In Florida.
The very place she had spent years trying to leave.
It didn’t take long for her to pack up her things, leaving everything behind. It’s become a tradition of hers.
With a grounding breath, Jahlani eases off the accelerator as she passes the sign welcoming her back into Florida.
She sighs, adjusting in her seat while reaching for the phone as his name flashes again. Normally, she hates driving long distances, but right now she welcomes it with open arms. It gives her a chance tobreathe.
“What, Micah?” she says, sounding bored as she puts the phone on speaker.
“Jahlani,” he says, breathing heavily. “I’m in the apartment. All your stuff is gone. Where are you?”
“Why do you care?” she says, making a left turn. “You broke up with me.”
“Yes,” he says with a hiss. “Because you refuse to change.”
She drums her fingers on the steering wheel, pressing on the gas pedal. She savors the sight of the expansive highway stretching out before her, shimmering under the intense glare of the sun. Towering palm trees line the sides of the road, swaying in the warm breeze.
“No, Micah. Don’t do that. Don’t be that guy.”
“What guy?”
“Thatguy,” she says, hands tightening. “I didn’t make you cheat, you made a choice.”
He exhales, and she can hear him pacing. “Jahlani, just tell me where you are. I’m worried about you.”
She lets out a choked laugh. “You’reworriedabout me? Were you worried about me when you were screwing your coworker?”
“Jahlani,” he says, his voice cracking. “Please. I miss you. It was a mistake. I’m sorry about cheating and for the things I said—Imissyou. I love you. I want to talk about this.”
Her skin flushes, and her foot presses on the accelerator even more. She watches as the speedometer moves up, wondering how far she’s willing to push.
“You don’t miss me, Micah,” she says, her voice small. “And I’m already gone. I think I loved you because I needed someone to love. Not because I can’t live without you, you know? There’s a difference between loving someone because you need them and needing someone for love. I think you cared about me in your own way. I thought it was enough and that I could live that way, but I’m glad, Micah. I think no matter what my issues are, I deserve to be loved fully. So no, Micah. This is done. We’re done.”
Silence greets her on the other end as she takes in the widening stretch of the road, the lush fields, the rush of cars under the glazing warmth. A sense of calmness envelops her like a soothing wave washing over her skin.
She frowns, affronted by the sensation of tranquility that tames the anxiety brewing within. A juxtaposition to how she usually feels when thinking of her home because Florida is anything butcalmfor her.
Florida is years of neglect. It’s months of conflict and confrontations. It’s lost love, it’s fending for yourself, it’s getting out as fast as you can—and not looking back.
Run, run, run.
It is anything but calm.
“Jahlani,” he says, his voice low. “Do you think we can—I don’t know—be friends?”
She lets out a humorless laugh.The audacity, she thinks.
“Micah,” she says in a soft voice, like she’s talking to a small child, “you’re going to delete my number because I deserve better. I hope that if you ever meet someone that you have a genuine connection with, you treat them better than you did me. I hope you make them feel tall. I hope you encourage them to go after what they want. I hope you love them unconditionally, because that’s what we all deserve.”
He lets out a pained sound, like a wounded animal. “Jahlani, just, at least tell me where you are. Tell me where you’re going.”
Her eyes shift to the navigation on her phone, and her shoulders fall from her ears as her grip loosens on the wheel.
“I’m going home.”
CHAPTER 3
