Page 26 of Do You Right

I chuckled to myself, thinking back to what Kava had revealed to me earlier this evening. If it weren’t for Kaizi, who knew how long it would’ve taken me to get off the streets with a broken violin. I wanted to die the day he hit me with his car, and maybe a part of me did, because everything changed after that like being born again or rising through the ashes to be reborn like a phoenix. Perhaps I was exactly like Kaizi in that way as JoJo pointed out.

I texted Kaizi when I made it to the stadium, and he asked me to come inside. Without questioning his motives, I made my way into the now empty stadium. There were workers everywhere, cleaning up for the night and shutting down the concession stands. I stood at the top of the bleachers searching for my man. I found him in the back field hitting baseballs absentmindedly.

It took me a little time to get down there. I wanted to sneak up behind him, but it was like he felt me coming because he turned around when I was a few steps away. He opened his arms, and I ran straight into them like a little child. My legs went around his waist, and my arms went around his neck. His arms encircled my waist and grounded me to the moment. Finally, I was exactly where I wanted to be the most.

“I missed you earlier.” I shamelessly pouted.

He pecked my lips with a grin. “I know, baby. I had to get back, but you did so fucking amazing. I’m so proud of you, Peach.”

“Thank you, baby. I feel like I killed it too.”

He placed me on my feet and picked up a baseball. “You know how to hit one of these?” I made a face that made him double over in laughter. “Come here. Let me help you.”

He motioned for me to stand in front of him, which I did. He picked up the bat before coming to stand behind me. I could hardly focus, feeling his body pressed against mine. First, he taught me how to hold the bat, and then he went in front of me to toss the ball to me. I missed every single throw, but then I finally snagged one.

I screamed excitedly, tossing the bat to the ground and jumping up and down. “I did it, babe. Did you see that?”

He smiled proudly as he came closer. He picked me up and spun me in a circle. “I surely did, Sonic Boom Jr.” I knew he was teasing me, but I didn’t care. He set me down then frowned. “Wait, let me get some more balls. I need to see if you can do it a second time.”

He took off running behind me while I took in how large the stadium was. I wondered how it felt to be a player out here. I couldn’t help but to smile knowing this was Kaizi’s passion and he was living his dreams to the fullest. Even when he had enemies lurking and praying on his downfall, he came out on the other side of it.

The sounds of Gunna’s “Forever Be Mine” brought me back into the present. I looked around trying to figure out where the song was coming from until I realized there was a video playing on the stadium monitors. It took me a second to register that it was videos of Kaizi and me over the last year. Seeing our year through his eyes made me cry, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

When the video ended, I turned around to see if he’d come back, only to find him already behind me on one knee. He had a red velvet box in his hand that held a beautiful three carat marquise ring that sparkled underneath the stadium lights.

“Kaizi . . .”

“I remember a while back you told me to prove it if I was trying to be a husband. I accepted the challenge because I knew without a doubt that I wanted to spend my life with you, Chai Rose. From the moment I met you, I’ve admired your resilience. As I got to know you after you moved in with me, I fell in love with your discipline because it was just like mine. My favorite way to wake up is to you playing your violin or with you in my arms. Either one works, honestly, and fills me with this joy I wish I could bottle up and wear as a token of the love I have for you. But I’m hoping this ring can do that instead. I love that you never gave up on yourself, even when it seemed like all hope was lost.”

He motioned for me to come closer, and my legs were so weak I worried I might pass out. I slowly erased the distance between us to accept his hand. “Chai Rose, you are the reason I finally understand what real love is. I used to envy my parents and low-key gave up on the idea of finding the one, and then you walked your crazy ass in front of my car, and nothing has been the same since.” We both chuckled because it was a little more complicated than just walking in front of his car, but I understood. “Would you do me the pleasure of marrying me? I don’t want to do life with anyone else but you. You are my one and only choice.”

I nodded my head up and down because this was the easiest yes in my life. “Yes! Yes!”

He slid the ring on my finger, and I nearly jumped out of my skin when an explosion went off. Looking up at the sky, I saw what looked like golden rain. He quickly pulled out his phone and I got curious so I peeped at his screen to find him texting his father.

Look up at the sky. I upped the score on you again

Dad: You a rich ass lil nigga. I’ll give you that

Dad: Proud of you son but game fucking on. Could never be out done by my juvi

We gone see about that…

I chuckled as he pocketed his phone then snatched me into his arms. For the next five minutes KC lit up the sky for me with the most beautiful firework show I’d ever seen in my life. I was in complete awe, and what made it better was the way he held me securely in his arms.

We stood there swaying with the wind, watching the sky go from daytime back to night, and I knew he was worth it. He spared no effort when it came to displaying his love for me. I would say yes a million times to the man who never looked down on me or treated me like my feelings didn’t matter. From the very beginning, Kaizi had chosen me, and I trusted that he would keep doing so until his last breath.

When the firework show was over, I crashed into Kaizi to hide my teary face. He held me tightly, offering reassuring kisses to my forehead that sedated me. “You trapped me,” I blurted out of nowhere.

He paused what he was doing to cock his head to the side. “What are you talking about, woman?”

I punched him in the arm, making him hiss. “Kava told me all about how she ended up taking violin lessons. You been plotting on me the whole time, weren’t you?”

He tried to hold in his laugh, but it was useless. “Not exactly. I really did just want to help you, but you’re so beautiful and talented, how could I not fall for you?”

I shook my head and lifted my fist like I was going to punch him again, but he flinched away from me. “Scary ass.” Going into my pocket, I pulled out my phone. I searched through my gallery until I found what I was looking for. “Here.”

He accepted my phone then pressed play on the video on the screen. I watched him the entire time, falling in love with his smile all over again. I’d made him an edited video of his baseball career and added a soundtrack of me playing, which I knew he would love, but I held my breath waiting for him to get to the end. I smiled when all the color drained from his face.

“Are you for real right now, Peach?”

“Like I said, . . . you trapped me.” Without saying anything more, I began walking away while admiring the big-ass rock on my finger.

“Chai! Chai! Chai!” He called from behind me, but I kept walking. “We’re having a baby? Peach!” I took off running when I heard him getting closer, but of course, he was faster. He scooped me up a second later, and my laughter pierced through the night air. Everything felt right in the world, and I had no doubts about my choice to do life with Kaizi Carter.

The End