Cece & David: Love In Many Shades, #1

By Nia Arthurs

My best friend knows everything about me—except the fact that I love her.

 

I'm a painfully shy introvert. She commands every room she enters.
We're total opposites, but I need Cece Walker like I need air.
As the world changes around us, I desperately hold on to our friendship.
Until Cece starts dating other people.
Until I start dating too.
But no one can replace her in my life, and I keep running back to her whenever she calls.
Soon, I'm forced to face the truth.
I'm in love with Cece Walker.
But what happens to our friendship if she doesn't love me back?

 

Cece & David is a tender AMBW coming-of-age romance set in Belize, featuring a strong, silent hero and his gorgeous best friend.

 

***Read all the novels in the Love In Many Shades Series***

Cece & David 

Cece & David 2

Cece & David 3

Cece & David 4

Haley & Rylin 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nia Arthurs
• Release date: May 3, 2016
• ISBN: 9798201333997

Book preview

Chapter 1

Chino. Chini. Chins—I’d heard those words a million times working at my grandparents’ grocery store.

Racial slurs lost their sting when I was around nine. Thick skin is a must when you’re the only Chinese guy in a sea of black and brown faces.

I was comfortable being ‘the minority’.

It helped that I didn’t necessarily consider myself Chinese. I saw myself as Belizean. Black, in culture if not in skin.

Race had never been a determiner of character for me, and it was the last description I would draw on when describing myself to others.

I was David.

Just David.

Black-and-white movie enthusiast. Rock metal fanatic. Zero kung-fu skills.

David.

That’s why, when I caught my reflection in the mirror a few seconds ago, it shocked me to see an Asian guy looking back.

Crazy, right?

I finished washing my hands and patted my thick black hair down. My almond-shaped brown eyes and long nose drew my intense inspection.

I still look like I’m thirteen.

I ran a hand down my chin. After seventeen years, not a hint of facial hair sprouted along my jaw. Would I ever grow a beard?

David, what are we watching? Cece, my best friend, yelled from outside.

I told you. It’s a surprise. I headed back to my bedroom.

Cece lounged on my bed. Her thick black hair teetered in a bun on top of her head.

She wore her favorite cut-off jeans and a black tank top that hugged her lithe body. Sunshine fell against her brown skin until she was glowing.

I often thought that the sun had a special relationship with Cece. It hugged and caressed her skin, lovingly brandishing her body with gold.

On the other hand, the sun seemed to loathe me. It burned my pale skin like a patty on a grill.

You know we have two completely different tastes in movies, Cece pointed out.

"No, you have terrible taste in movies and it’s my job to raise your standards."

She rolled her eyes. You promised you’d entertain me today. I’m not feeling entertained.

It was the last week of summer and there was so much to do to prepare for school. Only Cece would claim to be bored when junior college was right around the corner.

I logged onto my favorite site that streamed movies online. I thought your mom and dad went to Chetumal today?  Why didn’t you go with them?

Are you kicking me out?

What if I am? I teased, my eyes disappearing with the force of my smile.

It doesn’t matter if you are. I wouldn’t leave anyway.

That’s what I thought. I finished setting up the movie.

Cece rolled her body next to mine and watched me intently. When are you going to redecorate your bedroom?

For a minute, I just stared at her as I tried to reconcile the little girl I once knew to the beauty before me now.

Back in primary school, Cece used to wear fat twists that shot out of her head like spider legs. There were little clips on the ends that clacked together when she spun.

She wore that hairstyle ten years ago, the day she rescued me from bullies and earned my lifelong loyalty.

Cece ditched the awkward plaits when we were around thirteen and started buying trendier clothes that flattered her curves.

While I had yet to ‘glow up’, she’d been getting more and more stunning every day.

Most people who saw us on the street found it hard to believe we were just friends.

And I got it.

Cece was stunning and I doted on her because I’ve been doing so since I was seven.

She, naturally, allowed me to care for her and we were often mistaken as a couple.

It amused me how often people would hit me with incredulous looks when they saw me holding Cece’s bag or pulling out her chair for her at restaurants.

‘Are they dating? Why is she with him? She can do so much better’.

I already knew Cece was out of my league and I had come to grips with being just friends.

At the end of the day, I would die for her and that was all that mattered.

Besides, it was fun to watch other guys trip over their feet to be with her knowing that I’d always be her best friend.

Yo! she slapped me on the shoulder.

I rubbed the spot. Ow!

I just had a great idea. Let’s get some paint this weekend and fix this place up.

I rolled on my back and stared at the glow-in-the-dark stars my dad and I had put on the ceiling when I was a kid. I like my room the way it is.

David, your wallpaper is peeling and your floors have mold.

So?

She smiled glibly. I think you should upgrade. She closed one eye and held her fingers in the formation of a square. I think we could keep the blue walls but make it a darker shade with some grey tiles.

You are not touching my room. And my parents would never spring for an upgrade like that. You know how they are. I put her hands down and checked the progress of the movie.

The bar hadn’t moved more than an inch in the minute that we had been talking.

I groaned. Adam is probably downloading his anime again.

Your cutie little brother? He would never do that to me. Cece pouted.

Adam! I hollered.

What! My little brother yelled back.

Get off the internet!

No!

For me? Cece batted her eyelashes.

No! The answer was sharp and immediate. Cece was a part of our family and my thirteen-year-old brother treated her as such.

Looks like we’ll have to wait. She sighed. Wanna talk in the meanwhile?

About what?

Her lips tighten in that way they do when she’s feeling guilty. I’ve been texting Shawn again.

C! I groaned.

Shawn Anthony was the guy who’d been bullying me in primary school. He’d been obsessed with Cece since then too.

He’s not the same guy he was back then. He’s changed.

People that evil don’t change.

He’s not evil, Cece defended. He offered to show us around our new school. He said we could all hang out together.

Shawn was attending his second year of junior college and was undoubtedly looking forward to Cece’s eighteenth birthday this August.

Cece’s parents hadn’t allowed her to date until she was of age and, being the obedient daughter she was, my best friend had drawn the line with all suitors.

Before Shawn came into the picture, Cece hadn’t cared about dating at all. We had each other and that was all we needed.

Stupid Shawn would mess that up.

I could feel it.

That’s never gonna happen, I said.

He’s two years ahead of us. He can help us settle in.

The only thing Shawn Anthony wants to settle in is your pants, I grumbled.

She gasped. David.

He can stay in his lane and I’ll stay in mine.

It’s not like that.

I snorted. Shawn Anthony had been trying to weasel his way into Cece’s heart for years. The bully was biding his time and Cece was too kind to see it.

At least attempt to get along. She rolled closer and threw one leg over my hip. For me.

I tried to keep my frown in place, but it was hard with her looking at me like that.

She tickled my side. You know you love me.

I laughed and captured her hand. Okay, okay. I’ll try. I promise.

Thank you. Now, let’s go beat the living crap out of your brother. I want to see this movie.

Cece and I marched to the room next door.

I banged on the door. Adam!

The door swung open and Adam glared at us. What’s the big deal? He checked the time on his watch. I’m trying to enjoy myself before I have to head to the store and you two keep bothering me.

Cece narrowed her eyes at my brother. According to her, Adam and I looked exactly alike, but that was because Cece couldn’t tell any Asians apart.

My little brother was tanner than I was. His eyes were smaller and dark brown and his lips were wider.

Adam took after mom, while I took after dad. No matter how often I explained the differences to Cece, it just didn’t take.

Please get off the internet. David and I are trying to watch a movie. Cece folded her arms over her chest and tapped her foot. She had two little sisters and so bossiness was ingrained in her.

Um, let me think about it. Adam stroked his chin. How about ‘no’?

Adam, if you don’t—

My little brother slammed the door in our faces.

Tell me he didn’t just do that, Cece huffed.

I shook my head. He did.

She was about to fist her hands and pummel the door again, when I caught her fingers in mine and led her to the main office. Dad used this room to keep track of the grocery store’s inventory and receipts.

Right beside the computer was the modem that fed internet to each corner of the house.

We have a choice, I said quietly. We can let him win or we can all lose.

Cece grinned. You are diabolical.

I tilted my head well?

Do it, she hissed.

I yanked the modem’s plug from the wall.

It disconnected with a spark.

Immediately, Adam’s door burst open and I heard him running toward us. David! he shouted. Fix the internet!

Catch, C! I tossed the modem at her and we took off into the backyard.

After a few minutes of running around, Adam and I made a truce to share the wi-fi.

Cece and I returned to my bedroom, and I got to spend the afternoon watching movies with my best friend cuddled into my side.

Eventually, we had to stop so I could attend my shift at the store.

I’ll text you, Cece said, giving me a bright smile as she waved goodbye.

Time seemed to stop for a moment as I stared at her.

Perfection.

Cece—

The day I’d spent with her—

This moment… it was total perfection.

I should have known then, in that split second, that everything would change.

Had I known, I would have held Cece a little longer and insisted we watch just one more film.

Chapter 2

I lounged on the stool in front of the cash register, trying to hide my yawn.

It was late Saturday evening. My cousins sat at the other cashier posts, looking as bored as I did.

It didn’t matter if we wanted to be here our not. This was our family grocery store and it was expected that family members would work shifts.

My grandparents bought land in Belize when I was eight, but they didn’t send for my aunts and uncles in China until they’d completed construction.

As the younger generation, we got the short end of the stick. The weekend shifts.

I dreaded working here on Saturday. Shoppers flocked the building in droves to do their weekly grocery shopping and it was constant chaos.

My cousins and I had to stay focused, keep an eye out for thieves, give correct change and calm impatient of customers waiting in long lines.

The only reason I didn’t go crazy was because of Cece. Whenever I wasn’t busy with a customer or restocking the shelves, I’d text her.

My phone chirped loudly.

Glad for a free moment, I fished it