Journey ( August Alsina FanFiction )

10

Josiah

Healani shot straight up lookin' at me like I was speakin' a foreign language. "Like like me or you think I'm cool or something?"

I kissed my teeth. "Healani how old are we man?"

"Not old? Not old at all."

"You have a point." I twisted up my lips. "But old enough ta' know dat when I tell you I like you it's not just in a friendly way. You knew I liked you in a friendly way when I spoke ta' you. But when I continued ta' speak ta' ya? Pshhhhhh."

"Why don't I believe you Josiah? There's no way. No no way."

"And why not?"

"Because I'm me! The broken, abused, homeless, me!"

I tilted my head lookin' at ha. "What you tryna get at?"

"You're you! You may not have the perfect life but Jesus Christ you're you! And you're like perfect and just why would you want me? Huh?"

"You talkin' crazy."

"You don't see what I see?"

"Nah, enlighten me."

She stared so hard into my eyes I was convinced she was tryna teleport what she saw in me into my brain.

"What you lookin' at man?"

"You're playing."

"Aight." I sighed. "If I tell you dis maybe it'll help you believe me."

"Go ahead."

"I knew you was starin' at me before da day in da cafeteria."

"No way."

"Yes way." I mocked ha accent makin' ha smiled.

"How?"

"Cause I was starin' at you too."

She continued doin' dat weird starin' thing. She stared fa' a long time before she dropped ha head into ha hands and I was confused as ta' what she was doin' fa a minute until ha back started ridin' and fallin' all fast.

Now she know...

"Lani watchu cryin' fa?"

"I don't believe you Josiah, I don't."

Think Josiah, think.

I tapped ha' on da shoulder. "Healani."

"What?"

"Listen aight. I'm not quite da talker. You know dat. Now when I do decide ta' speak my intent is not ta' lie. I'm not lyin' ta' you. You hear me?"

She lifted ha head lookin' at me and I had da mind ta' wipe ha tears but I didn't. I kept my hands right where they was.

She sniffed wipin' ha own tears away. "Well.."

"Well?"

"Well if you mean it.. Give me a hug. Not a "there there" hug. A real one."

I chuckled noddin' and opened my arms and she quickly threw herself into them.

"I was so scared to say something."

"Me too, me too."

When she finally pulled back she looked at me wit' dis goofy smile on ha face. As much as I was tryna remain cool I couldn't help but ta' drop my head and laugh at how she was lookin'.

"Stop laughing at me." She hit my arm.

"Stop lookin' at me like dat then. It's weird."

She smiled leanin' back on da couch and so did I. We didn't say much else, it was just content. Nobody asked what was next, nobody cared ta' know. Because just as our relationship had from da minute we spoke, it just flowed. We let it continue ta' flow. And it grew into something so so beautiful.