Forbidden Fruit (A Keith Powers Love Story)

Chapter 30

Maliya

I let out a huff and combed my hair back with my fingers watching Bryshere pull out of our drive way. After our talk that lasted for about twenty minutes but seemed like an hour, we agreed on having dinner tomorrow night. Just as friends.

"Now can you explain some of this to me? Or are you still trying to wrap your head around this yourself?"

My head quickly turned in my dad's direction. He stood at the bottom of the staircase. His eyebrows lifted and the creases in his forehead became more evident.

"Dad, I- I don't quite know why... but I feel like I can never catch a break," I paused to look around. This home is luxurious and my dad has been living in it for years and me, just a few months.

I don't know if I can ever get used to this.

"When did you know you were in love? You said y'all were young so... how did you know you wanted to be with her?"

I watched my dad slump down to sit on the step. His eyes were glued to the floor as a slight smile tugged at his lips. "You never did hear the story, did you?"

"What story?" I walked towards him and sat beside him on the step. My eyebrows were drawn together and we were close. I looked into his face for like the third time since I saw him again in years.

"The story of how your mom and I fell in love," he looked at me.

I shook my head no and he nodded.

"Then I'll tell you."

I blinked, allowing him to continue.

"Your mom and I was in the same grade. We went to the same school and lived on the same block. Her house was just three houses down from mine," he looked off into the distance, recalling the memories that seemed so far back in time.

"Your mom was beautiful but the thing was, I didn't like her at first. I had a crush on your aunt."

My eyes widened, "you're lying! Aunt Janice?! No way!"

He shook his head laughing, "Nah it's true. She was pretty. She was smart and she was an older woman. That's what I wanted."

I shook my my head in utter disbelief.

"Anyway, I was in junior high at the time and I hadn't even met your mom. Your Aunt Janice was the popular one because she was older and she went to "The Highschool". Almost every guy on the block wanted her. It wasn't until I got to high school when I noticed your mother. I was too shy to speak to her then but eventually, I ended up growing some balls and asking her to the ninth grade dance. I swear, after four maybe's and one I'll think about it, she finally said yes. On the night of dance, while everyone else was kissing and all that, we just talked. We talked about everything under the sun. She was the only one I felt comfortable telling about my dreams if being a rapper at the time. She was the only girl I thought about a future with...when I looked at her that night before I left after walking her home...I had this strong feeling...a feeling that made me want to grab her and kiss her a thousand times...but something told me to wait.. it told me that she was worth waiting for and that I would get a thousand more chances to kiss her... and that's...that's when I knew."

Both of were on the brink of tears. I had no idea that my parents' relationship had so much depth to it.

"Dad... I'm pretty sure I'm in love..." I blinked, and my eyes glossed over.

He looked at me, clearly not knowing what to do. He pulled me into a hug and I hugged him back as tears of frustration, confusion, and sorrow rolled down my cheeks onto his cotton t-shirt.

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"That was great, Gee." I smiled at Algee as he came from the booth.

"Thanks, Li! You already know I had to shut it down."

"Ah man be quiet with all that," Luke said, throwing a pillow Algee's way.

Algee caught it effortlessly and tossed it up into the air before catching it again. "Nice try."

I chuckled, "y'all chill, we just have to lay one more track then we are officially done for the day."

"The track can wait," Elijah said.

"Huh?" I questioned, furrowing my eyebrows at him.

"What's up with you and Keith?" Elijah crossed his arms.

Algee thought for a second, "Yo that makes sense 'cause he ain't start acting weird until he came around you. Y'all messing around?"

"No," I shook my head, "I don't even know the guy..."

Luke squinted at me, getting really close, looking into my eyes. "She's lying", he said.

"I'm not! Now let's lay this track. My personal life has nothing to do with this movie y'all are doing so keep it out of these sessions, thank you."

The boys backed off. I saved myself for now but I'm sure this won't be the last of their questioning.

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"Maliyaaa Maliyaaa! Where ya going?" Justice asked as she looked at me through my vanity mirror as I applied light make up.

"I'm going to dinner, babe."

"Ooh! With your boyfriend?! Can I meet him? Is he one if the boys that were here yesterday?! Y'all be kissing? Does he l-"

"Justice! Chill," I laughed, "I don't have a boyfriend. He's just my friend from high school. And yes you can meet him, sweet pea."

"Yay! Yay! Yay!" She jumped up and cheered, in all her little cuteness. Her super curly hair bounced around her face.

"No one ever does your hair?"

Justice shook her head, "Mommy says she doesn't know how to do hair like mine."

I mhm'ed and pulled her to me gently. "Stay still, okay?"

Justice nodded, wildly and stood between my legs as I started to spray her hair with water and separating her long locks. I simply moisturized her mane then gave her two space buns that complimented her very well. "My little sis is so pretty", I smiled kissing her cheeks.

"My big sis is so pretty," she smiles kissing my nose.

I laughed and let her go show her mom. Shaking my head I turned to the mirror and looked into it, taking a few deep breaths. My phone dinged and a text message from Bryshere was on screen.

He's outside