Chapter 11

Where are we going?”

Just sit back and ride, we’ll be there shortly,” Chanice replied, turning up the volume on her car stereo. Mario’s ‘Let me love you’ was playing while they rode wordlessly to their destination. Minutes later Chanice pulled up in front of the same park Pierre had taken her to the night of their anniversary.

“What are we doing here?” Justin asked with a confused look on his face.

“Follow me,” she replied, getting out the car and heading towards the playground. When he finally caught up with her she was sitting on a swing, kicking her legs back and forth.

“You remember this, Jay?”

“Yeah, I remember this park, but what about it?”

“Do you remember the day you proposed to me and told me we’d be together forever?” Justin chuckled.

“Yeah, you said ‘no’ and socked me in the shoulder before running away screaming that ‘all boys are icky’, especially me. I was deeply hurt,” he responded with a laugh.

“I was six.”

“Yeah, me too! But I knew then how I felt for you.”

“I did too, I just didn’t want you to know,” she said, lowering her head. Justin walked behind her and began pushing her.

“Why not?” he asked, after pushing her in silence for a while.

“Same reason why I didn’t want to tell you earlier.”

“Which is?”

“I don’t want to lose my best friend.”

“But I’m right here, Cece. How would you lose your best friend? And what makes you think that we would no longer be friends?”

“Because things change. I don’t wanna break up with you and not be able to talk to you because you hate me.”

“First of all, I could never hate you…no matter how hard I tried,” both of them chuckled, “and why are you thinking about us breaking up when we haven’t even hooked up yet. You’re thinking about an end that may never happen before we even begin the relationship.”

“Yeah, but I sort of have to do that after Pierre.”

“I’m not him, Cece.”

“I know…”

“You’re sayin’ that but do you really believe it? I don’t want to have to spend this entire relationship trying to convince you that I won’t hurt you like he did.”

“And you won’t have to, Jay.”

“You sure?” he asked, spinning the swing around so that she faced him. He stroked her cheek gently and stared intently in her brown eyes.

“I’m positive,” she replied smiling. He leaned in and kissed her lips sweetly. Ummm. She couldn’t describe how beautiful the kiss was. His kisses made her go weak in the knees and feel safe and secure all at the same time. When they finally separated for air she just stared at him with a slight grin on her face. He returned the smile and she lowered her head bashfully.

“So it’s official now, huh?”

“I guess so,” she replied.

“You’re my girl, Cece,” he said imitating Forest Gump. She rolled her eyes and looked up at him.

“Great way to ruin the moment, Jay.”

“You liked it!”

“No, I liked you.”

“And I liked you too, babe. I liked you then, now and forever.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chocolate covered candy kisses
They keep me reminiscing
All I want is what your giving
Nothing like your affection
So in love and you're the reason
There's no more lonely season
Lately boy, you drive me crazy
Think I wanna be your baby

Now homeboy wants to be my baby, be my baby, be my baby

*Strike that...my homeboy is my baby!*