Deception: Chapter 24

“CHEEEEEEEY!” Larry was screaming in my ear loudly.  I laughed and pulled the phone away from my ear. We’d decided since there was an 8 hour time difference between LA and Paris, when I would go to sleep and he was waking up, we’d call each other, Skype, or Facetime and vice versa for at least an hour. Laurent and I were still really close for the most part, but as far as Dina and I, eh, not so much. She barely spoke to me when I was at work with her.

“So you miss me yet?” Larry sounded a slight bit tired and the drag in his voice was enough to make me wish he was still here in Paris so I could see the face that went with it.

“Yes, yes I do … A LOT. Tell Laurent I miss him too. He should have got on Skype with us this morning, or last night. Whatever it was for you guys.” It was going on 2 weeks since their departure and we hadn’t missed a day on our promise on how to keep in contact.

“Laurent is not in here. He downstairs with the other dancers eating breakfast.” Larry groaned, which was more so along the lines of a yawn, but it was a groan nonetheless. “So your birthday is in 3 weeks right?”

“Yes, my best friend called the other day and said she was going to be on spring break that week, and if I could talk my dad into it, she would buy me a ticket to spend time with her out in LA and MAYBE, I could see you all while I’m at it.” I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes, resting them, listening to Larry’s sheet rustle in the background and how he breathed softly into the phone. Normally, I hated that shit, but with him it was like he was right there, holding me. So I didn’t mind it.

“You should do that!” He sounded happy and immediately perked up.

“I don’t know. If I come out there that means I would have to see my mom.” Nicole had always lived down the street from my grandmother and when she came home she always went back to her house, no hotels, nothing. Her home was just that, her HOME. Her mom would never have it any other way. I spent most of my time staying at her house growing up because of my mom’s issues so if I came, I knew there wouldn’t be an option of a hotel.

“You have to Chey, if you don’t then what will I do? I miss you, Laurent misses you. You have to come out.” He begged. I sighed; hearing him beg was the cutest thing because I could almost imagine the pout I knew he was wearing.

“Okay, I’ll ask my dad about it tomorrow when I wake up. Diablo said he misses you guys too. Maybe I should slide him on in our convo’s sometime.”

“That fool is not welcome.” Larry said jokingly. “He have computer and Skype just like you. He can call on his own, this is our time.”

“Okay, okay, no need to take it out on me.” I felt my body relax and it got freakishly quiet. I knew what that was a sign of but I didn’t pay it any mind as I lay there noiselessly for a long time.

“Goodnight Chey.” Larry’s voice was soft, so soft in fact I almost didn’t hear it.

“Good morning Larry.” I mumbled, finally drifting off to sleep. I never heard the phone click. I just went to sleep, dreaming of when I got to LA and I’d see Larry again for the first time.

—

“Daddy?” I was sitting at the table with my brother and dad. He looked up over the rim of his thin reading glasses, newspaper in one hand and coffee mug in the other. “I talked to Nicole the other day…”

“Oh lord, what kind of scheme you two got bubbling now?” He chuckled and set the paper down sliding the silver frames off his face.

“Well, you know my birthday is in a few weeks, she’ll be on Spring Break, and well she wants me out there with her. She’ll pay my air fare and everything, there and back.” I winced, waiting to hear him tell me no.

“Okay, that’s fine with me. When are you gonna leave?” I was shocked, Chris was staring back at me, jaw dropped, milk spilling off the spoon he held in his hand.

“Uh, I was gonna leave next week IF you said you were okay with it, that way I can spend time with Jaime, Katrina, and Cara.”

“Larry and Laurent too, I know you ain’t gonna not see them.” My dad cut me an all knowing glace and picked his coffee mug back up to take a sip.

“Well, I mean yeah, that was in the agenda. Nicole wants to meet Larry and Laurent, you know.” I cleaned up my hidden scheme even though there was really no reason to try and hide anything.

“Well, when you talk to Nicole, tell her I said hello, and that she better keep a lookout on you. Same thing with Cara and Jaime, I bet not have to fly out there and whoop some tail.” My father chuckled and I just smiled back happily, just enjoying the idea of being able to see the twins again and actually spend time with my friends back home. Where everything is familiar… where my heart lies … just my everything.

Just then my phone buzzed in my hand, an unfamiliar number flashing on the screen. I was hesitant to slide the unlock button and answer but I did after politely excusing myself from the table.

 

***All “Deception” stories are written by Les Twins fan, Alexis Daniels.