Page 216 of Not My Type
“None a that cas it’s a foreign country and the man never that bad yuh know,” comes Zara’s sweet voice.
After our beach outing, we got shaved ice. Zara wouldn’t stop reminding me about it on our way back. “Yuh like it?” I nod for the hundredth time. She been a ask if wi like it, Jah kno’ anybody would a think a she make them.
“It’s so good though,” her cheeks high as she smiles. “And mi cyaa believe seh tomorrow a mi last day here....when we come a dem place yah wi s’pose to a stay all a month.” Which month?
“Mi cyaa’ stay from yaad so long b,” I laugh at the madness. Gutta laughs too.“Nutt’n cyaa beat yaad,” he says cooly.
“Maybe cause unuh a think bout the business,” Anna chimes in.
Her agreement with Zara is as clear as day. She glances at us, laughter bubbling forth as she shakes her head in disbelief. “Look how much years unuh deh a Jamaica and unuh go tell me seh unuh cya do without down deh... not even fi a week?” she asks, rolling her eyes with theatrical flair.
After our spirited debate, we parted ways. The night deepened, and Anna and Gutta retreated to their room and we did the same.
ZARA
I take a shower after Nickoi and slip into a sheer pajama set from Zara just to hear a loud commotion coming from the bedroom. Wah that!? I quickly poke my head out and spot Nickoi playing on his Ps5.
Beside him sits his customised Ps5 carry case, ‘Prezi’ elegantly engraved on the bottom right. His special edition console, controller, cables... it’s a trove of gaming treasures. Likkle gamehead. I snuggle into him. His eyes are glued to the screen, I hiss. Mi wah attention.
“Babee,” I whine, he’s still playing, the game blaring. Kiss mi teeth! I roll my eyes and sigh. “Nickoi,” I try again. “Turn this down nuh,” he doesn’t hear me. Ughh! What a stress.
I kiss the side of his lips with hopes he’ll focus on me. I move over a little on my side and throw my leg across his torso. He finally looks at me.
“Mami yuh good?” his eyes back on the screen. I hiss. Fi a split second mi think seh mi finally successful.
“Mi and yuh game nah guh work enuh,” I pout. After a while of being ignored I ended up watching the game, face pressing in his chest, deep in my thoughts. Inked arms around me, thumb pressing the controller.
“Daddy?” I call.
“Mami?” he’s still playing.
At least him answer. I hiss. “Cyaa bother yaw.” I move my leg from off his torso and he grabs my thigh. He puts down the game and hover me. My smile grows almost immediately. Finally yuh get wah yuh wah.
He puts his hands beside my head as he stares in my eyes. “Wah yuh up to?” He asks.
“Mi just wah you attention,” I say, staring in his eyes. His stare is really too intense so I look away.
Nickoi have some dangerous face expression enuh–some that’ll make you drop your panty in a split second. A me you a tell?
He begins to tickle me, and laughter erupts from my lips as I scream, “Alright, alright!” while gasping for breath.
The joy consumes me. When he finally ceases, I settle down, still grinning. Once I’ve caught my breath, I find myself on top of him, playfully weaving my fingers through his hair.
“What time we leaving tomorrow if we a go hiking?” I ask, still toying with his hair.
“We a leave around nine then reach back here noon, by 1 o’ clock, we s’pose to a fly out,” he answers.
“Okay,” I breathe.
“Yah mi did wah stay longer but it nah go work out,” he confesses, I wrap my arms around him.
“I enjoyed myself and the fact that you brought me here is crazy and you tell me you love me here too... Jesus this mek mi love Hawaii more,” I laugh out, and hear his sweet chuckle.
His eyes on my hair. “Kno’ you a’ indian, but like where yuh family come from?” he asks. I answer with a storytime, about my great-great-grandfather from Trinidad.
He grabs my ass, eyes locked on mine, mesmerized by me. When I mention how Henry migrated here for love, we both laugh until I drift right to sleep. My legs still straddling him, I dream of two people kissing under the sea on their wedding day. I wake up in the same position—the only difference is that he’s sleeping so his hands are no longer on my ass. Gently hoisting my body, I sit on the side staring at the love of my life for what feels like an hour then he pops his eyes open. I laugh shyly.
“Morning,” he smiles, ignoring the fact that he woke up with me staring at him. Jesus mi feel like a creep. It’s that you, Joe?
