Page 18 of Juke
“Girl,” Mel snapped. “What the hell?”
“How you feeling, Sophi?” Kasha asked with her voice full of concern.
I paused, then sighed. “I don’t know. Like… part of me expected it. I just didn’t think it’d be so soon.”
“Who told you?” Mel asked.
“Rashad.”
Silence.
“He said one of his people gave him the heads-up and he wanted me to know.”
“Damn,” Nic huffed
“What did he do… say?” Mel cut in.
“He said I didn’t have to go through this alone. He stayed the night and slept on the couch.” I knew they were about to make a big deal about that.
“Uh, huh,” Nic said. “You sure about that?”
I rolled my eyes. “Y’all wild.”
“Just answer the damn question.” Kasha laughed.
“Yes, I’m sure,” I muttered. “He slept on the couch all night. He didn’t come into my room until this morning, when he asked did I have an extra toothbrush.”
“I bet he wanted more than a damn toothbrush.” Mel laughed.
“Y’all… seriously. It’s not like that,” I blurted. “He just checks on me sometimes. That’s it.”
“Girl, do you hear yourself?” Nic said. “That man is texting you, calling to check on you and pulling up. Now y’all having sleepovers and shit. Who you tryna convince? You or us?”
“He doesn’t even act like he likes me like that,” I uttered.
“Some men don’t,” Kasha said. “Especially the quiet ones. They let their actions speak what their words can’t.”
“Or?” Mel added, “?he’s acting like your bodyguard ’cause he’s scared if he touches you… he might not stop.”
I pulled my knees up to my chest. “We’re just friends. He’s not looking at me like that.”
“But you’re looking at him like that?” Nic asked.
Silence.
They didn’t know how many times I stared at my door hoping he would walk his fine ass inside. I stood in the kitchen a little longer this morning just to catch the fainted scent of his cologne.I couldn’t count how many times my fingers hovered over his contact sometimes, contemplating calling or texting him.
“Y’all crazy.” I smiled a little.
“Mhmm,” Kasha added. “But we’re right.”
“Okay, fine. Y’all ain’t like that and are just friends, but let’s backtrack real quick,” Nic added.
“What now?” I groaned.
“How do you really feel about Rio possibly getting out?”
The question hit me like a blow to my chest. Not because I didn’t expect it, but because I’d been avoiding it.
