“What’s going on?”
“I was just wondering if you could give me a ride to my friend’s house, so I don’t have to ride the bus.”
“Yeah, where are you at?”
“Outside my mama's house. If you can’t come, I understand, and I’ll have to suck it up and head to the bus stop.”
“Nah, you don’t have to do that, I got you. Stay there. I’m on my way.”
The line went dead.
I wrapped my arms around myself and leaned against the bike rail, watching the block continue to show its nighttime characters from the party up the street to the cops walking and harassing everyone who looked sketchy. About twenty minuteslater, the headlights slid down the block, and then the car stopped, and the passenger window rolled down.
“Jas.”
Amir leaned across the seat and pushed the passenger door open.
He nodded his head towards the car, and I ran over to get inside. Amir wasn’t in the old school car that I’d seen him in the last time I was around him. He was in a Benz this time. All white with tan leather seats on the inside
Amir pulled off from the block, leaning back in his seat before looking over to me.
“You've been crying,”
“How can you tell?”
“Your eyes are red like a junkies, you're not smoking meth, are you?” I laughed through my nose
“No, but I’ve been crying, screaming, fighting. You name it.”
“Why, what happened?”
“Family shit, but I don’t even want to talk about it,” I muttered, staring out the window.
After a minute of silence, he glanced over.
“Where are you trying to go? To Crew’s spot?”
“Nah, I didn’t call him because I don’t want him to know what went down at the house and why. I don’t want him flashing out on anybody.”
“Alright, then where?”
“To my friend’s house, actually, let me call and make sure she is there,” I replied.
I dialed Maleka’s number, and she answered on the second ring with music blasting like she was in the car.
“Hey birthday bitch, I’m on my way to your house. You at home?”
“No, friend, I’m out with my boo celebrating.”
“Oh, are you going home anytime soon?”
She started to giggle like her mind was halfway on the phone and halfway flirting with this mystery dude.
“No, friend, I’m staying at his spot tonight. I’m sorry.”
“You good, be careful, I’ll talk to you later,” I replied, and the line went dead.
“Friend fell through?”
