Southern Californ-I

XVII.

Southern Californ-i

<>A Week Later<>

Since my night with CJ, he and I hadn't hung out. We talked but a few days of separation would't kill us.

I was currently in the food court with Nicole at the mall. Jordan was hopefully going to show up but so far it's been just her and I shopping... Well she was shopping, I was just there to tell her she looked good in what she tried on. I love clothes as much as the next person but I just wasn't in the mood for it.

"You alright? You seem like you're lost in thought?" Nicole questioned making me bring my attention back to her. She finished eating and it reminded me that I still had food in front of me. "Vanity?"

"I'm alright, just got a lot going on in my head." I said giving a weak smile.

"Like?" CJ for starters because it's just a given but I don't wanna argue with you at the mall in front of all these people.

"I'm trying to decide whether I stay here or move back to Nevada. It's been a thought that's floated around my mind since graduation. I complain about California all the time but all in all, it's not as bad as the first few weeks." Mickey still hasn't texted or called me back so I'm just done with her and I'm not going to reach out to her again. "My birthday's coming up so I'm trying to figure out what to do."

"Stay in Cali, it'll grow on you more the longer you stay. Eighteenth birthday right?" I nodded. "We need to do something extra special. What day?"

"June thirteenth. So in three days."

"I wanna surprise you with something. I know you'll like it and maybe I can get Jordan involved too. Speaking of him, how are you two? How was your outing?" I knew she was going to ask at some point and I also knew it killed her to say outing instead of date.

"It was fun. Movie and ice cream but he's a really good guy. My Dad took a liking to him and we haven't really hung out since that outing."

"Well at least y'all had a good time and I told you he was a good guy but I bet you've been more caught up with CJ than Jordan, huh?" She brought his name up, not me so that's the invitation to speak about him.

"You could say that. CJ and I just get along a lot better than before and I like his company." He's addictive by nature and I'm solely talking about his personality but he's also a ticking time bomb at the same time. I'm kinda liking the fact that I have to be sneaky just to hang out with him or when I'd sneak him in and out of my room. To this day I still can't believe I haven't been caught- well aside from that one morning but I got myself off the hook passing him off as Jake.

"So are you two dating or what?"

"No. We're just good friends." A little more than just good but we'll keep it at good so you don't flip a bitch about it- fuck it. "With a benefit or two." The smile that crept onto my face as I thought back to graduation night made my stomach fill up with butterflies. The way he was so caring and so gentle was the contrast to the way he was when he killed Malik... it was so much more of a turn on to see that soft side of his. I closed my eyes as I looked down for a brief second just reliving the kisses he left on my skin, his fingertips gliding smoothly across my skin and then when we were pressed to each other- my eyes shot open before I got too carried away in that memory.