Page 129 of Taeja

Taeja glanced between the two of them. “I’m going outside—”

“Stay,” they said, and she sighed.

“I don’t think I—”

“Tae. Stay. Mason. Leave,” Liyah insisted.

“Yeah, stay and tell your friend to stop getting upset with me over stupid stuff,” Mason said.

Taeja sighed again. She hated being in the middle of their arguments. Sometimes being friends with a couple felt like the job of a mediator. “What happened?” she asked. “I’ll be as unbiased as I can.”

Liyah glared at Mason. “I didn’t do anything.”

Mason chuckled, the tip of his ears turning pink. “You alwaysneverdo anything. It’s always me.”

“If it’s always me, why don’t you leave?”

“I’m not leaving, and you’re not going anywhere either.”

“He has a point,” Taeja agreed, and they glared at her. She forced a smile. “Guys, yelling at each other isn’t doing any good, and unu nuh waa me leave the car. Either talk things out like adults or do this another time.”

“We’ll do it another time,” Liyah rushed out, reaching for the ignition.

“Aaliyah, if you push that button, I’m done, and I mean it this time,” Mason stated, and she froze. His gaze narrowed on her as she looked at him, sighing before resting her hand on her thigh. “Talk to me, Liyah.Please.”

Feeling some of the tension lessen, Taeja said, “Can I go wait o—”

“No. Stay,” Mason said. “Listen to how your friend is being inconsiderate.”

“I’m not being inconsiderate, Mason,” Liyah countered as her voice lowered. “I’m just not ready to get married.”

“I know that, but you’re acting as if being my fiancée means I’ll drag you down the aisle by tomorrow morning. I just want you to wear my ring, so I know you’re serious about us,” Mason said gently.

“I’m serious about us.”

“You’re not because since I cheated, you changed. I know you said it’s behind us, but you still blow up on me over the simplest stuff and push me away whenever we argue. You cheated too, and you don’t see me acting like you. I’m still trying for us.”

Liyah and Taeja exchanged glances, and Taeja pursed her lips. Looking away from Taeja, Liyah faced her boyfriend. “I’m sorry. I thought you were cheating again.”

“I’m not. I want you; I love you. I stopped drinking so that you won’t have to worry about something like that happeningagain.”

“Then whose skirt was that?”

“My sister,” Mason answered. “If you didn’t storm out, you would’ve heard me say she slept over last night. My house is closer to the studio she’s working at today.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah.Oh.” Mason leaned back in the seat and crossed his arms. He looked at Taeja. “See what I’m talking about?”

Taeja held her hands in the air. “Leave me out of it. You know I’m not saying anything bad about our girl.”

Mason scoffed. “You said you wouldn’t take sides, Tae.”

Taeja sighed and looked at Liyah, whose head was hung low. “Mason has a point, Liyah. Yu head too easy fi chip sometimes.”

“I’m sorry,” Liyah whispered.

“It’s fine—”

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