Page 15 of Intercept My Heart

“Well, how are we going to coordinate our outfits for prom? Things will be so awkward with us no longer being together.” Clearly, I wasn’t doing a good job explaining this to her, so I needed to make things plain.

“Bri, we aren’t going to prom together, so there’s nothing we can coordinate. I never asked you to go with me, so there shouldn’t have been too much planning being done in the firstplace. I’m not saying we can’t dance or something like that, but being your date is out of the question.”

“Dinero, I’m going to be prom queen this year. How will it look for the prom king and queen to be going to prom separately? This is crazy! I’ve already gotten my measurements taken for my dress and everything.” I scratched the back of my head, ready to be done with this conversation.

“You can still go. I’m definitely not going to miss my prom for anyone.”

“I don’t understand why you’re being so difficult. We could make this work, but you’re not even trying.” The sound of her whining irritated me.

“Hey, I have to get ready to leave. I’ll see you at school. Be easy.” I hung up before she could respond. I didn’t have the patience for all that whining and complaining. Girls like Brielle expected the world to be handed to them without having to do anything in return. Now, I didn’t mind doing it for the woman in my life, but Brielle didn’t deserve half of what I’d done for her.

“Where are you off to?” Tootie called out to me as I headed down the stairs. She’d come over to drop off the meals she cooked for me. I swear she was a godsend, and I didn’t think she understood it.

“I’m headed out for a quick second. I’ll be back in about an hour.” Normally, I didn’t pick Charae up from work until later in the evening, but her boss gave her the day off. I used that as an opportunity to take her out. It wasn’t a date or anything. Just two people getting to know each other better. She was a tough one to crack, but I wasn’t giving up.

“Well, based on the grin on your face, please make sure you use those condoms I bought you. We don’t have time for any babies popping up. You’re an NFL prospect, whether you believe it or not. These young girls will want to associate themselves with you for the money and fame. Don’t allow your little wee-wee to make decisions for you that could be long-lasting.” My face scrunched up, although I understood her sentiment.

“Ain’t nothing little about me, but I feel what you’re saying.” I chuckled when her face matched mine.

“I didn’t need to know that. Trust me, if you’re anything like your uncle, you’ll probably ruin a few girls’ lives. All I’m asking is for you to be safe. You have your whole life ahead of you, and the last thing you want is to lose it all over one bad decision.” I nodded in agreement, although I had no intention of messing up my future. My mind was set on being drafted by my junior year in college, and I wasn’t about to mess this up.

“I hear you. Thank you for coming by with the food. I don’t mind eating out, but there’s nothing like a home-cooked meal.”

“And that’s facts. No need to thank me. I’m always going to be here for you, no matter what. Make sure you’re back at a decent time because I will check those cameras and clean up the kitchen when you get done eating. Your uncle may have a housekeeper, but you could at least try to make her life a little easier.” I was sure Marissa wasn’t complaining, because not only did she get paid money, but she was also being compensated in dick as well. I had no business fucking with her ass since she was almost fifteen years older than me. However, Unc put me onto older women at an early age.

He said as long as we had our looks and the Sutton family dick, we’d never be without anything. He wasn’t wrong because I’d had plenty of my friends’ moms try to make a pass at me or offer me a ride home when my friends weren’t around. A lot of people told me I looked grown for my age, and as a result, I’d grown accustomed to older women making a pass at me.

The only reason Marissa got my attention was because of her looks. She kept giving me lustful stares from the time she started working for us. Things took a turn when I walked in onher topless while cleaning the kitchen. I’d never claimed to be a perfect man, so I allowed temptation to get the best of me.

“Naw, I got you. Love you, Tootie.”

“I love you too, Money.” I headed out of the door behind her so I could pick Charae up. For some reason, she insisted I pick her up from the mall instead of her house. Since the arcade was over in that area, I agreed. My nerves got the best of me once I got to the car, which caught me off guard. For as long as I could remember, I’d never been afraid of women.

Charae was different, though. Most girls tripped over their own feet to get my attention, but she wasn’t like that. Things with Charae were so natural, and there was no pressure to be a certain way. I didn’t have to be anyone but myself. She wasn’t expecting anything from me, and it was refreshing. Since I was pulling up, I sent her a message to let her know where I would be.

Although Tootie cooked for me, I had a taste for some hibachi from Wagos. They had the best hibachi I’d ever tasted, and they served big portions. I always ended up with leftovers whenever I went.

Once I saw her walking out, I pushed the door open from the inside. She looked nice in her jeans and graphic tee. I noticed that she seemed more comfortable than any other time I’d seen her. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail that touched the middle of her back. Everything about her was simple yet perfect.

“Hey.” Charae greeted me once she got in the car. She smelled so good it stalled me for a moment.

“What’s up, beautiful? Who are you smelling all good for? Let me find out you’re going to see some scrub later tonight.” It was a joke, although I secretly hoped she wasn’t interested in anyone else. Hell, I wasn’t sure if she was even interested in me, but I guess time would tell.

“No, silly. I got paid today, so I decided to buy myself something. I bought one of those perfumes from Bath and Body Works. It smelled better than I expected it to, although I think I might want to try a few different scents.” I loved when she rambled because she wore a smile on her face.

The first place we stopped at was the arcade. As hungry as I was, I knew if I ate right now, I’d be ready to go to bed. Plus, I didn’t want our leftovers to be sitting in the car for hours.

“This is E-City? I’ve always heard people talking about it at school, but I’ve never been.” I nodded, although I wanted to press her about it. Drake and I’d been here dozens of times, so I wondered why she’d never gone. While I knew she was a foster child, their dynamic seemed so odd at times.

We walked inside the place, and I couldn’t help but laugh at Charae’s reaction. Her almond-shaped eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas. You would think she’d never been anywhere fun before.

“Where do you want to start? I usually go to the sports games, but there are so many things to do here.” I watched her observe the room before stepping forward.

“Wow, this place is incredible. I’m not even sure where I want to start. Maybe we can play one of your favorites first.” The innocent gleam in her eyes caused an unfamiliar feeling in my stomach, almost like a need to protect her and keep her innocent. This world was full of mean and stuck-up girls. We needed more down-to-earth girls like her.

“Alright, don’t come crying to me when I spank that ass. I won’t go easy on you just because you’re a girl, either.” Her mouth turned up into a smirk before she started laughing.

“Calm down. You’re acting like I’m coming to take your championship title from you or something.” Her perfect smile matched the rest of her. In school, she rarely put herself together, and I couldn’t understand why.

---