by Ms. Bam
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17. I Got to Have You
Fuck this shit! We're hiring someone to come do the damn yard from now on,Quinton thought as he dried himself off from the shower . He was tired as hell all this manual labor is not the business. He planned to spend the rest of the afternoon chilling. After throwing on a t-shirt and shorts he made his way down the stairs but stopped on the landing when he heard Mia's voice.
“ Start getting ready Rayna! I just got done with all my chores,I'm going to ask Quinton to look it all over then I'm going to start getting ready. I'm just so hungry I need to eat first...yeah I know I have to let Quinton look over everything or I wont be able to go. Some new shit my mom has cooked up. Trust me when I say I have a lot to tell you when I see you later.”
Quinton slowly crept back up the stairs and into the bedroom. I need to find a way to get this started tonight. I'm tired of waiting,Terri got her ass at work all night. If not now... when? Quinton grabbed the Sleeping Beauty pills and mentally ran over the instructions he'd been given by Jarrod the day before as he walked back downstairs.
“It smells good up in here,what are you making?” Quinton asked walking into the kitchen.
“ I made tacos. There's more than enough if you want some. After I eat I'm going over to Rayna's we're going to the mall and the movies. Mom wants you to look over the house before I can go though.”
Quinton decided to play it cool today. He'd slipped way too many times before damn near letting her know how he really felt about her hoping she'd catch on. After yesterday he knew he was playing her too close.
“ Thanks for the offer. I'm just gonna make a sandwich and get on outta here for a while myself...oh and I don't need to check behind you. You were doing your chores long before I came along. Your mom is tripping with that.” Quinton said never once looking at her as he spoke.
Mia looked up from stirring her meat. She was a little surprised,though she shouldn't have been. Quinton was always nice to her. He was dead wrong for grabbing her last night but maybe she'd pushed him? She had to admit from day one her attitude towards Quinton hadn't been the best. As she was doing her chores earlier she thought about everything that had taken place yesterday. Was Quinton really staying home because her mom wanted him too? I guess he is because after that display of crazy from her last night...I can't really say I know my mom at all!
Mia glanced up at the kitchen clock. It was almost four. She hadn't wanted to bother Jeremiah while he was at work but she wanted to send him a text to let him know she'd be able to leave the house tonight. Without sneaking out this time.
Mia looked around the kitchen for her phone. Dammit it's in my room!Her meat was done,she turned off the heat and left the kitchen to get her phone.
Quinton watched her leave the kitchen and looked on the counter where there was a glass of what appeared to be apple juice. Quickly grabbing a spoon he quickly dropped two tablets in and watched as they quickly began to fizz and dissolve. SHIT! Let me pour a little more juice in here he thought grabbing the pitcher from the refrigerator and pouring a small amount into the glass quickly stirring it so there was no residue on the sides of the glass. He could hear Mia coming back down the stairs.
Quinton quickly threw the spoon in the sink and carried the pitcher of juice to the cabinet to act like he was pouring himself a glass.
Mia walked back into the kitchen and began to prepare her food. Wow this is strange. Quinton always tries to speak. Not today though. He must be mad at me too. Lord have mercy. I can't have everyone in this house hating me. It's not like I have anywhere else to go.
Quinton grabbed his lunch and began to walk out of the kitchen.
“Quinton can we talk?”
“ No.” Quinton said smiling.
“ Quinton please,I really do think we need to talk.” Mia said carrying her food to the table.
Quinton laughed inside. Now she wants to talk? I love her..but fuck her. I know she's only speaking because her mom got in her ass. I ain’t making this easy on her.
“ Mia what can I do for you? You obviously want something from me. I already told you I'd let your mom know you did your chores. You made yourself more than clear last night you don't ever want us to be friends,accused me of some foul shit and I'm done. I'll leave you alone Mia. I'm not worried about us getting along or being cool anymore.”
Mia felt like shit. She knew she'd treated him badly from the day she'd met him. He gave her a bad vibe though! You're supposed to listen to your intuition. That whole inner voice crap. Right?
“ Look Quinton I'm sorry for the way I've acted towards you. But can you at least see it from my point of view? My mom for whatever reason has barely dated my entire life. I don't even think my dad ever lived with us. Then all of a sudden she hooks up with you,moves you in. My mom never even sat me down to have a conversation about it. Not to mention how much younger than my mom you are! You're almost my age. Can't you understand how I feel?” Mia asked taking a sip of her apple juice.
Quinton had to stop himself from smiling. Let me go head and ease up so she can finish that drink.
“Okay let's talk.” he said walking towards the kitchen table. Shit let me gon' head and sit down with her so she can eat...and drink!
Mia grabbed picked up a taco from her plate and took a bite.
“ Mia I'm not really even trying to go there about the past. What's done is,is done. All I know is this I outside of last night, I ain’t never said or done a damn thing to you. From day one I've tried to be nice to you. Very nice to you. You don't think I hear how your mom be talking to you sometimes ? I already know it's not my place to tell you what to do or no shit like that. When I occasionally do say something to you it's because I know your mom is tripping with you and I'm trying to help you out. I give you extra money that your mom ain’t even giving you and yet for the last nine months I've been the villain.”
“ Well hasn't it been my mom's money anyway?” Mia couldn't hold her tongue on the one point she could make. Quinton had made a lot of valid points. She'd never looked at things from his point of view.
Quinton smiled and laughed.
“ Now see Mia that's where you got shit fucked up. You wanna say I'm damn near your your age well imma talk to you like you grown then. After all you'll be 18 soon anyway. Now I realize that's your mom,but what goes on between your mom and I ain’t none of your fuckin' business. You're her daughter but I'm her man.”
Mia finished chewing and took another bite of her taco,washing it down with her apple juice.
“ What exactly does that mean? You feel like I don't have a say in what goes on here...,”
“ Mia if you had a say I wouldn't even be here now. Look all I'm trying to say is this. Stop making me the bad guy. At the end of the day,what goes on between your mom and I is our business. I ain’t never put my hands on your mom. Do we argue...hell yeah we do. Couples argue. As for the work issue, I wasn't lying about what I said to you last night. I also don't need you questioning my manhood period.”Quinton popped the last bite of his sandwich into his mouth and rose from the table.
Mia was a little lost as to how she should feel about Quinton now.
“Any way,I'm going to take a nap. That heat ain’t no joke. Maybe your mama wanna pay for a yard boy?”
Mia paused with her drink in her hand,rolling her eyes at him.
“DAMN! I'm joking! You really need to lighten up. Bye.” Quinton said walking out of the kitchen and looking at the clock. Hurry up and shut your ass up and eat and drink!