Behind the Shadows of Deception-Chapter 13
“Mya didn’t your mother ever tell you that it was rude to fall asleep at the table?”
Mya lifted her head from the counter as her eyes focused on JC. For a brief moment she had forgotten he was there. “What I’m doing now was caused from lack of sleep.” She glared at him before placing her head back on her folded arms.
“I didn’t keep you up all night.” JC objected as he retrieved a slice of toast from the toaster oven. “Ha! I didn’t burn it this time. See?” He displayed the perfectly brown and crisp slice of bread.
Mya raised her head once again. She attempted to feign excitement but it came off as a lazy smirk. “You did keep me up, you…insomniac. You didn’t want me to go to sleep so you called me, and then you wanted to play video games all night. You are worst then my brothers. I should have never let you back in last night.”
“You had to, I had your car keys.” JC grinned.
Mya rolled her eyes. He was right. “What reason should I stay up at the table anyway? To watch you learn how to make toast?”
“Yes. Nothing is better than this slice of bread right here.” He took a huge bite of it. “Here taste it.”
Mya shook her head. “Oh please you don’t even have any eggs to go with that. And you should know that I am a very good cook.”
JC leaned across the counter towards her. “Would you cook for me?”
“I guess I could.” She thought for a moment. “I don’t think you deserve my cooking though. You don’t even deserve to watch me cook for that matter.”
JC’s lips curved into a sly grin. Watching her cook would definitely be a pleasure.
Mya observed his expression. She figured he was thinking of a comeback to throw at her, which he did often. Especially, if they were teasing one another. She enjoyed that as well. Being able to let her guard down when around him was a stress reliever for her.
JC had become a friend that she could have fun with and depend on. She didn’t know many men that would still find a woman with a bloody nose attractive. And he even stuck around once he brought her car back to make sure that she was okay. In fact, she couldn’t get him to leave her side last night. After he was fed up with playing video games, he convinced her to let him bunk out on the floor beside her bed. She agreed so she could finally go to sleep, but later admitted that she didn’t mind his attentiveness at all.
“We’ll see about that.” JC finally replied as he backed away from her. “Oh by the way my back hurts from sleeping on your floor.”
“What? I have plush carpet in my bedroom.” That was true. And it was indeed comfortable but JC didn’t want her to know that.
“Yeah, but I let you sleep in my bed. You could’ve at least returned the favor.”
Mya laughed loudly. “Correction. You wouldn’t allow me to leave. I didn’t tell you to sleep on the floor, I have a guestroom you know.”
“Yes I know, but your floor was probably more comfortable.” JC smiled widely as Mya murdered him with a death stare.
“Ooh you-” She picked up a piece of bread ready to throw it at him until he grasped her hand and brought it to his mouth. His lips removed the piece of bread from her hold.
In shock, Mya snatched her hand away. She could’ve sworn she felt the tip of his tongue touch her finger. When did they move from harmless flirting to that?
She pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind. She stood. “You charming bastard.” She scolded laughing. “Give me your plate so I can make some eggs.”
“Good. I can watch you cook.” He folded his arms behind his ahead.
“Nope.” She walked over to the fridge to remove a carton of eggs.
JC rushed from his seat to follow her, he seized the frying pan from her grasp. “Come on, you can show me how to make eggs right so they won’t stick to the pan.”
“I can tell you better. Use butter or oil.” Mya reached to retrieve the pan but JC held it back.
“JC stop playing.”
“Mya please?”
She sighed rolling her eyes as the doorbell rung. “Fine. Put the pan on the stove and set the fire at low heat. You can do that, right?”
“Yes Miss…” He paused awaiting her reaction. “Miss Mya.” JC winked.
Mya didn’t like the way he smiled at her as if he had something to hide. She left to answer the door. “Hey girl.” Eve greeted as she entered shutting the door behind her.
“What’s up? Where’s Shaun?”
“With my Ma.” She waved her hand as if she wanted to talk about something more important. “How’s your nose?”
“Not bleeding anymore.”
“That’s what’s up. Girl, you know that nose of yours has been through some shit? First you got it pierced and then you broke it doing some back flip. Now this. Damn girl.” Eve felt no shame as she laughed.
Mya sucked her teeth. “Glad you find it funny.”
Eve waved her hand once again. “Oh girl, you know I’m just playing. But I have to admit when Nessa told me I laughed. And how JC nearly tore his friend apart over you, Whoo! I wish I was there to see that.” She paused suddenly, watching Mya.
“I also heard that y’all got real comfortable too....Wait you smell something burning?”
Mya cursed. She had left JC alone in the kitchen. Yet, she was strangely grateful for the interruption. Now she wouldn’t have to enlighten Eve with what happened at JC’s without setting herself up for one of Eve’s foolish comments. There was no right way to say that she’d spent the night in JC’s room, nothing happened, and they were just friends. No way.
Mya rushed into the kitchen. “JC what the hell are you doing?” He turned around as if he’d been caught red handed.
‘I think I put too much butter in the pan.”
“You weren’t supposed to start without me. I haven’t taught you anything.” Mya snatched the spatula from him and turned off the stove.
“Sorry.” He glanced to his left. “Hey Eve.” JC walked over to her hugging her as if this wasn’t only the second time he’d seen her.
“Hey.” Eve replied a bit surprise by his greeting.
“Please don’t let Mya kill me.” JC whispered to her, taking a quick glimpse of Mya slapping the spatula against her palm while thinking what to make of the eggs he had burnt.
“I just oughta. I agreed to help you out and you let my best friend get punched in the nose.” Eve shoved his shoulder.
JC was surprised. She pushed him as if she knew him. He guessed that didn’t matter to her. “It wasn’t my fault! My friend was being stupid.” He finished as his cell phone rung.
“See that’s him now. Tell him what’s on your mind.” JC gladly handed her the phone before walking over to Mya.
They watched Eve leave the room. “What did she help you out with?” Mya inquired.
“Oh nothing.” There was that damned secret smile again.
“What’s your name?” Eve started without a greeting. “Chris. Who is this?” The caller responded. “Mya’s friend, Eve.” She figured she would at least give him that information.
Why was Mya’s friend answering JC’s phone? Chris wondered. “Why did you hit Mya in the face, Chris or whatever your name is?”
“Did JC put you up to this?”
“Mmm hmm.”
Chris realized that he didn’t like the way she responded. There was definitely something mysterious about her besides the fact that he didn’t know her. “Wait what did you say your name was again?”
Eve rolled her eyes. He was choosing to ignore her. “Eve. Now answer my question.” She put her hand on her hip as if he could see her.
“Evie-”
Okay now he was annoying her. “I said Eve.”
“Oops.” Chris laughed. “Sorry Eve. Now…I didn’t punch Mya in the face. I elbowed her.”
“Punch? Elbow? What’s the difference?”
“It was an accident and I already apologized to Mya for it.”
“What if I told you that she didn’t accept it?” She teased just to see how he’d react.
Chris began to ask himself the same question. Did he ever truly apologize to Mya? Whenever he had entered the room she told him to leave her alone. Perhaps that meant she hadn’t forgiven him?
“I’ll just have to apologize for the umpteenth time then.”
Eve regretfully listened to the determination in his voice. What had she done? He would probably drive Mya crazy now. She had to change his mind.
“Never mind. She said she forgives you.”
“She did? I didn’t hear her. What’s her address? I want to personally thank her so that JC will get off my back.”
Good, Eve sighed relieved. He didn’t know where Mya lived.
“Better yet, what’s your address? I need to thank you for letting me know.”
Eve coughed. Did he not realize that they were strangers and would most likely not hear from each other again after this conversation?
“Um, sorry sweetheart but I don’t know you so there’s no way in hell you’re getting my address.” She didn’t wait for him to respond as she ended the call.
“Was that Chris you were still talking to?” Mya entered the room confused, being that she only heard the last few words of the conversation.
Eve nodded. “Mmm hmm. That idiot had the nerve to ask me for my address.”
“Wow only one conversation and you’re already calling him an idiot.” Mya giggled. “Granted, he could’ve at least asked for your number first.”
“Shut up.” Eve glared handing over JC’s cell phone. “Give that back to him.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Yeah, Ma only agreed to watch Shaun for two hours. You know I have to drive across town. And I tried to contact Keith but nothing as usual.” She rolled her eyes. “But you don’t need me here anyway you got JC to take care of you.” Eve smiled.
Mya agreed. “He’s the only one that didn’t laugh.” She decided to skip the part about him finding her sexy.
She wasn’t ready to deal with that yet. She had thought he was flirting as usual, but after earlier events in her kitchen, she started to wonder differently about the direction they were headed in.
She only wanted a friend, nothing more. Relationships were too much work. And their careers would only make it worse.
Mya felt overwhelmed by her sudden thoughts as she escorted Eve out. “See you later girl.” She shut the door. Damn, where’s my journal when I need it.