All I Want | ✓

38 | happy

Eliana and I stand in line at the counter of the Jamaican restaurant we're standing in, getting ready to order our food. My arms are wrapped around her waist as I kiss her temple. She's tense in my hold but gradually relaxes the longer I have my arms around her.

I don't know what it is, but ever since she picked me up from the school after getting back from Louisiana, she's been kind of quiet but still touchy as usual.

"Wanna eat inside?" I ask, eyeing her as she runs a finger down my arm, tracing my tattoos.

She nods, "Yeah, we can."

When we order and receive our food, I carry our tray to a booth in the corner and watch as Eliana glances around the empty room awkwardly.

My brows furrow, "You okay, baby?"

She shrugs and stirs her lemonade with her water, "I don't know. The past two days have been kind of weird."

I pick a fry from the basket and sigh. Immediately, I know what she's talking about, "You were on Twitter, weren't you?" She leans back in her seat and bows her head, "Babe, you can't let them get to your head."

"I can't just do that, Case," She sighs, "They out here calling me a coon and desperate and I don't have the heart for it, babe. I already went ten years with being called worthless and greedy, I'm not about to be strong for another set of people to do the same shit."

"I'm not asking you to, peach." I assure her, "I just wish you wouldn't look at it. They're keyboard warriors who wouldn't even do that shit if they knew the real you." She sighs and leans forward, propping her head up on the palm of her head. I slide her food over to her and motion to it, "You gotta eat, baby."

We take a moment to eat in silence, her feet rising to rest on my lap. She eats her plantains and steals fries off my plate, her beautiful smile wide on her face when she does. We talk about other things, hopefully taking her mind off the trolls online.

"So what do you have planned for your birthday?" She asks, looking up at me with food still in her cheek. I laugh at her chipmunk cheeks.

I shrug, "We could all go out to a club maybe. Get some actual drinks in now that I'm officially allowed to."

She snickers, "Boy, you've been drinking beer since I met you."

I roll my eyes, "We don't have to talk about that."

She nudges my arm and slides closer to me until she's resting her head on my shoulder and wrapping her arms around my torso.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" She sighs.

I chuckle and kiss her forehead, "Everyday. But I'm not against hearing it some more." She laughs and shakes her head, "Hey," I whisper, garnering her attention. She looks up at me, "Do I make you happy?"

Her brows furrow and she sits up, eyes doe as she kisses my lips, "Very. I don't think I've smiled as much as I have with you, Case. Why do you ask?"

I shrug and rub her hip, "Just wanted to know."

✘

"So," My mother starts, clasping her fingers under her chin. She invited us for dinner at her new apartment to celebrate the championship win. She looks between Ana and I, "Plans for the future?"

I watch as Ana lowers her glass of water and gulps, "I mean..." She pauses for a moment before turning to me with wide eyes, "Case?"

Ma laughs at her pushing off the question and averts her gaze to me with a pushy smile, "Case?"

"Well," I blink, "I mean, we'll take things one step at a time?" It comes out more like a question rather than a definitive statement. My head whips to Ana, "Babe?"

She nudges my leg under the table before turning back to my mother with a small smile on her face, "I mean... we'll probably move in together after graduation?"

"Get married?" My mother asks eagerly, leaning forward.

Ana chokes on air beside me, "Married?"

My eye twitches, "It's probably too early for that."

"A baby?" Oh my gosh, why does she choose now to do this?

Ana taps her fingers against the table with pursed lips, "Uh, baby?"

"You know, I'm excited to have little grandbabies running around."

"Babies?" Ana emphasizes the plurality of the word, leaning back in her seat, "Wait, Jo. Wait," She holds a hand up, "Wait, wait, wait, can we slow it down for a second. We've only been together a month."

"And I was pregnant with Case after a month of knowing his father — and look how well he turned out." Her words make me stare at her with confusion. Sure, I turned out well but my dad ended up not being the person we both thought he was.

Not that I'd be anything like him, but moving fast doesn't always work out well.

"Ma," I sigh, "I appreciate that, but Ana and I are just enjoying being with each other right now. We don't wanna rush into things just because we can."

I can see Ana look at me with a nod. Ma sighs, "Do you want to have kids, eventually, at least?"

Ana holds her cup to her mouth and speaks into it, "I'm not completely against it. You?" She arches a brow at me.

I am so confused that all I can do is stutter out an answer, "I-I-I mean, me neither, I guess? Wait, ma, where is this coming from?"

She shrugs, "I have all bets out on you guys. I see the way you look at each other and I know your relationship will last because you love each other — and I've raised you well enough to be a man and not fuck up, so I just want to make sure you guys see it too."

LMFAOAOAOAOAAO JO JUST GOT RIGHT INTO THE NITTY GRITTY