𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓 ꜱᴇᴛᴛʏ ʙ

𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍

I've been helping my Aunt V and them since I was a little girl coming to the cookout. The only thing that's different about today is that my mom isn't here to help too. She went to the airport to pick up my dad. Things have been tense at the apartment since he announced he would be staying with us for a few weeks. My mom thinks he got into an argument with my stepmom. I just think he has his own motives...

"Cause I love you so you know I gotta get on you." Aunt V says, rubbing my back gently, "Anyways, I heard from Lorena that this boy been checking in on you and her. Sounds like a good one. So don't get all in yo head, Jaiya, cause you do that sometimes. And stop being so damn shy before you run him off."

"Okay." I tell her, smiling.

"You got a pretty smile, baby girl." She says, smiling back at me and cupping my cheek, "Don't let nobody take that from you."

"There go Alexis." One of my other Aunts says.

I look up from setting up the paper plates to see Lexis walking into the park. But it's the person behind her I find myself staring at.

A black hoodie in August.

I could tell it was a man by their build, taller than Lexis but their head was down and they had a ski over their face. I frown, feeling my stomach twist with nerves. Lexis never said she was bringing anyone.

"Who that with her?" I can hear another one of my aunties ask.

"And why the hell he got on that big ass coat? It's ninety damn degrees outside. He tryna have a heat stroke."

"He making me hot just lookin at him." Aunt V fans herself, shaking her head, "The young people getting weird... go on Jai, go talk to yo friends."

She ushers me over towards Lexis and her friend. Something about them both got me feeling nervous. But I don't want to make my family worry and Lexis hasn't answered any of my calls or texts in weeks. I thought I wanted to know why. But as I walk across the park and get closer, I realize that maybe it's better if I don't.

"Lex, where you been?" I ask gently.

Alexis' skin is covered in sweat, the kind that makes me wonder if it's only from the sun. Her hair is out of its signature braids, falling into her face. And her eyes are wide and erratic. She's also wearing a hoodie in the middle of August.

"Baby Jai! What's good?" Lexis practically shouts in my face. Her lips are dry and cracked and her eyes feel like they're staring right through me. I try not to cringe when she pulls me into a hug and whispers, "Aye, you wouldn't happen to have a hundred dollars I could borrow right now. Do you?"

"A hundred dollars..." I pull back, frowning at her, "For what?"

"Why would you ask that when you know Imma pay you back?" Lex sucks her teeth, rolling her eyes before reaching into the pocket of my shorts and snatching my wallet, "For what don't matter. I know you got it so just give it to me."

"Fine." I mumble, watching her take a couple twenties. It's more than just one hundred but I just let her have it. I'm more so worried about her well-being. I grab her by the arm, trying to get her to look at me, "Lex, you good? Seem like you on somethin-"

"I smoked before I came here." She waves me off before nodding to the person behind her, "Look though, my friend wanna talk to you."

"Who is that?" I ask, glancing at the man in the hoodie.

The eyes that stare back at me from the ski mask seem familiar. But before I can place who they belong to, Lex grabs me by the arm, nearly digging her nails in my skin.