Chapters 1: Kaléo Coleman.

*The return *

I am very grateful for everything that God has given me. To everyone and everything! My family is everything to me… And when I say family, I include my friends, especially my smile girl. Oh! How I miss you, my smile… If I knew that coming to New York would make me so homesick, that it would distance us… I would never have come. However, my desire to grow professionally and by my own means, without depending on anyone, spoke louder. My life here was not all bad, I grew professionally, I had a lot of fun… However, I would trade all the nights of sex I had to be with the people I love. In fact, that’s what I’ll do! Enough of New York… I have the potential to transfer the headquarters to San Diego. I am more than capable of doing that, of course I am! Or I’m not called Kaléo Coleman, the magnificent lord, for nothing.

•••••••• 🌺🦋🌺 ••••••••

After talking to my lawyers, I called only my father, and he said he would help me legally with the lawyers in New York. To transfer the headquarters to San Diego as soon as possible, I then spoke to my mother and warned her that soon she would have her favorite son nearby. It was the first time, after almost five years living in the city known as Big Apple, that I decided to go back home. I always spend the weekend staying with anyone. My weekend started on Thursday and only ended on Sunday at five o’clock… after all, I’m human and needed to replenish my energy. The last time I visited my family was two years ago. I met Jackson, Hannah banana’s boyfriend. The little one did well and got a nice guy. The only one I didn’t swallow was that guy named Carl.

Memories…

“Mind your manners, kids!” Mom says as soon as she sees all of us ready to leave. “And Kaléo, come back early! You're heading off to New York again tomorrow and I haven't even had a chance to fully satisfy my longing,” she says, and I step back to hug her.

“Relax, Momma, I'm only traveling tomorrow night and Ayumi will take good care of me! Right, Yumi?” I glance at my girl, who winks at my mom.

“You can count on it, Mommy! This young man is coming straight home!”

“I expect all of you to come. I want everyone right here under my wings, so there won't be any flimsy excuses for missing the barbecue tomorrow.”

“Mom, who's crazy enough to skip a barbecue?” Lucca says, drawing laughter – he thinks everyone's as ravenous as he is.

“Alright. It's time to go, let's… bye, Mommy,” Olly says, already ushering everyone out of the house.

•••••••• 🌺🦋🌺 ••••••••

The girls would rather not leave the dance floor. For a moment, I felt rejected, as I believed I would have my best friend all to myself, but she also needs to have fun. Hannah was the only one sitting at the table, as she wasn't letting go of her boyfriend.

Jackson is pretty cool, and soon we were chatting like childhood friends. I look at the dance floor and give a look at the girls; they dance as if there's no tomorrow. I smile. Instead of just dancing, Ayumi is goofing around with the girls. As she turns around, Yumi walks over to a guy and hugs him. He waves to the girls and comes over to our table with her. She approaches, and her eyes are shining—I've never seen her like this.

“Leo, this is Carl, Jack's brother,” she introduces us excitedly. I shook his hand without much enthusiasm, but as I'm a polite man… He talked to the others. I didn't understand due to the noise. It didn't take long, and he joined the girls on the dance floor. But he didn't move away from my smile.

End of memories.

That was the day I met Carl and didn't like. Was it jealousy? Absolutely. The guy had just arrived, and he already wanted to steal my best friend. In the end, I left, and 5 months later, I found out that Ayumi and the guy named Carl were dating.

Memories…

“Once I can, I'll spend another weekend there, Mom!”

“Okay, I'll be waiting. Now I'll pass you to your sister, who won't stop jumping around here.”

I sigh because it's annoying when she starts talking on the phone. I hear Olly chattering, I hear the sound of the bedroom door opening, and I turn around to find the attractive brunette who came with me. But now I can't remember her name; she's just in lingerie, coming towards me. If my mom hadn't called me, I would be having fun now. Olly screams on the phone, and that's the excuse I needed to hang up.

“Olly, I have to hang up! I'm very busy.”

“Wait! I haven't told you what I wanted yet.”

“Spit it out, Olly.”

“I almost forgot, Yumi is dating Carl, now it's just you, bro.” It can't be! Ayumi can't be dating that guy! The brunette comes closer to me and runs her hand over my chest, but I'm not in the mood anymore.

I move away from her and pace back and forth, annoyed, while Olly keeps talking nonstop.

“Olly, I need to hang up, we'll talk later.”

“But I…”

I hang up, and I don't even care if I hung up on her face, if she was going to say something important, it doesn't matter! I look at the beautiful woman sitting on my couch, legs crossed, wearing high heels, looking at me.

“Babe, wait for me in the bedroom.”

“But…”

“Wait for me in the bedroom, or you can leave, it's up to you,” I say impatiently and dial Ayumi's number.

“Hey! Leo, how are you? Long time no see,” she answers excitedly.

“Do you have something to tell me?”

“I miss you too, Kaléo, how are you?” she says mockingly. I take a deep breath.

“This is serious, Ayumi! We always talk, and I find out from other people that you're dating that idiot. I thought we were friends!”

“I was going to tell you, I was just waiting to see if this relationship would work out, I would rather not jump the gun.”

“But it won't work out! Clark, that guy is no good, and you know it!”

“Is this jealousy, Kaléo? Nothing will shake or break our friendship, we're one! Remember?”

“Ayumi!” I say, tired of arguing. She's very stubborn, and once she sets her mind on something, it's hard to change it.

“Our friendship means a lot to me! I would rather not fight with you, just respect my decision and let's see how it goes.”

“Okay.”

“But tell me… what have you been up to?”

“Nothing at the moment. But I have to meet someone now; we'll talk later.”

“Okay,” I hear her breathing. “Don't get upset,” she asks, her voice sad, but this time I can't help it.

“It's impossible!”

End of Memories.

I ended that call with a pain in my chest. How could she do that to me? My life has never been the same since, and we grew more distant. Today, I can't even reach her. Every time I call, it goes straight to voicemail. That's the only way I can hear Ayumi's voice. I miss her so much! And the worst part is, I don't know what's going on.

I picked up my phone and dialed her number. It rings until it goes to voicemail. I try one last time, and this time it doesn't even ring, it goes straight to voicemail.

“If you want to speak with Ayumi Clark, press one now. If you want to speak with Yumi, press two and leave a nice message, and I'll call you back.”

I hear her voice and her enchanting laughter at the end of the beep, which only intensifies my longing. I wonder if everything is okay, since I don't trust that guy at all.

“Hey! My Smile, I miss you! I'm coming back to San Diego. I really want to see you… I love you, Smile, forever.” I hang up, feeling something that I can't quite define. This feeling is eating me up inside.