Who would do that? My alarm clock was one thing. I easily got over that. But to take my money? That’s low.
I put on my favorite cut off overalls with a jaggedly cropped tank top and have been getting myself ready for the day, hoping it would take my mind off it so that I could bring it up without freaking the heck out. But the vexation turned to despondence, and now I just feel upset someone would do that to me.
A soft knock rumbles the door. “Baby bunny? Can I come in?” Aries asks, her usual abrasive tone soft and fragile.
Why would you be coddling me if you didn’t know something was wrong?
Clearing my throat, I start packing away my makeup. “Come in.”
The door cracks open, her braids swaying around her waist from the hunched tilt she’s in to peek inside. Seeing that I’m fully dressed, she’s pushing the door all the way open and leaning on the doorframe. “You didn’t come eat. You okay?”
Asking someone if they’re okay when all that’s holding them together is Band-aids practically picks at the adhesive and reopens the wound.
My chest sinks, my face inflating away from my skull. I try to blink away the water welling, fighting the zipper on my makeup case, but my waterlines are clamping out droplets that splash on the sink. “Someone took my money.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” she seethes.
“I wish I was.” Grabbing my makeup, I blot my eyes with the back of my finger, wiping the streak of mascara off onto my overalls “Someone also cut my alarm clock last week.”
“What the fuck?” Vaulting straight, the fire she’s made of twists her around, her furious feet stomping into the hallway. “Who’s fucking with Bunny?!”
Her shouting escalates my anxiety with the situation, nervously moving around her and keeping my head down as I get inside my room.
Ora’s halfway upright with black strands of hair crosshatching her drowsy face, her bangs sticking straight up in a fan. “Huh?”
“Y’all heard me!” Aries rages, her rough voice carrying through the walls. “Who’s doin’ it?!”
Setting my makeup down on the dresser, I move fast to get my sneakers on, giving Ora an awkward, flat grin while leaving the room.
“It’s okay, Aries,” I say quietly, slipping past her and into the living room.
Duse and Gwen have stopped cleaning the kitchen, both sharing looks of confusion with each other, their rubber gloves dripping all over the floor.
“No, it’s not fucking fine!” Aries comes after me, stopping in front of the door to prevent me from going anywhere.
“What happened?” Duse asks.
Waiting for me to answer, Aries lifts her brows, propping her hands on her hips. “Go ahead.”
Being put on the spot pollutes me, my veins shuddering to the scatter of roaches. “Uh…” Swallowing hard, I try to focus on Duse and Gwen staring at me, but the possibility of one of them being the culprit is wavering my vision, sending my attention all over the place. “My alarm clock was cut last week, Razor’s pants went missing with something important, and now my money is missing.”
Leaving it at that, I don’t stay to pick apart their expressions. I move around Aries and head out the front door.
I don’t have anything to do. So, I’m not sure where I’m going or how I can fill time without someone possibly herding me like a loose sheep.
Xene and Cash are coming back from… whatever they were doing, which riddles me with another question I don’t have room for right now.
“Hey, Bun,” Cash smiles, coming up the stairs as I start going down them.
“Where’s Razor?” I cave and ask, pausing on a step and doubling back to the sensual performance Xene is trying to give me from the grass.
“Said he needed to do something,” Cash shrugs, escaping any further questions by leaping up two steps and dashing across the porch.
Do something? Do what? Where?
The screaming door tears through the silence, doing nothing to ruin the fake strip tease Xene has moved on to. It probably looks like I’m interested in the show, but wondering about Razor is crowding my mind, instituting paralysis.
Rotating his hips and lassoing the air, Xene’s hand falls stiff and he slowly bows my direction. “She is Bunny.”
