Save Me

23| Lauren

"Dang, how you changed clothes that fast?" Was the first thing Bam said when I greeted him at the door. After hung up from FaceTime, I had to get presentable.

"I looked a hot mess," I told him, but in reality, I tried to get somewhat cute for him...even though he doesn't look at me like that.

He shook his head and cracked a smile. "Impossible. You gone let me in or what?" He questioned and it was then that I realized we were still by the front door.

"My fault," I moved aside and let him inside before closing the door.

"Yo, this is nice Laurie."

"Baby girl, stop hiding your friend from us and come in here!" My dad yelled from the kitchen. I sighed deeply because my family can be a lot to deal with.

"I'm sorry in advance," I said to Brandon and he chuckled with his deep dimples showing now more than ever.

"Anybody home?" He waved his hand in my face, snapping me out of it.

"What did you say?" I questioned him.

He furrowed his brows in confusion before speaking to me. "I said what is it that you're apologizing for."

"They're crazy," I said, signaling to my family.

Bam nodded. "Crazy, eh? I feel like you exaggerating, but lead the way because I'm hungry and I smell food."

"You always hungry," I chuckled at him and led the way to the kitchen where everyone else was.

"Bout time," my dad said, getting up from the kitchen island and coming slap five with Bam. "Happy Holidays, how you doing man?"

"I'm pretty good," Bam told him.

"Ooh, Laurie he's cute..." My cousin Tiffany blurted out. "I see you."

"Tiff, don't embarrass her, but he is a cutie," Auntie Sheila added. I shook my head and glared at them both.

"Uncle Pokey, please get your women!" I told him as I grabbed a plate from the cabinet to make Bam a plate.

Uncle Pokey chuckled and walked toward Bam trying to deflect. "You play ball, Brandon? My boys outside shooting around."

"Play ball? Bam was top 10 scoring in the NCAA before his injury. The boy was a stud," my dad bragged on him. You would've thought he was his son or something.

Bam smiled a bit, but I could tell that he was uncomfortable with the attention. "I'm decent, but y'all mind if I eat first before I get in a game?"

"Laurie, fix the boy a plate. We gone be outside," my uncle said, turning to me before they disappeared outside.

"Soooo, you get a new boo and don't tell anybody?" Tiff said with a playful smirk. I rolled my eyes and placed collard greens on Bam's plate.

"He's not my boo."

"Yet. He's not your boo, yet," auntie Sheila said with that delightful smile of hers. "We may have been in the room just now, but his focus was solely on you. What's the tea?"

I sighed deeply. "What is it that y'all are seeing because he clearly isn't?"

Tiff furrowed her brows. "Ooh, you got it bad...don't you."

I just shrugged her comment off and took a fork from the drawer. "Is it that visible?" I asked her with a frown.

"Is the grass green?" Aunt Sheila added before Tiff could respond.