Breathless.

Chapter Sixteen.

Lauren

Going back and forth from my closet to my luggage was all I've been doing for the last two hours. I was making sure I packed appropriate clothing for California's weather. I was packing so much that I forget Rakim was on the phone. He begin yelling hello which made me laugh.

"What, man?" I went back to the phone, laughing.

"I was about to hang up on your ass. Don't do that anymore. You done packin'?"

"Almost," I answered while placing my clothes in my suitcase. "Are you?"

"I haven't even started."

"Rakim, we're leaving in the morning."

"I know, that's why you're goin' to come over later and help me pack."

"Says who?"

"Your nigga."

I zipped up the suitcase and stood up on my bed to close the air vent. I then sat down on the bed and grab the phone from the end of the bed.

"Can't believe we're going on a trip together."

"Yo pops and moms know I'm goin'?"

"My mom know but my dad doesn't," I said. "Speaking of him, so how bout I went to his job the other day to meet his employee,"

"Yeah?"

"Then one of his friends that work with him, son, messed around and say 'if ole dude don't work out, hollah at me.'."

I heard Rakim let out a low laugh.

"My dad walked in and was like 'who is ole dude?' so I told him about you and then I told him your name and he said he doesn't approve of this relationship because he know what type of guy you are," I paused. "Rakim, are you listening?"

"Yeah I'm listenin'."

"Okay, so he said I need to break up with you or it's going to be a problem."

Rakim burst out laughing. I've learned that he can never be serious.

"Yoo." Rakim continue to laugh.

"Oh my God," I laughed. "Can you be serious sometimes?"

"My fault." He calmed down his laughter.

"Rakim, I don't want to break up."

"Girl, we ain't. You just gonna have to go against your pops demands."

I let out a sigh. If my dad finds out that I didn't do what he told me to do, I'll most likely be in trouble for the rest of my teenage life.

"Pause. When the fuck we started datin'?"

"You don't remember the date?" I laughed.

"April twentieth at eight-thirty five."

My mouth flew open and my eyes grew big as I started laughing.

"There's no way you remember the time."

"Location too," He laughed. "I told Tay ass happy birthday yesterday and she gone curse me out."

"She's so mean."

"How was the concert?"

"Ooh it was tight, you should have came." I grabbed shoes boxes from the top of my closet

"You ain't invite me, I cried last night cause I was lonely."

"I'm sorry and stop lying, I thought Rocky doesn't cry."