Chapter 17: Ahliyah

I was back at work again helping customers with their bikes still trying to fix my own in the process. Elias walked out of the back asking me if he could take me out to lunch which I declined. I reminded him that I had a boyfriend and that he was only my friend. He did say he loved me a while back but I couldn't reciprocate it. Carter was different and I was trying to keep what I was building with him before it fell apart.

When Carter had come to pick me up, he didn't look happy. " What's wrong?" I finally asked.

" Today hasn't been a good day. Lorenzo woke me up pestering me to help him because his girlfriend comes back today. I was so worried that I had a panic attack in the parking lot in front of the apartment. I'm okay now. We have to go to Lorenzo's place to see Mercedes, after this I'm going home." He said.

I didn't understand why Carter still helped Lorenzo even if he was asshole at times. But, I guess I didn't understand the relationship Lorenzo and Carter had either.

" So, you're not going to take time to calm down or think about what happened?" I asked. He was silent and I took his silence as a no. He was going to go on anyways because Lorenzo was his friend. I didn't say anything further because I didn't want to upset him, or make things worse for him. Carter knocked on the door and it didn't take a second for someone to open the door for us. A girl with midnight black hair wrapped her arms around Carter saying how much she missed.

Something inside of me burned. I wasn't mad at her because I guess the girl was Mercedes, but I couldn't stop the burn. When the girl pulled away from Carter she looked at me with wide eyes and smiled.

" Oh. My. Gosh. You must be the special girl Lorenzo's been telling me about. We are definitely going to talk before the night is over." She beamed.

We walked inside of the apartment and there were more decorations in Lorenzo's place then Carter's. Paintings were hung up on every wall on the house and they had a black coffee table sitting in their living room. Carter sat on the couch by himself and I wanted to ask if he was okay again, but I didn't get the chance when Mercedes pulled me in what looked like her room.

Her room was colorful. There was a wooden desk against the wall and it was covered in paint. It was beautiful though and different.

" Lorenzo told me how Carter took you in and how you and him have been close ever since. I know there's something missing." She said.

" There's not much to tell. He helped me when nobody else would and since then we've grown close." I told her.

She sighed sitting in her chair in front of her desk. " That's so cute."

" Are those your painting hung up on the walls around the house." I asked.

She nodded her head smiling. How did Lorenzo find someone like Mercedes?

" I'm glad Carter has someone like you. It's not for me to tell you but his family situation is complicated and his step mother treated him bad. He came to stay with me to get away from his parents while Lorenzo and I were broken up. He would cry and scream in his sleep, take care of him and love him." She said sadly.

I did love him. I haven't told him yet because I didn't want to say it and it didn't mean anything. I wanted to mean every word.

Mercedes and I talked about her art and she told me about the art school she had gotten into. She was working full time on her craft trying to make something big of her self. Art was her way of getting away from life and Lorenzo. They were not the cute adorable couple I had made them out to be. They has real problems just like Carter and I.

We came out of the room Lorenzo and Carter were sitting in the same spots before I had left. I looked at Carter and he smiled, and I knew he was okay or at least somewhat. Mercedes and Lorenzo left for their date night and she promised me we would hang out before she had to go back to school.

I sat down beside him and he pulled me close. " I'm sorry for shutting you out and not talking to you." He said.

" It's fine."

" No it's not." He said.

" You should have to apologize when you had your panic attack. I didn't know but I know now." I told him.

I loved him.

I loved him and it felt good to finally admit that to myself, but I wasn't supposed to stay here though and once my mom told it was okay for me to come back home then I would be moving back with her. That meant leaving Carter and everything we've built together.

" I forgive you, although you didn't do anything wrong. Don't apologize for wanting to be alone or wanting to take time for yourself because that's okay." I told him.

We left Lorenzo's apartment and went to walk around the town. I thought about our date that was coming up and decided that I would ask Carter about hopefully he would tell me.

" You know what sounds nice," I smiled swinging our arms as we walked. " A picnic on the beach with a blanket and homemade food. We could watch the sunset and look at the stars together and don't forget the dessert." He laughed and continued walking.

" What? I know I said why would I want to go to the restaurant or the beach. But, I don't want you doing this for anyone else. I want you to do this for yourself and us." I told him.

I wanted it to be for us. I didn't want anyone to know because this moment was our moment to be together and to talk about everything we liked and loved about each other. Carter goes out of his way to do everything for me even though he doesn't have to, but I wanted him to think about himself first. To do something for himself.

" I'll think about it." He chuckled.

I was going to hold onto my excitement until he decided if this is something he wanted to do. No matter how far my love went for him, I wanted what was best for him. But, as I thought about our soon to be date I was so excited for everything. Things were finally looking up for me and I couldn't wait to finally tell Carter that I loved him.