I’m just here

“Our new neighbor seems cool. You should meet her.” 

You couldn’t help but roll your eyes at your brother. You knew that was code for she’s gay like you. You loved your brother Andre, but ever since he found out you were a lesbian, he was always trying to set you up with any woman he knew. It was the newly divorced mom from the PTA meetings your sister in law always went to. A trainer at the gym he went to. The twin’s teacher. The new professor in his department. He had even tried to set you up with his dentist. 

“As much as I would love to see who you’re tryna marry me off to, this time I’ma have to decline.” “Come onnnnn. At least say hi to her. Don’t be rude.” You rolled your eyes and continued putting on your snow gear, ignoring the pleas coming out of Dre’s mouth. You brushed past him making your way outside, seeing your niece and nephew talking to each other in the snow. “Y’all conspiring against me?” You yelled at them. 

“What does conspire mean TiTi?” Your nephew Salem asked you with a cock of his head. “Making secret plans with each other to attack me.” 

“Well then yes.” You let out a loud laugh and ran to your side of the yard. You were trying to make as many snowballs as you could before the twins decided it was time to start. They had convinced you to have a snowball fight and how could you say no to them. 

“On the count of three,” you yelled out. “THREE!” you heard Soleil scream and before you knew it, snowballs were coming your way. They were coming fast and you were getting pelted left and right. You were blindly throwing your own back at them, just trying to hit anything. You threw a particularly hard one when you heard a loud “Damn!” All three of you stopped throwing and looked towards the sound. A tall woman with a bun was standing in her driveway brushing snow off of her face. A very fine, tall woman. 

Your niece and nephew ran towards her and spoke at the same time. 

“We sorry AT!” “Our auntie wasn’t looking where she was throwing!” 

“Damn, thanks for throwing me under the bus Soleil,” you said walking towards the three of them. 

“What? It was you who threw it.” 

The lady who you now knew as AT was laughing and you couldn’t help but fixate on her smile. “Good looking out Soleil. Knew I could always count on you.” She laughed, putting her hand out for a high five, which Soleil gave almost instantly. Your eyes roamed over her, well what you could see of her because of her thick winter gear. She locks eyes with you, clearly catching you checking her out and you decide to finally speak. 

“I’m really sorry AT,” you say. “I couldn’t see anything and I was just throwing.” She just nods her head and then cocks it to the side after a beat. “You Andre sister?” “Yeah why?” “Just nice to put a face to a name.” “Oh he be talking about me?” “Yeah. He be talking about how you need to run.” You were confused by that. “I need to run?” You questioned. “Yeah.” She nods “Run.” 

She could barely get her last word out before her, Salem and Soleil bent down to grab handfuls of snow. “Oh shit!” you yelled before taking off across the yard. You felt snowballs being pelted at your back and you almost felt like Cleo from Set It Off. 

You managed to make it behind the snow hill Salem had created for you but it was no match against all the balls coming your way. “Throw yours Auntie!” “Don’t hide from us TiTi!” The twins yelled at you. 

You could hear the front door open and you looked and saw your brother standing on the porch. “Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Help me!” You yelled at him. You could see him laughing and he shook his head no before going back inside. “Eff you Dre!” you screamed at the closed door. You had to remember to bring a snowball in the house to hit him with when all this was over. 

You stood up from your hiding place ready to call a truce when a snowball hit you square in the face. You could hear AT saying something to Salem and Soleil, but you couldn’t make out the words over the scream laughing they were doing. You brushed the snow off of your face as best as you could and when you managed to get your eyes open, AT and the twins were much closer to you. The twins were laughing without a care but AT was clearly holding hers in. 

“Look at your face Auntie. I can’t wait to tell mama what happened. Come on Say Say.” The twins joined hands and took off towards the house. AT stuck her hand out towards you and you immediately put your palm in hers. “My name is Alyssa by the way,” she said in a soft voice. You told her your name and you dropped each other’s hands.

“I really am sorry for hitting you. It wasn’t on purpose.” You told her. 

“Nah I know. I saw y’all out here and I was in the way. Plus I got my lick back so we’ll call it even.” 

You couldn’t argue with that. 

“You visiting Andre and Aisha?” she asked. “Yeah. The twins asked me to come since I couldn’t for Christmas. And who am I to say no. How you know them?” 

“I’m their neighbor,” she replied, pointing at the house directly next door. So this was the neighbor Dre wanted you to meet. You may have to actually thank him this time. 

Before you could respond to her, you heard the front door open and Soleil and Dre poke their heads out. “Hey AT! Wanna come to our valentine’s party?” Soleil yells out. “When is it?” Alyssa yells back. “Right now.” 

Alyssa looked at you. “I’m watching the twins for Dre and Aisha tonight and they wanted to celebrate.” “No Valentine’s Day date?” She teases you. “Soleil tryna get me one right now,” you reply half joking, half serious. “Is Soleil doing that or you?” she grins at you. You give her a little shrug and you both look at the front door. Soleil and Dre are waiting for her answer expectantly. “Lemme go change and I’ll be right over Soleil,” She yells. “Don’t take too long!” Soleil yells after her. 

“Hope you’re ready to do every Valentine’s related thing you can think of,” you tell her. “Everything?” she asks with a slight tease to her voice, making you blush a little bit. “But I’m ready for anything. Y’all playing any games?” She asks. You can already tell she was gonna be super competitive. 

“I think so. If not, won’t be hard to get the twins to play.” 

“Bet. Can’t wait.” 

“Forreal? Get ready to lose then.” 

“To who? Definitely not you. You couldn’t even hit us with a snowball.”

 “Okay but I got you once.”

 “That’s cause I wasn’t ready.” You both stared at each other and laughed, knowing how ridiculous you both sounded. 

“Well let me let you go inside and take those wet clothes off. Don’t want you getting sick before I beat you,” you joke, giving her a little wave. “Girl in your dreams. I’ll see you in a little bit. Get ready to lose.” She winked at you before waving, heading back towards her house. You stared after her for a little before turning back towards your brother’s place. You saw your brother in the window and he ran before you could say anything. You walked inside and the twins were on you immediately. 

“What were you and AT talking about TiTi?” “Do you think she’s pretty? Daddy said you do.” “Can you believe AT coming to our party tonight? Soleil asked her outside.” “Do we have enough food for her?” “We have to pick out a movie that she would like too!” 

“Okay okay, give your auntie some room. She’s trailing water in my hallway and we don’t want her to get sick do we?” Dre finally interrupted them. “No sir,” they replied at the same time. They gave each of your legs a hug and took off running somewhere in the house. 

“Sooooo,” Dre said to you with a grin on his face. “I see you met our neighbor.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me she was fine?” you questioned, taking your snow pants off and dropping them on the floor next to you. “Is it not implied that they fine when I bring them up?” He asked with confusion.

“Hell no. Remember the last girl?” You both look at each other and Dre puts his hands up. “Okay I’ve had a few misses. But this one should make up for it.” 

You rolled your eyes but had to agree with him. This was the finest lady he had ever introduced you to. And he knew it. 

“Tell me about her.”

“All I know is that her name Alyssa, she plays for the W and she gay.” 

“Dre what the hell. That’s your neighbor and that’s all you know about her?” 

“You the one that want her, why don’t you just ask her about herself when she come over?” 

“But you wanted to set me up with her. Man whatever. Why’d you let Soleil invite her anyway? Now I gotta act like I’m not feeling her.”  

“You don’t gotta act. Ask her out.”

“I just met her.”

“I thought Lesbians move fast. You running kinda behind.”

You smacked your lips and pushed him a lil bit. “Can you take anything serious?” You questioned. “I am. I’m tryna have a sister-in-law.” You roll your eyes. “It helps that you already think she fine.” 

“I ain’t never say that.” 

“You got amnesia? You literally just said it. But you be feelin people you don’t think are fine?” He put the back of his hand on your forehead. “You sick?” You laughed and swatted his hand away, heading upstairs to get ready. 

***

The doorbell rang and your brother yelled for you to get the door. “This not my house!” You yell back but walking towards the door anyway. “Yeah but that’s your girl.” You curse at him and hear him cackle. You open the door and Alyssa is standing there holding a few bags in one hand. “Hey,” she leaned towards you, offering a hug. Caught a little offguard, you throw one arm around her neck and mumble “Hey AT.” “What did I tell you my name was?” “Just met me and already bossing me around.” 

The twins run up before she can respond and they’re all over her. Andre and Aisha walk up not long after, greeting her and taking the bags from her. Dre knocks your shoulder with his. “Damn sis. You couldn’t even take the stuff from her? Where’s your hospitality?” You cut your eyes at him and he throws his hands up, making Alyssa and Aisha laugh. 

“Can y’all do one game with us before you leave?” Soleil asks Dre. Him and Aisha are dressed and ready to go, so you don’t anticipate them agreeing.  “Okay babygirl. What game?” Dre surprises you. “Twister!” Soleil shouted. Everybody let out an audible groan, even Salem. “How about we watch y’all play So-So?” Dre asked, trying to get out of it. 

“You know y’all daddy got a bad back,” you joked, making Alyssa and Soleil share a giggle.  “Oh you got jokes,” Dre says. “I’ma go first and show y’all how it’s done.” 

You all walk down into the den, where Soleil has the game set up already. “Me and Salem will spin.” Soleil says. “We supposed to be playing this with you Soleil.” Dre deadpans. “You are. We’re spinning.” She turns the spinner around and shows him, as if that explains her participation in the game. You and Alyssa giggle under your breaths and watch Dre slip his shoes off. You go to stand on the other side of the mat and begin tying your hair in a bun. You can see Alyssa’s eyes on you, not even trying to hide the fact that she’s staring at you. “AT, you and my TiTi have matching hair,” Soleil says with a grin. “We do huh?” Alyssa’s eyes never leave you. “Your TiTi look cute, even though she tryna be like me.” “Nobody tryna be like you.”

You break eye contact to roll your eyes and hear everyone laughing around you. “Left foot blue!” Soleil yells out, clearly ready to get the game started. You, Alyssa, Dre and Aisha all move your feet onto the mat. Spin after spin, the twins are calling out colors and body parts and you all move accordingly. Right hand yellow. Left hand red. Right foot red. Left hand green. So many colors and body parts are called out that you lose track of where y’all even started. “Right hand blue.” Somehow you end up crisscrossing over Alyssa, your chest dangerously close to her face. You look down at her and mutter sorry with a blush. . 

“Don’t be. I’m enjoying the view,” she says without a care in the world. You can see Dre’s body moving with silent laughs next to you and you resist the urge to reach out and hit him. “Right hand green!” Salem yells. Everyone goes to move to an open green space, when Dre falls. His foot knocks against yours making you lose balance and fall on top of Alyssa, you both hitting the ground. 

The twins are yelling at Dre and you hear a muffled groan come and look down, Alyssa’s face buried in your chest. You can’t help but laugh and quickly roll off of her, standing up and offering your hand. She stares at you for a second before accepting your hand and standing with you. Dre is still laying on the floor, giving you the stink eye. 

“So you help a woman that you just met today but not your own precious little brother.” “The same little brother that made me fall in the first place.” Aisha holds her hand out to Dre and he takes it, standing and dusting off his clothes. “Dre, now your clothes all wrinkled.” Aisha says with a smack of her lips, dusting his shirt as if that would make the wrinkles disappear. “It’ll be fine. The restaurant dark anyway they won’t see.” 

You tune them out and turn your attention back to Alyssa, who is now sitting on the couch with the twins sitting in her lap. Whatever moment you wanted to share with her now gone. You decide to walk Dre and Aisha to the garage, listening to all the rules Dre is rambling for the kids. “And last rule,” He gets close to you while Aisha gets in the car. “Don’t be kissing in front of my kids.” 

“Boy,” you smack your lips and then push him out the door. “I’m so forreal. Y’all looked like y’all was finna be all over each other in there.” he says as if you weren’t also there. “Don’t worry about it, we not.” “Hey, I just said not in front of the kids. I didn’t say not at all.” You reached out to push him again and he ran to the car cackling, throwing byes and love yous. 

You walked back into the den and the three of them were staring at you. “What’s next Soleil?” 

“Can we make paper chains to decorate? Mama helped me with supplies.” She pointed over to the corner and all the things we needed were right there. “Well since Mama helped you, guess we gotta do it huh?” She let out a scream of excitement, jumping out of Alyssa’s lap. “She finna be a tyrant isn’t she?” Alyssa asked. “What’s a tyrant?” Salem questioned. “Bossy,” you replied. “So-So is always bossy,” he said to the both of you, making you laugh. 

You all got to work, making hearts out of paper, connecting them together and hanging them up throughout the den and hallway. Then Soleil made you make valentines for everybody, getting laughs from the whole room when she insisted that you and Alyssa make valentines for each other since “You both have no valentine.” When you were finished, Soleil demanded you make bracelets, pointing to the assorted beads on the table. You sat on one side by yourself, the twins sandwiching Alyssa on the other side. Her being busy with the twins gave you the perfect opportunity to ogle her without interruption. 

Her eyes were focused on the twins and you couldn’t help but notice how warm they were. She was locked in on not only the bracelets but every time the twins spoke, she looked up at them giving them her full attention. She muttered something every now and again but you had no clue what they were talking about. She tossed her head back in a laugh at something Soleil said and your eyes went to her jaw. It looked almost sculpted with how chiseled it was. You could see the muscles in her arms flexing underneath her shirt as she worked and it made your mouth kind of dry. She had that smug smirk on her face once again and you zeroed in on her mouth. Her tongue darted out to lick her lush and full lips, her cupid’s bow catching the light every time she moved. You wondered how they would feel against yours. 

You must’ve been staring too hard because next thing you know, Soleil was next to you shaking your arm. “TiTi are you okay? I’ve been calling your name and you didn’t respond to me.” You locked eyes with Alyssa who was smirking and you knew you were caught. “I’m sorry So-So, I’m just so hungry because you been making us do crafts all night and I can’t think straight.” Right on cue, your stomach loudly growled, making everybody laugh. “Oh! You should’ve just said that,” Soleil replied. “Let’s make pizza.” She ran off towards the kitchen before you could object and the rest of you followed her. 

“You was staring hard,” Alyssa whispered. You smacked your lips at her even though she was right. “I was disassociating because of how hungry I am.” “Mhmm, yeah sure.” 

Alyssa made it to the kitchen first, and good thing because Soleil put her to work immediately. She made her chop toppings, set out ingredients, she even made her sprinkle flour on the counter because “that’s how they do it at the pizza shop.” You and Salem just watch, laughing at how she bossed Alyssa around. When she feels like everything is together, she makes Alyssa pair up with Salem and she pairs up with you because she “doesn’t need that much help.” You helped her roll out her dough before getting to your own, trying to shape yours into a heart as best as you could but you weren’t having much luck. By the end of it you couldn’t even make out what shape it was. “Let’s see everybodies.” Soleil announced. One by one everyone started revealing theirs, each one better than the last. It got to you and the twins immediately started laughing. “TiTi, you was supposed to make a heart, not … whatever this is.” Soleil said, trying to hold her laugh in but failing. 

“It is a heart,” you half yelled, half pouted. 

“Leave y’all TiTi alone,” Alyssa said through a giggle. “It is a heart. An abstract one.” She trades places with you, letting you have hers while she fixes the one you had. By the time she’s done it’s like a professional did it. “Okay chef AT,” you bragged to her and she was kinda bashful. “Shut up,” she giggled.

You all got busy putting the toppings on your pizzas, every now and again you steal pepperonis from the twins and Alyssa’s pizzas for your own. You got a few hand smacks but you didn’t care, y’all were having a good time. When you’re finished Alyssa sticks the pizzas in the oven, dusting her hands off after. The twins decided their help was no longer needed, Soleil even saying “That’s the grown-ups job” when you questioned her about it. 

You’re wiping off the counter when Alyssa opens the fridge and starts rummaging through it. By the time she’s finished, she has some ingredients laid out and you can tell it’s for chocolate covered strawberries. “Soleil really thought of everything,” you remark. “This was my idea,” Alyssa replied. “It was supposed to be for when the twins went to bed but I didn’t know they would leave us alone that fast.” 

“Soleil loves making plans and then making you do all the work.” “Like auntie like niece then?” She asks with a raised brow and you can’t even muster up a response. “I’m just playing,” she responds, getting to work. “The twins told me you can’t cook so I’m not even mad.” That got you to speak. “They’ve never even seen me cook to know if I can or not.” “Exactly,” she replied matter of factly. You rolled your eyes and stood close to her asking what you could do to help. She let you melt the chocolate because “how can you mess that up?” 

Alyssa dipped the first strawberry and you oohed and aahed at her, getting her to laugh and bum you with her hip. You kept up the routine, prepping more and more chocolate as she asked, until you came to the last few berries. Alyssa dips one and holds it up instead of putting it on the tray with the others. “Open,” she says to you, moving in front of you so that you guys are inches from each other. You pause briefly, trying to determine if she’s just playing or not, but the look in her eyes told you she was doing anything but. You open your mouth, tilting your head back a bit. She places the chocolate covered berry in your mouth and you try not to moan from how good it tastes. You bite it and she eats the rest, placing it into her own mouth. You both chew silently, her eyes locked on you like she’s looking through you. 

Alyssa doesn’t move out of your space and you go to question her when her hands cup your cheek and bring you to her. You waste no time and press your lips to hers. You wrap your arms around her and bring your body close to hers, squeezing her waist. Her tongue sweeps across your lips and you gasp into her mouth. She pulls back before you can get too into it and she licks a small stripe on the corner of your lip. “You had some chocolate right there.” 

That gets a laugh out of you and you push her backwards. “Let’s finish before the twins run back in here. Dre said we can’t kiss in front of his kids.” “I don’t see them in here right now,” she replies, pulling you back into her. As if on cue, you hear feet running down the hall and you put some distance in between you two. Soleil comes around the corner first. “AT you brought strawberries!” “How you know it wasn’t me?” You ask her. She looks at you like you have three heads. “TiTi, you know you don’t cook.” Salem and Alyssa are screaming with laughs as you chase Soleil around the kitchen, your own laughs joining in as you slip and slide trying to catch her. 

***

Once dinner is done, Alyssa walks into the den and you’re right on her heels. The lights are turned down and the tv is lit up waiting for y’all to pick a movie. She sits on the sectional, practically laying down with how she stretches out. 

“TiTi, you and AT should sit together.” Salem says. 

“Where yall gone sit?” 

“Me and SoSo will lay on the floor,” he pointed at the pallet Soleil was currently putting together. Pillows on top of comforters, it looked cozy. 

“Guess we ain’t gotta choice now do we?” 

“Girl don’t act like you don’t wanna sit next to me,” Alyssa says with her face scrunched up. 

 “I didn’t even mean it like that,” you smack your lips. Alyssa playfully rolls her eyes at you before grabbing your arm and pulling you down to the couch with her. She pulls a blanket over the two of you and you give her a look. She wraps her arm around you and pulls you close. “Girl quit playing.” 

You hear Soleil giggling and you look up to see her and Salem laying on their stomachs, faces in their hands, looking at the two of you. “Ain’t y’all supposed to be watching the movie?” you ask. 

“Ain’t y’all supposed to put the movie on?” Soleil asked with her head cocked to the side. You threw your hand up at her, as if saying talk to the hand and you could hear Alyssa laughing. You grab the remote and scroll until you get to the movie that Soleil picked, pressing play. You feel Alyssa settle into your side and you hope she can’t feel your heart pounding. “Is this okay?” She whispers to you. “Wait,” you whisper back, making her sit up so you can readjust yourself and put your legs across her lap. You wrap her arms back around you and whisper “That’s better.” 

As the movie plays, you try to get your heart to slow down, but Alyssa had other plans. Her hands move all over your body, her fingertips grazing your skin before she goes all in and wraps her whole hand around you. You do your best to try to keep it PG since the twins are right there but it gets harder the more you feel her hands. She rubs circles into your thighs, moving her hands up and down your legs. Everytime you twitch, that signature smirk gets deeper, becoming a permanent fixture on her face. You bring your own hand up to rest on the back of her neck and you feel her body twitch and you get a smirk of your own. 

Her hand moves across your lower back, fingers playing with the hem of the thin tank top you’re wearing and you feel your lower stomach getting warm. She brings her face to your neck, giving you a small kiss to the side of your throat and you will the moan in your throat to stay there. “Anybody sleepy yet?” You squeak out. To your surprise the twins both say yes, getting up and hugging you and Alyssa. “Want me to put y’all to bed?” You ask them and they both say no, offering good nights and running out of the room. 

You turn your attention to Alyssa and she giggles before pushing your cheek and turning your head back to the screen. “Just watch the movie,” she whispers in your ear. You huff in annoyance and she giggles before placing a small kiss to your ear and pulling you into her chest. You try to focus but can’t. Her fingers are warm on your skin, your skin throbbing everywhere she touches. Every so often she gives your neck and shoulders a kiss, each one longer than the last, making you squirm. At some point her shirt comes off and you’re skin to skin with each other, nothing between you but the fabric of her sports bra and your tank top. You feel her hands rubbing across your stomach and your legs squeeze together. Alyssa notices, hands dropping to the tops of your thighs and rubbing, getting dangerously close to your core. 

When the credits finally roll, you turn around and look at her. Both of you stare at each other, charged air surrounding you, skin tingling with excitement. “Happy Valentine's Day,” she says to you. You smile and say it back, leaning in and kissing her. Her hands grab your waist, pulling you into her lap. Your hands are all over her, as the kiss gets deeper. You get your tongue in her mouth when she pulls away and pushes at your chest. You sit back and her hands rest at your waist. “What’s wrong?” you question her. “I’ma be honest. As much as I wanna freak you right now, I don’t want you to think I’m just tryna get in your bed. I really do wanna get to know you.” Your body sags with relief. 

“Okay we can get to know each other.” You place a kiss on her shoulder. “In the bed.” You place a kiss on her neck. “Under the covers.” You place a kiss on the corner of her mouth. “Naked.” You place a long, open mouthed kiss on her lips and you can feel her smiling through the kiss she’s giving you back. You break away, Alyssa following your lips before she catches herself. You sit back, waiting for her next move and she grabs the hem of your tank top. “Take this off.” 

***

You’re laying in bed the next morning when you hear the door crack open. You assume it’s the twins coming to wake you and Alyssa up but you hear some shushes and you know immediately it’s your brother. “Aisha, you owe me $100.” He says in a whisper. “She got the woman in her bed A.” You hear him let out some fake cries and sniffles and Aisha tells him to shut up. “They grow up so fast,” he adds. You shake your head and feel a body moving under you. You look up and Alyssa is chuckling, wiping the sleep out of her eyes. 

“Guess we got caught?” She questions. “Guess so,” you reply, not even bothering to move from off top of her. You hear feet hitting the floor coming down the hallway and you groan, knowing the twins are running right to you. “TiTi!” They both yell. 

“AT you spent the night!” Salem yelled, jumping on the bed. “Why? Don’t you live next door?” Soleil questioned. You sit up and that gets Alyssa to laugh. You bring Soleil into your arms, tickling her. “AT was too tired after all your activities so she slept over,” you say to her. “AT?” You hear Alyssa questioning, correcting yourself to say Alyssa before she starts whining again. “You learn fast,” Alyssa says, leaning up and giving you a brief kiss on the lips. 

“Daddy, where's my $50?” Soleil asks and holds her hand out towards Dre. You look at Soleil confused while Aisha and Dre are shaking their heads, Dre digging in his wallet. “Why are you giving her money?” You ask. “I told her I would give her $50 if she got y’all to kiss.” He put a few bills in Soleil’s hand and she takes it with a thank you. “You told us not to kiss in front of them, so how do she know we kissed?” You question. “We saw y’all kiss after we left you in the kitchen,” Soleil replies. “That was on purpose by the way. And we just saw y’all kiss now,” she shrugs. You look at Alyssa who shrugs and grabs her own wallet off the nightstand, opens it and grabs some bills, handing it to both of the twins. Now it’s Dre’s turn to look confused. 

“She told me about the deal with Dre, so I told her I would give her and Salem the same amount if they pretended to be sleepy and went to bed early.” You couldn’t believe your ears and it seemed like Dre couldn’t either. “So you was plotting on me?” You asked her. “Of course,” she replied without much thought, laying back down and pulling the covers back over her. You looked at Dre and he had a stupid grin on his face. 

“So when can I call her my sister-in-law?”

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