Page 48 of Beyond The Stars

“It was just getting good,” she squealed while being dragged out the house.

Qamar ignored Siasia. “I was trying to be a father unlike all the men you decided to have babies for, Ma.” He cut his eyes at Stephanie. “Did I do it wrong? Maybe but my intentions were good.”

“To you they were but not to Siasia or Janay.” Stephanie doubled down on her thoughts. She knew her son was a good man, but he hadn’t lived life enough to always make the best decision. And unlike most times, she decided to not egg his bullshit on and make him face the shit he was unintentionally creating. “I ain’t against you, Qamar, never will be but be mindful of the things you may or may not be creating. Unnecessary chaos.”

Siasia couldn’t have agreed more with Qamar’s mother. His heart might’ve been in the right place but the execution was anything but.

“You still mad?” Qamar flopped on the loveseat that sat perfectly against the wall, giving the perfect view of downtown Jade City.

They were no longer tucked inside Tiny’s tension filled home. After all the chaos, he felt it was better for them to let the house calm down. Based on the silent treatment Siasia gave him, he no longer felt that was the best route.

Huffing, Siasia swiped her finger down her phone with force. Out of the corner of her eye, she took him in. Dressed down with his leg hanging over the arm of the couch, he looked so cool. The type of swag that poured out of him needed to be studied because even in distress, he didn’t seem to break a sweat.

“I know you hear me.” He laughed before tossing something at her.

“Stop!” She frowned, ducking the balled up straw paper from the fast food they had on the way to the hotel.

“Stop acting like I ain’t here,” he countered. “If you got some shit to get off your chest, the floor is yours.”

“The floor should’ve been mine when you made the decision to show up to my house to whisk me and my sister away to play house with you and your baby mama.” Siasia laid her phone down, ready to unpack everything she’d been feeling the moment she walked in her trailer to him being Captain Save-a_hoe. “You invited yourself into my world. I didn’t ask you to.”

His buttery caramel eyes stared at her blankly— looking for the issues only she seemed to have found.

Placing her feet on the floor, she continued with her rant. “My life ain’t pretty. I ain’t come from a wealthy family. My house wasn’t filled with love and laughter. My mama loves a man that doesn’t know how to keep his hands to himself, and she doesn’t love herself enough to see the issue with that. I don’t know who my daddy is, and Noodle don’t share my blood. We don’t fit in here.”

Tucking his lip behind his teeth, Qamar sat up shocked. Shit was officially getting real. Never did he expect for Noodle to not be blood related to Siasia. No they didn’t look alike but neither did him and his siblings, thanks to Stephanie being a rolling stone.

“Say what now?” He stood up to make his way towards her.

Like he knew she would, she tucked herself inside herself. Qamar hated when she did that. He’d witnessed it the first night they spent together. It was something he silently vowed to rid her of.

“I’m just saying… we ain’t from the same place— don’t even live in the same universe. All this proves it.” Her hand waved around the room to emphasize how their lives were different.

The luxury hotel proved it. Without effort, he could afford to put them in a room that cost more than the rent in her trailer.

He scoffed. “You don’t know where I’m from. Matter fact, put your shoes on. We ain’t staying here tonight.”

“Wait!” She jumped up, her hands leading her to him. “What part of we don’t belong here don’t you understand? Like, what about that makes you think I want to go to another rich place with you?”

Siasia couldn’t believe Qamar. It was like he wasn’t hearing her. He wasn’t feeling her or trying to understand where she was coming from—didn’t try to ease the building tension being around his rich life seemed to bring her. She liked him better when it was just the two of them tucked away in his room—away from the world.

“Do I make you feel safe?” Qamar stared down at her. His heart twisted while seconds felt like hours waiting for her answer.

Siasia squeezed her eyes shut. “Qamar,” she whispered through her sigh.

“Do you feel safe with me?”

“I just?—”

Qamar pulled her face towards him. “Are you safe with me?”

Siasia confessed, “The answer scares the shit out of me.”

“And you not answering scares the fuck out of me.” His deep voice fell into the voice of a child—afraid of rejection. “I’m trying, Siasia.”

“Trying to do what?”

His pleading eyes made her mad at herself for giving him a hard time. “Just ride with me, mama.”

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