Page 105 of When I Thug You Like That

I didn’t say shit else to her. Just grabbed Baby Jay’s hand and headed out the door.

India wasn’t trying to pull him from Abilities First because he wasn’t learning, nor had anything happened to him there. I wouldn’t fuck her, so now all of a sudden, the school wasn’t a good fit. It wasn’t concern. It was bullshit. It was her thinking that the school somehow had ties to my change of heart about our proximity to each other.

Either way, she was on good bullshit. I just had to wait and see how far she planned on taking it.

“Oh, you in here cookin’ like you want a nigga to stay the night or somethin’.”

Jai’ana laughed, pulling me inside her apartment by my jacket.

“You silly. Hi.”

“Hey, beautiful.”

I kissed her forehead and then her cheek.

“Should I take my shoes off?”

“I’d appreciate it if you did.”

“Cool. Here, hold this.” I handed her a gift bag and took my sneakers off. Sitting them on the shoe rack near the door, I took in her place.

From what I could see from the doorway, everything looked like her. Well put together without looking staged. It smelled good too. There was an oversized candle burning on the table a few feet away, but the way the scent lingered through the house, she had to have plug-ins all over.

“What’s this?” She held up the bag to me.

“Something for you. Before we get into that though, what you cooked up?”

“I cooked turkey wings, fried cabbage, and baked mac and cheese,” she rattled off quickly. “Now, what’s in the bag?”

“Damn. You had time to make all that after school?”

“No.” She laughed. “After school was cancelled today due to a staff meeting.”

“Ohhh, okay.”

She then held the bag up again and tapped it.

“What’s in here?”

“Open it.”

She smiled, walking farther into the house, and I followed behind her.

“Thank you.”

“You don’t even know what it is yet.” I chuckled.

“I know. I’m thanking you for thinking of me.”

“Oh, I’ve been doing that often. This is just something I picked up.”

I watched as she reached inside and pulled out the box. Then she stopped suddenly, lifting her eyes to mine, before dropping it back into the bag.

“Jay, forreal?”

“Forreal what? What you see?”

“Is this the new Kindle I told you about?”