Love Overrated (5 page)

Chapter Ten-Kaylee

It felt good lying in Rashaan arms all night. He kept his promise and didn’t try nothing, he just held me all night. We were resting peacefully before Ashanti came here with that bullshit. I can already tell she’s never going to give up. I’m going to have to beat her ass again. After everything had calmed down I went upstairs to check on Rashaan, he didn't know it, but he had officially become Bae.

  He sleep when I walked in the room. I turned on the TV and sat on the edge of the bed.

   "Come lay with me, Ma," he said sounding sexy as hell. I climbed into the bed and laid next to him.

  "I've been having these weird dreams. I can't even explain them. It's like something bad is going to happen," I confessed to him.

  "As long as I got breath in my body you don't gotta worry about shit. That's word Ma. I got your back true story." He wrapped his arm around me and fell back asleep. I laid there just thinking about how life would be if my mother were still alive. It would be different cause Brittany, and I probably would have never went through any of the shit that we went through. We would have never met Ms. Jackie and her children. I felt myself getting ready to sink into depression, so I got out of bed and joined Brittany and Draya in the room.

  "What y’all doing? Y'all calm?" I asked walking in the room.

  "Draya downstairs in the shower, but I'm good."

  "Let me ask you something and be completely honest with me Brittany. Are you happy here?"

  "Honestly, yes, these people were sent from heaven. I don't know where we'd be if it hadn't been for Ms. Jackie and God plus I'd rather be anywhere than near Nate. I hate him with a passion."

  "You and me both, but look I need to tell you something."

  "I don't like the sound of that Kaylee!" she raised her voice at me.

  "I've been looking into going away for college."

  "You've what? So you're just going to up and leave me? I have no fucking body, but you, and now you're leaving!" she stormed out of the room.

  I didn't want it go like this; I thought she'd be happy for me. I want to do something with my life to make a better living for her. I'll let her cool down and try to talk to her again later. I went downstairs to see if Ms. Jackie needed anything.

  "Hey, you need help with anything?" I offered her my help.

  "Actually, yes I do, can you cut this cheese for me baby," she handed me some cheese and a knife. After dinner was almost ready, I went to wake up Rashaan.

   "Wake up sleepy head, your mother said wake up and get ready for dinner," I tapped him lightly on his shoulders.

  "I'm up," he mumbled, "Is Ja’kari and Yanni here?"

   "I think I hear them downstairs, hurry up and come down. Please don't forget to put some pants on, I don't need you walking around with your boxers on like this morning,” I laughed and walked out the room. I bumped into Brittany as I was going down the stairs she was coming up.

  "Britt can we please finish the conversation please?" I stood in front of her blocking her in.

  "Kaylee I don't want to talk about it, it is what it is. I wish you the best of luck," she pushed her way through me.

  I heard the doorbell ring as I made it to the last step.

  "I got it," I yelled out so no one else would come and try to answer it.

  "Wassup Ja’kari and Yanni?" I gave him and her both a hug.

  "Wassup sis, where my boy at?" Kari asked me

  "He upstairs, I just tried to wake him I don't know if he went back to sleep or whatever."

  "Aight good looking," he responded as he went upstairs.

Chapter Ten – Rashaan

“Wake up nigga,” Ja’kari came walking in the room talking shit.

  "Fuck you," I sat up and grabbed my phone to check my message. I shook my head at all text messages I had received from Ashanti.

  "Why are you shaking your head?" he asked.

  "Ashanti is a trip bro, did I tell you shorty claiming she’s pregnant?"

  "Yeah, you told me, congratulations bro," he started laughing, "I guess me and you both about to be daddies, Kyanni pregnant too!”

  "Get the fuck outta here, congrats my nigga," I dapped him

  "She told me her parents found out and trying to make her get an abortion and shit. I'm not trying to hear that shit though." He looked like he was getting stressed out thinking about it.

  "Damn, what y'all gonna do?"

  "I'm moving her in bro. I'll be damn if she aborts my seed word."

  "That's real nigga, shit, who would have ever thought that Ja’Kari’s ass would mature," I started laughing

  "Fuck you," he joined in on the laughter.

  "Mommy said for y'all to come eat," Draya opened my door and said.

  "What I tell you about that shit Draya! Knock next time, damn, you would have been pissed off if you walked in here and I had a bitch bent over fucking her."

  "Yeah, yeah", she walked out slamming the door behind her.

   We went downstairs and joined everyone at the kitchen table. Mom dukes said prayer and we all dug in.

  "I got something I need to tell you, Ma," I said randomly.

  "What is it Rashaan?" she put her fork down and asked me.

  "I've been looking at apartments and I have decided to move. Before you start going off let me finish. It's three blocks away, so I'm always going to be here when you need me. I'm still going to help you with your bills and stuff, but I'm not getting younger I need my own, I hope you can understand." I looked around at everyone’s facial expressions, and my mom Draya, and Kaylee all looked upset.

  "Excuse me, I gotta use the bathroom," Kaylee got up and left out the kitchen.

  "I mean I'm upset that you're growing up, but I can't hold you anymore. I wish you nothing but the best of luck and remember I'm always going to be there for you, I love you son." She said as a tear escaped from her eyes.

  "Glad to know you care about my feelings and how this will affect me," Draya yelled.

  "Draya you acting like I'm moving out of state, I'm moving three blocks away! I purposely got a two bedroom in case you ever wanted to stay over."

  "Whatever I'm over it. Ma can I be excused from the table? I'm done eating.” My mother told her yes. Everyone got up from the table except me my mom and Ja’kari.

  "You good Ma?" I asked her.

  "Oh, I'm fine baby. I’m worried about your sister. I know that y'all are going to talk about it though, so I'm not going to stress it. Ja’kari how are you?"

  "I'm good, Ma," he always called my mother "ma." "Kyanni pregnant," he blurted out.

  "I knew it! I've had two children and I know when someone is pregnant. Congrats son." She got up and hugged him.

  "Thanks Ma," Ja’kari and me got up and left out the kitchen.

  "Let’s go outside and smoke a blunt," Ja’kari suggested.

  "Aight let me go put something on my feet I'll be right out." I ran up the stairs and put on my wheat colored Timbs. I walked outside, and Ja’kari was on his jack. I started rolling up while he finished his call.

  "Wassup with that?" I asked him as he hung up.

  "That's Kiaja, I met shorty the other night. She's some fire bro," he smirked.

  "My nigga you just said you were moving Yanni in the crib."

  "My nigga I got this, take some lessons from a real player."

  "Yeah, yeah, yeah," I started choking on the blunt.

  After we smoked the blunt he and Yanni left. I joined Kaylee in the living room. She was watching a movie.

Chapter Eleven – Kaylee

  I was sitting in the living room watching, Love and Basketball when Rashaan came and sat next to me.

   "Wassup beautiful?" he grabbed my hand and held it.

   "Sup?" I answered dryly, "When you moving?"

   "Two weeks, you know you’re always welcomed at my house, right?"

   "Mmm," I continued to look at the television.

We sat in silence until the end of the movie.

  "I'm going to bed goodnight," I let go of his hand and made my way upstairs. Climbing in bed, I laid there and let my thoughts take over until I went to sleep.

***

Two weeks later

  My graduation is tomorrow, and it's a bittersweet situation for me. I've been crying all morning wishing I could share this moment with my mother.

  "Here Kaylee, this is from Rashaan," Brittany handed me an envelope that said Kaylee on it. After she had walked out the room, I opened the envelope and pulled out the card.

   I started tearing up while I was reading it. It read:

 
Dear Beautiful Kaylee,

     I just wanted to let you know how proud I am of you. Although we have known each other for only a few months, I just want to say how happy I am that you’re in my life. I know that you’re a little upset with me because I’m out of town and can't make it to your graduation tomorrow, but I promise I will make it up. Look under your pillow, I got you a surprise.  

  I moved my pillows and found another envelope. I opened it, a bunch of money, and a note fell out.

  "
Kay this money is for you to go shopping for tomorrow. I know you already have a dress and shoes, but grab something for after graduation. My mother is taking you to dinner. I threw a few extra hundred dollars in there so you Brittany and Draya can get y'all hair and nails done. Have fun Ma and remember tomorrow is all about you.

  I picked up the money and counted it, six thousand dollars.

I threw the money on the bed and just stared at it. I've never had this amount of money in my life.

  "Brittany!" I yelled out for my sister.

  "Wassup Kaylee?" she walked in talking to somebody on my cell phone.

  "Hang up the phone Britt, I gotta tell you something," I demanded

  She told whomever she was walking to she'd call them back in five minutes. "What you gotta tell me," she asked with an attitude.

  "Read this card Rashaan gave me," I handed her the card.

  "This is cute, but what's the surprise that was under your bed."

  "Damn bitch you nosey," I started laughing, but I pulled the covers back and showed her all the money he had given me.

  "Damn Kaylee! That's mad money. How much is it?" she asked me

  "Six thousand."

  “Six stacks? That's crazy, what you gonna do with the money?"

  "Where is Draya? We going to get our hair and nails done, Brittany don’t tell her how much money he gave me."

Brittany ran downstairs to find Draya, and I went to the closet to find something to wear for today.

  "I just called and got all three of us fitted into my hair salon. We gotta be there in an hour so hurry up and get ready," Draya announced walking into the room. After all three of us had finished getting ready, we ran out the door and into the waiting taxicab.

  "Rashaan keeps calling me, he's trying to make arrangements to be back for your graduation tomorrow but it doesn't look good, it’s stressing him out." Draya sparked up a conversation.

  "Yeah, so I've heard, I'm not stressing it," which was partly the truth. I wasn't stressing it because I've had so many people who mean so much to me be absent or do hurtful shit when I need them the most, and unbelievably Rashaan means so much to me. I was stressing because I wanted him to share this moment with me. It is what it is though.

  "Yeah okay," both Draya and Brittany laughed.

  “Hey Nancy. Wassup boo?” Draya greeted the hair stylist when we walked in her shop, “Hair Wonders.” “This is my best friend Brittany and her sister Kaylee, Rashaan’s girlfriend,” she started laughing.

  I slapped her on the shoulder, “Hey Nancy, me and Rashaan don’t go out, he’s my best friend.”

  “Girl you don’t gotta explain yourself to me. Draya told me you’re graduating tomorrow. How you want your hair?” she asked me

   “I never been to a hair salon, so I don’t know,” I asked shyly.

“WHAT?” she gasped, “I know the perfect style. Come and sit down, Kiaja start her hair,” she pointed to Brittany.

“So how old are you Kiylee?”

“It’s Kaylee and I’m seventeen I will be eighteen in October.”

“Oh, okay, that’s good.”

We continued to make small talk until she was done with my hair.

She spun my chair around to face the mirror. “You like?” she smiled.

"I love it! Thank you so much.” I got some straight Brazilian extensions just to make my already long hair thicker. Tomorrow morning before graduation Nancy is going to come and wand curl my hair for me. I didn't get it curled today because by morning the curls would have dropped.

   We walked down Main Street to ‘Ladies Nails’ and we were seated right away. After getting our nails and eyebrows done, we went to Josie’s, an Italian restaurant. 

  "My name is Victoria, and I will be your waitress today, can I get you all started with something to drink?" she asked us.

   "Let me get a Pepsi, what y'all want to drink?" I asked Draya and Brittany who were too busy checking their Instagram and Facebook they didn't even notice the waitress was at the table.

  "Let me get an orange soda, with a lot of ice,” Brittany ordered.

   "I'll take a sprite light on the ice."

   After our drinks were ordered, we started talking about my graduation.

  "It's Friday night and we about to go home, your graduation is in the morning, I think we need to find something to get into," Draya suggested.

  "You already know I'm with it," Brittany added.

  "I’ma have to pass, I don't want to be tired in the morning because I know me, I will say fuck that graduation and stay sleep," I started laughing.

  "Yeah and we don't need you doing that," Draya and Brittany joined in on the laughter.

  After dinner, we went back to the house. I took a nice long shower then retired to Rashaan's bed. He still hadn't moved all of his belongings into his new apartment yet. He is supposed to move in on Sunday.

  I picked up my phone and sent him a text message.

  "Goodnight best friend, I miss you and hope to see you soon. P.S. thanks for everything today. I didn't spend all of your money, I put the rest in your stash," I hit send and put my phone next to the pillow.

  I was half-asleep when I felt my phone vibrating. I looked at it and seen that it was from Rashaan.

  "I miss you too beautiful, sorry I can't make it to your graduation, but I promise I will make it up to you on Sunday. Take lots of pictures for me, and that money is for you to keep, just one of my graduation gifts for you. Goodnight I'll speak to you soon."

   I plugged the phone up to the charger and closed my eyes. I laid there and thought about what could be if only I would give Rashaan a chance.

  "Kaylee wake up! It's your big day," Ms. Jackie came into the room chanting.

  "I'm up," I said still half asleep.

  "Come on, Nancy is here, you gotta come get your hair fixed. You need to be at the school in less than two hours," she said before she walked out the room.

  I dragged myself out of bed and downstairs to the bathroom. “Kaylee no crying sad tears today only joyful ones. This is a big accomplishment and remember if no one else is proud of you, mommy is looking down and she's proud of you," I gave myself a little prep talk before going into the living room to get my hair done.

  "Kaylee this is my daughter Victoria, Tori this is Kaylee," she introduced the two of us.

  "Hey, wasn't you our waitress last night?" I asked Victoria

  "Yeah, that's me," she laughed, "such a small world."

  "It sure is," I commented back.

   After I got my hair done and got dressed, Ms. Jackie dropped me off at the high school.

  "Okay, Kaylee I got to go get Draya and Brittany, we will be here by the time the ceremony starts," Ms. Jackie informed me before pulling off.

Immediately upon entering the school, I got a weird feeling in my stomach. I pulled out my phone and called Kyanni she was supposed to meet me here.

  "Yanni where are you?" I asked her

  "I'm coming Kay. I had to stop and get my cap and gown. My graduation ceremony is Monday, and you know I'm always doing stuff last minute. I'll be there in like ten minutes."

  "Okay."

  The ceremony started, and I was in my feelings about Rashaan really not being here for me. I also was having a funny feeling about something. I snapped out of my daze when I heard my name being called.

   "Kaylee Ontario." I walked over to my principle to receive my official high school diploma. I started to cry when I heard Brittany, Kyanni, Draya, Ms. Jackie, Nancy and Victoria cheering me on. After the ceremony was over, I went looking for "My Family".

  "Congratulations baby. I knew you could do it" Ms. Jackie hugged me and handed me some flowers and a gift bag.

  "Thank you."

  "Congratulations, Beautiful!" I turned around because I knew that voice from anywhere. Rashaan was walking up to me with flowers and a few gift bags. I looked past him because something caught my eye, Oh my goodness Nate. I dropped the gifts that Ms. Jackie had just given me and took off running into the school.

  "Kaylee!" I heard everyone screaming my name.

  "Kaylee what's going on?" Brittany asked when she caught up to me. I grabbed her and hugged her before bursting into tears.

  "Brittany, Nate is here. What does he want?" I said in between tears.

  "How do you know Kay? You saw him?" she asked

  "Yes, I saw him with my own eyes."

   I looked up and noticed Draya, Kyanni, and Rashaan coming towards us.

  "Kaylee you okay?" Draya pulled me in for a hug and asked me.

  "I'll be fine," I told her

  "You can't lie to me Kaylee. I peeped it before you did. I just didn't want to alert you. Let's go, we will talk about this later," Yanni said grabbing my arm.

  I looked over and saw Rashaan staring at me, so I walked over to him.

  "I promise we will talk about it later. I'm so glad you made it."

  He didn't say anything. He just gave me a fake smile. I knew that a conversation about what just happened was going to have to happen by the look on his face.

  "Come on, we’re going to dinner. Kaylee you gotta change," Draya said as she handed me the bag that held my cotton colored dress by La Femme.

  "Okay, I'll just get dressed in the bathroom real quick," I said

  "I'll take you to my crib so you can change. Y'all go head we will meet y'all at the restaurant," Rashaan cut me off and told the ladies.

  "So you gonna tell me what happened and why you took off running?" he asked as soon as we got in the car.

  "I, really, don't want to talk about it."

  "Kaylee why can't you keep it real with me? Do you trust me?" he asked.

  "Of course I do."

  "So be real with me."

  "When I turned around and saw your face at graduation, I was so excited, but it was short lived though. I looked past you and saw Nate."

  He stopped the car, "And why the fuck do you think that wasn't something important to tell me?" he banged his hand on the dashboard.

  "It was a damn reaction. I'm terrified of that damn man, Rashaan! If you went through the shit, I went through with him you would understand where I'm coming from." I had only told Ra certain shit about Nate. The shit that I did tell him, like the physical abuse, has him wanting to kill Nate. As much as I hate my father I don't wish death on him, I just don't know why.