Forbidden Fruit (Urban)

one

Sai

"Okay Ma!" She squeezed me tightly, tears shining in her eyes.

"Sai, I am going to miss you," my mother's thick Nigerian accent laced every word and her eyes watered.

"Mommy don't cry. I will call you every day." I kissed her cheek as my father helped her into the car. Though she was the strongest woman I knew, her age was starting to show.

He walked over to his side and opened the door, looking stonefaced as always. "Ah, ah. Daddy you won't miss me?" He kissed his teeth and started grinning. "Abeg, get out of here my friend."

He was really just a softie, holding it together cause he knew Ma would be all teary like she was now. "Bye Daddy," I hugged him tightly and he kissed my forehead, entering the car.

I waved at my parents as they pulled out of the parking lot. I was finally alone and it felt odd, yet freeing. I trekked back up the stairs of the apartment, making my way back up to the apartment my parents had just moved us into.

"Ada! Open up," I yelled through the door. I heard her through the thin door of the apartment, probably on the phone with some nosy aunty. She came to the door and opened it for me to enter. "Yes aunty I'm fine," she talked into the phone.

"Who is it?" I mouthed, not surprised that I was correct.

"One sec," she replied. " Okay.... Take care now... bye," she clicked the phone off.

Ada turned to me with excitement. "Sai Baby, we're finally free!" I rolled my eyes. What is she gonna get me dragged into today?

"Come to this party with me tonight," she looked at me with her lip poked out. We've only been here an hour and she was already acting a fool.

She knew I wasn't the party type. I mean, I can t up when I want to but right now I was ready to relax. "Nah, I'm good." I shrugged and moved past her and into my room. Boxes littered the whole area. The only thing unpacked were all my clothes, which hung in the closet.

Ada was hot on my trail. "Pleaaase Sai Baby! It will be fun," I shook my head, not giving into the nickname she always called me when she wanted something, and sat down on the bed. I slid a box in between my legs and started working on opening it.

"Okay, okay look. We can get pancakes after." My head snapped up. She knew me too well. That was my absolute favorite food in the entire world, and if you wanted me to do something then pancakes was the asking price. "Okay but you're choosing my outfit," I examined the contents of the box as she squealed with happiness.

It contained all the pictures I wanted to take with me, including photos of my mother and father, cousins, and me and Ada's school photos. I've known her my whole life and we were practically blood. Now, we get to live our dream together.

I put the photo albums on my dresser and moved on to the next box. The stomping of Ada's feet made me look up. "Here it is," she said in a sing song voice. She held up what she picked for me: a simple bodycon black dress. "Sai Baby finna be looking like a snackkk! She's simple but the girls that get it, get it." I chuckled and grabbed the clothes from her hand.

After wearing the skin tight piece, I paired it with some Forces and began doing my hair. "You know I really love you," I yelled from the bathroom, taking off my bonnet. "I'm undoing a braid out for you. That's true love." I heard her laughter.

I rubbed coconut oil on my fingertips and began undoing the braids in my kinky, dark hair. After each braid was out, I started picking and fluffing it out for volume. "You taking too long!" A screamed from the couch. "Only been in here for thirty minutes, chill out," I yelled back. She stomped to the bathroom and shoved her phone in my face.

"Girl you crazy. You been in here for an hour thirty doing who knows what. Come on," She pulled me up from the chair I sat in. I grabbed my phone and keys, locking the door behind me.

The white BMW that Ada's parents gifted her for college sat untouched in the parking lot. Funny thing about it was she couldn't drive, but they had given it to her anyway. I hopped in the drivers seat of the luxury car and put the key in ignition.

We made as far as the gates of the apartment complex when the car stopped. "Don't tell me you ain't fill the tank," I turned to her waiting for a reaction.

"Nigga I can't even drive." I rolled my eyes at her. Well maybe I shouldn't have gone shopping that day...

"Anyways, how we 'posed to get to the kickback now?" Ada shrugged. "Maybe we should ask him if he has gas." She pointed to a guy getting out of his car across the lot.

I was not in favor of the idea, being that it was 11 at night and he could be anybody, even a mass murderer. "Ummm what the hell you smoking?" I asked her. She was on something if she thought I'd be the one to go talk to him. Befriending strangers was more of her thing; I was the one who kept to myself.

"Since you so scared, let's go together."

I unlocked the doors of the car and we both got out. Making our way over to his car, his features became more defined. I almost started drooling on the spot.

"Hey," she called out to him. Ada was always very bold and wasn't afraid to do anything. Sometimes it was beneficial and other times... not so much.

"Wassup?" he responded, licking his lips. Ada started explaining our situation as I stared at him. He towered over my 5'6 height, and his brown skin was clear and smooth. His hair was in a curly fro and it looked like he just got lined up.

"....and yeah so can you help?" She finished her talking and waited for him to speak.

"Well I ain't got gas lyin' around, but I can spot you some gas money?" He questioned, seeing if we'd take him up on his offer.  I spoke up, realizing I hadn't even said a word since we walked up to him.

"Nah it's cool, we'll just head home." A smacked, showing that she was upset by my reply. I was the type of person who believed in signs. And if we couldn't get gas to head out, maybe we should just stay home.

"Thanks though," she said to him. She grumbled a bit and started the walk back to our apartment, leaving me with him. I should whoop her ass for this, but that would be later.

I looked back at the car and how far it was from our crib. "Ight so Imma just push the car into a parking spot. Thank you...?" I waited for him to say his name.  "Elijah," He finished my sentence. "No problem, let me help out with yo car though." We walked over to where it stayed, blocking the exit to the complex.

"So how'd this happen?" He spoke, pushing the car to a spot.

"I had a little too much fun driving to every mall in the city, no big deal."

He chuckled. "I like that. You can never have enough stuff."

"You and I think alike," I smirked and he smiled back. Lord that smile...

"Let me walk you to where you stay." The walk was short but he said enough to keep me smiling the whole time. I felt myself purposely slowing down so I could spend any extra seconds hearing that deep voice, seeing those pretty lips. I hope he didn't notice me sneaking glances his way.

"This is me," I said pointing at a staircase that led to the second floor. I didn't exactly want to walk him to my exact apartment, seeing as though he could be a murderer. "It was good talking to you, Elijah."

"I'll see you around, gorgeous."