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With this fake ass smile and an even faker tone, she said, “The girls really missed you last month, Briyana.”
“I… missed them too,” Yani replied awkwardly, her response making my eyebrows furrow a little since I knew she hadn’t thought twice about those women. But, that was also their business which meant I was minding mine as Rocki said, “Well hopefully you can join us for next Saturday’s game.”
“I’ll try my best to make it,” Yani lied, moving deeper into my side as if to say,“Get us outta here, Lance.”
And I did,happily, shooting a smile down at her that she matched before I announced, “We really gotta going. But you take care, Rocki.”
“You too,” Rocki responded, the fact that it wasn’t,“Y’all too”only making it more urgent for me to get Yani away before she could call her out on it. And I could tell by the way her shoulders sank once we were completely out of view that she’d been restraining herself, though she waited until we were in the parking garage to comment on the interaction.
“Those are either super new, or she just really wanted you to see them today.”
“What?”
“Her nipple piercings,” Yani answered, the fact that I hadn’t even noticed making me realize how far I’d come even as I confirmed, “Nah, those aren’t new.”
Frowning, Yani groaned, “Ewww,” pushing me away towards my side of the car as I chuckled and defended, “What? You asked.”
“I mean, I know. But still,” she whined as she climbed into the Porsche. “I amnottryna think about what you used to do with that woman’s nipples.”
“Not nearly as much as I do with yours,” I told her, thinking she’d at least like having a leg up until she responded with a short, “Not helping.”
“You sure?” I asked, reaching over the center console in an attempt to tweak one playfully through her jersey until she knocked my hand away with a giggle.
“Quit playin’. My mom’s already waiting on us.”
That reminder was enough to have me speeding out of the parking garage so that I could follow the directions that were playing from Yani’s phone, her quiet demeanor for the first half of the drive concerning me enough to ask, “You gonna be alright?”
“Yeah, it should be fine,” she responded with a sigh. “I’m thinking she’ll at least be less tempted to turn on the water works with company around.”
I wanted to agree just to give her peace of mind. But that’s not what actually came out of my mouth when I told her, “I don’t know about that. Daughters bringing home their boyfriends for the first time is kinda a big deal to some people.”
“But she already knows you,” Yani argued, which was true.
Only partially though since I hadn’t actually seen her mother in person since around the time I left for college, making it easy for me to defend, “Sheknewme. As a child, and as your friend. Not as your boyfriend.”
Instead of responding to that, Yani sat up a little as she turned my way with a smirk and pointed out, “Okay, that’s the second time you’ve called yourself my boyfriend.”
“What you prefer, mate or some shit?” I questioned with a chuckle. “Partner?”
“No. I just meant like, I’ve never heard you say that before,” she explained. “And you didn’t exactly ask me.”
Considering how deep we were into this shit now, I assumed it was obvious without me needing to say it. But since it was clear Yani wanted to hear it, I asked, “Will you be my girlfriend, Briyana?”
“No,” she responded immediately, the scowl my face transformed into making her bust out laughing as she followed, “I’m kidding. Of course, I’ll be your girlfriend. Shit, after the game you had today, I better be claiming your ass before somebody else tries to.”
“If they’re not already,” I challenged, watching out of my peripheral as Yani’s nostrils began to flare when she warned, “I will beat a bitch down. Don’t play with me.”
“Oh, so now you get it?” I asked. “Cause earlier, it was“Relax, Lance”.”
“Yeah, cause Kendall wasn’t checkin’ for me and I wasn’t checkin’ for him,” Yani defended, only to tag on, “Even though he is kinda cute.”
“See what I mean,” I groaned, making her giggle as we finally pulled up to her mother’s luxury apartment complex. And because she lived on the first floor, it wasn’t long before we were at her doormat, Yani raising her hand to knock just as the door was pulled open by her mother who somehow already looked on the verge of tears.
“Oh my God. Look at you two!” she sang as she pulled us both into a hug, keeping a hand on each of our arms when she stepped back and said, “I never thought this day would come.” And since I wasn’t exactly sure what she’d meant by that,and it didn’t look like Yani did either, I just kept on smiling as she gave a little tap to my chest while telling me, “Congratulations on the game today, by the way.”
“I appreciate that, Mrs. Hayes,” I responded politely, Yani giving a subtle eye roll once her mother tossed a hand my way and insisted, “Oh, Claudia is fine.” Then she all but dragged us into her apartment while telling us about all the different food she’d made, a spread that only made sense once we made it to the dining area and discovered it wouldn’t be just the three of us eating it.
That was a shock to Yani, her eyes wide when she looked at who was already sitting at the table and asked, “Dad, what are you doing here?”
