Page 67 of Not My Type (Not My Type #1)

“Yah,” he says puffing his weed, rocking his legs.

His phone starts ringing and he answers. “Yow Nickoi wah yuh deh pon?” I hear Rick’s voice.

“Just a bun a spliff and chill wid mi ooman,” he says, staring at me with a straight face—but somehow, it’s giving something else. Something deeper.

I blush. It’s always his face expressions for me. “Oh, hail har fi me,” Rick says.

“Hey Rick,” I chime in as I get closer. “Yuh good?”

“Yeah man mi a gwaan wul it enuh,” he sounds lifeless.

“Arite,” I simply say.

“Weh yah do thou?” Nickoi asks him.

“Know mi deh yah a gwaan meds Masicka new album,” he tells Nickoi and he nods.

“No joke... it well bad,” Nickoi smiles.

When they’re done talking Nickoi tells me that he forgot about his cousin’s fish fry and he wants to support him.

“Yuh wah fawud?” he asks and I sigh. Because mi just come from off the road and the tattoo a pain mi, mi honestly nuh wah leave. “Yuh naffi come enuh b if yuh nuh want to like how a just the food mi a go buy,” he tells me and I nod.

“Okay... just gwaan,” I say and he kisses my lips before he leaves.

When I’m sure he’s already out the gate, I call my mother on video call. “Hey mommy,” I smile and Mama walks over to the phone.

“Hey baby,” they both say and my smile grows.

“How is it over there?” Mommy asks with a beaming smile.

“It’s good, we got tattoos today,” I let out without giving it a second thought and their eyes widen. I don’t know how they’ll take it. I just wanted to get it over with.

“Laad God man Zara... why yuh affi put on tattoo?” Mama’s face screwed up. “Fi go spoil yuh pretty pretty skin.”

“Mama it’s a small one,” I say and show her.

“So is a man do that!?” She gasps. Mommy erupts into laughter, her bright eyes taking in my overly dramatic grandmother.

“Calm down mommy,” she says. Everybody is immune to Mama’a dramatic ways.

“No Mama, a woman actually did it,” I say then I laugh. “Nickoi wouldn’t make a man do it.”

“Nickoi a good bwoy,” mommy says.

“Ohh okay,” Mama mutters. “So when you a come over?”

Instantly I grow quiet. This is the main reason I called but mi never really think bout how mi a go tell them. “Soo Nickoi wants me to live with him and I um... said yes,” I say, hardly looking in the camera. They are deadly quiet.

“Why?” Mommy asks and I shrug.

“Maybe he wants us to get a little more serious,” I say shyly. Lawd mi hate this.

“As much as mi like Nickoi mi nuh wah you a live with him because mi nah go deh see yuh fi know if him a treat yuh bad or them something deh,” Mama’s face in a frown.

My mother looks as if she’s in deep thoughts. “Zara yuh know say this is a big step right?”

“I know,” I simply say.

“Are you ready for it?” She asks.

Am I? “I don’t know mommy,” I admit. I don’t know exactly what is there to be ready for, I’m already his girlfriend.

“You’re gonna be responsible for yourself and a man now, so you basically a full time girlfriend which will be okay I guess but wah you go do if certain stuff come?” I know this was coming.

What she a try say? Mommy nah be clear at all. “Like what?” I ask, wondering if she’s thinking about pregnancy.

“Zara yuh know wah mi mean. If it happen it would affect you enuh because you still in school and you not working yet so yuh affi be careful. And mi know you could a never make that happen after mi warn yuh so much time,” she says.

“I’m on pills mommy,” mi tired a say this.

“You’re almost 22 so you can make your own decisions, but is this something that you want?” I stay silent, contemplating.

“Yeah... I guess so,” I let out.

“Okay baby,” she says. Mama looks sad.

“Mama mi a go still come around yuh like mi still live with you enuh,” I say in an effort to comfort her.

“That a nuh mi problem mi just nuh wah yuh get hurt,” she sighs. “But God will protect you.”

Amen, my subconscious claps.

Mama always make me get emotional enuh.

I hold the camera away from my face and wipe my eyes before the tears falls.

“Yes so I’m wondering which restaurant I should go to,” I change the topic.

“Fi yuh birthday?” Mommy beams.

“Yes,” I retort.

“Yuh did a say Dinner in the Sky. I would pay for the plane ticket, and yuh also say Mystic Thai cause yuh love the cuisine,” she reminds me. I remember the other suggestions too. I just don’t know.

Maybe I’m too indecisive. “So wah you think mommy?” I ask seeking her input.

“Sound good and everything mon and mi have yuh dress weh mi buy fi yuh so you gonna see it Friday after yuh do your makeup and thing,” mommy claps and I grin in excitement. She too, sounds excited.

After a while of talking to them about my birthday plans, I get off the phone and walk into the bathroom. I take a few pictures of my tattoo in the mirror and walk back out.

My phone rings and I notice that it’s Sash. “Hey Zara mi miss you enuh!” She beams. “And a just a few days.”

“Mi miss unuh already but mi a come over deh tomorrow,” I offer a smile.

As I’m sitting in the sofa, I hear Nickoi’s car. I move towards the door and spot him coming out of his car with a box in his right hand and a bag in the left. I open the door for him and he comes in.

“How the house stay?” she pries and I give an awkward smile. “It big nuh true?” Sash always has the weirdest questions.

“Close the door,” Nickoi says and I do as he says.

“Good night Nickoi,” Sash says and I look at him. “Night Sash,” he forcefully says before he walks into the kitchen.

“Mi cya come over yuh place tomorrow?” she asks but Nickoi can’t hear her.

“Him gone in a the kitchen,” I tell her.

“Ask him,” she says and I walk into the kitchen. He looks at me when I walk in.

“I’m next to him now,” I announce.

“Oh Nickoi mi cyaa’ come ova deh tomorrow?” Sash asks bravely. He takes about five seconds then he says ‘Yah’.

“Lawd Jeeeez, mi feel him would a say no enuh!” she laughs and I join her.

I walk out. “No sah, why would he?” I sit down, powering on the Tv.

“Yes gyal so wah deh gwaan?” she queries.

“Nothing we a guh eat soon,” I say, watching Nickoi in the kitchen from the living room.

“Ohh eat up yah gi—” she begins, but Marko’s voice calling interrupts her. Never member dem deh enuh.

“Sash come yah nuh man!” he shouts.

“Yuh cyaa’ wait!?” She retorts.

I move the phone away from my ear. Like she wah deaf me. “Zara tomorrow evening yaw mon when mi see yuh,” she hangs up.

Nickoi hands me the food and the pungent pepper scent irritates my eyes in a matter of seconds. “Damn, the box d’evu open yet and it has this effect on me already,” I chuckle.

“The bwoy Keno duk it mon,” he says as he puts a piece of fish in his mouth. I begin eating as I search for a good movie to watch. Mi know a nuh me alone affi find sup’m good fi watch before mi can start eat.

“Mi fren did a sell some slides enuh and mi just feel like yuh would a like the whole matching thing,” he says and I beam at him with a playful smile.

“Weh dem deh?” I ask excitedly.

Nickoi laughs before he points to the bag. “Dem in a that, some foam runners.” I start clapping in excitement.

“Yuh finally a go wear a different brand,” I laugh and he shakes his head, still smiling.

“Mi wear other brand,” he defends. I quickly wash and dry my hand before I take out the foam runners. It’s the nude ones, mine has a splash of pink. I already see a’ fit! My smile widens.

“Thanks babeeee! I love them, but mi nah wear no socks, all this need now is a nice gold anklet!” I turn to him. “A early birthday gift this?” I smile up at him.

“In a way yes... wah kind o’ anklet yuh want? Mi o’ make yuh get it later.”

“Awww..” I say, pressing a kiss to his lips, smooch fills the living room, then he sings in my mouth. “Baby just make me spoil yuh… get yuh anything yuh like…”

I pick up my phone. “Come yer, we a take a picture,” I smile, taking the food box from him. By the time that he takes to get up, washes his hand and come back I’m already in the foam runners. I’m excited. Like say mi never get nuhn yet.

“Mi wah take it in the room,” I say before I climb the steps with my hand wrapping around the rail.

“Arite wul on deh mami,” he says and I continue walking towards the room.

I sit on the bed and stretch my legs waiting for Nickoi to join me.

He comes in after two minutes of waiting.

He sits on the bed and I straddle him. The contact feels dangerous but I focus on telling him how to set his foot before I take the picture.

He starts chuckling.“Yuh nuh easy at all enuh b.”

“Shh,” I press my index to his lips, looking at the picture if I’m pleased. My smile grows.

Perfect picture fi all a who a watch me, they won’t know who it is but dem a guh know seh mi in a relationship.

“Sup’m fi the group chats,” I giggle.

I open Instagram and post it on my story and I type ‘My Don’ before I post it .