A/N: Heyy! So as you guys can see I change the title but the previous title will still be relevant in the story. Idk I just wasn't feeling the other one, hope you guys like the new one. Enjoy.
Chapter 20- New beginnings.
Jazmine's POV
New Years Eve.
Mr. Freeman is having a get-together at his house tonight to bring in the New Year. As I sit next to Huey, a scowl plastered all over his face. I can tell he isn't exactly as thrilled as everyone else is for the holiday. Some of his distant relatives are here, shouldn't that be a good thing? The two of us sit a fair distance from each other, not too far but not too close either. This is due to us not telling anyone we are dating yet. When the time feels right, we will decide to drop the bomb. As of right now, time to engage in friendly conversation.
"Do you have to look so angry?" Huey rolls his eyes at my question.
I continue, "I mean your family is here, aren't you at least happy to see them?"
"Ecstatic." He remarks sarcastically.
"There's a New year in a few. So much to look forward to." I try with him in a cheerful tone.
"Oh yeah I almost forgot. I can't wait to make my New Year's resolutions and turn into a whole better person!" Huey does his best to mock my voice. I roll my eyes in return, I've had enough of his gloomy attitude.
"Whatever Huey. I'm going to mingle and be friendly, while you sit here being angry at the world." I scold and start to get up but he doesn't allow me to stand, he pulls me backwards quickly.
"Stay, please." I sit back down.
"And why should I?" I cross my arms.
"Listen, I don't mean to be rude, my family can just be too much and complicated. But since I have no choice but to be here, I'm glad it's with you." I smile at his revelation. Huey knows just how to butter a girl up.
"Me too… So what do you want to do later?" I hope at midnight we can sneak off somewhere, so I can receive a New Year's Kiss. Might sound childish but I never had one of those before, I would like to.
"Something that doesn't involve clothes." Huey says in my ear. I heat up immediately then I remember where we are. I hit his arm causing him to back up.
"You're so funny buddy… Just two best buds joking around." I say while fake laughing, slapping my knee in order to not look suspicious. Even though no one is really paying attention until my loud giggling, earning some weird looks. Huey just looks at me crazy.
"What? I had to play it off because you can't be pulling moves like that." I fold my arms.
"You hit really hard." He eyes me.
"Yeah so don't mess with me." I hold a fist up.
Huey cocks his eyebrow, "Since when are you tough?"
"Lot you don't know about me, Freeman."
"Like what?" He challenges.
"Favorite color?" I ask as a matter of factly.
"Any shade of blue." Darn I thought that trick him.
"When's my birthday?"
"February 15th." Huey answers these two questions rapidly.
"Favorite food?" This will stump him for sure.
"Seafood."
"Mmm, vague but it will do. Okay so you know a little facts about me. You don't tell me much about you like when's your birthday?" We've talked about many things but that never came up.
"Tomorrow." My eyes open wide.
"Tomorrow?! As in New Year's Day?" Huey nods.
"That's so dope! Why didn't you tell me?" I smack his arm.
"One, I don't care for birthdays; it's just a reminder that you're a year closer to death. Two stop hitting me." I scrunch my face up. 'Boyy this man is so grim sometimes.' Although, I should have figured he say something like that, always a pessimist.
"Um well that's a dark way of thinking about it… You've got to start telling me more stuff about you, I'm starting to feel like I barely know anything." I let him know.
"Can I tell you more upstairs? It's loud down here." I nod in agreement. It is noisy.
We make sure no one sees us leave when Huey leads me to his room. He lets me walk in first, "So tell me-" I'm cut off by a sharp pain on my butt. 'Did he really just-?
"Ow! Hueyyy that hurt." I rub my behind. I never understand why men find that cute, sometimes it's a turn on other times it hurts. I'm not sure which one that action is yet.
"Payback." Huey walks closer, putting his hand on my waist.
"We're here to talk, nothing else." I sharply remind him.
"You talk too much." He kisses my neck.
"S-stop…" I try to say but it comes out more as a moan.
"Don't act like you don't want to."
"It's not right, this is your grandfather's house." I scold.
"And?"
"Don't you think it's disrespectful to mess around in his home?" This is wrong, to mess around in Mr. Freeman's house... a second time. I remember the non PG-13 things the other day, while no one was here. It was my fault for being giving in when it comes to Huey sometimes. ' Yep, I should have known we weren't just going to chill.'
"No, now stop playing. No one will know." Huey says in between the kisses he places all over my mouth. My mind is so clouded right now, my logic is slipping.
"Fine." I push Huey on his bed.
"You're awfully aggressive tonight." He comments as he leans up on his elbows.
"You complaining?" I arch an eyebrow.
"Nope."
"You are so foul sometimes."
"You like it though." He smirks deviously. I roll my eyes and put my hand on Huey's shoulder for balance. As I sit in his lap, he puts his hands on my hips. Just as I'm about to kiss him, the door jingles open. In a flash, I hop off him.
"Huey… oh hey, I didn't know you were with a... friend?" An older woman smiles at me.
Huey awkwardly scratches the back of his neck, "Uh this is Jazmine, the neighbor's daughter. Jazmine this is Aunt cookie. I was showing her around." My heart is beating a mile a minute while he's too calm for me.
"Hi nice to meet you." I smile even though I feel like running out of the room. Although, it seems like she is buying the lie.
"Hi sweetie, I never see Huey around people or friends. Glad to see he's making one." I chuckle, it's no secret my boo is a loner.
Huey sighs, "Aunt Cookie."
"Sorry, sorry didn't mean to embarrass you. I came to tell you that your grandad said he needs you for something."
"Alright, I will be down soon."
"Ok." Huey's aunt smiles before exiting. Huey closes the door after making sure she's gone.
"You didn't lock the door?" I exclaim.
"I forgot. You distracted me." He shrugs.
I shoot daggers at him, "Me? You're the one who initiated it."
Huey scoffs, "My fault for wanting to show my girlfriend affection."
"You need to control yourself if we're going to be lowkey." I lecture.
"I know, my bad but you have to admit sneaking around is entertaining."
I let out a scoff, "Yeah until you get caught."
"Don't lie Jaz, that part turns you on." Huey says in a chilling voice. 'Sheesh this man's mood can change in the snap of a finger.'
"What? No." I deny but the heat is rising again.
Huey comes closer, "I say we try agai-"
"Huey! Boy get ya ass down here now!" He groans in frustration at his grandfather's voice.
I giggle, "Don't keep him waiting." I grin as Huey rolls his eyes.
"Coming Grandad." He walks down the stairs.
After a minute I go back downstairs to the living room, meeting up with Cindy and Asia. We talk for about an hour, occasionally I would glance towards Huey's direction. He's in a group of men, talking well they're talking to each other while he looks uninterested. He makes eye contact with me, a small smirk graces his face. I blush and look away, continuing my conversation with my friends.
Not too long after, Mr. Freeman clinks his glass to make an announcement but doesn't quite gain everyone's attention. Which prompts Riley to shout, "Aye errebody shut the fuck up!" which is followed by a loud smack sound and his grandfather telling him to watch his damn mouth. I mean Riley's behavior did cause people to be quiet and pay attention.
"Sorry for my grandson's outburst," Mr. Freeman gives Riley a disapproving look then continues, "Anyways Stephanie and I have an announcement to make…"
"We're getting married!" Stephanie wastes no time proudly flashing the diamond ring on her finger.
Good for them I think to myself. I smile as the couple receive congrats and applause. Then my attention falls on Huey, whose face is stoic. He frowns then retreats from the room.
Huey's POV
Following my grandad's big announcement I find myself alone in the kitchen. I know I should be happy for him but for some odd reason I can't. I feel anger, frustration and guilt. I'm lost in thought until I see someone sit next to me, it's Jazmine.
"Hey… you okay?" I only nod.
"So, your grandfather is getting married. That's exciting right?"
"I'm delighted." I say dripping with sarcasm.
Jazmine's mouth turns into a frown, "You don't want him to get married, do you?"
"No, I didn't say that."
"Then what is it?"
I inhale, "I don't know it's just Riley and I grew up with our grandad, just us. Yes he had other women along the way but nothing serious. They were never-" I trail off.
"Permanent." Jazmine finishes for me and I just sigh in response.
"Plus grandad hasn't had a wife since… since uh-" I feel myself get choked up, unable to complete my sentence. Jazmine stops my anxious state when she caresses the back of my neck, soothingly.
"Hey I don't want to make you feel like you are forced to tell me right now. Do it when you're ready." She holds my hand gently and I lightly rub my thumb over hers.
Something about this position we're in and her words make me feel vulnerable. Which I usually don't enjoy feeling but it doesn't bother me or make me want to pull away. It does the opposite, it makes me want to tell her more details about me. One of them being my past yet I just can't bring myself to do it, it's too painful. If she knew how my mind works she'd run for the hills.
Instead I say, "I appreciate you for being patient with me."
"Of course we can revisit this at another time, when you are feeling up to it... Wanna go back in there?"
"Nah, I just want to stay in here and think over some things."
"Okay then I'll stay here with you."
I raise an eyebrow, "It's fine Jazmine, you can go have fun and party." I don't want to drag her spirits down with mine.
"I'm having fun right now." My eyebrows furrow in confusion. Any other woman would have left in a second. She sure is an ordinary one.
I find a smirk coming on my face, "What?" Jazmine looks at me with weary eyes.
"Nothing." We both sit back, her head leaning on my chest and my arm draped over her shoulder.
"Just… just thanks for caring."
Jazmine smiles wide, "Anytime."
"Huey! Where- oh there you are boy." Both Jazmine and I's head swing to see my grandad standing in the doorway. I didn't really care that he seen our compromising position but immediately Jazmine jumps up and walks toward him.
"Hey Mr. Freeman. Congrats on the engagement!"
Grandad smiles, "Thanks cutie pie." Then looks at me.
"Where have you been, boy? I've been looking all over for you." I suck my teeth.
"Um I'll leave you two alone." Jazmine gives me an apologetic look before quickly leaving.
Grandad observes Jazmine's exit, "You and cutie pie messing around?"
"Grandad." I warn. He knows I really don't like to discuss my love life with him.
"Don't grandad me. I know what's going on, I wasn't born yesterday." I snort, "Clearly."
"Quiet! You ain't too old to get that ass whooped. Now, You treat that lil baby right and don't get her pregnant. Lord knows Tom will have a heart attack and I'm too old to be watching another child." I pinch the bridge of my nose after his little lecture. We literally just started dating and he's already talking about children.
"Jazmine will not be getting pregnant anytime soon. We good grandad?" I stand up to leave.
"Wait boy. Damn I came to talk to you about something." My grandad scratches his head, " Oh yeah… now why you walking around here with your face screwed up?"
"I'm not, I'm fine." I scowl.
"A goddamn lie. You are not, I saw that face when I said I'm getting married. What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Grandad, I'm glad you found love." I try to convince him so this conversation can be over.
"But?" He says and I blow out air.
"But I can't help but feel a little indifferent. I mean this is new… you haven't been married since-" Once again I fail to complete my sentence. Sadness appears upon my grandad's face.
"I know boy, I know. But I can't let that hold me back anymore. As you can see I'm only getting old and older, I want to grow old with someone. With you and your loud mouth ass brother gone it got lonely. Stephanie helped me out of that, she keeps me young. She's the one for me and I can honestly say I have truly found love again… Please don't feel mad or like you are betraying someone because you're not. You have to live for you Huey because I'm damn sure going to live for me. In this world, sometimes we all have to live for ourselves not for anybody else." My grandad puts his hand on my shoulder. Reassuring me that it will be okay. This is the most realist conversation we have ever had.
After hearing my grandad's words it has definitely opened my eyes. Feeling angry at his happiness, his engagement would be selfish of me. He's right, every word.
"Grandad even though you don't need it and you wouldn't change anything, you have my blessing. I'm glad you have found love again. I've taken in everything you said and I'm going to try to move forward by your words." Grandad grins.
"That's my grandson; now let's go celebrate, the new year, your bday, and this engagement." I scrunch my face up at the mention of my birthday but I reluctantly follow him out of the room.
"One minute till the New Year." Someone states.
I make my way to Jazmine who's standing, watching the tv that's covering time square. She sees me approaching and smiles. 'Why does her smile always make me feel better? Like everything is right in the world.'
"Hey you guys alright?"
"Yeah we talked things over."
"Good, good I'm happy to hear that." We turn to the tv.
"20 seconds till the ball drops." All the couples in the living room come together and it leaves me with an idea.
People in the room get their poppers and noise makers ready, "10…" they count down.
They get to 5 and I wrap my arms around Jazmine's waist but she continues to countdown,"3,2,1. Happy New Year!"
"Huey what are you-" I cut her off planting my lips on hers. She's shocked at first but quickly returns the embrace. No other intent behind this one, simply pure emotions. I drown out the sounds of popping and our friends whopping. Only focusing on my girl, that's all. I pull away after a few and gaze into her captivating green eyes when she flutters them open.
"Happy New year, Jazmine." I grin
She cheeses, "Happy Birthday Huey!" I leave the unusual feeling on my lips.
"What was that for?"
"To more life." We lean in once more to meet in a sweet kiss.
A/N: I know I haven't wrote from Huey's POV in a min because again I don't know exactly how men think. Plus Huey is a very complex character so it's always going to be a challenge writing in his perspective. But yeah hope you guys liked this chapter, next one coming soon.
