Ruin

87

A wonder if Petrad say nothing to Deidre 'bout it? Mi need fi ask her...

I would ask him, but he's being distant...again.

Ah boi.

"Yuh party too much," I say to Shavel, trying to distract my thoughts. "Tan a yuh yard!"

Shavel's laugh booms around us.

"It sweet yuh?"

"A true yuh nuh know. But, fi real man, girl. Mi need fi come outa the house now. 'Memba mi live alone eno and yard can get well boring."

I know. That's why people have friends.

Or man.

Or both.

As mi say that, a wonder wah she and her "piece a man" up to yah now.

My tongue itches to ask but I bite the insides of my cheek.

Shavel continues to say something, but I tune her out, focusing my thoughts on Lucas instead.

I wonder what he's up to right now...

I still can't believe he hasn't called me once since Sunday. Especially after what happened.

Then again...

How presumptuous of me to think we were good again.

Mi cyaa bother I swear.

I release a long breath and turn to Shavel who says something to me. "Hmm?"

"No, mi a say mi woulda go somewhere this weekend. Worse a pay week and my man nuh deh yah fi police mi every move."

Nodding, I say, "Oh."

"Yeah."

"Yuh woulda come?" she adds as if on second thought.

Mi sah?

"Me?" I voice my thoughts.

Not at all. Mi nuh practice fi socialise wid people weh mi work wid, outside of work.

Definitely not when drinking is involved.

Worse now...since what happened.

"Nuh must you, Manda?" she answers, eyeing me.

So why she say it so?

A cyaa vex she vex...

I laugh it off. "And yuh know say mi nuh too like party like that tho?"

"Oh. Cool." She pulls out her phone and connects her earphones.

Yeah.

A tense silence overtakes the car soon after and I'm glad when my phone chimes, breaking the ice.

Reaching for the device from where it's lodged between the steering wheel and the dashboard, I look at the notification bar and smile as I see who texted me.

DAMEEL: Hey stranger. 😏

Smiling still, I click on the message and type a quick response.

ME: Hey you. 🫠

DAMEEL: Work or lunch?

ME: Lunch, Meely? At this hour?

DAMEEL: Wouldn't be the first.

True.

ME: Shut it.

DAMEEL: LOL.