Page 12 of Their End Game

I nervously laughed. “We do have a child together that he just found out about.”

Pulling her shades down, peering over them, Santia swiftly looked around before laughing. “Yet my beautiful god baby is nowhere in sight, so that can’t be the reason for him being here right now.”

“Shut up.” Ja’Lani was actually with my parents, so other than the fact that Ja’vari had texted saying good morning, asking our whereabouts, and him knowing Ja’Lani wasn’t with me, he didn’t have a reason to be present.

“Good morning, ladies.” Ja’vari’s deep voice sent a shockwave I didn’t care to admit I was experiencing throughout my body. Though he spoke to both of us, his eyes were fixated on me. As if the years hadn’t passed, his eyes always seemed to gravitate my way, and it seemed as though he was truly searching my soul.

“Morning, Ja’vari.” Santia spoke all quirky. “What you doing out here so early? You joining us for our lady’s breakfast?” She giggled, looking my way. I swore I loved my best friend and disliked her at the same time.

When Ja’vari finally looked away from me, I exhaled a deep breath I hadn’t even realized I was holding. “Nah, I don’t want to interrupt anything y’all have going on. I just came down for some breakfast and might hop in the pool before my lunch meeting.”

“Hmmm, that the only reason you down here?” Santia shot back.

“Santia.” I spoke in a loud whisper. Her little jokes were funny, but I was also over the bit of embarrassment I found behind them. I was childishly embarrassed, but embarrassed, nonetheless.

“What? I just wanted to make sure he wasn’t looking for something else, ya know? Have to make sure my brother from another mother is okay the same I do with my sister from another mister,” she teased with a smirk and a wink before pushing her shades back onto her face.

Once again, Ja’vari chuckled. Since most times he didn’t indulge in Santia’s harmless jokes, even back in the day, when he parted his lips, I knew today was about to be different. “Beingthat I found what I was looking for years ago, it’s no longer a need to look, just a matter of knowing if it’s worth fighting to get back.”

There was no joke nor smile on his face while he spoke to Santia, glaring my way. “Well, shoot, slap me and call me Sally, ’cause one thing that ain’t changed about you, brother, is that straightforwardness, and I am here for it. I know the actual phrase says slap my ass, but ya my brother, and considering them words you just spewed, ain’t no way I’m stepping in the way.” Santia sat up from the laying position she was in. “I am going to head back to my room. Carlo texted me.”

Sitting up, I pushed the shades on top of my head, dropping my eyes to the bag that sat in the middle of our chairs. Santia’s phone was right there and hadn’t made a noise or lit up. “Really?” I questioned with a raised brow.

Santia stood, adjusting the wrap over her swimsuit. “I know when my man calls, even if you don’t see nor hear my phone.” She winked. “Later, Ja’vari,” were her last words as she passed him and continued on her way.

“Wow. She stay trying to force people on each other, even if they don’t want it,” I nervously said.

“Kinda how you and I got together in middle school, remember?”

With a slight nod, my mind drifted back to the day Ja’vari and I realized we were crushing on each other.

“Hey, you have your Algebra One Honors book?” I asked Santia, walking up to her as she was switching out her books for her next class.

“Girl, I don’t think so. You know I have Algebra One on A days, so I try not to bring the extra books.”

“Ugh.” I pouted. I normally did the same as Santia, and I was usually good about remembering my books, but I was running late and had all my A-day books, though it was a Bday. I was about to ask who else I could ask when I noticed Santia’s eyes shift behind me, and that smirk when she was about to be up to no good appeared. “What?” I turned. “You better not.” I spoke in a whisper after seeing Ja’vari head our way. She never even answered about the book.

“Hey, Ja’vari.” Santia waved him over as if he wasn’t already headed this way.

I was in the eighth grade and was in most of the honors classes, so unlike a lot of my peers, I was late blooming with having a crush because I was always studying. That was until I met Ja’vari St. Clair. The moment my eyes landed on him, I was head over heels, and Santia was the one and only person to know that I secretly dreamed of marrying him one day.

“What’s up, Santia?” Ja’vari casually greeted, his voice cracking in the process, indicating he was more than likely going through the puberty stage.

“Hey.” She spoke again, popping her lips as if she were chewing gum. Santia had always been so extra while I was a bit calmer, and that was what made our bond so close.

When Ja’vari looked from Santia to me, something in my stomach literally felt like it was doing summersaults. The hairs on the back of my neck stood out, and my hand got sweaty. The feeling was crazy yet invigorating.

“What’s up, Radiance?” He nodded as he smiled with his eyes.

“He-hey.” I had to clear my throat.

“Okay, so anyway,” Santia interrupted, “I called you over here because my good sis over here left her algebra book at home and was wanting to know if she could borrow yours?”

You would have thought Santia told my secret by the way my heart stopped, and I instinctively pinched her arm out of embarrassment.

“Oh yeah? Of course. Let me grab it out my locker.”

Santia smiled just as the first bell rang, indicating we only had seven minutes to get to class before the next bell would ring, and we’d be late. “See, that was easy. Gotta get to class.” She stepped around Ja’vari. “See ya.” She took a few steps before she stopped, turning and placing her finger to her chin as if she’d forgotten something, and I already knew it was about to get real. “Ja’vari, gone tell my girl you crushing on her, and Radiance, gone tell him the same. I’m kind of over hearing it daily from both of y’all. Not only that, y’all make a cute couple anyway.”

---