

Smiling at his tough face photo and biceps flexing from folding his tattooed arms, I bite into my cookie. Even when he isn't really here, he is still distracting.

Sighing dreamily, I flip to the next page in my textbook. Even with the pages decorated with Oreo crumbs, I keep reading about keeping the body homeostasis after your patient has a stroke.

I can't believe Jaylan and Maxine have been gone for six days. It's been extra hard not having Maxine here. No whole thirty meals, night walks for exercise  and no stinky vegetables in our fridge either. Lexi and I sit in the living room at night, watching YouTube and drinking wine out of her box for the equivalent of exercise. I haven't been yelled at from finding candy wrappers everywhere or staying out later past curfew... on second thought... no, I miss Maxine...

Swiping some of the Oreo crumbs off my page, I see my phone flash through my do not disturb messages and it's my Novio's final score. 

88 Maryland - 58 Michigan State

He and the guys have been working hard everyday since they left Wednesday and Coach T has been saying the behavior charts have been a success. I knew it would.

Smiling, I grab my phone quickly and swipe to type on my phone.

Me: Told you 100% chance of the sports weather winning! I'm Proud of you! 🤗❤️

Pressing send, it's immediately read and grey dots pop up immediately for a couple seconds. A photo of Jaylan crossing his eyes with sweat beating down his face with Jordy behind him makes me smile softly.

Mi Novio💕: Can't wait to eat my Oreos with you that I already ate :P

Mi Novio💕: [ Photo ]

My smile turns into a soft giggle when his next photo is his sweaty, veiny hand, fingers holding an open package of Oreos from what looks like inside a locker room.

Giant Jokester also sends me a lot of hand selfies. Holding his toothbrush, trimming his beard, grasping a basketball, even eating broccoli... I deleted that one.

Don't get me started on the one he sent of his tattooed hand sliding down his eight abs while at the gym.

At first, I deleted all of them. But, after a while, I made a personal album on my phone just to look at before I go to bed. Each one makes me remember how magical they made me feel and took me to Candyland.

I want to go there again.

Shaking my head at his nonsense, I sink my teeth in my lower and click on the camera. A look at my face after studying for four hours.... Oh my, I need to freshen up, it looks like I've been underground for three years called nursing school. I wipe the corner of my mouth with Oreo crumbs, take another cookie, and bite into it, trying to look cute.

Me: Beat you to it

Me: [Photo]

Not even three seconds later, he hearts my photo and grey dots appear. Warmth spreads across my chest because Jaylan always makes me feel confident in any photo I've taken. The same warmth, like the butterflies are cooking fresh baked oven cookies, stirs in my tummy from thinking about how Jaylan is staring at my photo just like when he looks at me... Naked...

I still can't believe he saw me naked. In the moment of my high, I wasn't thinking but at the same time the most vulnerable part of us I felt made us closer. Even though we didn't have... sex, I still feel like what we did is special and it means a lot to me. I'm glad he hasn't brought it up or teased me about seeing me naked either and it just feels like he respects me and holds integrity to our intimacy.

Dipping my Oreo cookie in milk, I highlight a few more sentences I know Professor Khan is going to be asking next Wednesday. I wish Jaylan was here to read to me... He makes it sound so funny when he crinkles his nose about how to do small procedures. He isn't really a fan of chest tubes...

Snickering, I sink my teeth in my lower lip as the butterflies sigh, thinking of how much commotion he has been making for them with the sweet, well, sorta sweet, text messages in the morning and throughout the day. Like this morning, he called me Mangoesaurus and asked if I knocked down everybody with my mangoes.

Drawing a heart and writing Jaylan's name on a scrap piece of paper, I think about our conversation last night. I really miss him, so I slept at his house. He told me it was okay if I slept in his bed, smelled his pillow, and ate any bacon Marcus left behind. Before I responded, he sent me a picture of Olivia in a headlock and said he wished it was me.

He is... rotten.

Shaking my head with a smile, I write some notes in my spiral notebook on stroke protocol, exemplar, and the nursing care for stroke patients.

I can't wait for spring break.

Drinking down the rest of my Oreo milk, I swallow hard at the words in my textbook.

Stroke risk was 44 times higher than normal for 30 days after a myocardial infarction. Stroke risk eased after the passage of time, but stayed above normal for three years after myocardial infarction. People who suffered strokes after myocardial infarction are particularly likely to d-.

Shifting my blurry eyes quickly, I write some notes down about assessments for stroke patients. Papà has been so blessed right now, but I truly believe my prayers have been heard about this health. The Hand Selfie King has kept me distracted the last couple days and I've been more involved with Jaylan to even think about others.

Papà has been in Yucatán for almost a week now with his friends working, drinking, fishing, and smoking. I guess he can do that right now, considering everything going on with him and Mamà. I just wish he found other ways to have an outlet besides that. I mean, I even sent money for nicotine patches and medication for his blood pressure but he probably used it for this trip and more cigarettes. I wish I could just be there for one day to tell him to maybe adhere to my words, that I need him for my future despite him and Mamà being divorce.

Isabela has been calling nonstop, not that I mind but it's just getting a bit overwhelming when I can't do anything or change Mamà's heart. The family dynamic is getting slightly worse at home now. Isabela told me Mateo is trying to leave early to come to America and he even got other scholarship offers from Florida State and Florida University.

That news is great but it makes me worried because wherever he goes, I go and those are very different locations. He says I don't have to but I want to... I don't want him to experience what I've been through, being alone and not having anyone to celebrate the holidays with. Mateo doesn't realize when you are by yourself and English isn't your first language, just... people treat you differently. He hasn't experienced that yet and I worry about him because he has a short fuse.

Mateo and Isabela have been getting into more arguments. It's common for siblings but it's more intense because Isabela wants him to be on our side but Mateo just doesn't want to deal with the divorce anymore. He has gotten very silent, with all family members.

I understand and sympathize with how has been through the depth of it and I'm sure in some way he is just ready for a change like me. But I wish he would be there to support Izzy at least until he leaves. Mateo instead has been staying out later with his friends, which worries me because some kids in our neighborhood are mixed up with a bad crowd. 

It's a mess at home.

I just wish Mamà would open her eyes at what's going on but she is so love spelled over Señor Ricardo. Things like this I wish I could talk to Jaylan about but I don't want to put too much on him when he has so much going on with basketball, I... I don't want to burden him much with it.

Neatly writing a stroke acronym, my attention is drawn to my phone again at my Rotten egg.

Spinning in my computer chair, I sink my teeth in my lower lip and swipe to see his message.

Mi Novio 💕: Missed a spot on the corner of your lips cookie monster.

Furrowing my brows, I spin my chair to look at my mirror and squint to see what he is talking about. I didn't miss a spot... He needs glasses, size extra-large for his big head.

Placing my phone down, I keep writing interventions. I know Professor Khan will sure have test questions about when my eyes catch sight of my IV cartoon by Spencer. I know I should move on but when you have shared some things with someone you barely know, it gets to you.

I know Spencer and I have been friends and nothing more but as a friend I would think he would say something, anything, just to you know... check in or apologize for assuming things but it's been nothing but grey space. Lexi said on our drive home from the guys leaving that sometimes guy friends get weird when you are in a relationship.

But Spencer doesn't like me, so I don't understand why a close friend would ghost me like that. If anything, he was always fond of and flirted with Carly, so I thought our friendship was just the basic level. We share our major and drive to be nurses, suffer under the same workload stress levels, and work on projects together.

That's it...

I stand up, stretching big and wide because my conga drum has been glued to four hours of nursing material, making my mind spin like a merry go around. I can't wait to actually just not study my life away and enjoy it. With four strides, I belly flop on my bed, dipping it down and bouncing Conor and Fredrick high in the air. I giggle and snuggle up to them, my original cuddle buddies.

Looking at Fredrick's bandaged arm I practiced on for doing an IV, my door flies open with Lexi holding up two types of the same jean jacket with ripped shredded in the back. She frantically looks in the mirror, back at me, turns again, and looks at me. Lexi has been in a panic all evening about last minute packing I might I add.. Partially my fault I don't want her to go.

I have noticed something has been weighing down on her lately, especially how she drank four glasses of wine on our virtual walking tour before bed. Or how her tone of voice is different every time Stephen has called her in the middle of the night. He probably misses Lexi the way Jaylan misses me. She's been very quiet but I know she is thinking deeply when her nose crinkles softly.

"Okay... Which one says my boyfriend is super hot, plays basketball, and I'm hot too and I'm a travel blogger... " Her words scramble, making my head rattle as she holds up both weighing them like a balance scale.

I twist my lips and point with Fredrick's arm to the left because that's my jean jacket on the right. "I figured you would." She playfully throws both on my bed and goes straight to my closet. Softening my eyes at her, she gives me a Lizzie look and I giggle. "Stop looking like an abandoned dog from the ASPCA commercials."

I giggle and keep doing it with my lip poking out when she throws my pearl mesh black shirt I have yet to wear.  "So, do you know when you have to go to the airport?"

"Tuesday at eight sharp in the morning." She throws my burnt orange mock neck tank top on my head.

Taking the tank top off my head. "Can you pretend you don't feel good?"

"Lizzie... This is a big deal for me, especially my writings. You know this, it's my passion. I love it, traveling, I can't wait to go to Indianapolis for a night with Stephen," she gushes, holding my brown butterfly sleeve top.

She is lucky to get to see him. I wish I could fit in her bag but I don't fit. I tried but she has too many clothes for four days.

"Lexi, don't you think you are packing too much?" I ask genuinely, watching her pull options out of my closet.

"I mean, it's always that you never know the situation... plus... I'm well... I'm meeting with one of the stewards in my Emirates class downtown. She lives there," she sheepishly admits, adding one more top to the ten she has on her arm.

"You already know who is in your class?"

She nods. "I mean, it is twenty of us and honestly, we are the only few Black girls applying, and got to stick together," she chimes.

I nod too and my heart sinks a bit, knowing this is something huge for Lexi but she is already getting the process started for the future. Even Maxine has been looking for townhomes in Boston because she can't wait to get out of this dirty campus. 

Their set plans just leave me wondering if they realize we will be apart. I haven't thought about what that could be like, considering I don't know what Mateo is doing and I'm still waiting to hear back about my green card.

"What is her name?" I puzzle.

"Her name is Hannah," Lexi smiles. "She is pretty cool, she reminds me almost of a mixture of Maxine and you but more Maxine."

"Oh my." I giggle, thinking there are more Maxine's in this world and I'm not sure how that could even happen.

"It's so... quiet with her gone." Lexi's lips spread into a sly grin.

"Yeah... Maybe we should call her." I beam.

Lexi bounces, dips the bed, and takes her phone out. Her shoulders slump a bit when her eyes move side to side reading a text message. She sighs, shaking off her sadness, presses a button, and begins to call Maxine.

A gruff echoes through my room, making us both giggle and I sink my teeth. "Yes?"

"Maxine, that's now how you answer the phone" I scold, peeping in the camera.

She looks so pretty with her makeup and her hair in soft curls. She has on this off the shoulder, cream top with her coconuts boosted up. Her chest freckles, as she likes to call them, are glistening with glitter.

"Where are you going?" Lexi arches her brow, inspecting Maxine's background.

"She's goin out with her man!" Her teammate Laliah teases in the background.

Lexi and I snicker making, Maxine roll her eyes. "Anyway," she lips, ignoring our giggles. "What have you two brats been up to today?"

"Studying- Packing," Lexi and I say together.

Maxine presses her lips at the both of us and Lexi now rolls her eyes. "Do you have my leather jacket, Max? I can't find it anywhere."

"You mean my leather jacket," Max reminds.

Bouncing my shoulders, I try holding back my snickers as Lexi grits her teeth. "Anyway, we're calling to say we missed you."

"Mmhm, I'm sure," Max replies dryly and gives us an unconvinced look. "Lizzie, I hope you know Jaylan's been telling me how much sugar you have been consuming. Don't be crying to us when you have a belly ache."

Furrowing my brows, I shake my head. "He is exaggerating."

"Does a big pound of gummy bears ring a bell?" She arches her brow.

He has such a big mouth, a soft, sexy kissable mouth.

"He forgot to mention he made me cry" I whine.

Maxine presses her lips at me and Lexi snickers, bumping her shoulder into mine.

"I do have to share something with you two." Maxine holds her phone close up and whispers.

Lexi and I lean into her phone. Up close, Maxine eyes are slightly pooled up. She walks inside her hotel bathroom, closes the door, and slides her back down it. Lexi's eyes fill with the same concern that rises in my chest as we share a look.

"What's up?" Lexi clears her throat.

"I...I invited Chris to bring Noelle for my game." her voice cracks softly.

"You did!?" I say astonished.

Her head nods but the tears build in her eyes. "Yeah, I... My brother Tyler and my brother in law will be there so I just wanted her to come see me play. And this is my weekend so-" she tries to defend her actions.

"Max... you don't have to explain to us," Lexi says gently. "She is YOUR daughter and Chris is going to have to get used to coparenting with you, especially when you get out of school."

Nodding in agreement, I add my support, "And he is going to have to accept that he isn't the only person in her life."

Maxine twists her lips and a few tears escape from her green eyes, which light up like fresh grass in the spring.

"It will also be Marcus' first time meeting her," she quietly admits, tucking her chin down. "I'm actually pretty nervous."

"You have every right to be," Lexi says.

"Do you think it's too soon?" she questions

"Too soon for what?" I ask.

"You know... Marcus meeting Chris and Noelle." She flickers her eyes back and forth between us.

"If Marcus is going to be in your life like he is now, I think it is a good time. You know, graduation is coming up and you never know what happens next," I admit truthfully, even though I am still struggling there myself.

"I am not becoming a basketball wife like you." Maxine cringes.

We all giggle together and my face warms up to even think Jaylan and I are even close to that step.

"Well.. I think it's a good time like Lizzie said because I think it's time for everyone to see the real Maxine," Lexi answers honestly. "Bringing together the people you care about is good for you too."

"Why are you two so mushy and gushy?" Maxine rolls her eyes and stands up from the floor.

"Because we love you." I beam.

"Right..." She slants her eyes. "Don't forget to exercise this evening, I haven't forgotten."

Lexi and I look at each other and smile then back at her. "We have been walking through Paris and Athens it's been great!" Lexi laughs, shaking my shoulders from holding back my giggles.

A loud groan leaves Max. "You two are just-"

"Loveable!" I beam.

"Kind," Lexy chimes.

"Amazing!" I sing.

Maxine presses her lips at the both of us. "Just because I'm gone now, doesn't mean we won't pick back up when I get back."

"Whatever, hoe, I'll see you when I get there," Lexi teases. "Enjoy your date with your man. And wrap it before you tap it, unless you want to give Noelle another sibling."

Maxine flips her off and I furrow my brows at her gesture when Maxine ends the call. Lexi snickers, throwing her phone on the bed.

"I wish you could come, Pookie." Lexi pokes her lip out at me.

Dipping my chin down, I tug on to Fredrick for comfort. "It will be okay. I know you will have fun, especially with meeting your friend Hannah"

She sighs. "Doing this will make me more excited and... I'll tell Stephen." Her smile fades and shoulders drop.

I gasp softly because I thought she already did this and I don't think right now would be a good time to tell him.

"I know I know I know..." she frets. "I was going to tell him Senior Night but.. I just didn't want his mom getting the wrong impression."

My teeth sink into my lower lip because even though the team has been gone for six days, I've seen the toll the continuous two-and-a-half hour games are taking on Jaylan. He's more easily tired. "Can't... Can't you tell him after?"

"I mean I guess you're right, but... I want to do it now... I have held off for too long and maybe it will settle some things out."

"I think you should tell him after Lexi..." I reply softly. "I mean, he's so focused."

She slumps her shoulders down and looks at me with softening eyes. They weigh with so much sadness and guilt that I freeze in my seat. "Lizzie.... I.. I think I want to break up with him."

Coughing on the cookie crumbs left in my throat, she looks at me with concern and chews on her lower lip. "Why?" I clear my throat.

"I love Stephen, I do.... I really do but..... I don't know if it's going to work with flight attendant school... And him starting his business. And I don't even know if I'm going home... And..." Her eyes start to well up and I reach over to her as she gasps softly and wipes her eyes. "Lizzie, I don't know what to do."

"The Pros and Cons list," I remind and she nods.

Anytime we have a conflict in the Jacaro household we do a pros and cons list. Last time we did this, Maxine had an actual PowerPoint explaining why she thought she and Christopher should get back together after the Poconos for the sake of Noelle... and, well, he had a lot of cons so I'm glad we voted as a house to let that be.

"But what if there are a lot of cons?" she whispers.

Selfishly, I want to tell her not to do it, for Jaylan's sake but if Lexi's really feeling this way then I don't want her to feel trapped either. "Do what you feel is best, but also think how you do it."

"You are right, I just... Stephen and I are good for each other but we both see how we are bad for each other," she rasps.

I try to restrain my eyes from widening at her confession because, from the outside, Lexi and Stephen always seem so happy and in love. Granted, they have only been together for two months but it just felt like they were meant to be.

Realizing she is still looking at me for an answer, I softly offer, "Just think it over before you make any decisions, and plus Maxine's up there, so... you have her support in anything."

"Which is scary, you know how she feels," she says a little bitterly.

I wave my hands at that. "You know how much Maxine cares and you know she only cares for the best interest of us, because we matter."

"I know... Just you know how she is." She chuckles softly.

I chuckle, thinking about how it's taken her so long for me to finally be revealed to Jaylan but I think she had a good purpose behind it. 

Silence fills around us while my loft hip hop study music takes over. Lexi swirls her finger on my comforter with slumping shoulders. Observing her face, her lips pull down, a few tears escape from her eyes, falling down on my comforter. She snuggles up to me and slowly pulls Conor close to hold him.

Her body lays flat on her tummy and her face plants on Conor's back. Her body softly shakes, something I'm so familiar with when she had issues with Derek. I'm unsure what to do but I know she can work out anything with Stephan because she has her voice and is not afraid to lose it.

As Lexi still hides her face in Conor's back, I shut my eyes slightly, laying on Fredrick because he is so comfy. I guess my eyes were closed for a while because Lexi sighs, softly dipping the bed and sitting up.

"You know, you're right. I'm going to wait until we get back to talk to him." She wipes the corner of her eyes.

Her eyes are light brown, almost reminding me of pennies. She dips her chin down, wiping another tear. "I love Stephen, I do but I... I do want to make this right."

"What changed your mind?" I pet on Fredrick's head and now Conor because he is being jealous.

"There is a lot at stake and... Stephen came here from NYU just to play and... I don't want to do that to him," she says quietly, folding her hands into her lap.

"But you still need to think about you too," I remind her gently.

"I know... but if I work as hard as he has... It would get to me," she admits quietly, closing her eyes.

I place my hand on Lexi's shoulder. "You'll know the time to talk to him and the right time to tell him everything," I say.

"Thanks, Pookie," she teases.

I dip my chin down and she touches the side of my face. "I'm going to keep packing and our Door Dash order should be here shortly."

"Oooh, let me help!!!" I beam, quickly rushing out my room.

"Wait Lizzie, don't take anything out!" Lexi chases after me.

━━━━━━━✿━━━━━━

"Lizzie, I'm not even there and you're still having me wait," my impatient boyfriend frets as I'm finishing up curling my hair.

Wrapping a piece of hair, I giggle as his voice echoes in the bathroom and he groans.

"Patient is virtue Jaylan,'' I remind him, looking in the mirror at my soft makeup I requested Lexi to do.

After fighting over if she could take my leather jacket, including us tugging like a tug-of-war, I gave in. She had three in her suitcase already, I told her that I would compromise if she did my make-up. With that offer, she couldn't refuse, so she did it and I happily stuffed my leather jacket right in there.

She wanted to try something different and gave me a smokey eye using various shades of browns. She said it highlights my skin and I really like how she used gold glitter in the corner of my eye. I wanted her to curl my hair but she said it wasn't part of the deal and pushed me out to talk to Stephen.

I hope those two can work out. I hope Stephen is very understanding of Lexi's dreams. I blame myself for the procrastination because I was too busy looking at cute pinterest ideas for Jaylan for when we see each other and the places I want to go in Indiana... if I can go. Fat Luis hasn't answered me about picking up more shifts at the restaurant lately.

"Lizzie, I'm going to eat all these oreos," he says, rattling a family-sized package, and I take the phone, flip it up, and furrow my eyebrows.

"Ahhhh, there is my pretty girl." He smirks with a tired grin. He is in his hotel room, shirtless laying against his headboard with his airpods in. The ambient hotel lighting heightens his brown skin enhancing his tattoos. Olivia's head peeks in the screen, making me smile how she is being well taken care of by her papi.

"Jaylan, my hair is half-curled." I frown, looking at my right side curled and the other side of my head wavy.

"Babe." He laughs softly, shaking his head.

Oh, the B-word...

He screenshots the facetime with me furrowing my eyebrows. "Jaylannnn," I whine.

"Lizzieee." He cackles.

"Let me finish." I place my phone back down, curling my hair again.

He groans with a laugh in between. "Ain't nothing changed about you in five days... which I like."

"I'm glad you like it." I beam.

His voice vibrates through my bathroom, "What did you do all day, Doc?"

"Hmmm, I studied, then I walked to the library, even walked to the cafeteria," I tease and he sucks his teeth.

"Guess what I did just specifically for you?"

I'm not sure I could even imagine. "What?"

"I made you a behavior chart," he chides, making me almost drop my curling iron.

He did what now?

I pick up my phone again, arching my brow as he holds up a piece of paper saying March Madness on the back, with sloppy handwriting of some capital letters and lowercase letters. With no color or sense of straight lines, it gives me a headache looking at it.

"So, if you reach twenty stickers doing something naughty and I catch you doin' it... Spank Bank," he gloats proudly.

My brows draw together and I lightly press my lips. "Spank Bank?"

I click off my curling iron because I give up. I arch my brow and his devil horns come up and pitch fork tail waving behind him. Why is smoke arising from his screen... Is that a bat? Is it just me or is the organ piano playing louder?

"Means every time you do something naughty, I add a sticker. And next time I see you, I'm spanking your conga drum," he says in a husky voice, pointing his finger at me.

I mean sure he means how he normally does, playfully right? Although during the sleepover, when his hand touched my conga drum, it did feel... exciting but I'm not telling him that. He'll probably start sending me hand videos if I do.

"I-... Jaylan that's nonsense" I shake my head and go to my bed, observing all the Oreo cookie Ziplock bags of flavors we are about to try together.

"Think I'm playing?" he says firmly.

"You are always playing." I giggle, shimming between Fredrick and Conor so they can see their sister. "Where is Olivia?"

He lets out an arrogant smirk and flips the camera at Olivia hanging upside down on her head! Jaylan thinks I'm playing about Build A Bear... He is one phone call away! He reaches up his long strong, muscular, tattooed, mouth-drool-worthy arms and plops her right side up like he does to me. "Relax, stuffed animal police."

"Don't worry Olivia, if your Papi does it again, Aunt Lexi is coming to get you," I tease.

Jaylan flips the camera around and arches his brow. I giggle and grab the peanut butter Oreo flavor Ziplock bag. "Not funny."

"It is." I stick a cookie to my mouth.

His attention draws closer below my face and he arches his brow at me again. I giggle, crunching down on my cookie

"Lizzie, what are you wearing?" he perplexes, frowning.

I giggle uncontrollably as he gives me a Lizzie look.

"Oh yeah, I forgot." I hop off my bed and go to my body mirror, flipping the camera around and highlighting my black lace nightie to the camera. I got it after spa day and Maxine says wearing black gives power and dominance, which Lexi told her to not educate me on yet... Whatever that means. "Do you like it?"

Jaylan's eyes get super dark, the spooky color that makes my skin warm up and the butterflies fly down to my ovaries. Even Though he is 598.5 miles away, he still makes my skin feel so hot. "You look so beautiful, babe."

I model in the mirror, twisting and showing him my side and turning my body to the other side. He groans and I giggle and flip it to me. "I want a photo."

"We will see. You have all the cookies?" I beam.

"Of course." He sneaks a thin Oreo into his mouth, of course he chooses the ones with less calories.

"Jaylan." My smile turns down. "I told you not to get those imposters."

He cackles and smirks at my frustration "I just had to. So, educate me, Nurse Lizzie, on Oreo Day." He beams, wiggling his shoulders back and forth like he is scratching his back. He puts Olivia in the camera so I can see her. She looks happy and comfy.

She is lucky.

"Okay.., Oreo Cookie day is celebrated with a lot of cheers. One can eat it directly or enjoy it with a glass of milk but you should already know this... Nabisco, the National Biscuit Company, came up with the Oreo Cookies in front of the world in 1912."

Jaylan's watching me like I'm the History Channel, with genuine interest.

"Though it wasn't recognized as a cookie, but given the name of "Oreo Biscuit." The company took a step ahead and filed for the cookie's trademark on March sixth, 1912 and received it by the fourteenth."

"Annddd you can find Oreo cookies being sold all over the world in over a hundred countries," I finish with a smile.

I didn't even notice that Jaylan was smiling half the time at me as I shared all my Oreo facts. "What's your favorite flavor?" he adds.

My finger taps my chin as I think. "That's a tough one, but it would half to be mint."

"Did you know pigs don't like mint Oreos?"

I crinkle my nose on how on earth he knew that because I'm the only one allowed with the interesting facts. "How did you know that?"

"Your twin told me." He smirks.

Warmth spread across my chest because he actually took the opportunity to appreciate the holiday. "What's your favorite flavor?"

"Of course the peeps kind."  He winks.

That should not be a flavor option.

"I'm hanging up now," I say in disgust.

Jaylan throws his head back and cackles at my crinkle nose and takes a bite of his thin oreo. "Man Giggles, I miss you."

The butterflies sniffle, wiping their eyes with tissues as I soften my eyes. "I miss you too, Jaylan."

He gasps and holds his hand over his heart space. "Did you just say you missed me again?"

"Of course I do," I squeak and point over my shoulder where cardboard Jaylan is standing and scowling. "This isn't the same."

"You know while playing the game tonight, I thought about you holding a sign up in the stands," he says softly.

My heart skips a little because a lot of concentration is needed in his games. "You did?"

"Of course, you would have the best sign out there with my name in big letters," he boasts, puffing up his chest and clasping his hands behind his head.

"More or less than Jordy's name?" I roast.

Jaylan furrows his brows and picks up my behavior chart. I giggle and sink my teeth in my lip as he draws a crooked star on my chart.  Maybe I'll send stickers for him to get the full effect.

"But I read one of your letters before the game too and you were just on my mind," he admits, giving me a soft smile.

My face becomes warm at his words, knowing I'm blushing so hard. 'What letter was it?"

"When you feel alone," He confesses, making my heart pull with sadness.

When you feel alone, remember that there are special people around you who care about you and love you. You are not made to do life alone and just remember you have a Candy Expert to help you along the journey. Uncle Steve, Aunt Lisa, and I are not there with you but our thoughts and prayers are.

"Di... Did it help?"

He nods, dropping his hands from behind his head. "Of course, Lizzie. And I really appreciate the words you said in the letter... It really means a lot because, well.. I struggle with being alone from time to time. And you just hit it right on the money."

My face grows warmer and he lets a warm smile. "Just because you're alone... does not mean you are not loved," he quotes the last line I wrote.

"It's true," I admit softly.

"I really appreciate the reminder and this photo." He waves at my photo of me wearing my bubble gum bra for Bubble Gum Day this year.

I giggle and dip my chin down and lets out a soft chuckle. "Jaylannnn."

"Lizzieee." He yawns, making me yawn too.

"Are you sleepy already?" I tease.

"Oh, don't even." He laughs, knowing I go to bed early.

He shimmies under his covers, covering his eight abs up and turns onto his side. "I can stare at you for hours," he smiles, flashing me his white teeth.

I smile, clicking off my lamp and turning him so that my twinkle lights cast a soft glow around me.

"I can stare at you for ten more minutes," he corrects himself with a yawn, laying his head back on the pillow.

I giggle and he shuts his eyes, making me admire his long eyelashes as if I'm with him in the room.

"Dont'ttt," I whine and he lets out a soft chuckle.

"Whyyy?" he asks with cracking open one eye.

"Be...because I jus-"

"Miss me?" He beams with his eyes closing and lets out a tired smile.

A lot more than you'll ever know.

Edited and spice still_just_me

Everyone it's finally here! It's Just Phone Sex sequel is out and I'm super excited! Please be sure to check out the first book and now the new book when you have time!

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I hope y'all gathered all that tea I just layed out for you

All i'm saying is Lexi, Spencer, Maxine and Ava oh my! Tea is boiling and i'm ready!

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