Page 40 of Ex- Factor
I counted to three, grabbed his hand, andthrewmyself onto the driveway like Donte had just sent me flying.
Flat on my back. I flailed my arms a little for drama.
Donte just stared down at me, hand extended, dumbfounded. “Yo, what the hell are you—?”
Tires screeched. Doors slammed.
“Silas!” Eshe yelled. I could hear her feet pounding against the grass.
She dropped to her knees next to me, hands flying all over my chest and face like she was checking for broken bones.
“What did you do, Donte?!”
I coughed once. Weakly. “He pushed me,” I answered, before Donte could get a word in.
Donte’s face twisted—confused, then outraged. “I didn’t—”
“You didn’t what?” Eshe snapped, standing and spinning on him like a storm. “You didn’t harass me for months? You didn’t show up here uninvited? You didn’t threaten myman?”
“My man,” I repeated from behind her. “That’s me. And you pushed me.”
She turned to glare at him, and I flicked him the bird.
His mouth got wider.
Angel choked on a laugh behind me.
“You are so full of shit, Donte,” Eshe kept going, finger jabbing toward his chest. “You can’t take rejection. That’s your problem. I said it was over, and you just... lingered. Like a bad fucking smell. I don’t want you no more, Donte.”
Donte’s mouth closed, then opened again. He blinked like someone had unplugged his brain.
I leaned around Eshe, still lying on the ground.
“I told him I didn’t want to fight—becauseyousaid I had to be mature instead of kicking his ass,” I added, puppy-sad eyes.
Angel lost it and started full on laughing. “Alright, get up, fool,” she said, grabbing my arm and hauling me off the pavement.
Eshe didn’t even notice we were laughing—she looked like she was about to fight. She kept yelling at him.
Angel looped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me toward the house. “Eshe, bring your ass…” she yelled.
As we reached the door, Eshe caught up and grabbed my other arm like I needed the support.
I looked back over her shoulder.
Donte was still standing there, mouth still open.
I winked.
He sneered.
Eshe slammed the door in his face.
“Let me get you some ice, Silas. Your face is all red.”
Angel shook her head as Eshe ran toward the kitchen.
I went to the window and watched Donte stomp back to his car, his expensive loafers kicking up gravel. He yanked the door open so hard the whole car rocked.
