“UNCG.”
“That’s what’s up. I’m proud of you but I told you that you’d make it. Now you know that you have to represent.”
“I checked your schedule you don’t have games that Saturday so can I come stay with you and Ky?”
“Don’t you wanna stay with your team?”
“I will but I still wanna come visit you. Where’s Ky?”
“Just call her later and we’ll talk about it.”
“I will.”
“Okay, I’ve gotta go, we’ll talk later. I’m proud of you Leigh.”
“Thanks, Love you.”
“Love you too.”
“Your sister?” Ethan asked.
“Yeah, she made the all-star team and they play at UNCG.”
“Aye, that’s what’s up. We’ll have to go check her out.”
I heard the front door open and a man’s voice “Take this to your mother.”
A few seconds later my father was standing in front of us. Ethan looked at him, turned to me and then back at him. “Bruh, you look just alike.”
“Xavier.” He extended a hand toward me so I stood and accepted it. We shook hands and then he just stood there for a moment staring at me with a smile.
“I’m Ethan.” Ethan stood and offered him a hand which accepted and they also shook hands.
“Pleased to meet you. I'm Jackson.” He said smiled politely at Ethan.
He looked around for a second. “Where are the girls?” He asked and I assumed meant Kya and Toni.
“Kenzie kidnapped them. They are in the middle of a very intense session of Barbie karaoke.” Pam said as she entered the room and then placed her arm around my father’s waist.
“Daddy can I play my game now? A little boy with glasses came barreling down the hallway and stopped just in front of my father. He had his back to us.
“Jack this is Xavier and Ethan.” My father said and gently turned his son towards us by the shoulders. A junior, would that be my name if he hadn’t left?
“Hi.” He smiled and waved then turned back to his father. “Can I dad?”
“For a little while. We’re going to eat soon.” He turned to us again now satisfied. “You can play if you want.” He said inviting Ethan and I to join him.
“What game you playing little man.” Ethan asked.
“NBA2k”
“Aye, I’m down, you any good?”
“He looked at his father and then back to me and shrugged his shoulders. “A little but I just got it.”
“Well let’s see what you can do.” Ethan said and the two of them left the room.
“Well I’ll let you guys talk.” Pam said and smiled “Lunch should be ready in a few. We’re doing subs.”
“Thanks honey.” My dad kissed her on the cheek and she waddled away slowly down the hallway.
“Well I’m sure you have a lot of questions.” He placed his hand on my shoulder and then stepped past me to sit down in the arm chair that was across form the sofa. Once he was situated he appeared comfortable which made me think that he spent a lot of time there. I sat down on the end of the sofa farthest away from where he sat not really sure why but I just felt like I needed a little distance.
He cleared his throat and then spoke. “So this is feels a little awkward, I’m sure for both of us.”
“Yeah.” Was all I could think to say.
I could feel tension around both of us. It was like neither of us had a clue how to approach the situation.
“So is there anything you want to know?”
Yeah, why the hell did you walk away and never look back.
“What happened with you and my mother?”
He sat up, clasped both his hands together and began to nervously rub them.
“I wish I could say that it’s an easy answer but it’s not.”
“I don’t need easy, I just want the truth.” I said and looked him square in the eyes.
“Let’s see.” He began and then paused as if looking for the right words to begin his side of the story.
“When I met Tori, well Victoria, I was a senior in college.” He kind of zoned out and I could tell that he was remembering. “She was something. Such a free spirit, happy always smiling. God that smile could change my mind about anything.” I could tell that he was vocalizing his thoughts more so than really talking to me.
“I had never in my life met anyone like her before in my life and I was hooked. She just had that effect on people. I’m sure you know that.” He smiled questionably as if waiting for me to agree but I just sat silently waiting.
“I didn’t know about her past.”
“That she was married?” I asked not sure why I felt the need to say anything at all.
“Yes.” He searched my face as if trying to figure out what I was thinking. “When I found out, I just didn’t handle it well. I made a stupid decision and walked away.” He looked at me with the most disappointed stare. “From both of you.”
“Lucky me.” I said sarcastically. I didn’t know why but I suddenly felt angry.
“For what it’s worth which I’m sure is very little I did try to fix things. I wanted another chance but your mother shut me out. She just couldn’t let me back in and I don’t blame her.”
“So you just gave up?”
“It wasn’t my choice to make, it was hers and I had to respect that.”
“And what about me?” I should have been your choice I felt like a little kid but I just needed to know how it was so easy for him to walk away from me.
“You do know that I tried to see you and I did for a while when you were a baby but then your mother just stopped responding to me. I’m sure it had something to do with Johnny but it wasn’t my choice to not be around you.” Is he really blaming my mother? If you really want something you make it happen right?
“I guess I wasn’t worth fighting for then.” I knew my words were harsh but why should I protect his feelings, he obviously didn’t care about mine or he would have been there.
“Hey guys it’s about time to eat.” Pam said, she was standing in the door way with her arms, crossed propped up on her belly.
“We’ll be there in a minute.” My father said and then looked at me.
“Look Xavier.” Here it comes “I know that I screwed up big time and I know how that must make you feel. Hmp, really? I can’t change what’s already done and I have literally missed your whole life but I’d like to be a part of what’s to come. I’ll be here if you’ll let me but that’s up to you. I just want to try.”
“This is just a lot and honestly I don't know how I feel about it or what I want so. I can't really respond to that right now.”
“I understand. Whenever you’re ready. I promise no pressure.” He smiled but in a way that was sad and filled with disappointment. “I guess we ought to save your friends and go eat.”
He stood awkwardly waiting for me to make a move or say something. I wanted to let go and just be all in but something was holding me back so I didn’t say a word. I just nodded and walked out of the room.
Chapter 19
Kya Renee
“Girl, we were only gone for two days but I swear it feels like a month. I’m dead.” Toni said and fell into our sofa. We had been back at our dorms for about two hours, unpacked and I was currently washing some dishes that we had left over the weekend.
“I know right, I’m going be struggling in the morning.”
“Thank goodness for ten o’clock classes.” Toni said and then waved her hand in the air.
“Yeah but I’ll be done by twelve and you won’t be done until three.”
“Whatever, I’ll take it tomorrow because I don’t think I could be up by 7:00 even if my life depended on it. In fact I’m about to crash right now.”
“I wish I could but I’ve got hella work to do. I should have been working on it this weekend.”
“Mmhm and just what was it that you were doing then.”
“Not what you’re thinking.”
; “Tell that lie to somebody who might believe boo.”
“Go to bed.” I said and laughed.
“Don’t be trying to rush me. You’re grown boo and you and your boy never had a problem in that area so do what ya do.”
“I’m going to study. I can’t with you.”
“You can and you will because you love me.” She said and laughed.
“I placed the last cup in the drain and left Toni in the living room. I decided to send Xavier a text to see what he was up to. He seemed a little off after we returned from meeting his dad.
Whatcha doing?
Xavier and his dad apparently had a private conversation while Toni and I were playing with his little sister Kenzie, who I absolutely love but he didn’t say a word about the conversation. His entire mood changed afterwards so I knew that it had to be pretty intense even though he didn’t show any major signs that anything was bothering him, I knew him well enough to know that he had shut down and pulled away a little. He was polite and joined in the conversations but never really initiated any of them. I could tell that his father was nervous and tried his best to make all of us feel at ease but I felt like he was disappointed that Xavier wasn’t more open with him.
During the drive back to campus Xavier was quiet for most of the drive home and only really said anything if one of us said something directly to him. I could tell that something was going on but I knew that it wasn’t the time or place to bring it up. I decided to give him some space and let him talk about it whenever he was ready but I knew that I was going to have to eventually ask. He wasn’t big on talking about anything that expressed emotion, not even with me. I was pretty sure that was why he couldn’t sleep half the time. Keeping so much inside couldn’t be good for anybody and especially not him. His life is so complicated and always had been so I just wished that he would stop shutting me out so much but that was just the way he was.
When I felt my phone vibrating I figured it was Xavier but instead it was my mom. I really needed to start my school work and I knew that she would talk forever since I hadn’t talk to her in a while but I answered any way.
“Sup Sheila?” I said and then smiled knowing that she hated when I did that.
“Hello, Kya Renee” She fired back “What are you up to? I haven’t talked to you in almost a week.” Exactly, I couldn’t risk you asking me what I had planned for the weekend.
My parents didn’t function off of the you’re eighteen you can do what you want principle. As long as I was still on their payroll, I had to follow their rules.
“Yeah, I know, I’ve been busy. School is kicking my butt this semester.”
“How are your grades? Are you passing everything?”
“A’s and B’s so far and I have a C in Chemistry but I still have time to bring it up.”
“You’re not hanging out too much are you?” And here we go.
“No more than usual, it’s just the labs and I failed a test but he’s going to drop the lowest one so I should be good.”
“Just make sure you put the time in. It’s easy to get off track. School is the most important thing right now so stay focused.” Translation, if you would leave Xavier alone and focus on school you wouldn’t have a C and I would be eternally grateful.
“I know, I am.” What does she think I’m doing? I’m doing the best I can.
“And Xavier?”
“What about him?” I knew it was coming.
“Watch your tone Kya. How are things with you two?”
“We’re good.” No sense in filling her in on everything that’s going on and giving her another reason to tell me why he’s not good for me.
“Alright, I’ll leave it alone. Just make sure you are handling your business and don’t get consumed with him. There’s plenty of time for that.” Yep, words of wisdom from the person who married her high school sweetheart during her sophomore year of college.
“I’m not. We’re good and I’m just chilling right now.”
“Alright, I done.” Thank god!
“Well I have a paper to write so I’ll talk to you soon. Tell dad I said hi and I’ll call him tomorrow.”
“Okay I will. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
Always something I swear. I checked my phone still not reply from Xavier so I put my glasses on, sat at my desk and began typing my research paper. College sucks, well the work part anyway. Two hours later I had done all that I could handle for the night. It was almost eleven o’clock and my eyes were so heavy that I could barely keep them open. I still had not heard anything from Xavier and I was tempted to call him but fought the urge and decided to go to sleep instead and besides I figured that I would see him tomorrow since we usually stayed together on Monday nights.
I unlocked my phone and scrolled to his school site to check his game schedule because I couldn’t remember when he was supposed to play again. Dang, Wed out town, Friday out of town and Saturday home game I swear I’m so over basketball season I definitely have to see him tomorrow or I won’t get to see him until next week and that will be entirely too long even though he still hadn’t responded to me yet. He seriously pisses me off sometimes I untied the drawstring to the joggers that I was wearing and stepped out of them, leaving them in the middle of my floor, turned off my light and hopped on my bed.
I reached over and plugged my phone in, placed it on my nightstand and then immediately looked at my door. Dang it, I forgot to lock my door My room was dark and with me being the scariest person alive I almost thought about leaving it unlocked but then remembered that our main door was still unlocked Yes, I still have nightmares and think that scary creatures live under my bed I jumped down ran to my door, locked it and then jumped back onto my bed. I had a feeling I wouldn’t be awake for long, I could already feel myself drifting.
“Ky wait up?”
I turned to see Kelly jogging towards me Damn, I was trapped I stopped and waited for her. I had been finished with classes for a while but decided to chill in the café with a few classmates to go over some notes for a group project.
“Hey girl what’s up?” Kelly asked breathing a little heavy from her jog to catch up with me.
“Nothing, heading back to the dorms, what’s up?”
“Doesn’t your boyfriend go to UNCG?”
“Yeah why?” I was curious now.
“So you know your way around there pretty good?”
“Kind of I guess.”
“You’re finished with class for today right?” How the hell does she know my schedule?
“Yeah but I’m about to head back and try to finish this research paper.”
“I need a super huge favor, will you take me over there to meet my cousin? I can pay you but I really need to get over there.”
I knew that was coming “When?”
“Like now if you can. I can give you twenty for gas I just really need to get over there. She lives in Jefferson and I don’t really know any other way to get over there.”
“Yeah come on, she bringing you back?”
“Yeah, I just need to get there. Thanks Ky, really appreciate it. I know you hate to see me coming but the struggle is real without a car.”
“Its fine, I’m just running all the time but I understand.” I lied, I just hate playing taxi.
We walked to my car and Kelly got in the passenger side, I threw my book bag in the back seat and got in the driver’s side. It was after three so thought about stopping by to see Xavier since I knew his classes were finished by now but I still hadn’t heard from him since we returned from Apex. It took us about fifteen minutes to get to his campus but it felt like forever with Kelly’s nonstop rambling about her ex-boyfriend, failing classes, back stabbing friends and constant manipulation of my radio which annoyed me more than anything, so when we finally reached UNCG I was more than ready to get her out of my car.
“You said Jefferson right?” I asked when we pulled on campus.
“Yeah girl, do you know where that is
?”
“Not really but it’s gotta be over here. All the dorms are in the same place.”
“I think that’s it over there.” Kelly said pointing to a sign that had the dorm name and arrows on it.”
I pulled into the parking lot and then in front of the building. Kelly reached in her pocket and pulled out two ten dollar bills and handed them to me. “I appreciate it girl.”
“No problem.” I flashed her a fake smile.
I drove back to campus and decided to get to work on my research paper again. I was almost finished and I just wanted to be done with it. When I walked in Toni yelled from her bedroom.
“Where you been?”
I dropped my book bag on the sofa and walked into her room where I found her laid out on her bed scrolling through her iPad.
“I took Kelly to UNCG.” I said and sat down at her desk.
“Wtf girl, how did you get roped into that.” She said and laughed.
“She caught me coming out of the café.”
“Dang that’s messed up, did you go see Zay?”
“Nah, I haven’t talked to him.”
“What’s up with that?”
“Who knows, hopefully I’ll see him tonight.”
Toni gave me a concerned look. “You sure you two are straight?”
“Yeah we’re cool.”
“Hump, if you say so.”
“I’m about to go work on this research paper so I’ll catch up with you later.”
“I’m about to catch a nap, shut my light off please.” Toni said and then laid her IPad down on her nightstand.
“Good luck with that.”
I shut off Toni’s light, closed her door and then picked up my book bag, let the torture begin.
Xavier Lee
Practice was over and I was currently laying on my floor too tired to move. It was amazing how a few days off could totally take you out of your element and coach knew it too because he literally tried to cause us physical pain today. I sat up and pulled off the sleeveless drifit shirt that I was wearing because it was soaked from sweat and feeling cold from the breeze of my fan. I needed to take a shower but my body was begging me not to move and it was winning so I stayed put until I heard my phone vibrating. I rolled over, crawled to my bed grabbed my phone off of it and then laid back down and answered without even looking to see who it was.
Kya & Xavier: It's Always Been You (Life As We Know It Book 1) Page 24
