Chapter 5

5

M alorie

That Weekend

I knew this wasn't a real date with Neko but I was still nervous. I'd been crushing on him since my eight grade year. Even though I'd convinced myself we could never be together, a part of me never gave up hope. Tonight felt like a fairy tale… minus the ball and fancy clothing… and I was certainly no princess.

A true man of his word, Neko wasted no time linking me with not just his father but his mother too. They'd always been kind to me over the years in passing, but our two dinners this past week had been different. Neko didn't tell them all my business, but he made it clear to them that I was home because of a failed relationship and in need of guidance.

Both Naomi and Michael had been checking in with me daily ever since. We had some great conversations over dinner. They talked to me about healthy relationships and life in general. Already, I'd learned more from them than I'd learned from my parents in my entire life. That wasn't to say I felt like my parents failed me. It just seemed like romantic relationships weren't a priority for them when it came to guidance.

But Naomi and Michael had been teaching me about the importance of trusting my intuition and being alone to actually strengthen it and hear it along with God's Spirit. We also talked about my appearance and how I presented myself. Though I couldn't control who I attracted, I did control who I entertained. I had to be honest with myself about how I dressed and carried myself and the kind of man my style appealed to.

Hell, I wore heels and short dresses to go grocery shopping and to the gas station. A lot of my exes were athletes, drug dealers, or older men with money who wanted young eye candy. None of those were the kind of men I wanted to spend forever with, so I could admit I shouldn't have been entertaining them.

We also talked about expectations, boundaries, and non-negotiables. They asked me about my values and what I wanted and needed in a man… even what I felt I had to offer. A lot of the things we talked about I had to think long and hard about because I'd never considered them before. I realized I wasn't choosing men with substance. If he was fine, had money, and could show me a good time, nothing else mattered. Now, I knew I had to be more intentional about the character of a man and not just his coins.

Spending time with Neko's parents made me like him more. Just him presenting them as a solution to a problem that had nothing to do with him made him more noble in my eyes. I think that's why I was so nervous about our date tonight. He was the kind of man I wished I could pursue something with, but because of Malik, that wouldn't be able to happen.

As much as I wanted to tell Christina, I felt it was best to keep it a secret. Plus, a part of me wanted to keep this to myself. We were only going on one or two dates, and seeing as this was literally like a dream come true, it was sacred to me. I wanted this time and our future memories to stay between him and I.

A clipped, quiet, "Ah!" escaped me when I heard his knuckles lightly tapping against my door. He chuckled, so maybe it wasn't as quiet as I thought it was.

Inhaling what I needed to be a calming breath, I stood from my vanity and walked over to the door. He told me to dress casually, so it didn't take me long to get ready. I chose a graphic shirt I'd gotten from TikTok shop, some shorts, and matching Dunks. My hair was flowing in beach waves, but with how hot it was, I'd probably pull it up into a bun if he'd chosen outdoor activities.

As soon as I opened the door, a smile crept up my face. This man was fine for no damn reason. Even dressed simply in a form fitting, crisp white tee, jeans, and Nikes, Neko looked good as hell.

"Hi." I spoke quietly.

His eyes lowered to the Cuban chain he'd given me for my eighteenth birthday. "You kept it." Neko's fingers slipped between the chain and my neck, and he used it to pull me close. My eyes fluttered as I inhaled his spicy scent. Gripping the sides of his shirt, all I could do was look at him for a while. "I thought you threw it away or lost it or some shit."

"I used to never take it off. The only reason I stopped wearing it was because Kingston asked about it one day and felt some type of way over me wearing a gift from another man."

Neko's eyes shifted toward the ceiling as he chuckled and released me. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah. Can I know where we're going now?"

"A few places. I wanted our first date to be recreational. It's easy to hide in movie theaters and be overly impressed by flashy shit and dinners. With recreational dates, you can really see if you vibe with a person and like spending time with them outside of sex."

"That's true. I'm down."

We headed out, and I was surprisingly shy. I'd been knowing this man for ten years now, and we had no problems talking in the past. Me going off to college put space between us, but when we saw each other for holidays, we still cracked jokes and entertained one another. But on the ride, I found myself a ball of nerves. I was grateful he didn't force communication. Instead, we listened to music and enjoyed the ride.

Our first trip was to the adult arcade. We spent about two hours shooting pool and playing all kinds of games. Admittedly, Neko made the right call. I enjoyed myself immensely, and it was fun not having the immediate pressure of having to talk and get to know each other in a more intimate way. When I did settle my nerves, we started to talk and tease each other like we used to do.

By the time we left, I was starving. He was intentional with our meal, taking me to a Japanese restaurant for ramen and drinks. Then, we went to Puff , which was an exclusive cigar lounge that you had to have a membership to get in. I didn't smoke cigars, but I did smoke weed, and that was mostly what I did when I was with my brother and his friends. We played pool, partied, or smoked—that was it. So it didn't surprise me that Neko planned to end our first date with a smoke session, but I was surprised to learn he had a membership here thanks to his father.

The black and gold luxe vibe made me feel like I was underdressed, but we weren't the only ones in jeans and shorts, so I released that insecurity quickly. Once we were settled in our booth, we selected our strains for the evening and ordered drinks.

"You smiling hard as hell like you high already," Neko said with his own smile before taking a sip of his Jack and Coke.

"I'm just happy," I admitted with a shrug.

"Why is that?"

"This was really fun. I can't remember the last time I had fun like this on a date."

"What do you usually do on dates?"

"The basics—food, movies, fucking. Shopping. That's about it."

"Damn. Well, I'm glad I did this for you then. I hope you date and be with men that you can actually have a true friendship with. There's more to relationships than just food and fucking."

"True," I replied through my chuckle. "I think I did so little with men in the past because we didn't really have that much in common. The guys who liked the things I liked were never really my type, and I think that's where I messed myself up. Like… What black guy wants to read or watch anime, go to plays, or travel to more than Atlanta, Miami, and Vegas?"

His head nodded. "I feel you. It can be hard to find people with your similar interests unless you're in clubs or some shit, but still, the right partner will be open to recreational intimacy with you. Y'all should be able to do what each other likes, and if not, find things to do together. That's something Pops always drills in me. He can't stand a lot of my mama's hobbies, but every Sunday after church he spends an hour with her while she does her preserves, and on Fridays she spends an hour with him just cruising the city. They spend time doing their own thing separately and with friends, and it all evens out."

"See, that's what I'm talking about. I grew up with what I thought was a misconception because I used to love watching The Cosby Show . I loved how they had family time, time together, time with other couples and families, and time by themselves. I loved that community aspect. Nowadays it feels like it's so hard to find and keep friendships let alone build a community."

We continued to talk and ended up smoking and talking for hours. By the time we left, we'd smoked four blunts, and I didn't realize how high I was until we got up to leave.

"You good?" Neko asked with a goofy smile as he wrapped his arm around me.

"I'm great."

I giggled, causing him to laugh. "You high as hell, sweet girl."

"I am, but I'm good. I'm hungry but I'm good."

"Why didn't you say something? We could have gotten food before I cleared the tab."

"It's cool. I don't mind getting something from a drive-thru."

"Aight, bet."

He opened the door of his Camaro for me, and my high state made the seat even lower than I remembered. "Oh shit," I almost yelled as I plopped down. "I thought I was about to fall on the ground these seats so damn low."

"Yeah, you high-high," he said with a laugh before buckling my seat belt. Instead of moving immediately after buckling me in, Neko allowed his face to hover just an inch or two away from mine. His eyes were low and glossy as they stared into mine. He licked his juicy lips and smiled. "You're beautiful, Malorie. Thank you for gracing me with your presence. I hope you know it's a privilege for you to give your time and energy to these niggas. Don't give it to anyone who isn't worthy."

All I could do was nod. He'd rendered me speechless. After placing a kiss on my forehead, Neko got out and went to his side of the car. As he drove, he let me be the DJ, which meant we were alternating between R&B and trap music. My taste in music was just as eclectic as my taste in TV.

We stopped by Jerry's , which was like Dixie Queen with juicy, greasy burgers, bomb seasoned fries, and crispy hot wings. After getting our food, we headed home, and I was sad our date had to end. I knew I was going to eat and crash, though, so I didn't mention it. The moment I took the last bite of my cheeseburger, there was no doubt in my mind I'd be out of it.

"Tonight was fun, Neko. Thank you for this."

"I'm glad you had fun. Good night, sweet girl."

"Good night, sweet boy."

He laughed and ran his fingers down the corners of his mouth. "Do not call me that shit. Take yo' high ass in there and eat and go to sleep."

"Okay, okay. Bye!"

Neko's head shook as he watched me enter my room. I kicked off my shoes, took off my clothes, and made quick work of pulling my food out after getting comfortable on the couch. I wasn't sure how long it took me to eat and fall asleep. All I knew was, I felt myself being lifted and put into bed. Groggily, I allowed my eyes to open briefly, and they landed on Neko.

"Night, sweet girl," he said, pulling the covers over me.

My mouth opened to respond, but I went right back to sleep.