Fuck

The Lord must be pretty ticked off with my ass, because it seems like one bad thing keeps happening after the other. I really wish I believed in reincarnation, because I sure as hell would blame all this shit on my sins from a past life.

"This melodramatic bitch," Maya hisses, kneeling down near a laid out Kaydence.

"Is she gonna be okay?" A seemingly concerned Colin pipes up, looking down at Kay.

Feeling for her pulse, I answer, without even glancing at him. "She'll be fine."

"Oh, she definitely will," Maya adds in, sending me a venomous glare. "You, however, I don't know so much about."

Rolling my eyes, I grab a nearby water bottle and splash a little on Kay. "Kay bae," I coo, gently tapping her cheek. "Wake up." She starts stirring.

"I know this probably isn't the right time," Derrick starts, bending down by Maya. She doesn't even spare him a glance. "But we haven't exactly been properly introduced-"

"I'm Maya, you're Derrick," Maya turns her glare towards him. "Happy now?"

"I'll be happy when I get your number."

"Well looks like you're going to stay unhappy; because there's no way in hell I'm giving you my number." Maya shoots Derrick down, before turning her attention back to a now coherent Kay. "Well it took you long enough."

Kay blinks her gorgeous blue eyes a couple more times, before she attempts to sit up. "I had the craziest dream."

Shit.

"Uhhh Kay," I struggle to find the right words. "You weren't-"

"Maya and I had just come back from depositing our paychecks to come home and find you about to have sex with Colin Kaepernick-"

"Kay-," Maya tries unsuccessfully to inform Kay that her fantasy was/is actually reality.

"Oh and then," Kay's cleft in her chin as she smiles and shakes her head in disbelief. "Derrick Rose came out our bathroom asking about Glade plug-ins."

"I'm still waiting for an answer, by the way."

Kae resembles a deer caught by headlights, as she whips her head around to the source of the voice. "It wasn't a dream," she whispers, more to herself, than anyone in particular.

"No shit Sherlock," Maya snorts.

Completely ignoring Maya, Kay snatches my left hand and gapes at my wedding ring. "You lying, little whore!" She accuses. "You got married and didn't even invite us? Scandalous bitch."

Sighing heavily, I pull my hand back, and play with the ring. "It's not what you think."

"Well what else are we supposed to think Aria?" Maya questions, crossing her arms. "You've yet to give us an explanation about any of this."

"I will, okay? Just...." Groaning, I rise up off the floor, Kay and Maya following my lead. "Derrick, Colin, this is Maya and Kaydence. They're my roommates."

"Single roommates," Kay adds on, pushing herself forward.

Maya rolls her eyes, "And looking to keep it that way."

"I'm sure I can change your mind," Derrick winks, flashing a cocky smile.

"I'm sure you can't," Maya mimics his wink and smile. Turning towards me, she gestures to Derrick with annoyance written all over her stunning face. "Please tell me this isn't the charlatan you're now married to?"

"Be nice Maya," I warn.

She scoffs, "I'll be nice when he stops behaving like a horny, pre-pubescent, teenage boy."

"Maya!" Kay exclaims, sending her a warning glare.

Copying Kay's earlier actions, Maya stares at me with expectancy. "Answer my question, Arianna."

I open my mouth to answer, but Colin beats me to it.

"She and I are married."

An awkward silence engulfs the room, for what seems like hours.

"This is fucking ludicrous," Maya shakes her head. For several moments, she tries speaking, but instead spurts out unfinished words. Finally, she is able to produce an understandable sentence. "What would possess you, the both of you, to get married?"

"Alcohol," Colin and I answer simply.

"Wait," Kay interrupts. She points at me with incredulity plastered all over her bare face. "You, little miss self-righteous, drank? As in alcohol? You? The same one who is always giving me long ass monologues about the dangers of even the tiniest bit of alcohol consumption?"

Crossing my arms, I sneer at her, "You're never going to let me live this down, are you?"

She feigns being proud and wipes at non-existent tears, "You know me so well."

"Enough with the idle chit chat," Maya scolds, clearly ready for more info. "What are you two going to do about this? An annulment?"

"One would think, but no." A beat. "We're staying married."

"What?" Maya and Kay exclaim in unison.

"Just for five months, and then were free to go our separate ways." Colin adds on.

"Why five months though?" Kay presses. Colin and I proceed to explain to her and Maya the terms of our arrangement. This explanation includes what little information we remember, in terms of what led up to this our current situation.

Being the polar opposites they are, their reactions are completely different.

"You guys are fucking imbeciles."

"Welcome to the family!"

"They're imbeciles with extremely good taste though," Kay adds on to Maya's statement. Flashing Colin a charming smiles, she reaches up to hug him. Let me just say that watching 5 feet Kay hug 6"5 Colin is a comical sight. "Very, very good taste." Kay giggles, admiring Colin's sculpted arms. "Do you have any other brothers, besides the married one?"

"Kay!" Maya and I hiss.

"Kidding!" She laughs it off, but Maya and I know better. Sure enough, she drops the laughter and turns her attention to Derrick. "You know the Chicago Bulls are my favorite basketball team?" She flirts, twirling a string of hair around her finger.

"Bitch you know good and well, you've been repping for the Miami Heat for almost all your life."

"Hush Aria," she hisses out, through her wide smile. "Some of us have yet to find our baller."

"Ya know," Maya starts. "I actually think they're a good match. The hoe and the dick. Match made in Heaven."

"So you admit it," Derek says.

"Admit what?" Maya queries, with an exasperated expression.

"You were thinking about my dick." He grins smugly.

She gives him a "WTF" look before glancing around the room, and looking at Colin. "You seem like a decent enough guy. Why do you even associate yourself with this Neanderthal?"

Colin just shakes his head, "I ask myself that same question every day." A beat. "Can I talk to you for a second?" He directs his question towards me.

Feeling my cheeks redden as I remember our earlier encounter in the kitchen, I shake my head yes, as we return to that exact same spot.

"What's up?" I ask, leaning against the same sink he had me on, not even an hour ago. Awkward much?

"I-," he starts, but as if in synchronization, our heads slowly turn towards the other three. Of course, they quickly try to return to whatever it is they were doing. Like, we don't know they were snooping.

Rolling my eyes, I unconsciously, grab Colin's hand and drag him with me.

"Come on," I murmur, leading him towards my room. Once inside, I close the door and turn on some music at a subdued volume. Upon turning back around, I see Colin looking around my room. His eyes settle on the various stuffed animals located in the middle of my bed. He reaches out and picks one up.

"Thumper?" He asks, looking and sounding amused.

Blushing, I snatch 'Thumpy' away from him, "Don't judge me."

"No judgment," he laughs. "I'm actually a huge Disney movie fan myself."

That definitely catches my attention.

"Seriously?"

He nods. "Watching a Disney movie before every game is kinda my ritual." He admits, with a red tint to his cheeks.

This man just got a billion times more attractive.

"Dude, that is so fucking awesome. You are now forever in my 'good' book. What's your fave Disney movie?" I question, sitting down on my bed. Easing back into my pillows, I pull my knees up to my chest. Due to the long length of the dress, I'm able to do so without exposing anything.

"Shit, just one?"

"Yup," I smile mischievously.

He pauses for a couple seconds, "The Incredibles."

"Nice choice," I say smoothly. "The Lion King owns all them bitches though." I laugh. "Best animated movie ever period."

"Totally debatable," He snickers. "I'm curious though. You said best animated movie, what do you consider to be the best movie, period, of all time?"

Without a second thought, I answer confidently. "The Avengers duh. No other movie compares. It's just that fucking bad ass."

"It's official," Colin exclaims. "You and I have to have a fucking Disney and superhero movie marathon."

"Dude. I'm so there. Consider it done." I laugh. "I won't lie though. I always bawl like a baby when Mufasa dies."

He leans close to me and whispers, "Keep a secret?" I lean in and nod. "When I was younger....I did too."

"When you were younger," I tease. "Of course."

"It's true!" He smiles. "Now, I'll own up to still humming along to 'I Just Can't Wait To Be King.'"

"Hey, I still sing along to every word of 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight?'." I admit, with no shame. "Hell, I plan on having it played as I walk down the aisle for my wedding. That is, if I can talk my husband into agreeing to it." I speak, without realizing how awkward and....ironic, it sounds.

"Trust me, he won't mind." Colin says, with sincerity in his voice and on his face. I swear, if I didn't know any better, he meant for that to come out with a double meaning.

Looking down, trying to conceal my blush, I decide to change the subject. "So what did you want to talk to me about anyway?" Silence. "Colin?

He takes a deep breath, "I want you to meet my parents."

The fuck?

For a quick second, my mouth drops, but I regain my composure. "Funny," I laugh, shaking my head. "No, but seriously, what's really up?"

"I'm serious," he says, without a trace of amusement. "I want you to meet my parents."

Double fuck.

Now it's my turn to look like the deer.

Jumping up, I move closer to him, up on my knees. "Are you out of your mind?! I can't meet your parents! I won't!"

"Would you calm down?!" He hisses, in a whispered tone. "You can and you will."

"Like hell I will," I snort, crossing my arms. "I'm not a child Colin. You can't force me to do anything. Why do you want me to meet them anyway? It's not like this is going to last anyway."

"Why are you so against the possibility of us, just maybe, working out?" He queries, growing frustrated.

I rolls my eyes, "I'm not against it. I just know how to distinguish fantasy from reality. Come on Colin, you and I are from two completely different worlds. Do you honestly see yourself spending the rest of your life with someone like me?"

He doesn't reply immediately, and instead gets up from off my bed. He leans over and places his arms on either side of me, leaving our faces inches apart.

"I do, and ya know something else?" his cool minty breath hits my face and his lowered octave leaves chills down my spine. "I think you do too, but you're just too scared to admit it."

Silence. Total silence. I don't know what to say. I want to cuss him out, tell him he's wrong, and argue his ass down until I'm blue in the face. However, I can't. Something is holding me back. What is it though?

Realizing I'm not going to say anymore, he moves away from me and nears the door. He places his hand on the doorknob. "I made a promise with my mom after getting drafted, that if I ever started seeing someone, she'd be the first to know. Clearly, this is an entirely different scenario, but I don't give a fuck. I refuse to have my parents find out about all of this through the damn media. You can bring your friends with you, I don't care, but consider this a part of our deal. I'm not going to force you though, because you're right; you're not a child. I'm asking you." He finally finishes, and once again, I'm left speechless.

I hear the doorknob turn and realize he's leaving. Shutting my eyes, and starting down, I call out to stop him.

"What?" Surprisingly, he doesn't sound upset, just disappointed.

Sighing heavily, I meet his gaze, and ask in a surprisingly soft voice.

"What time should I be ready?"