Page 25 of Just Like Summer

Quickly, Cairo pulled her back by her t-shirt. “You walk out behind me. Always. The block is filling up. Aight?”

Kamilla nodded and stepped back. Cairo scanned the area, threw his head to a few Azuls then ushered Kamilla to the passenger side.

“You always like this?” she quizzed. “Or is this some trust before the fall type of thing?”

“What do you mean before the fall?”

She bounced her shoulders. “I don’t know. Make me trust you and then ask me to hold a pack. Like they do in all the hood movies and books.”

Cairo let out a soft chuckle and stroked the hairs of his overgrown facial hair. “I look like that type of nigga? Be real. That’s what I look like?”

Kamilla yawned and leaned her body toward the window. “No. But what it looks like isn’t always what it is.”

“Elaborate, K,” Cairo urged, wanting nothing more than to know the things happening inside of her mind.

“I’ve learned that people show what they want you to see. Like a mask to cover up the ugliness underneath. I’ve had enough of the ugliness,” she muttered.

He digested her statement maybe longer than he thought because by the time he started to reply, she was sleeping again. The quiet ride was full of the streetlights luminating the limited peacefulness over her tired face. The coils of her hair falling over her face and the slight snore returning. It was evident that she was past exhausted. Whatever bought her here was the same thing, along with Martez’s bullshit, that was robbing her of rest.

Almost ten minutes of riding in silence, Cairo pulled up in front of his house and parked his car. The decision was made hours ago. As long as Martez was around and her aunt was out of town, she wouldn’t be anywhere near 35th and Mecca. The decision made in the spirit of protecting her went against the vow he’d made.

Nana’s house was about to have a guest, and his space wouldn’t be his for the foreseeable future. Thankful for his corner of Husten being quiet, he killed the engine and reached over to gently wake her.

Kamilla slowly pulled her eyes back open and squinted at her surroundings. The realization of where she was, caused her to look at him. Cairo kept a cool expression awaiting her banter.

“I knew it,” she huffed. “You couldn’t even wait a week to kidnap me again?”

“Apparently I like sharing my space with you, and I hate sharing my space,” he commented. “But on Azul, you’re not going back to Mecca until your aunt gets back and there’s some sort of buffer between you and that bitch ass nigga.”

He caught her tired eye roll.

“There’s no buffer,” she muttered, before speaking up. “I don’t want to impede on what you got going on. As long as the door is locked and I have my headphones, I’m cool.”

“No, you’re not. And I’m sure he’s part of the reason you don’t have any fuckin’ peace and I’m not with that. So you got the bed, I’ll take the couch. It’s nothing.”

Kamilla looked over him. “You’re kinda big for that couch.”

He shrugged. “That or the floor; I’m not above any of it, for real. Come on.”

She didn’t move, only cut her eyes at him. “I told you I can’t fight right? I don’t want any issues with nobody.”

“I think I’ve told you already I’m not on that bullshit. But I’ll tell you as many times as you need to hear it. I’m not putting you in a position to come out of character. Come on before you fall asleep again,” he urged, stepping out of the car.

Kamilla pushed the door open and stepped out. Her strides short in comparison to his.

“I could’ve carried that,” she commented.

Cairo unlocked the door and motioned her inside. “If I’m around, you’re not carrying nothing.”

“Can’t pay for nothing, can’t carry nothing. What can I do?”

“Get comfortable and go to sleep,” he shared, watching her pass him before following her into the house.

“All these rules,” she muttered, taking off her shoes. Once in the small blue bedroom she woke up in days ago, she watched him remove the things he needed. “Thank you.”

“What you thankin’ me for?” he quizzed in slight confusion. Because taking care of her, even in this small window of time, seemed like second nature.

Kamilla shrugged and nervously clasped her hands in front of her.