Page 53 of Are You Going to Love Me

Like they’d been in this bubble together forever, the conversation flowed through the ebbs and flows until they reached her apartment building.

“You goin’ to sleep or are you going to keep sending me songs?” Eden asked as she reached for the door.

“You know better than to open that door. I’m going to sleep. Your bossy ass wore me out,” he joked. “What you doing Sunday night?”

“I’ll be busy,” Eden shared, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Oh yeah, doing what?”

“Rearranging my sock drawer. Counting my forks. Lacing some sneakers. I might even buy like five thousand pebbles just to count them and make sure they ain’t lying.”

He snickered. “Bullshit, E.”

“Oh, is it?" Eden feigned shock.

“Yeah, because you and I are going to be courtside for the Waves game.”

She chuckled. “Fuck actually asking me on a date, huh? You’re going to just tell me?”

“Indeed, because you like to act like you ain’t feelin’ me.”

“Boy, whatever,” she scoffed, waving him off and then continued. “What’s this about? Is because the internet seems to think I'm a good look for you, or are you really interested?”

Maximus leaned in. “Question.”

“You’ve got to answer mine first,” Eden huffed, making him smile.

“I show you something else? Other than interest? Like ulterior motives or some shit?”

She swayed her head. “No."

“So, you know the answer. But I’ll answer your question. They don’t know shit about what we got going on. I’m really interested. Considering all the shit I got going on, I shouldn’t be but I am. We just kicking it. Heard me?”

“Mmhmm, I hear you.”

“Still lookin’ like I need to make you a believer.”

“I’ve learned to only believe half of what I hear and everything that I see.”

“Then watch and see, E.”

twenty-one

. . .

“Nigga, this shit is doing numbers,”Keon cheered, as he strolled onto the patio where Maximus was smoking a newer strand of weed.

His eyes and ears were trained on the screen of his phone. He wasn’t looking at anyone’s reaction to his single dropping, but Eden’s ‘A Day in the Life’ content. From her facial routine to the gym, out to eat with her sister, and back in her apartment, which was rearranged.

“I got some shit on my chest...” The snippets of his new release played repeatedly as the video looped.

Eden: You know it shows me how many times you watch the video

Maximus: You need the views, don’t you?

Eden: It doesn’t count when it’s the same person, fool

Maximus: They better figure it out

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