Page 81 of Not My Type (Not My Type #1)

Nickoi

“Yuh drunk... a it mek yuh seh that?” She asks and I can’t help but chuckle at her assumption that everyone is a light head like her.

“Mi nuh drunk,” I laugh.

“Yuh just tell me yuh love me,” she’s still processing it. “Like you literally just tell mi yuh love me,” she repeats, eyes wide.

“I know what I said Zara,” It comes out monotonous.

“She still nuh believe it,” Gutta interjects, while Anna beams at us, savoring the moment.

“Mi know... mi just surprised,” she continues, her astonishment palpable.

“Ohh... mi surprise miself too mon,” I confess. I’ve been trying to tell her I love her for so long, but the words eluded me.

“Oh my God... if mi say mi over that mi a lie it drape me up,” she’s staring at me with her mouth slightly open. “Nickoi, I love you too.”

Gutta and Anna smile at us, while Zara continues to gaze at me in shock. I gently shake her, trying to pull her back to the present. “Mami?” I chuckle.

She glances at Gutta and Anna before looking back at me. “Damn... anyways, let’s enjoy the water a little more,” she dives back into the water.

We spent another half hour in the sea before we got out and join Gutta and Anna. They’re eating fish and festival that they ordered at a Jamaican restaurant here. Know wi cyaa lef out the yaadie food. It tastes a little different but it’s okay.

“We bought more food... see fi unuh food yer,” Anna points at the bag and I nod.

“Respect,” I sit, reaching for an orange juice and Zara takes up the food bag.

“Yuh know say a shaved ice mi want,” she says looking at me.

“Eat the food we can get that after wi lef yasso,” I say and a Caucasian man approaches us—more like Zara since his eyes are glued to her.

I stare at him. Sure, him can greet har enuh but mi a gwaan watch how him move wid har. “Aloha,” he greets, I learned that it was a popular way to greet people in Hawaii.

She smiles at him. “Hii,” she chirps. I keep my watchful eye on him, realizing he’s just being friendly, but mi nuh like the way him a look pon mi woman. White bwoy yah try watch it.

“Your melanin is so beautiful. I’m in love with it,” he rubs her hand.

Who him a touch? “Let her go,” It comes deadly. He gives me an apologetic smile.

“I’m just giving this beautiful lady a compliment.”

“Nuh touch har,” I warn. He nods, retracting his hand.

“Where are you from?” he inquires, still reaching toward her. I figure it’s my accent he’s curious about. Nah ina no long talking wid nuh man enuh. I stand.

“Step back from har nuh youth,” Gutta chimes in. He throws his hands up in surrender and backs away. “I’m gone,” his voice trembles, and we share a laugh at his expense.

“From mi see yuh get up, mi know yah get dawwwk enuh,” Gutta observes, and I chuckle.

“Him nuh listen, and a dat a people downfall nowadays enuh,” I sigh. Everyone I’ve encountered trouble with, past or present, it’s because dem nuh listen.

“A nuh lie,” Gutta concurs.

“Mi did kinda wah the likkle drama,” Anna chuckles.

“None a that cas it’s a foreign country and the man never that bad yuh know,” comes Zara’s sweet voice.

After our beach outing, we got shaved ice. Zara wouldn’t stop reminding me about it on our way back. “Yuh like it?” I nod for the hundredth time. She been a ask if wi like it, Jah kno’ anybody would a think a she make them.

“It’s so good though,” her cheeks high as she smiles. “And mi cyaa believe seh tomorrow a mi last day here....when we come a dem place yah wi s’pose to a stay all a month.” Which month?

“Mi cyaa’ stay from yaad so long b,” I laugh at the madness. Gutta laughs too.“Nutt’n cyaa beat yaad,” he says cooly.

“Maybe cause unuh a think bout the business,” Anna chimes in.

Her agreement with Zara is as clear as day. She glances at us, laughter bubbling forth as she shakes her head in disbelief. “Look how much years unuh deh a Jamaica and unuh go tell me seh unuh cya do without down deh... not even fi a week?” she asks, rolling her eyes with theatrical flair.

After our spirited debate, we parted ways. The night deepened, and Anna and Gutta retreated to their room and we did the same.

ZARA

I take a shower after Nickoi and slip into a sheer pajama set from Zara just to hear a loud commotion coming from the bedroom. Wah that!? I quickly poke my head out and spot Nickoi playing on his Ps5.

Beside him sits his customised Ps5 carry case, ‘Prezi’ elegantly engraved on the bottom right. His special edition console, controller, cables... it’s a trove of gaming treasures. Likkle gamehead. I snuggle into him. His eyes are glued to the screen, I hiss. Mi wah attention.

“Babee,” I whine, he’s still playing, the game blaring. Kiss mi teeth! I roll my eyes and sigh. “Nickoi,” I try again. “Turn this down nuh,” he doesn’t hear me. Ughh! What a stress.

I kiss the side of his lips with hopes he’ll focus on me. I move over a little on my side and throw my leg across his torso. He finally looks at me.

“Mami yuh good?” his eyes back on the screen. I hiss. Fi a split second mi think seh mi finally successful.

“Mi and yuh game nah guh work enuh,” I pout. After a while of being ignored I ended up watching the game, face pressing in his chest, deep in my thoughts. Inked arms around me, thumb pressing the controller.

“Daddy?” I call.

“Mami?” he’s still playing.

At least him answer. I hiss. “Cyaa bother yaw.” I move my leg from off his torso and he grabs my thigh. He puts down the game and hover me. My smile grows almost immediately. Finally yuh get wah yuh wah.

He puts his hands beside my head as he stares in my eyes. “Wah yuh up to?” He asks.

“Mi just wah you attention,” I say, staring in his eyes. His stare is really too intense so I look away.

Nickoi have some dangerous face expression enuh–some that’ll make you drop your panty in a split second. A me you a tell?

He begins to tickle me, and laughter erupts from my lips as I scream, “Alright, alright!” while gasping for breath.

The joy consumes me. When he finally ceases, I settle down, still grinning. Once I’ve caught my breath, I find myself on top of him, playfully weaving my fingers through his hair.

“What time we leaving tomorrow if we a go hiking?” I ask, still toying with his hair.

“We a leave around nine then reach back here noon, by 1 o’ clock, we s’pose to a fly out,” he answers.

“Okay,” I breathe.

“Yah mi did wah stay longer but it nah go work out,” he confesses, I wrap my arms around him.

“I enjoyed myself and the fact that you brought me here is crazy and you tell me you love me here too... Jesus this mek mi love Hawaii more,” I laugh out, and hear his sweet chuckle.

His eyes on my hair. “Kno’ you a’ indian, but like where yuh family come from?” he asks. I answer with a storytime, about my great-great-grandfather from Trinidad.

He grabs my ass, eyes locked on mine, mesmerized by me.

When I mention how Henry migrated here for love, we both laugh until I drift right to sleep.

My legs still straddling him, I dream of two people kissing under the sea on their wedding day.

I wake up in the same position—the only difference is that he’s sleeping so his hands are no longer on my ass.

Gently hoisting my body, I sit on the side staring at the love of my life for what feels like an hour then he pops his eyes open. I laugh shyly.

“Morning,” he smiles, ignoring the fact that he woke up with me staring at him. Jesus mi feel like a creep. It’s that you, Joe?

It wasn’t that deep though, mi just a admire mi man. Mi cya’ do dat? We went through our morning routine and ate breakfast together before we spoke to Mama and mommy on Facetime. After, he calls his mom, she’s hilarious, shifting the vibe instantly.

“Right now mi wah go pon a vacation too but mi affi deh round fi Janel cas she nah behave harself enuh,” she says and Nickoi has a straight face as she talks to him. Him nuh seem too fond of this Janel person. Usually me would an ask who it is but I won’t. Mi nuh affi know everything. Right?

“Janel deh a Jamaica?” he asks and I take out the clothes that I’m wearing today.

“Janel!” she calls and I walk into the bathroom, putting on a black biker tights and my peach top. I walk out for my shoes.

“Mek sure you a listen mommy enuh cas yuh nah gwaan good,” Nickoi’s tone cold. I see a beautiful girl on the screen with hazel eyes and looks exactly like Jordane. Wow.

“I listen mommy, Nickoi,” she says softly. Nickoi did have a sister? Him never talk bout har.

“Ohh make sure,” he tells her.

“Hi,” she has an American accent.

“Hey,” I smile.

“What’s your name?” she asks.

“I’m Zara... what’s your name?”

“Janel, I’m your boyfriend’s little sister,” she says and I smile.

“Ohh yuh look like Jordane,” they have to be twins.

She nods and confirms it. “Yea.. mi twin brother,” I turn my eyes to look at Nickoi.

“Jordane a twin?” I already get it. I just feel a way that he kept it away from me.

“Yes, a twin, but her father’s family took her away because some bad vibes did a gwan, and she couldn’t stay. Plus, the boys were really stressing me out, especially Nickoi,” she explains, and I look at him. “Nickoi is too much like Owayne,” she hisses, referring, I assume, to his father.

He appears annoyed. “Oh,” I reply simply, sensing Nickoi’s irritation.

“Mi just hope yuh nuh stress out Zara like yuh do me... mi seh the bwoy mek mi have gray hair before time, enuh, plus a nuh him one ‘cause Jordane a come right behind him and Junior gives trouble too, but he’s the coolest one,” she elaborates.

“Nickoi always getting in fights at school,” Janel adds. “Mommy used to call my uncle and vent to him.”

“Yes to raatid!” Nicki exclaims. “Unuh lowe that now nuh,” he’s annoyed.

“Mek mi chat, Zara must be prepared fi yuh stress because yuh very unruly,” she enjoys getting on his nerves.

“I can work with it,” I lift his chin with my index and he blushes.

I look back at his mom. “I’mma get ready now, it was nice meeting you Janel and nice talking with you Ms. Nicki,” I smile and walk back to the bathroom.