Page 72 of Next Level
“Yeah, it’s me,” Cherry answers calmly. She’s holding it together better than I am. I take a couple of deep breaths.
I grab a pen and paper.
“Talked to Mom and Dad today.” Garrett’s voice is low and menacing.
“Why are you calling me? You wouldn’t even see me when I came to Washington. Why now?”
An evil laugh echoes through the speaker.
“Is my good big brother with you right now? I hear you two are a thing now.” He practically spits into the phone.
I’m about ready to speak, but Cherry puts up her hand, stopping me. “Why does it matter? You don’t care.”
He hisses. “You’re right, I don’t care.”
Cherry’s face contorts in anger. “Then why are you fucking calling me?”
Garrett scoffs. “I had to speak with you one more time. I wish I could be there to see your face.”
“See my face?” Cherry asks, confused, not understanding.
“Yeah, finally your spoiled ass is going to get what’s coming to you.”
“Fuck you, Garrett. Don’t play the ‘oh poor me’ shit.” Cherry stands up with her fist on my desk.
“Tell my brother his daughter sure is sweet, and we’ll be seeing him soon.”
“You motherfucker!” I roar.
Garrett lets out a menacing chuckle. “Aw, there he is…hey, big bro. I’ll be seeing you soon.” He hangs up, the line goes dead.
“Motherfucker!” I scream and punch the wall next to me.
Cherry doesn’t move or flinch at my outburst, even with her standing right next to me. She must be shell-shocked or something because she doesn’t care about my rage like she did last night. She’s just staring at the phone on the desk like she’s expecting him to call back or something.
Dawg starts pacing the room, rubbing his chin in deep thought.
“He’s dead,” I announce to the room.
Dawg stops to face both of us, shaking his pointer finger like he’s trying to pinpoint something. “Wait. Wait. Wait. He said your parents saw him today. Have you spoken with them? I wonder what happened for him to be this bold to call you and threaten not just you but Ray and Sammie too.”
“Yeah, something happened. Cherry, I think you need to call your parents. Now!”
Cherry looks from her phone to Dawg, then to me.
“Dawg’s right. Garrett’s acting really cocky. He said, ‘We’ll be seeing you soon.’ Something is about to go down. I can feel it.”
Cherry grabs her phone, dials a number, and puts it on speaker. On the second ring, a man answers, “Janey? Is everything okay?”
“Hey, Dad,” she answers softly.
Hearing her father call her by her real name makes me think of my Sammie. You can tell he cares for Cherry. Her face softens and water fills her eyes, but the tears don’t fall.
“What happened?” he asks, sounding more alert.
I like this guy already—protective of his baby girl. A grin tugs at my lips.
“Dad, Garrett just called me from jail,” Cherry rushes out.
