Page 30 of The Prodigy

“You’re not worried?”

“Nope. In fact, I’d love to see somebody slap a ring on that girl and drag her the hell out of here. She’s stunted. Emotionally, or something. I don’t know. I did my best but that girl…she ain’t all there.”

I sighed and shook my head at that. One more thing to add to my fucking plate. Mind you, Jaz wasn’t smart. It was common knowledge. But the way my mama talked to her was way outta pocket. Nobody ever stood up for Jaz like that because they didn’t wanna find themselves on the wrong side of Gab Windermere. But something had to give.

Iwashandlingsomebusiness on my phone when Malika came home from the bar. It was a little after midnight when she walked in and greeted me. I stared at her reflection in the dresser mirror and decided to set something straight.

“How was work?”

“Fine.” She took off her earrings. The bracelets followed. Then the watch. “It was work. Same as always.”

“I heard it was like a party up in there tonight.”

She frowned at me in the mirror. “What are you talking about?”

“Something about some nigga grinnin’ all up in your face.”

She turned around. “You were watching me?”

“Somebody was.”

She rolled her eyes. “He’s just a friend.”

“What’s his name?”

“Why, so you can kill him, too?”

I chuckled at that, and at the fact that her eyes went wide after she said it, like she knew she fucked up.

“You funny,” I said. “Nah, just making sure nobody’s getting at you to get at me.”

Her face fell, then she frowned before letting out a loud sigh. “His name is Dario. We went to high school together. That’s all.”

“Y’all fucked?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“So, yes.”

She crossed her arms in front of her. “Did you fuck Jamie Newsome?”

“Hold up. Where that come from?”

“She was comforting you yesterday. I know y’all used to mess around.”

“How you know that?”

“I went to high school with you, Jakari. I was in the same class as Jamie.”

I narrowed my eyes and stared, trying my best to place her face. I came up with nothing.

“Damn. I don’t remember you.”

“I know that.”

“Don’t take that shit personal, sweetheart. There were a lot of girls at Hightower. I probably just never got around to you, that’s all.”

“Ugh.” She shook her head in disgust and turned back around to look at her reflection.

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