ISRAEL

EIGHT

*****

XIOMARA
CAMBERWELL, LONDON — 11:27

FEELING terrible as his words registered in her head Xiomara unlocked the front door. In her mind, he was sort of right, she just assumed that everything said on the blogs were true. But she couldn't tell if her feelings for him was clouding her judgment.

Her mind was completely bombarded with thoughts, and before she knew it her legs led her out the door, bare foot and all. He hadn't reached far thankfully, he was still on the landing, she could actually hear him muttering curse words to himself.

"Zeri come back!" She called out, he'd told her during their date that Zerimar was his middle name. But that was what his parents went with and typically called him by. "I'm sorry." She continued, hoping that he wouldn't just ignore her and add on to the already high embarrassment she was feeling.

Israel slowed to a stop on the landing, leaning over the railings which faced the main road. She neared him cautiously, minding where she stepped.

"I am sorry," she repeated, looking in his handsome face for some kind of receptive response. She realised then, how much she really liked him that she was even apologising. Her pride almost felt like it was choking her, but she pushed it down as she muttered her next words.

"I am just afraid of being humiliated." She admitted.

"Who isn't?" Was all he said. She couldn't tell exactly how he was feeling as his face was blank. Did she apologise for nothing? All she knew was that she tried.

"Can we just talk inside?" As Israel looked at her, she extended out her arm. It hung there for a while before his large hand wrapped around hers. Lightly tugging him, she was filled with glee as they walked back to her home together which she made sure to suppress.

Some time had passed as they now sat down on the sofa together, with Netflix logo buffering in the background. This time was different however.

"I opened the message yeah, simply cause my fuckin' messages just come up as 'Notification' on my phone screen. I was surprised too, like she just randomly sent me nudes. She don't do them kinda tings still. I'm not gonna lie, I was thinking of linkin' her sometime this week bu—lemme land, lemme land! After our date, I was cool on that. Mums." Israel confessed. His baritone voice made everything sound sexy to her, when he spoke his chest rumbled.

Sitting cross legged opposite from Israel, who's long legs were stretched  out across the soft carpet she felt as though he was being honest. She'd removed her wig but kept her soft glam makeup on as she didn't want to scare him, though he had already seen her bare face multiple times. Now, she had on a bonnet and a Bugs Bunny t-shirt dress. She sat looking pretty and comfortable as his words soaked in.

"I don't like that comment you made." Xio blurted out after their long silence.

"What?" Israel jumped up from his slouch, already on defence.

"About how me and you ain't together. It didn't sit well with me."

"But am I lying though, why am I holdin' corn for talkin' the truth? Like, what you even sayin'." Israel already dismissed what she was saying, relaxing back not even paying her any mind.

"You're acting immature. I'm saying that even if we aren't together, that's what we're working towards. So don't throw that shit in my face. Yes, we're not exclusively talking but that doesn't mean I should be seeing shit from other hoes that you're entertaining. No relationship doesn't mean disrespect." Xio ranted, clapping her hands together with each point she made.