Page 2 of Tarek

He places his hand on his hip and bends his head. “It’s about me and Ilyana.”

My blood runs cold at the thought of my two best friends together. “Did you cheat on me?”

“God, no,” he barks as he paces near my small vanity.

The creaking of the door outside tells me that someone is coming in. “Sticks, D, are you guys there?”

“In here,” I shout, automatically, like I have been doing all my life.

A knock surrounds Dereck and me. The door opens, and Ilyana comes in, her thin strap dress sticking to her body. Her brown hair is plastered on her head.

I move past Dereck, reaching into the cupboard to get a towel to dry off Ilyana.

“Come, let’s get you dried off near the fireplace,” I usher Ilyana to the living room to dry off.

“You’re always so caring, Sticks,” Ilyana says as she drags the towel over her shoulder. Always so caring? Why does she sound so snide? Maybe it’s just my imagination.

“Would you like one of my nighties? May be take this off and I can get you dried off.” I walk back into my bedroom looking for the new nighties that my ma just sewed.

“Have you told her as yet?” Ilyana whispers.

I grab the nightie to my chest, creeping at the door, waiting to hear his response.

“I was about to when you showed up. Why are you even here? I told you, let me handle this,” Dereck growls.

What the hell is going on with these two? I walk back into the living room with the pj’s in my hand. Ilyana moves away from Dereck and sits on a small stool facing the fire.

“Whatever is going on, I need to know now.” My hands tremble as I look at the two people I love more than anyone else in this world.

My mom would put her hands under her breast and say, “Hmmm, I told yah. They are not your people. You are not in that circle.”

But she was wrong. I didn’t want to be in their circle. They were my childhood friends. My mom is Ilyana’s parents’ housekeeper. Her parents paid for me to go to a private school with Ily and D.

They never alienated me. Even when Dereck’s other friends were around, he always treated me kindly. The only person I couldn’t stand was Henry Banner. He’s a bully. Everything about him rubs me the wrong way. But not Dereck. He was different. He wasn’t mean like the rest. He is my best friend turned boyfriend. Ilyana was like my sister. Her parents treated me like family. If Ilyana had a blue dress, her mom would make sure I had one too, just in a different color. Eighteen years of friendship seem to be culminating in this one moment.

“Maybe we shouldn’t do this today.” Dereck approaches me, taking the nightie out of my hand.

I stare past Dereck, Ilyana was peering into the flames, as if she was seeing a premonition. A creepy smile spreads across her face as she lifts an emerald, green pendant and places it between her lips.

A pendant, attached to a gold chain that belongs on a neck that is vacant.

“Why is Ily wearing your chain, Dereck?” I whisper. The fire crackles and pops.

Dereck looks around at Ilyana, then back at me.

“Sticks we can talk about this tomorrow, please.” He holds my shoulders and begins to slide his hand up and down my arm. Trying to provide some comfort. I step out of his hold.

“No. Tell me what’s going on.” I pull the nightie out of his hand.

“Dereck and I are getting married. The engagement is in two weeks,” Ilyana blurts out. The slap of the truth makes me shake my head in shock.

“That’s a lie. She is lying,” I mutter as my eyes flit between Dereck and Ilyana.

“We have no choice, Sticks,” he whispers as he squeezes the bridge of his nose. Ilyana looks away from me with guilt.

What is air? What does it mean to breathe? I don’t know because, right now I can’t. My lungs feel empty, robbed of every breath.

I rub the soft material between my fingers. It’s the only thing keeping me from going completely numb.

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