Page 52 of Taeja

“I don’t,” Taeja said, making Liyah roll her eyes with a small laugh.

They had small talk for the next ten minutes until Mason’s SUV slowed at the curb. A tall white male with sandy brown hair hopped out from the driver’s side. Despite being more on the skinny side, Mason’s build was defined.

He jogged over to help with their bags. While he took Aaliyah’s, he kissed the side of her head. “Hey, babe.”

“Mhm,” Liyah said, not hiding the annoyance on her face.

Mason sighed and looked away from his girl to give Taeja a warm smile. “Hey, Tae. Everything’s good with you now?”

Remembering the last time she saw Mason, she was crying and dry heaving, Taeja cringed. “Yeah. Thanks for coming for us.”

Mason smiled as they walked toward the trunk. “Anything for my girl.”

“Except for being loyal,” Liyah muttered, placing her bags in the trunk before walking toward the front door. She entered the vehicle and slammed the door shut behind her.

Mason’s shoulders slumped as Taeja gave him a tight-lipped smile. “Can you talk to her?” he begged.

“You cheated on her,” Taeja said plainly.

“I was drunk at a frat party. Can she blame me?” he asked, and Taeja narrowed her eyes at him. Mason dragged a hand down his face. “Okay, fine. She can blame me. But I was drunk as fuck, Tae. I wasn’t thinking clearly. It’s not like I fucked that girl. She only gave me head.”

“Cheating is cheating. It doesn’t matter how you try to twist and turn it.”

He sighed, looking more burdened than he did already. “I’m gonna lose her?”

“I don’t know. Just give her time. You know our girl’s stubborn.”

Mason chuckled. “You’re right.”

Taeja smiled before placing the last bag into the trunk, then walking away. She sat in the back, waiting for a few seconds until Mason entered the vehicle. As he drove off, Liyah connected her phone to the car’s radio.

“You girls going somewhere else, or do you want me to drop you home, Tae?” Mason asked.

A bitter taste rushed to Taeja’s mouth.

Home.

That word was a mockery. It didn’t have a clear definition anymore.

Sure, her guys welcomed her with open arms, but it was sad knowing that she could never return to the place she’d called home for as long as she could remember.

“Actually, can you drop me at Teddy?” she whispered.

Liyah spun around, staring Taeja in the eyes. “Teddy?!”

Taeja slowly nodded.

“Mason, drop me at Teddy, too.”

“I’ll be okay, Liyah,” Taeja assured her.

“No—”

“Babe.” Mason moved a hand from the steering, gently laying it atop Liyah’s thigh. “She’ll be okay. Teddy changed, right?”

Taeja nodded, despite having lost hope that Teddy would ever change.

Liyah glared at them before huffing and turning back around. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the traffic before them. “I think you should bring my bat.”

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