A Bed of Roses (Completed)

31.

Carter
2 weeks later

"Bro."

"Tell the homies, especially Cash, not to say anything about high school—"

"—or anything that went down back in the day with women, around my girl tonight." I went on telling Herb as I held my phone up to my ear, walking away from my school's building.

We'd both just left our last classes of the day and a nigga was on edge about tonight. On edge because I knew how my homies could be once they started drinking and talking. They would start bringing up old memories and I didn't need Kai hearing things that I knew she wouldn't like.

I was going to finally introduce her to them as my woman and I just needed everything to be cool.

"They already know, bruh." Herb spoke loudly as my phone connected to the Bluetooth on the radio once I got to my car.

"I told them the same thing because Tash is still on my ass about that situation with Jess—"

"Plus you know, the homies are bringing their ladies as well so." He scoffed and I nodded, looking out the corner of my eye as I backed out of the parking spot that I was in.

"You finally made her your girl though?" He went on asking and I chuckled to myself, pulling away from the parking lot completely.

"Yeah, man. I had to."

"She makes me happy." I admitted with a shrug and he chuckled, cooing at me jokingly.

Kai was everything I wanted in a woman. I'd finally broken down her walls and what I found inside was pure bliss. She was completely different from when I first met her and I was working hard to keep her this way.

She really made a nigga happy.

"Hold on though bro—"

"—you still didn't tell her anything about high school, right?" He went on and I sighed deeply, feeling guilty about the entire situation.

"Nah.." I trailed off.

"I mean, I told her some things, just not everything." I expressed, considering I'd told her about my high school relationship. Just not with who and everything else that she'd asked me.

I just felt like it wasn't important and like he said, it wasn't worth messing up what we had currently. But what I felt guilty about most, in this moment, was lying to her, considering she'd asked me specifically for the truth on the topic and I didn't give her that.

I lied and she poured her heart out to me about her ex, so the guilt was eating me alive. For three months now, I couldn't even touch her or have sex with her because of the way my guilt was messing with me.

Firstly, it was about taking it slow with her and it still is but after she'd told me about her ex and I'd lied to her face, I felt like if I'd made love to her, I would be taking advantage. And I knew that if she ever found out about my lies, she would immediately compare me to her ex.

I just felt guilty and stuck.

"I feel you, bro."

"I still didn't tell Tash either about Jess and I really don't plan on it, man."

"Like I told you, it's just not worth it." He expressed himself and I nodded, focusing on the road as I drove.

"She's happy and she finally moved in with me so it's no point in ruining that, over some shit that happened in high school."

"Yeah.." I trailed off, feeling guilty as hell as I thought about it but it was what needed to happen.

Kai would never be my girl now if I'd told her everything about my past the night of our first official date. We'd probably still be at square one, with her not even wanting me to take her out and her not even believing that I actually wanted her.