Chapter 15

"Are you going to read all that at once?" I ask Jamal, raising a brow as he brings a pile of books to our table at the library.

"Yup," he drops then and unzips his jacket. "The answers are never just in one textbook and you know it."

"You're an extreme nerd," I mumble shaking my head as I log on into the school's computer.

"I take that as a compliment." He sits. "What are you going to be doing?"

I look around us then lean closer to the table to whisper to Jamal. "Do you think I'll get away with playing a game on the system?"

Jamal's eyes widen a bit, "you? Game?"

I nod, "would be nice right?"

"Games are restricted here and since when do you play games in the library?"

I want to burst out laughing but I'd drag attention to myself so I cover my mouth with a palm and laugh into it. "I know it's restricted but that's so like what Sky would do if he were here."

"Sky?"

I absentmindedly nod, reaching into my bag to get a note. "Yeah, I think he's going be more of a kombat guy gamer or even football."

"Oh really?"

"Mmhm and he doesn't look like someone who'd be a sore loser," I shrug, a small smile on my face. "He's too chill for that."

"I had no idea."

I flip my note open, "you have no idea about everything concerning Sky. No one does."

"And you do?"

"Please be quiet," the library attendant warns as he walks by.

I wait until he's at a distance before I answer Mal. "I'm getting to."

"I can see that."

It's now I look at Jamal and the way his eyes are on me makes me shrug with warmer cheeks. "I— I have actual work to do though. History."

"Uh-huh."

"What?"

"Nothing," he raises his hands up. "I said nothing."

"Do you work please," I hide my face behind the computer.

"Sky is becoming quite a friend," Jamal says but I ignore him completely.

My phone vibrates harshly on the table, startling Mal and I. I quickly take it off the table before the attendant notices it. It's a text from Sky and I don't know why but I hide my phone under the table before opening it.

Meet up after school?

"Who is it?" Jamal asks, craning his neck in attempt to see my phone.

"Mind your business." I start typing out a yes and asking what we'd be doing.

"Is it Sky?"

"Mal."

"If it's him, why don't we all hang out together at my place?"

"What?" I look up, pausing from writing.

"Boys time at my house," Jamal shrugs. "A friend of yours is a friend of mine, right?"

"I thought you don't like Sky?"

"Hey I never ever said that. I just listed out what I know about him to you so you'd know what you're getting into because your head is usually so far up your ass," I glare at him but he ignores me and goes on. "But apparently he's your kind of friend now and I don't want to be left out. Unless of course he's your little secret—"

"Little secret, what's that?"

"Someone you cherish, want to keep hidden and all to yourself. Your little secret ."

Sky Hunt being just my little secret seems nice but something about that didn't sit right with me so I tossed that thought out. Being my little secret sounds like we're doing something wrong and we're not. We're just friends.

"Stop talking nonsense and fine, I'd ask him about boys time in your house."

"So it is him," Jamal drawls resting his chin on his hand and smiling at me.

"He texted me, stop being dramatic." I snap but my ears were getting hot.

"Look who's at table 71," Jamal says and I snap my head up in the direction of the table. We were seated at number 65. For a moment I thought I'd see Sky at the table but then, my mouth turns into a confused frown when I see that it's Lou and his friends seated there.

"Who?" I turn back to Jamal with raised brows.

"It's Lou."

I sigh, shaking my head and texting Sky about going to Jamal's house. "Leave me be Mal."

"I'm just pointing out, you haven't looked at him once since we came here."

"I didn't even notice he's here." I mumble shyly. The take a glance at the table again. Lou's with his guy friends as always, looking super fine and polished.

"My point exactly," Jamal snaps his fingers at me. "Friendship with Sky may be a good thing."

I roll my eyes, "Whatever."

Sky's reply comes in then and he agreed to it, saying he can't wait. I smile and tell that to Mal. "But something happened at home last night, I'm not sure Ma would let me sleep over at yours."

Jamal sighs, "what happened?"

The library attendent walks by just then and we both return back to studying. Once he's out of hearing distance, I whisper. "Nessa got in trouble, received some beating."

"Yeesh, what did she do?"

"I'll tell you later."

"Sure."

--------

"You know how your Ma hates me..." Jamal trails off, bouncing down on my bed.

I throw his bag that he dumped on the floor back at him. "She doesn't. We might not still be friends if she did."

"Okay fine, not hate. But I'm not exactly her favorite like Darcy."

I roll my eyes, "Darcy's different."

"Yup, baby mama, wifey material." Jamal smirks, "future Mrs Taylor."

I actually gag at that and Mal burst out laughing.

"Poor Darcy and your Ma," Jamal exhales, lying on the bed and closing his eyes. "If only they knew you."

"Maybe one day I'd actually start to like Darcy, you think?"

Jamal peeks open an eye to look at me, then scoffs, not bothering to answer.

"Or maybe some girl that Ma would like." This time I saw that more to myself than Mal. Some weird was clawing in stomach and I didn't like it one bit.

"Do you think your Ma would like Sky?" Mal asks and I stop breathing.

"Israel? Israel!"

"Huh?"

"I asked a question." He prods.

I shrug, "I don't know Mal. Sky's just a friend, I'm sure she would." I highly doubted that because Sky was Sky.

A reason why Ma didn't like Jamal was that he swore, spoke hood at times and didn't attend church or mosque, or anything. Apart from that, she had no problem with him. Jamal behaves around her and tries to avoid conversations as much as he can but no matter what, hesy not changing for her. It's his life, he says, and my mum shouldn't dictate to him how he should live or speak. I'm with Jamal on that but I've got no guts to tell Ma.

I know Sky would be exactly like that. Except in this case, he might tell Ma to her face. The thought frightened me a little.

"And she doesn't?"

I frown at Mal, "stop asking me all this. Ma doesn't even need to know about Sky."

Jamal smiles, "ah, so your little secret then."

"Please shut up Mal, I don't know why you're saying all these."

"Fine," he does a zipping motion on his lips. "No more."

"Thank you."

When my parents returned home, I was glad to see that they were in good moods. The tension with Nessa was already evaporated like it didn't even happen. Dad was telling me about how money was rising everyday and the troubles in the stock market exchange while Ma and Nessa were chatting freely, about to start preparing dinner when Jamal made himself known, coming down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Hey Pal, how are you doing?" Dad asks in good spirits as he and Mal shake hands and hug. Dad had absolutely no problem with Jamal, and likewise.

"I'm fine sir, hanging in here."

"That's good son," he nods at him. "Isn't that what we all are doing these days?"

"Good evening Mrs Taylor," Jamal greets smiling at Mum too.

"Jamal," Ma looks him over, then smiles a bit tight if you ask me. "Nice to see you here. How's school?"

"School's great."

"Still in that Math team?"

Jamal looks at me and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. He always says the only reason Ma tolerates him is because he's a member of the Mathlets.

"Yes, I'm still team leader."

"Good for you."

"Ma, I'd like to go with Jamal tonight. We're having a sleepover at his house." I announce and her eyes snap to me.

"Sleepover for what?" She asks curiously looking between Jamal and I.

"Just—"

Jamal cuts me off, "For studying, Israel needs a little help on Maths and I need help too on History." I eye him but he ignores the look completely.

My parents exchange a look and Dad asks, "is your dad and Aunt gonna be home?"

"My Aunt's away for the week but my dad's at home." Jamal answers.

"Fine then," Dad turns to me. "You'd leave to school from there?"

"Yes."

"Thanks a lot sir," Jamal nods to dad, then mum.

"I don't want anything nasty, just studying okay?" Ma says her eyes on me warning. I nod and when she turns to Jamal, he does too. "Take care and make sure you're back tomorrow."

I smile, the weight of them turning me down lifting off my chest and I hug them both before Mal and I run up to my room.

"That was easy." I say with excitement as I grab my bag and open my wardrobe.

"Easy for you to say," he sighs. "Mum's are so fucking scary. It's insane."

"You mean my mum." I fold in my pajamas and clothes for tomorrow.

"Especially your mum. No offense but she's a bit much." He puts on his shoes as we get ready.

"None taken."

When we're done, Ma packs us dinner and we leave to Jamal's house in my car. It's about four streets from mine and Sky is to meet us there in an hour time. Jamal's house is just like mine. He lives with his Dad and Aunt— dad's sister, with two twin cousin sisters. His mum left a long time ago and now she has a new family and a son too. Jamal has to go spend some time with her and her family every now and then. When he was 10 or so, there's was a law suit between his parents as his mum fought for full guardian right. Jamal recalls that period to be the messiest period in his life.

When we enter the house and it's dark. When Jamal turns on the lights, I see that the living room is a bit messy with plates, pillows, Scrabble game and empty biscuits wraps.

"Yesh, sorry about the mess. I'm supposed to clean up." Jamal says dumping his bag on the floor and walking away to the kitchen.

I pick his bag up like second nature, dropping it down on the sofa. "What about your cousins?"

"They left with my Aunt," Jamal answers coming out the kitchen with a note. "Oops, my dad is not at home."

I look up from where I'm picking the biscuit wraps. "Where did he go?"

He looks at the note, "doesn't say. He'd be back tomorrow is all it says here."

I frown, "does he do this often?"

Jamal shrugs, "mostly when Aunt's around."

I never get why Jamal choose to stay with his Dad instead of his mum. It's his fault his mum lost the case. He's dad was a drink and a complete good for nothing but when the judge asked him who he'd prefer to live with, he choose his dad. I have no idea how his mum must have felt, it was a hard thing on both of them.

I don't say anything and I just keep cleaning the mess around.

"So where are we gonna do this, the basement— my room or here?"

"Here's better," I look around the living room. "we're alone anyway."

"Great, let me bring my games out then."

When he returns we tidy up the place and push the chairs and coffee table away, creating a big space for us along with the long sofa. We start bringing out the snacks and cleaning up the kitchen when the doorbell rings. My heart skips at that.

"I'll get it," Jamal says bolting out the kitchen.

I inhale deeply, rinsing my hands and cleaning it with a towel while walking out. As expected it's Sky and he looks... glorious. His dark hair is all combed back with few stubborn curls falling over his face. He has on a black shirt that hugged his body, paired with black jeans ripped at the knee and a denim jacket over it all. My lips parted, letting me breath as I tried to understand how someone can look so breathtakingly beautiful. His skin still glowed even inside and his lips looked pink.

My senses clicked back to hear him ask Jamal if his parents are home.

"Why are you asking?" I ask, making my presence known. Sky looks at me and I smile, "carrying something illegal?" Except your face?

Sky smirks revealing a pack of drink inside his school bag. "Depends on how you define illegal."

My jaw drops and so does Jamal but he does so with smiling eyes.

"Yes!"

Oh Jesus.

----------------------------

It's gonna be a sleepover to remember. Wink. Also please comment your best Never have I ever deeds or things you'd like to hear between those three up. Thanks!

Thoughts?

Happy Pride Month y'all.

Vote and comments please. I read all the comments and they make me so so happy. Thank you!