God damn

Giggles🧸: Jaylan 🙈

I crack a smile, knowing she is as red as a fresh tomato.  I'm definitely saving this photo; it gives me little imagination.

I had to rush to the bathroom from practice to beat my meat, imagining her praying out my name in the hot shower with her raven hair plaster to her face.

Shit I can't be sprung over her.

I can't her.  But it's still nice to look at that body.

Typing in a smug message back, Flaming Red's name pops up as if she magically knew what dirty thoughts I have of her best friend.

GingerDemon: The amount of hatred I have for you and your tiny dick is unlimited right now.

I'm a dead man.

My heart begins to race, thinking she's about to come in and slice my throat because somebody sent her the photo.

The whole thing is bullshit and the photo is so blurry you can't even seen anything. It's not even credible yet everyone still fucking sending like immature children as if we are in high school all over again.  I gulp and finally type back.

Me: What are you talking about?

GingerDemon: Your poisonous charm opened a door I can't shut. Now I have frat boys waiting at my door for Lizzie. FIX IT! [attached photo]

A slight release sensation pulls in my chest but it tightens again, clenching my jaw at seeing Peter hugging Lizzie at her front door.  He has the nerve to snake his arm around her, his hand dangerously near her ass that belongs to me.

Me: I'm not following 🤔

Oh, I'm definitely following but I'm waiting for the greenlight from Big Red.

GingerDemon: [sends address]

I'm not sure if this is a set up to both murder us or she's sending up a white flag. Shutting off my phone, I sigh angrily, softly pounding my fist the thought of Peter touching what I can't have.

Wait a fucking minute. He owes me fucking money.

There is nothing worse than seeing someone who owes you money and spending it.

Peter is a dead man.

Clenching my phone, I stomp up on the bench in the locker room.

"Ay listen up!" Silencing the outbursts of cackles, I draw the room's eyes on me.

"Team bonding tonight," I announce, creating a mixture of groans and excitement.

My eyes flicker back and forth for an agreement, observing them in hopes they would agree.

We do need to bond because anytime we play Michigan, we get a little snippy at each other if we trail behind. In the words of the goat, talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships. So, tonight, teamwork is needed anyway.

"Out of all nights? I got a Calculus test tomorrow," Taylor plops on the bench frowning, slipping on his Nike slides.

"Come on, when was the last time we had a bro night," Jordy vouches for me, slipping his arm around Taylor.

"Where are we going, Cap?" Marcus utters painfully, stretching his leg on the bench to rub his ankle.

He better not have injured himself. Michigan's defense will be all up in our asses if he shows an ounce of discomfort. They play dirty and I hate that shit.

"But I just agreed to hang out with Lexi tonight," Hollis whines, throwing his vintage Charlotte hornets' shirt over his head.

"Let's go to The Camelot Showbar,"Xavier boyishly grins, railing up the guys.

As much as I wouldn't mind lap dance and silicone titties in my face, my mind is tunneled to cease whatever Peter is trying to pull up his sleeve. The fucker probably saw the photo and try to shoot his shot with her. Too bad I'm about to knock it down out of his hands.

"Nah, we going to Sky Zone," I propose, shooting down Taylor idea.

They groan like spoiled brats, and I let out a chuckle. "Next time," I promise.

"That baby place?" Taylor gruffs, shutting his locker. "It's for kids' birthday parties."

"I'm paying," I deadpan and he lights up like a Christmas tree brightly, shining those pearly white teeth.

"Say less, let's roll out," Taylor urges everyone and I roll my eyes.

The guys trail behind Taylor happily out the locker room and I shut my locker with a deep breath. I know I shouldn't, and I'm not a saint, but I refuse to let Lizzie fall into his grimy little frat boy hands. 

Roughly snatching my Nike bag, I leave the locker room to see Ava leaning up against the hallway wall.  My eyes travel to her tiny cheer shit that's suffocating her tits. Her black shorts are no better over her flat ass, and I'm surprised her coach didn't rag her like she normally did.

She twirls her gold locks in her index finger, biting down her lip only for me to huff because she has no sense of feeling like she has done no wrong. We stare at each other, but the aroused feelings she used to give me are no longer there. She keeps moving her eyes over me, only building the wall higher between us.  She presses her lips together, eyeing me up like a desert she knows she shouldn't have but this time I know I'm not giving it to her. 

She walks up to me and places her hand on my left pec, knowing it's the place where I have my mom's name tattooed on my chest.  She rubs it and I catch her hand. She exhales deeply, looking through me in her eyelashes.

"Delete it," I snap, she softens her eyes at me.

"Then stop talking to her," she challenges, cupping my face.

I move her hand out my face and she huffs.  Rolling my eyes, I keep walking to the exit.

"Jaylan, wait," she whines, catching my wrist.

"What Ava," I huff, stopping my feet.

"Can't we just talk?" She velvets her voice, circling her finger over my arm.

"Are you going to delete it?" I deadpan, earning a light scratch on my arm.

"Why are you pressed about her?" Ava asks, breathless with anger and piercing me with her aquamarine eyes.

The words flowing out her mouth affect me like frozen broccoli. She knows she did it and she's been caught. The one thing I can't stand is a liar because once you lie to me the first time, I'll never trust you again.

After winning the game, I demanded an emergency meeting with the cheerleaders, the band, the announcers, the mascot, and my team, holding them hostage to delete the photo, or they couldn't leave. It only took about three hours, checking everyone's phone to let them leave one by one. 

Ava vowed it wasn't her yet kept sending it to everyone, she knew to paint my name in red letters for turning my back against her. She couldn't care less about Lizzie.

She traced her fingers, along my tattooed wrist. "Why can't you just choose me?" She speaks softly, glossing her eyes at me.

"Stop," I clip, moving my wrist.

"Jaylan," Ava whimpers, eyes filled with tears.

"Elizabeth doesn't deserve to be bullied and what you did was pathetic," I spat, walking away from her.

"Fuck you! After everything I've done for you Jaylan, it's not like she would choose you, Jaylan Parker!"  She gaslights me, using what hurts against me.

"Fuck you," I spat, gritting my teeth.

"I'll be waiting," she chides, sweeping her hair over her shoulder like a narcissist.

"Stay the fuck away from me, and delete the photo Ava," I conclude, being welcome with lukewarm air hit me in the face.

"Jaylan!" She huffs, stomping her foot and letting an echo in the entryway.

Flipping her off, I head towards my car where Marcus and Jordy are in a heated discussion about who is sitting up front. Anger pounds like a beaten drum in my chest every time I hear her shrill calls after me.

This is what I mean when Ava uses shit over my head to get what she wants. That's what toxic people do. It's my fault for just even telling her I fear rejection but toxic people use your weakness as a weapon to use it when you are your lowest.

Honestly, Ava and I are supposed to be together. We have so many similar goals and ambitions. We dealt with the same situation with both of our absent fathers. Ava was my saving grace after Gabrielle, she healed me and formed me to create a false reality for herself. She was just only a friend to me or at least I thought she was.

I know I wasn't the greatest friend to her, whether it was because I was sleeping around with girls or because I distorted her feelings. But Ava was only a friend; love for a friend is not the same as love for a soul mate. We bring out the worst in each other. My vindictiveness and her selfishness poisoned our situationship.

I almost wish we never met. I feel so stupid to actually think that she actually saw something in me.

Pressing my car alarm, Jordy jumps up, letting a chuckle release deep into my chest.

"Serves you right," I snarky grin.

"You ain't right," Marcus chuckles, opening the passenger door.

"What was that about?" Jordy says, looking at Ava going back inside.

"Not getting what she wants," I shrug, opening my car door.

"Dick that good huh," Marcus cackles, I suck my teeth.

"You sure everybody deleted the photo? I'm getting it again," Jordy gruff because Marcus won the debate.

"From who?" I bark, starting my car.

"Jenna Townsley sent it to me," Jordy replies sheepishly.

Ugh the biggest mouth on campus and in the Sigma Delta Tau she probably already dish that photo out to all the sororities to have the upper hand on Ava. She was a drunken mistake on my end. 

I sigh loudly in aggregation of Ava's destruction of trying to tear not only me but Lizzie down.

"What photo?" Marcus puzzled, only earning a puzzle face back.

I blink trying to figure out where was he on Friday night but than I just remember he was so consumed under and over ginger demon all last weekend.

"A photo, that doesn't not exist," I brush off, leaving out the parking lot.

Marcus playfully yanks Jordy's phone and starts scrolling through his messages.

"Give me this, what am I looking at?" Marcus says, squinting his eyes.

"AYE!  I got some steamy messages from Jenna, watch it," Jordy bickers, reaching for his phone.

Marcus playfully smacks his hand,  "Bruh, you don't know how to send a dick pic," he snickers, playfully scrolling up Jordy's phone. I know he finds the picture when his jaw drops and eyes shoot up to mine.

"Ooooh, Maxine is going to kill you and then send Lizzie to a convent to finish the semester," Marcus teases, handing back Jordy's phone who grumbles.

"It's not what you think," I fumed, gripping the steering wheel.

"I told you to stay away," Marcus warned, flicking on my radio.

"Nothing happened," Jordy mocks, bobbing his head to Migos.

"So what happened?" Marcus investigates, crossing his wrist to the music rhythmically.

"Her hair got caught in my zipper," I hissed, maneuvering away from this slow-ass Toyota.

"Didn't Maxine teach her how to use a scrunchie?" Marcus grinned, looking at his phone.

"Would you drop it, shit," I swear, gripping the wheel.

"Alright, my bad," Marcus surrenders, throwing his hand in the air.

"So what happened again?" Jordy teased.

"Do you want to walk?" I scold, which Marcus chuckles at.

"But, for real, what happen?" Marcus continues, changing the station.

"I told you, she threw her pen, at the end we both went to pick it up and her hair got caught." Gritting my teeth, I change the station back.

My hands burn from the anger radiating in my veins. I remain silent through the car ride as Marcus and Jordy create a rap concert in the car.  It sucks that I can't fix what is already damaged, but I know I can try to at least patch it up. I don't want to mess up what I have with Lizzie, the little blossom we got or at least I think we got.

Man what am I doing? Maybe we should go to The Camelot Showbar,

Tapping the steering wheel, I pick up my phone to get ready to change the address until Ginger demon pops up again.

GingerDemon: [sent a video] 🤮🙄

What the hell is Maxine getting at?

Fury roars through my mind, watching Lizzie do a backflip as she's showing off to Peter.  I don't know Lizzie, but I know enough she deserves anything but me and that druggie.

As I pull into the Skyzone parking lot, the bright cyan blue neon lights shine brightly in the night sky, capturing our eyes.

"Yo, don't they have a basketball court up in here," Jordy says excitedly, unbuckling his seatbelt.

"Between you and Hollis," Marcus dismisses, opening his door.

Jordy grumbles, getting out, and I chuckle. Shit.. I don't even have a plan on how to do this. What if this is a trap for Maxine to smother me in the ball pit or wrap the rope swing around my neck? 

Shivering, I pull out my phone and text the wicked witch of the west.

Me: SOOO??? We here. 🤔

Grey dots bop up furiously and I chuckle, imagining her huff at every typed letter.

GingerDemon: WE? 😤 YOU BETTER NOT HAVE BROUGHT MARCUS!

I boyishly grin, slip in my phone in my black joggers' pocket, and head inside with the team. The overwhelming playground colors activate something in me, extinguishing the fire little by little. However, the nauseating teeny bopper music bleeds my ears as we walk farther into this over-the-top trampoline paradise. 

Eyes start to catch sight of all of us, might be a little weary if they were going to welcome us or kick us out. Typical.

My feet stop abruptly.

Fuck me. There she is.

The bright lights radiate around her, highlighting her beautiful honey skin. She should not be on a trampoline. If the unintentional shower pic did me in, this certainly is going to kill me. I'm done for right now. Her breasts bounce up and down while fucking Peter holds her hand.

Lizzie's honey-filled giggle hits my ears music, echoing through the half empty indoor trampoline park. My eyes couldn't stop moving up and down following her until my eyes unfortunately meet with Maxine's chest, making Marcus groan at her barely-there choice of an outfit.

"Uhh, no way," Maxine scolds, eyeing all of us.

"What are you, security?" Jordy laughs, earning a cocked brow from her.

"Team bonding," Marcus deadpans, scanning his eyes at Maxine's attire.

She scruffs, trying to play this act like the two haven't been fucking all weekend and cuddling up hogging the sofa watching On my Block.

"What's with you all being out on a school night," Maxine judges, her eyes traveling over each one of us.

"What are you doing here?" Taylor adds cockily, checking out Maxine.

"Chaperoning," Maxine growls, drawing up her nose.

"Not doing a good job," I point, watching Peter playfully push Lizzie down. The way his hands touch her waist makes me want to break all ten of his fingers.

She turns quickly to see Lizzie, shaking her head at the two racing each other to get to the other side with Alexis. 

"Excuse me," Hollis jokes, running full speed.

Hollis runs past us like a kid at Legoland, running up onto the massive trampoline and snatching Alexis in the process.

"Bruh, the fact Peter Kennedy snatched up your girl," Marcus snorts, earning fierce looks from both Maxine and I.

"She not his, my girl-" Maxine and I barked, but we looked at each other finishing the sentence.

Marcus smugly grins and whispers something in Maxine's ear. She grunts at him, forcing herself not to press her legs together and shoving him away from her.

"Give it up," Jordy laughs, moving past to run up on the trampoline with the rest of the team.

Lizzie eyes widen as she's trying to process the massive number of large dudes acting rambunctious around her. She holds onto Peter's scrawny arm, and they move to another side of the trampoline. Gripping my wallet, I look at the cashier with baggy eyes.

"What time do you guys close?" I ask, watching Peter show off doing a backflip.

Show off.

"Eleven," The cashier dreadfully admits.

"I'm paying till eleven," I said, handing him my debit card.

"Here, enjoy your night," the cashier utters, sighing sorrowfully at Taylor dunking the foam basketball. It created a reaction of loud hollering from the guys, making some parents shake their heads dismissively.

He better play like that on Friday.

Sliding my shoes off, I keep my focus on the interaction between Peter and Lizzie.

"Tick tock," Maxine teases.

I turn to see her with legs crossed, observing them. She's sipping a milkshake with a straw pursed in between her painted red lips. She pushes her long ginger hair to the side, revealing a devilish smile.

"What you getting at, Ginger," I huff, putting my Nikes next to Marcus' in the shoe rack.

"What do you think?" she challenges, pressing her lips tighter around the straw.

I furrow my eyebrows, only to earn a cocked one. Maxine rolls her eyes, placed her milkshake down and sighed standing up. She sashays over, climbs up the trampoline with ease, walking over to Lizzie, leaning down  and whispering into her ear.

A blush radiates through her cheeks, making me chuckle at the fact that Maxine's trying to wing man for me.  Based on Lizzie's reaction, she is doing a very damn good job. But it's not going to work between us.

I jog over to the trampoline, jumping up to where they were. Lizzie's beautiful brown eyes brighten when she catches sight of me. Her hands cover her mouth, trying to hide her beautiful smile to be polite to the knucklehead. Maxine arches her brow and whispers again in Lizzie's ear, making her hold her hands up higher. Maxine smacks her butt with a crack, causing her to yelp and stumble forward almost falling into me.

"Jaylan, what are you doing here?," Lizzie's soft voice melts into my ears. She lowers her hands, revealing her rosy cheeks.

"Team bonding," I grin smugly, pointing my thumb backward at the rowdy laughter behind me.

"Team bonding?" She puzzles, arching her brow.

"Yeah, help us work together as a team. Cant win games if we don't work together," I boast, licking my lower lip. Our eyes flicker back and forth at each other, ignoring the pest who's resting his arm around her shoulders.

"Hmm," she hums, slanting her eyes at me but the sparkle in them show she's being playful.

"You can join us if you like," I offer, she places her hand on her hip. I chuckle and rub my jaw at her sassy reaction. Peter clears his throat and I shoot him a look to kill. He steps back, placing his hand behind Lizzie's lower back in protection.

"Go have fun with your team, have a good night," she dismisses, bruising my ego.

"Always trying to get rid of me," I tease, receiving a wrinkled nose.

"Yooo, let's play," Marcus points at the basketball set up.

"Have fun," Peter chides, smugly smiling.

I swallow my rage, keeping my ego in check. It took all my cells in my body not to shove him down off this trampoline, but we will have a conversation tonight.

"YO COME ON," Marcus begs, I suck my teeth.

🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

The game lasted about two hours because Taylor was being a sore loser. I wasn't focused. My concentration was only to make sure Peter didn't try anything with Lizzie. His hands are all over what I want to be as mine and only mine, but his are dangerously close every chance he gets.

Thankfully, Maxine interjects with playful shoves and jokes, earning giggles and smiles out of Lizzie. Peter must have gotten the hint that his jig is up but keeps trying hard to play his cards right. 

If eleven pm doesn't come any sooner, I'm going to lose my damn mind. Most of the guys have left, leaving Marcus, Hollis, and I painfully watching Peter's shady game.

Maxine taps her nails on the table, while I suck hard on this last bit of root beer narrowing our eyes at this cringy exchange. Peter spreads frosting on the tip of her nose, causing her to crinkle it. Maxine chuckles half-pityingly, dipping her fry in her ketchup. 

I shoot back at her at a look, and she arches her brow with a smirk.  Marcus comes to sit down, leaning back cozy next to Maxine. Lexi arches her brow at them suspiciously and Hollis takes a sip of his coke before making a comment.

"Are y'all," Lexi inquires suspiciously, pursing her lips.

"He apologized," Maxine says unbothered, moving in on him.

Lexi presses her lips together, slanting her eyes because of the unspoken discussion. Holding back my laughter at Marcus and Maxine whiserply fussing at each other.

Lizzie's giggles catch my attention at the dumb joke Peter said about muffins or some shit. She laughs at anything, but she is probably just being polite to boost his ego.

"I can't do this. Maxine, let's go," Marcus confess, standing up and holding a hand out to her.

"I'm still chaperoning," Maxine whines, looking up at him.

Marcus gives her a stern look, closing Maxine's gaped mouth. A chuckle releases from deep in my chest, making Maxine snap her head at me with fuming eyes. Taking a bite of my fry, I look at Lexi rolling her eyes at Marcus' alpha demeanor, which earns a chuckle from Hollis.

"Maxine Nicole, you know we are talking when you get home," Lexi fumes, arching her brow at her best friend.

Maxine sheepishly gives her a smile, putting her jacket on. "I know," she huffs, glancing at Marcus who not letting up his hot gaze off her.

"Wait a minute, who is taking home Lizzie?" Lexi whispers, making us all exchange looks.

Maxine eyes grow and slant directly at me. I take my last sip of my root beer, trying to hold my smirk because we all know it's me. Marcus slaps her ass, causing her to leap and grunt at him.

"Jaylan's got it, Liz is a big girl," Marcus teases, releasing my cocky grin.

She huffs, folding her arms and goes over to Lizzie, whispering in her ear. Her shoulders raise up slightly but she wiggles them down, pushing the chills down her spine. Her doe eyes put out the fire in ginger demon, mumbling something only for Maxine to rub her back and kiss Lizzie's rosy blushed cheek.

"MJ," Marcus growls, shaking her keys and his hand. She walks over and yanks them, marching out of Sky Zone.

"One last round at the ball pit," Hollis cheeses, but Lexi couldn't help but smile.

He gets up and runs over to the massive ball pit, jumping in and disappearing.  Shaking my head, I chuckle at how he did a back stroke perfectly in the ball pit like a night swim.

"Goof. I'll be there, I have to use the bathroom," Lexi says, walking over to Peter and Lizzie.

She whispers in her ear, pointing her head to the bathroom. Lizzie frowns, looking confused but stands up.  Peter nods, sits back in seat, gawking at Lizzie's globe of an ass walking away.

The irritation that's marinated in me since I first saw a picture of him and Lizzie now flows through me, calculating the words I wanted to say. Standing up, I watch Peter text on his phone. My eyes happen to check him scrolling, looking at something and then turning it off. 

I sit right into Lizzie's seat and lean back. Peter clenches his fist, radiating frustration and gently hitting it on the table. He is kidding right? Chuckling, I rub my jaw and look back to make sure Lizzie wasn't coming out.

"I want my money," I warned, watching him sweat.

"You'll get it," he grits his teeth, looking over my shoulder for Lizzie.

"I'm not fucking around," I bark, banging my fist on the table.

"Is that all or ohhh, wait you're scared I might get more than a blow job," he mocks, grinning smugly.

Standing up, I lift him up by the collar of his polo shirt. "Stay the fuck away from Lizzie. And I want my money by Thursday," I curse, leaving only him to grin and igniting my anger like gasoline.

"I thought you were with Ava, or wait Simone was it, or what about Courtney? Bree, Camryn, Heather, Jazmine? Or is it Tasha this week?" Peter lists off, not removing his smug smile.

"Leave," I bark, shoving him.

"I'll leave but it won't stop me from getting that fresh pussy," he arrogantly deadpans.

My jaw twitches, gripping tighter on his shirt. "If you ever touch Lizzie, I will fuck you up."

He shoves me off him, dusting off his preppy boy attire. "So greedy. May the best fuck boy win," he concludes with a wink.

He smirks, walking backward and taunting me with texting Lizzie, and walks out the door.  I knew this asshole was up to know good.

Running my hands over my face, my eyes admire Lizzie smiling up a storm with Lexi out of the bathroom. Lexi playfully hip bumps her and she giggles.  Her brown eyes capture mine, slowly closing her mouth. Lizzie searches around behind me, looking for Peter and making my heart squeeze knowing that he isn't good enough for her.

"What's with the frown?" I probe, playing with the lid of the half empty cupcake container.

"Peter didn't say goodbye," she mumbles, sneaking the container back to grab one.

"Eh, he ain't worth it." I shrug.

Lizzie furrows her brows at me like a toddler, "He was nice."

I throw my head back, "He is up to know good."

Lizzie still keeping her eyebrows furrow at me and stares at the cupcake and back at me. "Did Max tell you to say that."

"I know a bad apple when I see one."

Lizzie hums and I chuckle at her furrowed toddler brows.  I make the opportunity to mirror her look and she crinkles her nose and lets out one those sugar filled laughs.  Lizzie takes another cupcake with no shame in front of me.

"You might want to slow down on those. Have you eaten?" I watch, easing the decorated cupcake to her face.

"Cupcakes can be dinner," she persuades, licking the frosting off her lips with a sweep of her tongue.

"Lizzie, you should eat something," I rasp out, cleaning my throat and swallowing my dirty thoughts down.

But she licks it clean so good. Focus Jaylan, it's not going to happen.

"I have two Papà's one named Max and the other Carlos, I don't think I need another Papi," she sasses, peeling the wrapper off.

My hands squeeze into tight fists under the table and my cock is paying as much attention as I am.

"Did you have fun team bonding," she says with a mouthful.

Chuckling, I handed her a napkin, "I did, did you have fun on your little play date?"

She crinkles her nose, "We're just friends,"

"Friends," I mock, watching Lexi throw a ball at Stephen's face.

She huffs, playing hitting my shoulder unexpectedly. Grinning, I lick my lower lip at her pouting while eating her cupcake.

"Lizzieeee," I tease her, but she turns her attention to Lexi and Hollis throwing balls at each other and ignores me.

"You like him?" I smugly grin, earning a quick turn back to face me.

"No," she mocks me beautifully

I smirk, watching her eyes float around my face and wonder what she is thinking.

"Let's get you home," I offer, tapping the table. She lowers her head down to look at the table.

"Can we go to the ballpit first?" She softly requests. My heart tugs at how politely she asks, both in her voice and the shy look she's giving me from under her lashes. 

I am not worthy.

"I thought you would never ask," I joke, earning a complete widened smile with dimples included.

Jesus.

She leaps up in happiness and skips over to the ball pit, where Lexi and Hollis are having a full blown fight throwing balls at each other.

"Stephen," Lexi whines when he dunks her under in the ball pit.

Lizzie giggles, walking up the stairs to the rope swing.  My eyes couldn't help but be memorized by her ass perfectly formed in her purple leggings and inches from my face. Her ponytail sways each step we take higher up to see the whole place.

Playfully, I run past her, earning a huff behind me. Grabbing the rope swing, I swing out and let go down in the cold plastic waves. Pushing up, I look up to see her analyzing how she's going to do this.

"Jump Lizzie!" Hollis coaches her.

I chuckle, watching her hold on to the swing as Lexi sneakily runs up behind her.

"Jump Lizzie," I egg on, but she purses her lips and rubs her belly.

"Jump, Jump, Jump!" Hollis and I chant, earning a cracked smile.

Lexi touches her shoulder, and she leaps up, scrunching her face. Lexi clasps her tiny hands together and lunges forward.

"Count Lizzie, 1...2...3!" Hollis cheers them on as they jump down.

I don't ever want to forget the way she is smiling right now. Her entire face is lit up in pure, innocent happiness.

Damn, she is just too perfect to have.

A yellow ball pops me on the chest, knocking me out of my thoughts. Lizzie snickers, doing it again.

"I don't think you want to do that," I warn her, but of course she does it again.

Hastily moving through the waves of balls, she tries getting away from me with a trail of giggles that I happily chase after. Lexi collides with her, rescuing her from me but I keep moving. 

Finally getting to her, I playfully pick her up by the waist and throw her down into the pit. She cutely holds her nose in the process as if she was in the pool. The soft squeal she lets out as she lands stretches my grin wider.

As much as I hate to admit, I want to see her again. Lizzie surfaces up, pushing through to get to me but I hastily get away.

"Come here you!" Lizzie commands, only for me to get further away.

The crinkle of her nose made me laugh at how determined she was to get me.

"Get him Lizzie!" Hollis shouts, she clasp her hand on my arm sending chills up my spine.

"I got you now!" She boast

"Hey, it's eleven. Sorry to interrupt," the cashier yawns, watching us cease our action.

Hollis groans like a child and Lexi wraps her arms around his neck. He lifts her up around his waist piggy-back carrying her out of the ball pit. Unexpectedly, two tiny hands wrap around my waist, tug me down, and I'm submerged under the ball pit

Lizzie giggles, rushing out of the ball pit as I come up.  Chuckling, I watch her look at Lexi and Hollis, her eyes softly memorized by their obvious flirtatious banter while they help each other to leave.  She nibbles her lower lip, looking down and slips her feet into her pastel tie dye crocs.

"You ready," I interject.

She looks up at me, her brown doe eyes sparkling as she slips on her black Nike coat over her shoulders. 

"Mmm-hmm," she hums, looking back at Lexi and Hollis leaving hand-and-hand.

She walks ahead of me, holding the back of her arms and looking down. Both of our hands touch the door, but I push harder to open it.  She looks up at me and I look down at her eyes. Looking away, I press the car remote to start the car to warm it up.

"Thanks," Lizzie begins softly

"For?" I drag, looking down at her.

"For making this day end with dessert," she softly laughs, rubbing her stomach again.

I crack a smile, trying to process her deep analogy while her beautiful smile slowly starts to fade every step we took to my car.

"Did you have a bad day?" I ask, looking down at her.

"As bad as broccoli," she admits, still rubbing her stomach.

"You hate broccoli?" I recite, unlocking my car door as we get closer.

"It's the worst vegetable on the planet," she preaches with a deep sigh.

"Glad to know we are on the same page," I note.

She looks up at me with a half-smile. "You don't like broccoli?"

"Not really," I bump into her shoulder.

Her shoulders bounce and relax. Silence wraps around us. This actually my first intimate moment with her. I couldn't help but tuck some of her hair behind her ear.

"You're beautiful you know that."

"Thanks." She rasps.

Her face turns into a beautiful pink highlighting in the streetlights of the parking lot.

Everything in me restrains myself to to not make a move.

Lizzie's different.

.I open my car door for her, but it feels like the world pauses between us as we stare in each other's eyes, getting lost.

In the near-black night sky, her eyes shine up at me under the parking lot lights. They're glossed over and her lips part slightly, drawing my eyes down to them.

"Lizzie, I have to tell you something." I sigh heavily.

"What is it," she whispers, rubbing her stomach.

"I-" I rub the back of my head.

Her eyes zoom in on me but her face morphs a bit.

Shit does she know?

"There is a ph- Lizzie, " I panic, watching the color drain from her cheeks, only to be replaced with a hint of green.

With a quiet cough, she hinges halfway over. I reached over to check on her because she's bent over, whimpering in pain, only resulting in an earned drenched sleeve of vomit.

The gagging and upcoming vomit sounds churn my stomach, as she hurls again and it splatters onto the side of my car, my shoes, and the parking lot pavement.

Fuck me.

Bright pink chunks now coat the panel of the passenger car door and my Nike airs retching the strawberry cake. She cringes, holding her hand over her mouth, her eyes round and mortified.  They gloss over like a little kid, sending warmth across my chest.

Her entire face is red as she whispers, "I'm sorry."

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Edited by: still_just_me