~Ayah~

Jaden called this morning to remind me ( again ) about the shoot happening this weekend. It was as if I could forget the millions of emails he'd sent me since last night. I pack my bag as lightly as I can since I'm pretty sure I won't even be able to wear any of them.

I opt to take an Uber 'cause driving myself back from a work weekend is not my definition of fun. Arriving at work  I head to conference room 4. Inside, I spot Jaden, Marcus, Avvie, and...Zuri? 

" Okay, since we're all here, I'll get to it. Mr. Alan, Jenny's father and the co-owner of ~Zalya~ was supposed to lead this weekend's photoshoot, but sadly, he won't be able to make it, so I'll take over in his stead. The rest of the team is already at the airport waiting for us, so let's get going," Zuri says as she leaves the room.

I'm so confused about what just happened. I stay behind and catch Jaden just as he's about to leave." Hey, did you know about this?"

"Nope, I was here to discuss the terms of your Paris show next month, next thing I know I'm in here with those guys" His phone rings, and he answers it as he leaves the room, waving at me and then disappearing.

After checking in at the airport, Marcus approaches me with a smile plastered on his face. "Looks like I'm seated next to you huh?" 

"Aah, yeah I guess so" In the weeks I've known Marcus, we've never shared two words let alone made small talk. I ignore the awkward silence as we head to the gate where we're to board the plane. I take a glance at the team and I don't spot Zuri so I ask Marcus. "Hey, are Zuri and Avvie running late or something?"

"Zuri and Avvie took the Jet" I nod in response. " Speaking of Zuri. What's going on between the two of you? " 

"Oh, why do you ask?" I'm honestly so shocked he would flat-out ask me. Talk about grabbing the bull by the horns.

" It's just that if this is what I think it is then I'm worried about the outcome. For both of you. There have already been whispers about what you and Zuri might be and knowing her, she might not handle the backlash as well as you might."

I lean back in my seat, wondering what he might be talking about. Having no clue, I turn to him and ask. " What are you talking about? What whispers? what backlash and what about Zuri and me?"

 Marcus stares at me like I've grown a second head. He laughs and exhales." You seriously didn't think this through, did you? " Turning to look at me, he puts his hands together and then points them at me "Look, I don't want to be the one to tell you this but if you are serious about dating Zuri, you have to see how the general public will perceive this relationship." He lets his statement linger in the air a little bit then continues" People will think you got this job through other means and they'll question Zuri's ethics"

I honestly never thought of it that way. Since the day I saw Zuri, all I've wanted was to be with her. But looking at it from another person's perspective, it might look sketchy.

"Okay, I see that now" I reply, nodding." But what do I do?"

"I'm pretty sure that's a question only you can answer"

I spent the whole duration of the flight contemplating about the whole ordeal with Marcus. Zuri is important to me and I don't want to give up before I even try that just simply not me. So I've decided to be open with Zuri about my feelings for her, and then I can build it up from there.