She picked up on the third ring, grinning into the camera. “Hi.”
The drawl in her voice and low-rimmed, red eyes told him everything he needed to know.
“What’s up, Pretty Girl. You high as a kite,” he said, smiling.
Orielle giggled. “I am. I underestimated the brookie Cash’s sister gave me.”
Through their conversations, Najee learned who Cash was and a few other people she often hung with. There weren’t many, but he was glad she liked him enough to tell him about them.
“I see.” He chuckled. “You over there recording?”
She turned the phone around, panning it over the studio. Najee didn’t get a chance to see anything but the loveseat on the other wall. She was sitting on the other.
“Yes, well, trying to. My brain is moving in slow motion, and I’m hungry, but I’m too high to drive. I could order some food, but the delivery people always act like they have such a hard time finding the suite. It’s not that hard. What’re you doing?”
Amused and humored, Najee chuckled. Her brain wasn’t the organ that was moving slowly. It was quickly stringing words together that slowly came out as if she were trying to put him under a spell.
“I’m about to come see you and bring you some food,” he said.
She tried stretching her eyes to show her excitement, but it was a failed attempt. “Ooh yes, please. Want me to text you what I want?”
“Nah. Stay on the phone and tell me. You there by yourself?”
She nodded. “Mhm. Cash had to go on a date. I want to go on a date. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve?—”
Orielle stopped midsentence and shook her head. Najee waited to turn off the light in his office.
“What’s up? Why you stop talking?” he asked.
“I’m rambling. I know you’re not trying to hear that.”
She rolled her eyes and lowered the phone so she could drink some of her Gatorade.
“Aye.”
“Hmm?” she hummed, coming back into the screen.
“Don’t do that again. I’m listening to you. I don’t give a fuck if you were yapping my ear off about how the sky is yellow. Tell me.”
Orielle giggled, tossing a hand over her face to hide her grin. She lowered it after a beat. “But the sky isn’t yellow.”
“It’s not today. But when it is and you want to tell me about, yap my ear off, a’ight? That bitch is probably really green and you just colorblind.”
She snorted, and Najee smirked. “I can’t stand you. But okay. Fine. Since you love to hear me talk, yapping shall commence again in five... four... three...”
She continued her countdown to one, and Najee hit the lights. He let the workers know he was gone for the day and headed to his truck. Orielle was telling him what food he could bring her when an incoming call paused his video.
“Who’s calling you?” Orielle found herself asking without thinking. She was about to scold herself for the action, but Najee answered her just as quickly as the thought filled her brain.
“The cheater, cheater, dick eater,” he replied, declining Renae’s call. It was an unsaved Kansas number, but he knew it was her.
On the other end of the phone, Orielle was laughing so hard she got a cramp in her side. Tears filled her eyes as she dropped her phone and wheezed. Najee’s nonchalant tone and the weed in her system made his words ten times funnier. Coughing, she regained a bit of her voice and patted her chest.
“Why... why would you call her that?” she asked, still laughing.
Najee lifted his shoulder. “Just calling it how I see it. Now, what kind of sauce do you want with these nuggets?”
“Honey mustard. Four of them, and please make sure my fries are fresh.”
