Chapter 12

Ben P.O.V.

Fuck.

What in the hell had gotten into me? Maybe when I saw her searching for me in the crowd, or when I saw her in the library, probably when she kissed me in the gym and I thought her lips were so fucking soft. I don't know what it was but I did know I wanted to do it again, just to fill those lips against mine. How in the hell could she do that, just make me forget all my thoughts and make me think about her solely, no one has ever done that before not even Muffy. But she did, what made her so different?

I pulled into my driveway and got out the car and saw that the lights were on, what the hell? My mother would be sleep now and my father would still be out at his 'meeting', which was code for too busy fucking his secretary, so what the hell was going on. I walked into the house very cautiously. I looked into the living room and saw my father sitting there with a glass of his whiskey and Elijah and Muffy. My eyes widened at the sight before me.

The hell was going on, they were not supposed to be arriving for another week. When my presence was known, my father said, "We have been waiting for you."

"Yeah I-uhm yeah I had to drop Afia off." I said still shocked.

"The mystery girl." Muffy said one hand on Elijah's shoulder.

"Oh, Muffy I thought we were going to be nice." Elijah chuckled.

I rolled my eyes and sat my bag down by the door.

"You will meet Afia tomorrow for the welcome home party we are throwing for the two of you." My father explained taking a sip of his drink.

Damn, how was I going to tell her that Elijah and Muffy arrived earlier than expected after what happened in the car.

My father then looked at me and said, "How did the football game go?"

"It went good, I made the winning touchdown." I said not taking my eyes off Elijah who was giving me a smirk.

"Ah, that's my boy." He said nodding.

I wanted to be far away from the two so I rushed up the stairs taking them two at a time. Putting distance between them I finally arrived in my room and threw my things on a chair. Falling on the bed I let my head hit the pillow and closed my eyes. A knock on my door caused me to open them, "Come in."

Muffy's face appeared and it caused my eyes to roll. "What do you want?" I said sitting up.

"I had to come check on you, I mean I know we didn't leave things on that good of terms." She said sitting next to me causing me to drown in her scent.

"Oh, when you said you were fucking my brother and that he did everything for you that I could not do." I snapped.

"Are you still mad darling?" She said placing a perfectly manicured hand on mine.

"You got some nerve." I said standing.

"What, you were always my first love and I's yours." She said innocently batting her eyelashes.

"What are you trying to get at?" I frowned.

"When you are done with high school we can be together." She said looking at her nails in a bored expression.

I clenched my jaw at the bullshit that I was hearing, "I have a girlfriend."

"Oh, honey no you don't Kailey told me you just couldn't move on from me and I understand." She said standing up and placing her hands on my shoulders.

"Get out." I said shaking her hands away from me.

She shrugged and left, I was livid, she knew me way too fucking well. She knew just how to play on my feelings and twist them however she wanted.

I took my shirt pants off and I fell into my bed and threw the covers over me. I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

It was morning and I was not in my bedroom or even in my house, the place looked unfamiliar and I felt like I was not supposed to be here.

The door opened to reveal Afia, a very pregnant Afia, carrying a tray of food. I watched her walk over to the bed and attempt to wake me up, wait what?

"Baby you need to wake up." She said shaking me.

I let out a groan and said, "Why?"

She crawled next to me and placed a soft kiss on my cheek and said, "Because you have practice today."

I sat up on my elbow and looked at her and placed a soft kiss on her belly, "Why does your mommy like to wake daddy up so much."

"Because mommy knows daddy would kill her if I woke him up late." She said running a hand through my hair.

I laughed and placed a kiss on her lips, "I love your lips." I whispered.

"Yeah you say it like twenty times a day," She smiled kissing me once more. "Now you need to eat." She placed the tray on my lap.

"What do I do to deserve you?" I said pulling her curls.

"Everything, I mean you are no Vin Diesel, but you are going to have to do." She shrugged.

"Oh, really now?" I said raising an eyebrow.

"I still love you though." She said kissing my jaw.

Then the scene paused and there was just he and myself.

"Do you love her?" He asked.

"What?" I said confused.

"Do you love her, it's simple yes or no question."

I woke in bed finally able to recognize my surroundings, letting out a shaky breath I quickly took my phone from the nightstand looked at the time.

2:00 am

I groaned and placed my phone back on the nightstand, there was something that I could get out of that dream was that I looked happy for the first time in a while. But that was all I could get out of that dream everything else was too confusing to understand. Like did I love her, no I couldn't have I haven't known her long, sure we knew each other since seventh grade but that didn't mean I truly known her.

I still loved Muffy.

Knowing sleep was not going to come back to me I sat up in the bed and looked at my phone for a minute before unlocking it and texting Afia.

Are you up

Of course, she would not be up what the hell was I doing?

Yes, what are you doing up so late

Not feeling like texting I called her and she answered.

"I have something to tell you." I said running a hand through my hair.

"What is it?" She said.

"Muffy and Elijah are here."

She was quiet for a moment so I continued, "And the welcome home party is tomorrow."

"Oh, God really," She groaned. "I thought I would have some time to get myself ready for it."

"Yeah, I know, but like I said before you are going to be fine." I said laughing lightly.

"That's what you think."

"It's what I know."

We talked on the phone for a little bit before I told her she should get some sleep and she agreed and we both hung up.

I was left yet again in my own silence and in my own thoughts, I thought back to the kiss. Do I love her, I don't know, but I do love the way she bites her lips when she is in deep thought, I do love the way when she laughs the corners of her eyes wrinkle, and when she gets mad the accent she tries to hide so bad comes out, or the way she says my name. Just because I love these things doesn't make me in love with her it just makes me attracted to her. She was beautiful how could anyone not notice?

----

I slept for a while before my mother came and woke me up.

"Time to wake up, you have to help set up the party." My mother said. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and rolled out of bed. I walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower and got in, I didn't realize how tense I was. Putting my head underneath the shower rod I tried to wash away the memories from last night but it didn't work. After cleaning myself I stepped out of the shower and tied the towel around my waist and walked out of the foggy bathroom.

"You always had a better body then your brother." Muffy said from the bed and not even trying to hide the fact that she was checking me out.

"What the hell are you doing in my room, shouldn't you be with your fiancé." I said going to my closet and pulling out a flannel and a tank top with a pair of jeans.

"Don't be like that darling." She said straightening out her designer dress.

"Leave." I snapped.

She gave me a light laugh and left, day already ruined I put my clothes on and put on my shoes. My phone vibrated and I saw that it was Afia text message, smiling slightly as I was just about to open the message my father and Elijah opened the door.

"I was wondering if Afia could come now, I would like to meet her without having the noise of everyone else." Elijah said smirking.

"Sure." I simply said.

They closed the door and I opened the text message, coincidentally it said:

What time should I be there.

I text back,

Now.

When I text back she immediately called,

"What the hell do you mean now?"
She snapped

"My brother said he wants to meet you without the noise of everyone else."

"Fine give me an hour."

"That's perfect." She hung up and I walked downstairs to see everyone in a rush to get the party together so I helped any way I could.

-----

My phone vibrated again and it was Afia telling me that she was here. When the doorbell rang I quickly rushed to the door and opened it.

There stood Afia her curly hair, straightened and a no sleeve white dress that stopped at her knees and strapped sandal heels.

"You look nice." I said licking my lips.

"Yeah, yeah could you help me I suck at walking in heels but my mom made me wear them." She said holding out a hand. I quickly took her hand and helped her in.

"You ready?" I asked looking at her.

She gave me a smile and said, "As ready as I will ever be."

I nodded and took her into the living room just as I was about to go get the others she grabbed my arm and said, "Ben how do I really look?"

I wanted to say fucking sexy as hell but I settled for, "You look beautiful."

She smiled and I gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and went to find them.

I walked into the kitchen and found them there having an intense conversation going on. Not wanting to interrupt I listened in,

"What the hell do you mean it's gone?" My father growled out.

"I mean it father it's gone all of it-" Elijah started but he was interrupted

"How did you lose it all huh-"

"Jason pl-" My mother tried to interrupt but was cut off by my father,

"No Charlotte he is a big boy he could fucking take it, now did you lose it by paying your mistresses off or your gambling which one?!" He yelled.

The conversation was halted when Muffy walked in, "Darling what is going on?"

"Nothing sweetheart." Elijah said.

I walked into the kitchen pretending as if I did not hear the intense conversation and said, "Afia is here."

"It was finally about time we get a chance to meet the mystery girl." Elijah said returning to his smirk.

"She is in the living room." I said and walked out of the kitchen. I wonder what the hell is truly going on in this house.

I walked into to the living room to see Afia tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and biting at the lips that I were just dreaming about.

"Why are you nervous." I said walking up to her and placing her hands to her sides.

"Because I am meeting some of the most powerful people in Texas." She said in a 'duh' tone.

Before I could respond they walked into the room and I moved out of the way.

"You guys didn't tell me she was black." Muffy said and then giggled.

"Well we wanted you to see for yourselves because you surely wouldn't have believed us if we told you." My mother exclaimed. I groaned and Afia grabbed my hand and tightened.

"Afia meet Elijah and Muffy and you already met my parents." I groaned.

"Nice to meet you." She said smiling.

"You are so pretty for a black girl you know Afia?" Elijah said smiling.

"Excuse me?" Afia said and I could tell she was getting pissed because her accent started to become known.

"Hey, uhm did you guys know that she was tutoring me and she is the one that helped me not get cut from the team." I said changing the subject.

"Oh, that is fascinating is that how you two met?" My father said sitting on the sofa.

"Yes." Afia said still pissed from what Elijah said.

"The family is going to love you even though you showed up pretty late but you know we should have expected it." My mother said passively.

"I am- wait what?" Afia started but quickly changed when she got the insult. Damn, I would have thought they would have kept their racist ways in check.

"Well you know your people is well known for always being late, right?" Muffy said eyes narrowed and lips perked.

My mother nodded in agreement and I looked at Afia and she looked at me sending me a glare that even the devil will cower from.

Still looking at me she said, "My people?"

"Well yeah, your people, you are black, right?" My father spoke to her like she was dumb.

"That I am Mr. Waters, but could I have a little chat with your son in the next room for just a quick moment?" She said smiling innocently.

"Of course, Afia, the family will be coming soon so we have to get prepped for them." My father said not noticing the flame dripping from Afia's eyes.

We walked and she grabbed my arm and she said, "Benjamin take me to your room." See I have been wanting to hear those words come from her for about a week now but I didn't want her to say them like that.

We walked to my room and when we got in there she walked to my bed and in silence she took off her shoes and finally she began saying something in her native language,

"No ne aluon-ntini yinom fitaa nkorɔfo." She said pacing my room.

"What?" I said confused.

"What the hell is wrong with your family Benjamin, I have been nothing but kind and your nua-banyin wants to say I am pretty for a black girl and your na and ɛyaw and papa says that they should have known I was going to be late because I was black, I can only take so much!" She yelled.

I didn't say anything mostly because a part of me was terrified and the other was turned on, what can I say she looked hot when she was mad.

"I'm sorry."

"No, don't you dare apologize for them because you didn't do anything wrong." She paused looking at me with a hand on her hip.

I couldn't concentrate on what she said because all I saw was her beautiful figure, fuck she was so beautiful.

"Ben, did you hear what I said?" She said standing in front of me.

"What did you say?" I said stopping my hands from wrapping around her hips.

"I said I don't know what my response would be if they say one more offensive thing, but I won't be as nice." She said sitting next to me and slipping on her heels. She stood back up her back facing me she and straightened out her dress. I tried not to look but it was impossible her butt was front and center and I couldn't take my eyes away,

"Fuck." I whispered.

"Did you say something?" She turned around to face me.

"I said are you ready?" I said standing up holding out my arm for her.

"Sure." She said and linking her arm in between mine.