Step Up by Monica McKayhan Page A

her, needed to be close to her. I put her in a headlock.
    â€œI’m falling for you, V,” she said, lifting her head, her eyes gazing into mine.
    Why did she have to go there? Why did she have to verbalize what I was feeling for her, too? Didn’t she know that my life was already complicated? Too complicated for conversations like this. Too complicated for strange feelings to be running through me like a freight train. Too complicated for her to be in my dreams every night.
    â€œCome on, girl, let’s go see what’s on this menu,” I said, avoiding her comment. Nobody needed to be falling foranybody, in my opinion. Especially since one of us had a girlfriend and a baby on the way. I had to constantly remind myself of that fact.
    â€œIt’s probably burgers today,” Lexi stated, not even flinching at the fact that I had avoided her comment. She went on as if nothing was ever said.
    In my heart I wanted to say, “I’m falling for you, too, Lexi girl.” But I knew better. Life was complicated enough, and who needed the hassle?
    That was days ago. Tonight as I got dressed for the party, I couldn’t wait to see her face.
    Â 
    Jaylen and I stepped into the party as Flo Rida’s voice filled the room. People were all over the dance floor. Jaylen immediately started bouncing to the music. He smoothly made his way over to a light brown girl who was holding a bottle of beer in her hand, whispered something in her ear and instantly they were on the dance floor together. I moved to the music while I scanned the room, in search of that familiar face that belonged to Lexi. When skinny arms wrapped themselves around me from behind, I knew I’d found her.
    â€œWho you looking for?” she asked.
    I turned to face her. “You.” I smiled and planted a kiss on her plump lips.
    â€œWanna dance?” she asked, and then pulled me onto the dance floor without waiting for an answer.
    While moving to the beat of Flo Rida, I lived in the moment. There was no place I’d rather have been than where I was at that moment. Feeling that way seemed right, but everything in me told me it was wrong. As I watched Lexi shake her sexy body in front of me, everything became shades of gray. I didn’t know the difference between right and wrong anymore.

nine
    Marcus
    Jae was staring at his computer screen when I stepped into the room. He looked at me and smiled.
    â€œHello, Marcus.”
    â€œWhat’s up, Jae?” I asked and decided to have a little fun with my Korean roommate who could barely speak English. “You chillin’ chillin’?”
    â€œChillin’ chillin’?” he asked.
    â€œYeah, chillin’. You know, just hanging and being cool,” I explained my slang to him.
    â€œBeing cool?”
    â€œYeah, chillin’ and being cool. That’s a good thing, Jae. It means that you’re all right.” I smiled. “I got a lot to teach you in just a few weeks.”
    â€œTell me about your family, Marcus,” Jae said. “Tell me about Georgia.”
    â€œWell, I live with my Pop…I mean, my father. He got custody of me after him and my mother got a divorce. My mother lives in Texas.”
    â€œYou wanted to live with your father?”
    â€œWell, I didn’t really have a choice. My mother sort of walked out on us. She left us,” I explained. “It was my fatherwho took care of me when I was little. But my mother came back after a few years.”
    â€œWere you angry with her for leaving?” Jae asked.
    â€œYeah, I was pretty pissed off when she left.”
    Jae struggled to understand. “Pissed off?”
    â€œYeah, I was upset. That’s what pissed off means…you know, angry. She left me at a time in my life when I really needed her.”
    â€œDo you have siblings?”
    â€œNah, I’m an only child,” I said. “What about you, Jae? You got sisters and