wewewe77

[wewewe77]

Sexy

[wewewe77]

[wewewe77]

Friends 1.16

Waitin' On You - Jaheim ft Ms.D

Touch It - Ariana Grande

Diced Pineapples - Rick Ross Ft. Drake & Wale

Trey Songz - One Love

Sometimes - Ariana Grande

Stuck N The Middle

July•

*13 Hours Ago*

Calen

The sight of seeing Dana ride off in that truck, kept playing in my head over and over again as I drove in my Benz with my nigga Hector. Looking so damn pretty as usual, but stared at me like she was looking at a monster. I've felt like one since I broke up with her, with it being the only way to save my family. Hector passed me the fat blunt we shared on my destination to Lupe's loft. It was past ten minutes to eleven, my main goal right now was keeping the team on low key for the rest of the night. No one got hurt and that's what mattered most. Police would try to get leads and would find nothing.

Never did I want to have to watch Dana separate from me again, but she surprised me. Not that she was here in New York, but the fact that it seemed like she somehow was trying to find me without knowing it.

I was so close to shooting Erin dead in cold blood, until I saw Dana sitting with her at the table of the dinner convention.

With time passing by so quickly Erin's people that were supposed to keep an eye on me started slacking.

That was my chance to enforce in executing my plan. But Dana threw it off, and a made up plan B had to unfold.

It was going almost eleven when I pulled up to the tall building. Parking the car I threw my hoodie over my head, following behind Hector as we entered in the lobby of the building. The building receptionist and greeter looked from Hector to me.

In seeing my face once I took my hood off, she smiled giving me a wink. Letting me know everything was in place.

Giving her a soft nod Hector and I continued to the elevator, stepping inside it. Once getting to the assigned floor, Hector pulled keys from his pocket to open the loft door as we made our way inside. Walking softly further into the loft I heard voices speaking, deeper in the loft.

It was Lupe's voice, along with another; Erin.

Staying hidden, I listened in on the conversation along with Hector.

"Bullshit, he really tried to steal your girl, and now we gotta figure out where she is and kill his family huh?" Lupe laughed sounding fake drunk. He made her drink too? This nigga...

"Yeah, he and his family will have no mercy. I'm just grateful for you getting me safely out of there." Erin replied to him. I balled my fist hard, wanting to strike her down so badly.

Never did I think I would want to put my hands on a woman so bad, but I had other plans for her.

"Damn, how did the shit even get so deep that his family had to be involved?" Lupe asked, digging for the truth I needed.

"Three months ago, I gave him a warning, the most decent. Telling him either he can fuckin' pick his family, or my girl and die anyways. Regardless that pussy belongs to me." She arrogantly stated, I gripped my gun so tight, ready.

Hector touched my arm probably seeing my anger and that it wasn't time yet until Lupe gave the signal with his choice of words.

"So guess he took it for granted." Lupe assumed.

"You would think he wouldn't, had Charlie beat the fuck outta him so badly. Whole side I'm sure was black and fucking blue probably could hardly walk, and that was me being nice." Erin laugh shortly.

"Well, my sources say he's been aided from a guy named Lupe of the Latin Kings." Lupe told her, that was the signal.

"Really? Well we need to get in touch with him, I'm ready to end this shit, I miss my girl." Erin confessed as I started walking leisurely into the dining area where they sat.

Erin slid her head slowly my way, a look of shock in her eyes. She then moved her head back to Lupe, who took his gun out laying it gently on his left thigh.

"Calen, and you are?" She looked at Lupe who smiled.

"The one and only ride or die brother of this guy." He pointed at me with his free hand, "Lupe."

Erin shook her head in disbelief looking over at me, "Calen, you really going to have your guy here take me out then?" She asked me with an evil smirk. Staring her down, I tucked my gun in the back of my jeans.

Shaking my head, I just couldn't comprehend how Dana could ever give the time of day to someone so evil.

Pulling up a chair I sat in it backwards leaning my arms on the back of the chair.

"You know I've fantasized about ways to have you killed. I was going to take you out and you used her as a shield on your first annual outing since threatening me and my family."

"You really think I would do that?" She asked me in disbelief.

"I know." I spat, Lupe stood out of his chair walking out the dining area, "You'll never see her again, understand?"

"Whose going to stop me, you?" She laughed at me.

"Yeah, and I'm going to love her like you never could." I told her, the smile on her face slowly disappearing.

"You're just another pretty boy that's going to break her heart, I know about guys like you." She spat back at me, I could only smile at her.

"You don't know shit about me." I replied standing up out of my chair, "Hector let's do this."

Erin never smiled my way again, and I was glad she would never get to hurt Dana ever again.

~

Present

Taking the phone out of Dana's hand, I stopped the video recording before it got any further past the parts that would make her more upset than she already looked.

Would it matter right now if I told her I was still in love with her, would she believe me?

"I don't know what to say." She mumbled in shock looking up at me, "But I believe you."

"I'm sorry." Placing my phone in my pocket I looked in her big brown eyes, filled with confusion.

"I need time Calen, okay?" She muttered to me, I opened my bedroom door for her to go. Last thing I ever wanted was to push her into anything.

"Yeah." I nodded watching her walk out.

Turning back towards me she stopped before going down my stairs, "You have nothing to be sorry about."

Then why the fuck do I feel the exact opposite?

~

Sitting in a beach chair, with a spliff burning in between my fingers, the late afternoon breeze brought me back to my childhood.

Running around this island with Cooper being a bad ass, everyone knowing who I was because of my mother. One girl after the other chasing after me once I got my first little peach fuzz on my face.

I took a long pull closing my eyes, knowing that I had kept so much from my family. No one knew before I showed Dana that video of Erin.

"You want to tell me what's bothering you mio?" Cassie's worried tone sounded over the light breeze on the house beach front.

"I'm fine mother." I responded finally letting the smoke escape slowly from my lungs through my nose. Looking over at her she was barefoot letting the sand mesh with her toes.

"I haven't seen you in a year Calenito." She spoke sitting in a chair that was the twin of mine. Looking over her face I smiled, even with her expression of slight despair.

"Everything is fine, I'm here with Cari and Cooper because I missed you." I tried persuading her. She nodded with a smile but I knew she knew I was speaking half truths.

"How long are you staying with me, don't you have to get back to the office soon?" She asked.

"I'm on a break from the company for now, my family is most important to me." I told her.

"What about your love life?" She asked a curve ball making me scoff at her, "I'm not going to wait around forever to be a grandma without some nagging about it."

"You don't even look like a grandmother." I laughed at her, she smiled with a small shrug of her shoulders.

"That's not the point and you know it." She playfully pinched my arm watching me take another pull of my spliff, "When are you going to stop smoking that?"

"Such a mother, geez." I mocked her with a smile, "And I don't know why you riding my back for about children, Cari the one with a boyfriend."

"She does?" Cassie asked me, I nodded looking out at the sun barely starting to set over the Caribbean ocean.

"Your sister still is not really talking to me Calen." She told me while I put my blunt out on the bottom of one of my all black low top converses.

"Well she's here ma, perfect time to get her to talk." I shrugged, "It's only day one."

"I know, are you sure you're fine?" She asked me, I stood out my chair with her looking up at me. This woman knew me better than any other breathing.

"Yes, I'm going to go find Cooper." I smiled as she stood too looking at me, she touched my cheek.

"You're different, in a good way." She commented at me I smiled shaking my head.

"Ma, you being weirdos, right now." I smirked at her, she smiled.

"I haven't heard you say that in so long." Her face lit up in nostalgia. Somewhere inside me I frowned at my words to draw away from what was really eating at me.

So badly I wanted to tell my mother, one of my best friends, that I was in love and hurting. But I was a man, and my pride was in the way.

"What's for dinner?" I asked her starting to walk back towards the house, she followed.

"It's a surprise, hey how long has Cari been friends with uh....?" She stopped not remembering her name, but I already knew who she was talking about.

"Dana?" I helped her and she smiled with a nod.

"Yes, Dana. She's a sweet young woman, all the way from the U.K." Cassie commented about her in a dull kind of way, when I knew, she was so much more than that.

"Yeah, I've noticed from the accent." I nonchalantly replied once we made it back in the house.

"You always do that Cae." Cassie shook her head at me walking to the kitchen.

I stared at her, confused a little, "Do what?"

"See all women as the same by your tone." She told me, I shrugged at her.

"You're never going to give me any grand children." She huffed going in the fridge, I chuckled softly starting to walk off.

"Cooper is the ladies man, I'm just chilling." I told her.

That could change. Hopefully.

~

Dana

Everything was a lie between her and I, the way my heart felt right now the tears wouldn't stop falling down my face on to my pillow.

Sniffling, my mind just felt so sick of feeling like this, I was stupid enough to go back to her and believe her.

Calen was protecting me this whole time, along with putting himself as a sacrifice and I was so thankful for him. I couldn't try to hate him even if I wanted to and I didn't.

There was a soft knock to my door and I immediately sat up, not wanting Calen to see me like this. Wiping my eyes vigorously I forgot I had locked my door.

"Dana, its Cari, dinner is ready." She spoke through the door while I ran to her bathroom to look at myself.

My eyes were light pink and poofy, and my face was a little pink from crying. Shit. I began splashing cold water on my face and running back out the bathroom.

"Give me five minutes Car!" I yelled after she had knocked again on the door. Putting on some concealer and then foundation. Dropping eye drops in my eyes, I blinked rapidly going back to the bathroom.

My eyes instantly started to clear up thank goodness, knowing I barely had time before Cari tried to come see what was up with me.

"Okay..." She muttered slowly and I chuckled at her tone of annoyance. Looking over my face again in the mirror I looked more decent like I hadn't been crying for the past hour.

Opening my door Cari looked me over raising one eyebrow, "You had a good nap. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, starving come on." I ignored her looks of suspicion grabbing her hand to go downstairs. Whatever Cassie was cooking smelled amazing.

"My stomach is rumbling, didn't realize how hungry I was." I rubbed my tummy with my free hand, Cari remained silent as we made it to the kitchen.

Everyone was waiting for Cari and I at the table with food on the table. Cassie smiled while Clay was in the middle of prayer over the food.

The only other seat that was empty besides Cari's and I, was Calen's. But then I saw he was standing outside on the back patio on the phone.

"Thank you for finally joining us ladies," Cassie said as Clay wrapped up the blessing of the food, "Tonight is one of Carielle's favorite dishes."

"Mom, everyone in the family calls me Cari, why do you have to be different?" Cari asked in a dull tone, I looked over at her like she was doing too much.

"I'm your mother, I named you Cari, if anyone uses your full name it should be me." Cassie responded.

"Right how could I forget?" Cari mumbled as Calen made it back to the table. He looked me over once quickly looking away, before his eyes suddenly glued back to my face.

Right off the back I knew he was in high alert on seeing that I had been crying. Couldn't get nothing past him no matter how hard I tried. Yet Cari didn't even really notice.

"So your mother and I was thinking on taking you kids out on the boat tomorrow. A family sailing trip." Clay proposed as everyone started to dig in Cassie's seafood pasta of shrimp, lobster and fried clam strips.

We still had the chicken and beef empanadas left over from lunch along with her rice. I was going to be stuffed tonight.

"We haven't went sailing as a family in years." Cooper mumbled looking over at his dad nonchalantly. Clay smiled looking over across the table at Cassie.

"Alright so it was my idea, what do you guys say?" Clay asked looking around the table at us with his green eyes.

All three siblings stayed quiet while I decided I should speak up.

"Sounds fun Clay, I'll go, I've never been on a boat before."

"Alright, that's one, what about you Car?" Clay tried moving on Cari and she shook her head with an eye roll.

"Well of course I have to go and make sure Dana doesn't drown, with her not being able to swim."

Cassie smiled with a nod, "How about it boys?"

She eyed Cooper and Calen as they shrugged their shoulders.

"Cool." Calen nodded.

"Whatever." Cooper took a bite of his lobster and noodles.

"It's settled then." Clay smiled taking a sip of his white wine. I smiled finishing up my food, feeling Calen's eyes on me briefly.

Dinner from that point on was filled with quiet chatter and compliments of the food, along with nostalgic memories that Clay narrated mostly with embarrassing moments of his kids in the past.

The family wasn't perfect but they seemed so tight, and it made me understand more on why Calen already wanted me to meet his parents.

After dinner Cari and I helped clean dishes with Cassie, while the guys went to go check on the boat to make sure it was in good condition to ride out in tomorrow.

"So Dana, when's the last time you visited your father in Manchester?" Cassie asked just as I was drying up the last china dish that had been washed by Cari and dried by Cassie.

"Um, almost about two years now." I told her and she did a nod.

"Do you talk to your father often? I know he misses you terribly." Cassie went on with her questions, I could tell Cari was getting annoyed.

"Mom, you know Dana isn't the only person in the kitchen." Cari started making the mood awkward. They seriously needed to sit down and talk.

"Jesus mia, of course she isn't, but it just seems like you don't want to talk to me. Every time I try-"

"You don't try, you never try." Cari stormed off out the kitchen as I stood by the sink, seeing nothing but sadness on Cassie's face.

She turned to me with a small smile,

"I'm so sorry Dana, can you finish up while I go talk to Cari?"

"Sure." I nodded as she rubbed my arm gently before walking out the kitchen. I wiped down the counter with the dish rag, turning off the kitchen light. Leaving the rag by the sink something caught my eyes through the patio glass windows.

Seeing smoke on the outside patio, I walked up to the glass seeing Calen stand on the wooded floor. Leaning against the patio post he looked out at the ocean, moonlight glistening on the surface.

Sliding the door open, I stepped outside closing it back. The ocean breeze welcomed me softly with it being a beautiful warm night, with no humidity. Walking closer to Calen, I leaned on the opposite post that was parallel to him.

"Hey." I spoke out quietly, watching him take a pull from his blunt.

"You were crying." He spoke the obvious, looking over at me.

"I'm not now." I pointed out, with a smile but Calen didn't. Instead he took another pull from his blunt looking away with a grimace.

"Do you really feel that bad, when you didn't even do anything?" I asked him, confused by the funk he was in.

"Yeah I do." He replied lowly.

"But this was all her doing not yours." I pointed out.

"Time was stolen from us, I would have been introducing you to my parents as my girlfriend not just Cari's friend." He complained shaking his head.

"I know, but we're here now, doesn't that matter?" I asked him.

"I still don't know where we stand Dana, or if you even want to be with me anymore." He adamantly told me, "I mean I did hurt you."

"Oh." I mumbled, seeing now where his mind was.

"Oh?" He repeated questionably.

"Why didn't you just tell me Calen?" I asked, "I mean I know it would put your family in danger but-"

"That's exactly it, I didn't want to put them in danger just because in my twenty-three years of being alive I finally fell in love, with a woman I wasn't suppose to have."

"I understand." I crossed my arms around myself, "But you shouldn't feel like you don't deserve to have me."

"Why do you really want to deny us being together any longer if that's how you feel, give me an answer and I will respect it." He demanded looking at me.

"You're going to respect it regardless." I told him, he just stared at me, waiting for my reason.

"I've been on a roller coaster since the day Erin broke up with me, and I feel that we rushed too fast." I started, looking out to the ocean the waves crashed pleasantly on the shore.

Calen turned towards me with his blunt between his lips, he bent down taking off his shoes.

"So, I was thinking maybe we should just be friends right now." I proposed, watching him slip off his black socks next. He leaned back up with a squint in one eye, taking his blunt from his lips.

Going for the hem of his shirt he lifted it over his torso, giving me full view of all his tattoos splattered over toned muscle. He truly hadn't changed a bit, even more sexy than what I remembered.

"What are you doing Calen?" I asked him staring at his body and looking away. My cheeks I could feel were getting hot.

"So we're just friends now huh?" He asked making me look back over at him. The chain around his neck similar to his with my name on it glistened.

"Yeah, don't you think that...." I trailed off as he started taking off his shorts showing black ralph lauren boxers underneath, he put out his blunt after taking another pull in the palm of his left hand.

Laying his clothes on the railing, he bit down on his lip letting it go slowly, looking back into my eyes.

"Think that what, it would be better for us?" He asked me gently walking closer to me, smoke sexily leaving his nostrils into the light wind.

"Y-yeah." I swallowed smelling his natural body scent, he cuffed my chin with his left hand making me look up into his eyes.

"Do you still love me?" He asked softly, rubbing my chin in little circles with his fingertips. He was so careful with me like I would shatter, it made me want more.

"Yes." I answered feeling breathless from him being so close to me, his brown eyes ignited in hearing my answer.

"And you still have on my chain?" He asked knowingly, I nodded with my chin still in his hand.

I took a deep breath getting lost in his stare,

"Everything is true, but I want us to take things slower than we did before."

"Why Dana? What's the point?" He asked me leaning on the post with his hands above my head now. His warm breath fanned my face making my mouth water.

Raising my hand I placed it on his hard yet soft chest, slowly pushing him back so my heart could calm down a bit.

Putting my hands on his necklace inside my shirt I unclasped it, taking it from around my neck.

"We're trading for now, until I feel ready." I handed him his chain, and he looked at it beginning to take off mine from around his neck. We swapped as I watched him put his on, I held out my hand for him to give me mine, but he stepped closer again.

"Raise your hair off of your neck." He ordered in a whisper looking in my eyes, and I complied while he put my chain on my neck. His warm fingers lightly brushed my neck and a favorite spot of his on it.

I did a light cough that almost sounded like a moan hoping he didn't hear. My center did flips in feeling his touch me in so long. Once he was finished I let my hair fall back around my shoulders.

"Now go put on a bathing suit." He told me.

"Why would I do that?" I asked him, a mischievous grin came to his face. What is he up to now?

"You can't get on the boat tomorrow if you don't know how to swim, Captain Clay's orders." He told me walking away, "I'll be on the shore waiting."

Shit, what did I get myself into?

Calen

*Bonus*

Sitting in the warm beach water that only came past the middle of my stomach, I leaned back with my hands behind me looking up at the sky.

So she just wanted to take things slow between us, I would just have to respect that.

I didn't want to, wanted her to be mine so I could declare it to the world. To my parents, my homies who fought for me.

But she wanted a breather, I wanted to be her breather from bullshit and I was in the middle of it. There was nothing I could but show her I wasn't going anywhere.

Honestly I didn't know how much longer I could hold out and just push myself on her. A nigga was feigning to taste her again, never tasted nothing more sweeter. But I wouldn't until she let me know it was alright.

I leaned my head up towards the sky looking at the moon, "Fuck...."

"You bored or something?" Her foreign voice that I could never get tired of sounded behind me. I turned around seeing her in a big black tshirt.

"That is not a bathing suit." I commented looking at those soft looking legs.

"Ha, you really thought I was going to make this harder for us to act like friends only after of just twenty minutes ago of talking about it?" She asked sticking her tongue out at me.

"You not funny." I muttered looking away from her, "I told you I would respect your wishes."

"Yeah, and you're not swimming. Last time you said that you kissed the back of my neck remember?" She shot back sitting down next to me in the water. Raising my hand I lightly splashed her.

"Ah, Calen!" She growled making me laugh at how thick her accent got when she was mad, this water not being cold was going to be hard for me.

~

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