Chase was still my right-hand. His ass was still wild as hell. He was still talking reckless as fuck, and still the only person who knew just how bad Shaniya’s absence was fucking me up.
I leaned back in my chair, staring at my laptop screen, tryna focus, but my mind was gone.
“Bruh, what the hell are you over there thinking so hard about?”
Chase sat across from me, brows raised, popping fries in his mouth like he wasn’t the nosiest damn dude alive.
I exhaled through my nose, rubbing my hands together. “Nothing.”
He snorted. “Yeah, aight. Nothing looks a whole lot like Shaniya’s name floating through your big ass head.”
I shot him a look. “Man, shut the fuck up.”
Chase grinned, shaking his head. “See, that’s your problem. You still acting like she ain’t got you wrapped up. Four years later, and you still over there stressing.”
I didn’t even bother lying. What was the point?
I just sighed, deep, shaking my head. “She ain’t just some girl, bro.”
Chase chewed slowly, watchin’ me. “I know, bro.”
Silence sat between us for a second before he leaned forward. “So, what you gon’ do? Sit here another four years hoping she magically shows up? Or you gon’ move differently?”
I clenched my jaw, feeling that familiar burn in my chest.
Chase wiped his hands on a napkin, leaning back in his chair. “Look, bro, all jokes aside, I get it. She was the one. There ain’t no replacing that.”
I nodded, jaw still tight.
“But it’s been four years. If you really wanna find her, you gon’ have to actually fucking look, nigga.”
I frowned. “You think I ain’t thought about that? I’ve been looking. It ain’t like she’s on social media like that. And I ain’t tryna be one of those stalker-ass niggas, hitting up her mama, asking where she at.”
Chase smirked. “Well, good news. You ain’t gotta do all that.”
I gave him a side-eye. “Fuck you mean?”
He pulled out his phone, scrolled for a second, then flipped the screen toward me. The caption read:
Texas Southern University.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology – Shaniya Stiles.
My heart damn near stopped.
I stared at the screen, my whole body tight as hell.
“You deadass?” I asked, my voice low.
Chase nodded. “She was tagged in a picture by some fine ass girl named Daniale. You know I am social media heavy. All I had to do was put two and two together.”
I was already grabbing my keys.
Chase laughed. “Damn, you ain’t even gon’ think about it first?”
“Nah.” I stood up, sliding my cap on. “I done did all the thinking I needed to. It’s time to move.”
The Houston heat slapped me the minute I stepped out the house to get in my car, but it didn’t matter. I drove through Houston with one thought on my mind: I wasn’t losing her again.