Things She Wanted 2 Forget (Urban)

Then

After meeting Karlos for the first time, he was heavily on her mind. He was so attractive to her. She couldn't help but to think about how good they would look together. But then again, she was drunk and that was the first time she's ever saw him. They didn't get a chance to really talk. And what were the chances that he'd come to another one of her parties?

She discussed her worries with Kelsey. Kelsey came over so Lala could help her take down her micro braids.

"I'm not going to worry about it. Ima just keep doin' what I been doin'. If he comes then he comes, if he doesn't, then oh well!" Lala said as she cut the ends of Kelsey's braids.

"Yea, I'm pretty sure he'll be back. He asked Doug about you the otha day." Kelsey said.

A smile spread across Lala's face.

"Oh, so he asked about me?" She asked.

They laughed.

"Yes guh! He told Doug he thought you was cute!" Kelsey told Lala, smiling.

Fridays came and went and Karlos was there every Friday that there was a party.

Lala and Karlos became friends over their encounters at the parties. So good of friends that Karlos started to always be there. Even when the crew got together at Kelsey and Doug's place to play spades and dominos, Lala was the one inviting him.

On the sixth Friday, Lala found Karlos sitting on the couch, not interacting with anyone. He had a beer in his hand and a blank expression on his face.

Lala walked over to where he was sitting and sat down next to him. He was so out of it, he didn't realize she had sat next to him until she nudged him with her elbow.

"You seem like you're in deep thought." Lala said to him.

Karlos tucked his lips and sighed.

"Yeah, it's been a rough day."

"You want to step outside and talk about it?" She asked.

He looked at Lala and into her eyes which were filled with concern. He agreed to step outside to talk.

They stepped outside of Lala's apartment complex and into the night. The moon was glistening bright and dogs barked in the distance.

It took awhile for the conversation to start. Lala didn't want to pressure Karlos to tell her what was wrong, she wanted him to get it out on his own.

"I got a call this morning... asking me to come and identify the body of my father." He announced.

Karlos closed his eyes tight and took a few deep breaths. Lala placed her hand in the middle of his back and slowly rubbed it, letting him know that she was there and listening to him.

"I didn't know him. I mean I knew him but I didn't know him. He wasn't around. But seeing him... dead..." Karlos shook his head.

"The little boy in me still wanted to make a relationship with him and the little boy in me is hurt that he is gone. But the man in me... is angry. Angry he was never around to raise me and angry he died before getting to know me."

Lala dropped her head. She didn't know what to say. She's never lost anyone. What do you say to news like that? Nothing really, you just listen.

"I wanted him to know how much I grew to hate him as I got older. How his absence made me a better, stronger man. And I wanted to tell him that no matter what I'm going through in life, if I have a child, I'm going to break my back to be there for them."

Lala kept rubbing Karlos back. Karlos felt embarrassed when he started to cry. It felt weird to him to be crying in front of Lala, but he's never felt this comfortable around anyone so he kept crying.