Looking for Something

Chapter 12

"Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope." -Maya Angelou

"For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul." -Judy Garland

~~Dominic~~

I wake up to the sun shining in my face and I see that Syd is still asleep. I quietly make my way out of the bed and go to the bathroom. That club was live as hell last night.

My baby was dancing from the time we got in the club, until the time we got out. She will probably be in the bed for the rest of the day the way she was going low and bringing it back up. j**s know how to get down though, almost better than Americans.

I make my way out of the bathroom and I head for the kitchen. No one else seems to be up either. Oh well, I am gonna get some cereal. I grab a huge bowl, the cheerios, I need to speak with Andie about investing in some fruit loops, and I get a spoon. I turn the TV on and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is on, so I watch that while I eat.

I love being the first one up. It is always so peaceful.

"Haaaappppyyyy biirthday to you! Happpyyy biirthdaaayyyy too you!" I look at the kitchen entrance and everybody walks in carrying a cake with a number 22 on top. Wow, I can't believe them. I can't help the smile that shows on my face. "Haaaapppppyyyy biiiiiirthdaaayyyy dear Dominic! Haaappppyyyy biiiirthdaaayyy tooo yoouu! And many mooorreee." I laugh as I blow my candles out when they set the cake in front of me.

"All of you need some voice lessons, because none of you can sing." Kyle holds his chest like he is offended and the rest laugh. "Well except you." I grab Syd and I hug her.

"What about my skills? I taught Whitney everything she knew!" Kyle says this still holding his chest. "This b***h get ALL the recognition!" He gestures towards Syd.

"Don't hate." Syd flips her hair at him.

"Whatever!" He rolls his eyes. They are a trip.

"Y'all really did not have to do this for me."

"Ha ha ha. You are so funny. Of course we had to!" Of course Andie yells this, always planning something. "Now eat the cake I helped Darnell make!" I look over at Darnell.

"Is it safe?"

"Yea bruh, all she did was mix." I give him some dap.

"Alright, I'm trusting you man. Just remember, I love you bruh."

"See, you two are not even funny."

"Oh no, I was serious." She flicks me off and I laugh.

"Aaawww, you upset my baby." Darnell pokes her lip. "Come on." He picks her up and starts carrying her out of the kicthen.

"But I want cake!"

"Babies don't get cake, they could choke." She starts pouting again as he carries her off. I just shake my head and laugh.

"Well I played my part. I stood here, I sang, and now I return to my bed. Happy Birthday Dee, I promise to be more excited after I wake up again." Lauren gives me a kiss on the cheek then walks off towards her and Kyle's room.

"She isn't a morning person. Don't take it personal." I just nod my head as Kyle cuts himself a piece of cake and takes off after her.

"What do you want to do today?" Syd asks me this as she cuts a piece of cake for me.

"I don't know. I kind of expected you to be in bed all day. Whatever you want to do."

"But it is your birthday!"

"So." She feeds me a piece. Good ass cake, that's for sure. She turns around to face me and feeds me another piece. "We don't have to go all out or anything."

"I know, but still. I want to do something with you." She pouts at me.

"Ugh, you don't have to pout about it big baby." I poke her lip.

"Whatever! You tryna let me take you out, shawty?"

"I don't think my girl would like that."

"One day with me, you will forget all about ya girl. She ain't got nothing on me!" I look at her with an iffy look, then I pretend to give in.

"Fine, ONE date." She smiles at me. I pull her in for a kiss then I get up from the counter. I grab for my plate to throw it away, but she smacks my hand back.

"Ah ah, don't you dare do a thing. Go be cute somewhere else. I will clean up in here."

"So it is like that?"

"Yessir."

"Fine, whatever!" I pinch her butt before I walk out. She jumps and then glares at me as I walk by the little window over the sink. "I love you too!"

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~~Sydney~~

"Andie, opinion?" I stand in the doorway of her room.

"Sure sweet cheeks, wassup?"

"Okay, so I finally talked Mickie into going to the mall with me and later I am going to take him out to dinner, but I need your opinion on my gift for him."

"Oooo, what did you get?"

"So, just in case he does not like it, I am going to buy him stuff he wants at the mall, so then it could maybe balance it out, but I painted him a picture and I wrote him a poem."

"Let me see! I am sure he is going to love whatever you give him though. He will just love the fact of even being able to spend his birthday with you. Don't worry." I nod and I run to my room to grab the painting and poem, then I go back into hers, close the door, and lock it.

"Okay, I have to read you the poem first and then show you the painting. There is no affect if I do it the other way."

"Okay, fine whatever works for you." I nod then I clear my throat and begin.

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~~Dominic~~

"Aye, okay. It is not like I had much of a chance with your tall asses being ball hogs and shit."

"Whatever Kyle, you are about six feet. That's tall enough."

"Yea, because six feet compared to your 6'8 and his 6'6 is really comparable." I just laugh as Darnell and I follow him into the house. We just got done playing basketball on Andie's court in her backyard. She said she made her parents build it just for Darnell. Good thing he does not play football or they would probably never see me.

"So what does Syd have planned for you today?"

"She talked me into going to the mall with her."

"Now, when you say she talked you into it. Did she walk up to you and say she wanted to go to the mall and kept talking in circles, or did she come up and say I want to go to the mall, and you said 'yes ma'am. Anything for my baby'." I bust out laughing from his impersonation of me and I push him.

"Aye, shut up man...same difference. Anyways, so first the mall then she wants to take me out to dinner."

"Sounds good, sounds good. She gave you a gift, or you getting it at the mall."

"I am guessing that is why she is taking me to the mall, because she did not know what to get me, but I don't care. s**t, this birthday is already special enough. Just for the simple fact that I'm in Japan with all of my best friends."

"Trruuuueee." We walk into the kitchen and I grab a bottle of water out of the fridge, then I head to the bedroom. When I walk in Syd is laying on the bed, has her headphones on, and is writing in her journal to her parents. She won't let me read what she writes, ever.

I plop down on the bed beside her and she slams it shut then looks at me.

"Are you going to ever let me read what is in there?"

"What?" She pulls one of her headphones off.

"I saaiiddd, are you going to ever let me read what is in there?"

"One day. This is a part of my life you will just have to keep guessing about for now." She pecks my lips then rolls onto her back. "Go shower, you stink!" She wrinkles up her nose at me.

"Are you going to help me?"

"You don't need help. You are a big boy."

"And I am the birthday boy; I demand you take a shower with me." I pull her closer to me by her shorts, pulling them down a little.

"Stooopp boy!" She laughs as she tries to pull away from me.

"Stop what? I didn't do anything." I pull at her shirt, making one of the sleeves fall.

"You are sexually harassing me." I wrap my hands around her waist and pull her down on the floor with me. "Oh my goosshhh, let me gooo!"

"Noo!" I start making out with her neck and I feel her melt into me a little when I grab her thigh with my hand. I flip her over so that she is facing me and I kiss her as I stand up off the floor. She does not resist when I carry her into the bathroom with me.

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"No Mickie, it is your birthday not mine!" I pull her towards the shoe store against her will. "I am supposed to be buying you stuff!"

"Well, it will make me happy to buy you those shoes you have been staring at ever since we walked into the mall. Don't think I did not notice."

"Right, because you notice every thing I do." I laugh as she rolls her eyes and allows me to pull her into some store we cannot read the name of. I cannot get her to go in so I just leave her outside and go buy the shoes myself. After all the transferring I grab the box off the counter and I walk back out to her leaning on the display window pouting. "You never let me spoil you."

"You spoiled me before we got here, remember?" Even though I know she doesn't want to, she starts smiling and she looks away from me.

"Don't make me smile. I'm supposed to be mad at you."

"That's why I had to do it." I grab her hand and pull her off the window. We start walking and looking at other stores. I let her buy me a few snap backs I love, two pairs of shoes, another watch, and some shirts. It has been a good birthday so far. Hope, Aaliyah, and Auntie Missy called over FaceTime on Hope's phone and sang to me. She has been in love with her iPhone since she got it for her birthday last year. Uncle Richie called me and talked to me...Nick, well he has issues with me right now, and I don't know why...but I cannot let him ruin my birthday. But the best thing has been spending all day with my girl. Since summer vacation started we have been spending a lot more time together. We do almost everything together, unless she is hanging with her girls, or I am kicking it with my boys. Usually, in school, we hardly get to see each other, which is why I spend the night at her place so much, or as much as I can.

I pull her towards a bench and I sit her in my lap. Man my feet hurt.

"Can't hang?" She wraps her arms around my neck.

"I don't see how females do it. Too much walking."

"Says the guy that would spend all day running up and down a football field if I let him."

"That's different though, football is actually fun." She hear her laugh softly. "They should make this like a sport though. Mall Walk Race. Our theme for this race is shop until you drop. Let's see who can literally shop the longest. Your prize will be a $1,000 visa gift card."

"I like the way you think. I would so enter that race."

"Of course you would! Once I make it pro though, you won't need a damn shopping race to get $1,000."

"I just hope that when you make it pro I get to see you longer than the amount of time it takes to hand me a $1,000." I look up at her and I can tell she is serious even though she is smiling and laughing a little.

"Aye, how am I going to stay sane without spending time with my woman? I am definitely not going to leave you hanging. I promise." She grins at me and gives me a kiss. Yea, I know that going pro means a lot of time away from her, but that will just make the time we do have together even more special, right? Well, that's what I am hoping.

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~~Sydney~~

"Aaaawww, they grow up so fast." Andie says this as Mickie and I walk out into the living room dressed for his birthday dinner. "So where are you guys going?"

"She won't tell me. I just think she can't pronounce the place." I hit him and he laughs.

"Shut up."

"Well have fun, and remember, be home by midnight! You only get to first base, and NO KIDS!" I laugh as we leave the house and hop into the car.

After about thirty minutes, I finally find the place. Took a few wrong turns, but he doesn't know that, because he doesn't know where we are going. We get out of the car and make our way into the building. It is so pretty inside and it has dimmed lights and soft music playing.

"Hi, you Sydney?" I turn and I see a man, who I guess is the one I talked to on the phone. I only picked this place because it was the only fancy restaurant out here that had someone who could speak a little english.

"Yes, Su Lei?"

"Hi, come sit, sit." He says something in Japanese to the man standing behind the podium and he hands him a set of forks and knives as he leads us to a table. "Food ready in 20, yes?" I nod and smile as he sets our utensils down and walks away.

"When did you set up all this?"

"While you were playing basketball with Nell and Kyle. Only place with an English speaker. That also wasn't all the way across the country." I shrug as I watch Su Lei come back with two glasses of water. "Thanks."

"Thank you." He does a small bow and walks away swiftly again.

"This is so nice." I watch him look around, taking in the scenery. "You have truly made this a great birthday."

"Good, that was my goal. I also have to give you your gift when we get back to the house."

"Wait, there is more?"

"Uh huh." I take a sip of my water and look up at him and he is giving me this look...I cannot read. "What?"

"Nothing. I just thought you took me to the mall because you didn't know what to get me." Oh wow. He always underestimates what I can do.

"Nah. Honestly, it was just in case you don't like the gift I have for you."

"Aye, it's the thought that counts. I will love whatever it is." That makes me smile. "If you just tell me what it is now, we won't have to wait."

"Nice try, slick! You can just wait until we get back."

"Blah, it was worth a try." We talk for a little while, and then the food comes and it gets silent. s**t is so good, I don't even want to talk.

"Everything good?" Su pops up out of nowhere, and I nod my head yes because my mouth is too full to say anything. "Good, good."

"Oh my gosh. I am so full." Mickie places his fork down on his empty plate and sits back rubbing his stomach. I just laugh.

He always eats fast and a lot. I still have like half of my food on my plate and I am full. "Me too, but I still have food left."

"It wasn't even that much." He steals a piece of chicken off my plate.

"Okay, Mr. Athlete." He laughs as Su comes back and I ask him for a to-go box. After I get all my food together, I pay the check and we walk out.

"Well, thanks for everything, Love. I had fun today."

"Good, I am glad you did."

"Now, bring on my gift." For the rest of the ride he tries to guess what it is and his guesses are waayyy off. He would never be able to guess what I got him. I pull into the driveway and we both climb out. "Okay, you got me a motorbike with a radio and surround sound speakers. Red with my name in calligraphy in black along the sides."

"No, I am not trying to get you killed." He grabs my hand as we make our way to the front door. When we get inside everyone is standing around in the kitchen.

"They're baaaaack! So how was it?"

"Great! I am so full and I think he had fun." I look over at Mickie as he sits down at the counter.

"Yea, it was pretty cool. The food was amazing!"

"True that, and they had A1 service."

"Yea, little Su Lei...he walks really fast. Ooo, he could be in my Mall Walk Race babe." I just laugh at his dumb ass.

"What the hell?" Kyle looks at Mickie like he is crazy.

"See, I had this idea while we were at the mall..." While he goes into his description of his mall race, I pull Andie and Lauren out of the kitchen.

"So I am ready to give him his gift."

"Yes b***h, oooo he is going to love it!" Lauren runs to my room with Andie right behind her. I follow just shaking my head. I go into my diary and pull out the poem I wrote. I then go and help Andie and Lauren carry my painting for him into the kitchen and we place it on the easel.

"Okay, you finally get to see your gift, but I have to read you the poem first before I can show it to you." He sits back and waits. I take a deep breath and I began. I really hope he likes this. It took forever for me to finish the picture without seeming suspicious.

"I am a dreamer.

I dream about you all the time.

I would have to say you make up 90% of my mind.

I have never loved before

And I never knew, my first love would be like you.

I couldn't ask for more.

I hope I never lose you

I don't know what I would do.

I'd have to live with that 90% of my mind that wraps around you.

Within every hug I feel protected.

Every kiss makes me feel we are connected.

In 90% of my mind you are reflected.

I could never replace the love of your parents.

And I am not going to try.

Just know that with broken wings, you can still fly.

A pair of angels will help you along the way.

The best pair any kid could ask for.

Some even pray."

Andie snatches the cover off the picture and I don't look up to see his expression. Oh my gosh, I hope he likes it. My stomach is in knots.

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~~Dominic~~

A pair of angels will help you along the way.

The best pair any kid could ask for.

Some even pray."

Andie snatches the cover off of Syd's gift for me and I freeze.

"Well, I'll be damned." I hear Darnell whisper this behind me.

I finally find my sense again and I walk up and look at the painting. Then I look at her. She is not looking at me, she is messing with her arm or something.

"Y-you painted this?" She nods slowly and she sneaks a quick glance in my direction. I grab her and I pull her into the tightest hug she will probably ever get in her life.  For as long as I live, I will never lose this girl. Her gift is beautiful and the best thing anyone has ever given me.

She has painted a picture of my family. The main picture has my parents as angels, and as the picture stretches, it shows that they are watching over two figures walking down the dock of the Pier. I assume that it is me and Hope, by my tall figure and Hope's curly hair. She has gotten my parents down to every single detail. It almost makes me feel as if they are standing right behind me now smiling. Reminds me of how much I really do miss them.

I kiss her forehead and I feel her bury her face into my chest. Silent tears start to escape from my eyes and I just stare at the picture and hold my woman.

For once, in I don't know how long, my life finally feels complete.