Breanna Michelle Santana

  Everything seemed to be in order for the stay at my dad's. Although, I was considering staying longer than originally planned since my breakup - I just needed to find an apartment over there first.
Kaign was right, I repeat, there's nothing for me in Miami.

I let out a breath and closed my last suitcase before plopping down on my bed.

I laid there and thought about how the breakup hadn't taken an emotional toll on me yet it kind of changed my life. Sounds dramatic, I know, but there'd be no more waiting on him. For the first time in what seems like forever, I was single - not that it meant anything as no one wanted me anyway, but I just had to put myself out there.

"Hello," I answered my dad's call as soon as the phone rang.

"Hey, bud, you ready?" Asked my dad. I yawned and nodded my head like he could see me.

"Yeah, dad," I rubbed my eyes,"you don't have to be up, get some sleep."

"I just can't believe you cancelled your flight," he also yawned.

"I wanted to drive, dad. You know, do some exploring, take some pics," I told him.
I rolled over to lie on my stomach and glance at the camera that was on the stand next to my bare queen-sized bed.

"Alright, but you better call me if you need anything, that's a long drive," he stated nervously but I immediately told him that I could manage.

After saying our "love yous" and "see you laters", the call ended and I scanned the room. It was completely packed. All I had left to do was give the key to the landlord and be on my way.

As I neared the door, I kicked a cardboard box out of the way and reached for the doorknob when my eyes noticed the bracelet on my left wrist. I toyed with it and caught myself smiling, reminiscing...

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"—All men cheat, it's in their nature," Nicole spat as her, myself, and our other friend named Ella, walked along the sidewalks on campus after our class of the day.

"Uh-uh," I sounded with my lips closed, smiling,"not mine." I shot my eyes over to Grayson who locked his sight on me and bit down on his lower lip. Subtly, I waved and felt my cheeks start to burn bright red.

"She's so sprung," Nicole smacked her thick, glossy lips.

"I would be, too, look at him," Ella confessed, staring at Grayson as he approached us.

I wasn't even mad at her comment, she was right, he was sexy, hot, beautiful, and fine. He was perfect.

Without even saying a word, Grayson scooped me up and spun me around.

When I was placed back onto the pavement, dizzy, he tucked the strands of hair that had fallen in my face, behind my ear and then palmed the sides of my head before placing a kiss on top of it.

"I missed you," he smiled down at me and locked his fingers with mine.

"I missed you, too," I cooed, puckering my lips for him to kiss and he did for too long but I wasn't complaining.

"One more," Gray insisted and didn't let me go, pecking my lips a few more times after that.

"We get it, y'all are cute," Nicole nagged us, rolling her dark brown eyes.

Grayson stood behind me with one of his strong arms around my neck, almost having me in a headlock. He put his chin on top of my head and chuckled at my friend,"Hey to you, too, Nicole. Hey, E." Ella waved while Nicole flipped the long, black wig over her shoulder and pursed her lips with attitude.

"You need to tell Brandon to stop hitting my phone," she started to complain about how thirsty his teammate had been towards her. Grayson could t say anything back to her before Ella came to our rescue. "Come on, can't you see they wanna be alone," she rushed Nicole away to give Grayson and I some private time before he had to leave to prep for the home game he'd be playing later that evening.

Once they walked away, Grayson and I looked at each other and grinned widely.

"Why you looking at me like that," I couldn't help but giggle like a little girl and blush. I tried hiding my cheeks as I kicked a pebble near the table I wandered over to rest at.

Grayson slowly sauntered over to me and stood there above my head.

"What," I asked again, still giggling.

"Nothing, I was just looking at you," he broke his gaze and sat down on the grass, stretching his hands out as invitation for me to join him down there so I did and we sat spider style.

"I still can't believe you gave me this," I teased him as I shook my wrist in his face to show off the cool bracelet he gave me after our bet.

"I'd give you anything, all you gotta do is ask," he said to me and stole a kiss on my cheek.

"You look so beautiful right now," he complimented me - something I had gotten so used to from him so I stopped saying thank you but the effect was still there.

Grayson leaned up and started kissing me ravishingly like we were in the bedroom. I pulled away, flustered, and let out a shocked laugh,"Babe, stop, you're embarrassing me! People are looking."

"So, let them look. I'd fuck you right here. In front of everyone," he laughed and I did, too. I shook my head in disbelief for how reckless he was.

"I'm serious," he claimed,"I want everyone to know you're mine." He bit at me playfully and then started pecking at my neck before tickling me, making me squeal and squirm out of his lap.

"Brea, hey," a voice stopped my laughter. When I looked up, I saw that it was Kaign.
I gathered myself and sat upright to speak,"Oh, hey, Kaign. What's up?"

"Nothing," the captain of the swim team answered with a smirk,"Hey, Garrison, didn't see you there."

Grayson scoffed and then itched his eyebrow with his thumbnail. "Talk all the shit you want, Benson," Gray held his head up high as he spoke in a cocky tone,"I got your girl."

Slightly annoyed, yet kind of turned on at the idea of two men fighting over me, I simply stayed quiet and let them be boys.

Kaign looked down at his feet and chuckled,"We'll see how long that lasts, Jansen. Brea, you look beautiful, as always." I just mouthed the word "thanks", and looked awkwardly at Grayson who didn't look too bothered. That is, until Kaign walked away.

Grayson stood up and held his large, veined hand out for my to take. His hand squeezed mine as we walked quietly to the parking lot.

I didn't want to ask but I knew I had to before it turned into an argument later on,"Baby, what's wrong? And don't say 'nothing', you know I hate that," I put my head on his hard chest to comfort my-man-who-wasn't-really-my-man.

He pushed my body back gently and breathed out before talking. "There's so many girls that try to get at me everyday and I turn every single one of them down. For you, B, you're the only girl I want. I don't even smile at them or give them the time of day! Yet, you're so fucking friendly with that guy. I can't stand him. I know there's something you like about him and if that's true then I'm not asking for us to be together," he lamented, unable to look me in the eyes.

It felt like someone literally stomped on my heart.
I wondered how he could say something like that after we'd gotten so close, it really fucking hurt.

"Don't start, Gray. You won't even tell me you like me. I don't know what this is or what we're doing-"

"I told you I wanna be with you-"

"No. You said 'you're mine'. This has gone on for too long, I need you to tell me what you want from me, or I don't know how much longer I can keep doing this," I told him.

"Then, don't."

"'Don't' what? You want me to break up with you?"

"'Break up'? We're not together."

"Wow. Okay," I said and started to get inside of my car. He just stood there so I put the window down and waited for him to speak. What he said was that the ball was in my court so I asked what he meant by that.

"Listen," he grumbled,"the day you decide it's over, it's over."

"Just like that?" I held back my tears and felt my leg start to shake under the steering wheel.

He didn't say anything, only nodded and blinked his long, dark eyelashes slowly.

All I could say was "K" before quickly pulling off before he'd possibly hurt my feelings some more.