The bus ride home was an uncomfortable one for Anita. She couldn't stop blushing. Thanks to God, her melanin made it impossible for people to see the blood rising in her cheeks. She stayed inside her mind replaying the scene and taking her time admiring his handsome face.

People in the bus tried to start a conversation with her like they're used to ever since she could remember. Usually, she welcomed their attention and willingness to talk to her. It was the only type of friendly interaction she had had ever since her father died.

Today, however, she wanted nothing more than to be left alone. She grunted her answers to anyone who pulled her off the cloud she was on. She didn't even get up to help dear old Mrs. Blake get off the bus. It wasn't until the fifth raised eyebrow from the bus driver she noticed that the old woman was no longer sitting in front of the bus.

That's enough, she thought. She couldn't sit there thinking about a stranger she met for a couple of minutes inside a store. A stranger she most likely will never see again. She needed to start acting like the grown woman with responsibilities she was. Having her thoughts taking over by a handsome face wasn't go to help her.

It didn't matter that he was the first man she didn't find repugnant to even think about in a non-platonic, brotherly fashion. She had convinced herself that she lacked the tool necessary to be attracted to someone and she was going to stay that way.

Anita felt someone's eyes on her. When she pulled herself out of her inner battle, she found the bus driver staring at her once again with a weird look.

What was his problem? Anita furrowed her eyebrows before she realized the familiarity of her surroundings. This was her stop. She blushed once again and sheepishly hurried out of the bus.

"Guess who I saw today?" Keshia said when she busted the front door open with no regards for anyone inside.

"Hi Keke, my day was good too," Anita replied without looking away from the TV.

She had recently gotten hooked on FOX's Empire. She was looking for something to take her mind off that mind when she found it and hadn't been able to turn away ever since.

In a matter of seconds, the remote was out of her hands and the TV was off. Bye Cookie.

"Guess who I saw today?" Keshia repeated, now annoyed at her sister's lack of interest.

Anita decided to take the time off the show to go wash her empty plate. "I don't know, Keke. I'm guessing one of your professors, hopefully."

"Of course I saw those annoying old people who refuse to curve their exams," she fumed. "But I was talking about somebody fun."

"I'm not going to guess, Keke. Just tell me already." She washed the plate and wiped her hands. She knew she wasn't going to be interested in any name her sister was about to reveal. It was most likely going to be another guy with whom she wanted Anita to hook up.

Anita heard her sister's heels clicked as she moved closer to her till she stood in the kitchen door. "Jacob Langston."

Anita continued to rearrange the plates. After a few minutes, she realized that her sister had stop talking. Was the name supposed to mean something?

"Seriously?"

She remained silence, hoping that her sister will eventually drop a hint as to who this guy is.

"Jacob Langston. From high school. You really can't remember anything?"

Oh yeah, that Jacob Langston. She hadn't thought about him in years. The last time she saw him was in high school when everything was sunny and she still had a father who was backing her bright future.

Jacob was her high school crush but she never actually envisioned a future longer than a few weeks with him. Her attraction to him was more teenage folly than anything else. Everyone else was getting a boyfriend so she got one, too. She forgot about him as soon as she was out the door.

She lifted herself up and sat on the counter. "What about Jacob?"

She saw her sister turn up her nose at her sitting position but she wasn't about to get down.

"He's back in town," she answered giddily. "I think he got a job as Marshalls' manager."

"That's good." Anita pulled her fingers up close. She was really in need of a manicure.

A picture of the stranger's hands over hers brought a smile to her face.

"Oooh, I see you smiling," Keshia teased her sister. "I already gave him your phone number so..."

"What?" Anita jumped down. "What is it with you giving people my phone number without my permission?"

Keshia rolled her eyes. "Oh calm down. I'm just trying to bring a little fun into your life since you can't seem to be able to do it yourself."

"I'm perfectly fine with the way my life is," Anita yelled.

"Oh yeah, your life is so amazing it depresses you to live in it." She went to her room and locked her room before Anita could catch up to her.

Spoiled little princess, Anita thought as she went back to watching Empire. One look at Jamal's smile and she was back daydreaming about that man.

Hector couldn't stay inside this mall. Not when he kept going back to the store knowing full well she wasn't going to be there. He was wasting his time here. He was supposed to be having fun, today.

He decided to go back home. It wasn't the brightest decision but it was better than circling the same place for hours.

The Florida Turnpike was practically empty in midday so he got home faster than he wanted to. He enjoyed the ride and the open road. The sun shined on him and made his skin feel as warm as he was feeling inside.

Obviously taking the convertible was a great idea. With Florida's weather, you never know. It can shift from bright and sunny to hurricane worthy rain in a matter of seconds.

He wanted to be a little wild, today. He even decided to blast Lil' Wayne while he drove. He didn't understand anything from the song but the music sure was catchy and boost up his mood. He got a couple of odd looks as he pulled in his neighborhood. He waived at them.

The phone was ringing when he opened the door. He tried to ignore it but it kept on ringing. Guilt eventually dragged him to the table where he left his phone.

It was his mother.

"Hola mamá," he answered. He opened the fridge, took out a cold beer, and dropped himself on the couch to await the avalanche that was coming.

His mom didn't hold out. "Hector, vas a matarme. How could you do this to me? Your own mother. I've been calling you all morning. I thought you were dead."

"I'm fine, mamá. I told you today was my day off."

"So?" She cried. "You can't take a day off from your mother. I never took a day off from you. From the day you were born, I was..."

Hector turned on the TV and held the phone close to his chest to muffle the sound. He knew his mother was going to take a while before finishing her lecture. She had always taken hours to talk ever since he was little.

He switched channel and settled on an episode of Fast N' Loud before putting the phone back to his ears.

"...about me. My own hijo don't care about me."

"Mamá, you know I care about you. I only went for a short walk."

"A short walk?" She cried again. "I've been calling since the morning."

He stretched his limbs as he glanced at his watch. "Mama, I got to go. I'm kind of busy right now."

She was silent for a couple seconds before sighing dramatically. "You have a mujer with you, don't you? I know it."

"Mama..."

"No," she interrupted, "don't worry about me. At least I'm finally going to get some grandchildren."

Hector hung up the call as he heard his mother screaming at his father to go mow the lawn. No one can ever sit still with that woman.

Although it was frustrating, her relentless determination and influence is what got him where he was. He would never have reached his dreams without her so that was why he kept his mouth shut and let her talk all she wanted.

A yawn dragged him off the couch to go find something to eat. There was only one piece of cold pizza left in the fridge. He hadn't cooked in such a long time. If she knew it, his mother would probably kill him then bring him back to stuff his face with some tamales.

He opted for some pasta. It took about half an hour to cook. He settled in front of the TV with the plate in his hands.

Yes, no table manners when he was in private.

Fast N' Loud was started to get a little bit repetitive so he began to flicked through the channels, again. Finally, he decided to settle for some drama show.

He set the plate on his lap as he became hooked in the overdramatic and unrealistic situations of Empire.