You Should Be Here | j. christopher

006

"Josh, what the fuck is wrong with you?" Ayoluwa demanded as she stared down at her hand.

"It was just an accident." Joshua waved off her concerns as he walked over to the kitchen.

By the fridge was a drawer full of miscellaneous items, including bandaids.

"Here," Joshua walked back over and gently took her hand to place the bandaid over her marks.

As soon as the bandaid was in place, Ayoluwa snatched her hand away and gave him a harsh expression, "All I wanted to say was that since we won't be together for Christmas, I made it so that your gift arrived on Christmas Eve."

Joshua nodded, "Oh."

Ayoluwa glanced down at her hand then shook her head before her cell phone started to ring in her other hand.

Joshua let out an irritated huff, "God, doesn't she ever stop calling?"

Ayoluwa ignored him as she picked up, "'G'? What's up?"

She turned to start walking towards the bedroom again, "I already booked my plane ticket. No, he's not coming."

Ayoluwa slammed the door closed behind her, causing an echo throughout the penthouse.

"Dramatic ass," Joshua commented as he dug through his Adidas track pants for his own phone.

It was around the usual time that Letitia would be at Valhalla, the door to the bedroom was closed and he could hear the music from underneath the door again.

Which meant that Joshua had the perfect escape.

He didn't hesitate to put on his shoes and a coat, all the while glancing at the still closed door, then slipped out into the main apartment building hallway.

Each time that Joshua walked to the bar, the more intimate he was getting with his new neighborhood.

Harlem was extremely interesting and one day, he would have to take the time to properly explore this part of Manhattan.

As Joshua walked, he passed colorful graffiti on brick walls, bodegas and people of different races and ethnicities conversing with each other.

Joshua let out a satisfied sigh at the overly familiar neon lights and stopped inside the half full bar.

Joshua sat upon his usual stool and then tapped his fingers against the glass on top of the bar.

Letitia was a few feet down and her back was turned so Joshua coughed a little.

Letitia immediately turned and grinned at him, "Jay! I was wondering when you were gonna come in."

Joshua smiled back, "Here I am."

"Here you are," Letitia agreed as she rested her hands on top of the bar, "You want the usual, right?"

"Only if you drink with me today," Joshua replied.

Letitia gave him a sneaky smile as she got two short glasses from underneath the bar then held up a bottle of Jack Daniels, "I have to warn you that when it comes to alcohol, I am a fish. You're gonna tap out before I do."

Joshua raised an eyebrow at the choice of words, "Is that right? You wanna bet?"

"Okay. If I win..." Letitia considered the next set of words then smiled again.

"You, Mr. Quiet-and-Mysterious, have to tell me a secret." Letitia said as she adjusted herself to slightly lean over the bar towards him.

"If I win, do I get a secret of yours?" Joshua countered, his voice low.

Letitia smirked, poured the liquor into the glasses and pushed one towards him, "We'll see."

Joshua lifted one of the glasses and just as Letitia and him were about to clink the rims together, his cell phone began to vibrate.

Ayoluwa was calling him and before Letitia glanced at the name, Joshua quickly pushed the deny button before turning back to the girl in front of him.

"Someone important?" Letitia asked.

"It's just my gi-." Joshua blinked.

Maybe it was from the previous flirting or maybe it was how her green eyes seemed to glow under the warm lights inside but either way, Joshua couldn't seem to say the word 'girlfriend'.

"It's just a friend." Joshua said instead.

Letitia nodded and then held up her glass to indicate that she wanted to perform a cheers.

Joshua's phone vibrated again and without checking the name calling him this time, he reached over to turn the device completely off.

NOTE FROM KY
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