“I—um—” My mind jumbled as I tried to adjust and understand what was happening. The world around me started to clear. I realized there was a hand on my arm, and I looked over to find a familiar face. Hailey’s skin wasn’t a block of ice like when we’d met at my graduation. It was warm, and her grip was strong.
“Something’s in there.” I pointed at the alley’s dark entrance. I wasn’t easily spooked, but for some reason this got me. My pounding heart wouldn’t slow and whatever breath I had was gone.Pull it together, I told myself, not wanting anyone to see me like this.
She craned her neck to see around me, tiny wrinkle lines of worry stretched across her forehead. “It’s only a stray,” Hailey said lightly, the worry lines smoothing out. “Hey. Cat.”
I looked back at the alley where there were no swirling shadows or hovering lights of dull red with specks of gold coming atme to devour me whole. Out of the darkness popped a dusty gray cat. In the lamplight, its eyes shimmered iridescent.
It let out an annoyed meow, unhappy its evening hunt had been interrupted. It gave me one last withering look and ran off, tail high and straight in the air. I felt stupid knowing now I’d been terrified of a cat. But that dark in the alley… it had left me so unnerved… It couldn’t have just been a cat. Right?
“You were nearly hit,” Hailey stated.
The sudden absence of warmth let me know she’d pulled her hand away. I shivered—from the sudden cold spot, from the sudden case of willies. I wasn’t sure.
“It’s a street, you know. You can’t just jump out into oncoming traffic.” She cracked a wry smile.
My face flushed. “I didn’t mean to. I thought I saw…” I didn’t finish, not trying to sound like a baby. It was only a cat. If I kept repeating it to myself, then maybe I’d actually start believing it.
I took a cleansing breath. “I lost my balance.” I could run barefoot in the swamps and marshes over razor-sharp reeds grinding into my heels in a single breath, but she didn’t know that.
“We’ll be sure to watch out for you then.”
The back of my neck became incredibly itchy as embarrassment flooded my system. I rubbed at it, looking everywhere else but at her.
She wasn’t alone. The Camaro’s owner had returned and brought with her two friends who looked as fashionable as she did. I straightened my wrinkled T-shirt and jean shorts as if that would make any difference. This wasn’t a good start. First the cat in the alley, nearly getting hit, and now looking run-down (punintended) in front of people obviously dressed to go out. I hated how appearances bothered me in front of these mainlanders when I’d never cared about it before. Pulled up behind Hailey’s car was another, a black four-door. The driver drummed black–nail polished fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of Paramore thumping from the speakers. The volume went down a couple notches as the car waited.
“Doesn’t that dumbass driver know this is a residential?” a Black girl who could be a model complained after having left the car to see what was going on. She wore pearls and rocked an all-leather jumpsuit that hugged every inch of her beautiful curves—not that I was looking. Many couldn’t pull off all leather, but she did with perfection.
“Anyway, you know the line gets long fast and though I”—she gestured to herself—“in all my wonderfulness can get us right in with no wait, we still don’t want to push it. The club’s in North Charleston.”
“Is she alright?” the driver asked. I was unable to appreciate the full look for the night except the sunglasses on top of gelled hair and possibly suspenders over a white button-down shirt.
Hailey eyed me like she wanted to call me on my BS. “Areyou all right?”
“Yeah. I should get back to…” I had to think for a minute because I hadn’t expected her to… care. I rattled off a hotel, volunteering all sorts of info to someone I didn’t know, whose brother I didn’t trust. I had to keep telling myself that despite the sense that she was okay. Senses could be off, and we already knew mine came and went as they pleased.
“Hails, go grab the thing you said you desperately needed and let’s go. You can even bring your new friend. Hello, new friend. See? We’re all friends now. Can we go?” The driver’s smile was genuine and kind. I returned with my own and included a wave.
Hailey made quick introductions, pointing everyone out. “Karlie and Flex. Addae.” She remembered. To her friends: “Go ahead without me.”
Karlie had already rolled her eyes, heading back to the passenger side before Hailey could finish.
Hailey still watched me, her voice like a melody. I met her gaze and refused to back down as she practically analyzed me. Hell, I was doing the same. Sizing her up, trying to figure out what it was about this girl and why she wasn’t freaked out that I’d shown up on her doorstep.
Flex groaned. “I knew she’d do that. Guess it’s the two of us. Again.”
“Right?!” Karlie complained loudly from inside the car. “A day will come when we stop inviting your ass places if you keep flaking out.”
Hailey lowered her voice, whispering, “I always do that when I have better options for the night.”
Better options. It got warmer. I tugged at my shirt collar, trying to get some air on my body.
Flex suggested, the peacemaker among the three, “Maybe tomorrow after the welcome on campus then. We could come over, hang out.”
“It’s your last chance,” Karlie called out as they drove away.
Hailey turned on her heel, heading toward her house. She called over her her shoulder, “Coming?”
“You’re letting me in?” I asked, a little shocked that she’d be so open to a stranger.
