Page 181 of Not My Type
“Afta mi neva’ a think say pool would a’ ova yer.”
“Mi have some,” I offer, looking through my bag and she stands beside me. Well that’s what I thought but I gasp when I hear her pulling Nickoi’s closet. I turn around startled.
“No but watch nice polo shirt and polo shorts!” she gawks.
“Sash!” I call, and he walks in, making me gasp.
Ah bwoy, why now? Irritated doesn’t even scratch the surface of his face. His cold, empty eyes flick to Sash, and my heart drops.
“Weh yah do?” his voice fills the room. If mi never sure if him vex, now mi know fi sure. The solemn ambience in the room is dreadful. She looks at him startled but knowing Sash, she a go lie and get out an any situation.
“A did fi yuh clothes?” she asks, acting ‘unaware’. He just stares at her, silent. I keep my eyes on him, but my mind starts to wander.
Lawd tell me why his ice cold eyes, narrowed eyebrows and clenched jaw turns me on? I don’t know why but, to me people appear an eye sore when they’re angry–but Nickoi? Man looks like a meal.
My focus drags from Nickoi’s appearance to my cousin shining through her
specialty; lying of course. “A help mi a help Zara look fi a bathsuit and mi check seh it would a in yasso.”
He doesn’t look convinced but he decides to let it go and walks out to the balcony without saying anything. I watch as he sits down, looking out. Wah do him?
“Hey that close yuh faaaaaaat!” Sash whispers and I shake my head.
“Sash mi nah try fi disrespect you or anything but nuh touch the things them in here,” I whisper back.
She nods. “Mi notice say him funny.”
“Very,” I say, looking at him wondering what’s wrong with him. I look back at the bag, searching for the bathing suit.
I find it and hand it to her, and we both change into our bikinis. “Raeee!” she says excitedly, looking at her butt in the mirror. “Me? Put on weight?” she grins, and I chuckle while tying the string around my neck. She looks at me, then gasps. “That nice, eeeh!” I know she’s talking about the tattoo.
I smile sweetly. “It was so painful though,” I say, then she asks. “Wah Aunty dem say?” her eyes wide.
“Mama never too happy,” I say and we walk out.
“Mi know say she wouldn’t like eh,” Sash walks next to me.
Everyone knows that Mama is a die hearted Adventist. It’s surprising how she didn’t say her famous ‘doh bother go mark up yuh skin enuh cause the Bible say a sin.’ Out of nowhere a sudden wave of guilt rushes through my body and I let out a sigh. I’m really rebellious these days when I think about it. Despite my age I always listen to her guidance no matter what. You affi live your life, the girl in my head assures me. We reach the pool and Sash gets in the water then I push that thought to the back of my head. Just breathe. And I do just that. My mind then drifts to Nickoi who’s relaxing on the balcony chair. I move my head up and squint my eyes with my hand over my eyes as a shield blocking the scorching sun.
“Psssst,” I smile up at him and he gives me a small smile but says nothing. I hate when he’s like this. I know he isn’t a talker but usually I’m an exception. “Wah’m?” I try and he shakes his head.
“Just a wul a meds,” he retorts. I side eye him and he chuckles. “Gwan go take picture with yuh cousin nuh,” he fans me off playfully. I look at Sash–snapping her pretty face.
An idea pops into my head, and I slide into the water with Sash. She turns the camera on me, and I smile shyly, knowing Nickoi’s eyes are on me. We take turns, snapping pictures of each other before we start making TikToks. After that, we decide to take some pictures at the edge of the pool with my digital camera..
I take Sash pictures and she takes the phone looking at them with a smile. “Hey mi affi tek picture first enuh cas when a time fi gwaan wid miself mi nah member
phone,” she says.
I laugh watching her. “Nuh true?”
“Them look good,” she smiles. “Arite fi yuh time now Goodaz,” she tells me and I move to the edge of the pool.
“How yah tek it?” She questions and I brace my hand on the edge.
“You come out of the pool and I’ll stay in,” I say, and she steps out. I start posing, and after a while, she hands me the phone to look at the pictures. They’re cute.
“Thank you,” I smile. “Mi wah take one on the lounger,” I take a seat on the edge of the pool. As soon as I start posing, Nickoi calls my name, and I look up at him, my cheeks flushing.
