Prime Time [ Janelle Monae & Miguel ]

CHAPTER 6

Miguel.

The Preacher's daughter? No shit!

"Virgin Mary?" I blurted out mumbling. She looked at me with a confused look.

"What?" She cringed her eyebrows.

"Nothing!" I stopped her. I'm glad she didn't hear me, no girl at school should know about the code names we used on them.

What happened to the magnifying reading glasses, the long skirts and the wild curly hair? Oh wait, you like the curly hair.

"So, does it ring a bell?" I nodded. She gave a me a small smile. She's cute, I guess... what am I saying? "I'm done" I said as I began washing the cloth. She sighed and bit her fingernails.

"Thanks" she said sitting up and going to glance in the mirror. She muffled a scream with her hand when she saw her face. "it's not that bad right? Say it's not that bad" she said holding back grey clouds I could clearly see was about to shower. I placed my hand on her shoulder and she glanced at it, I could feel the tense uneasiness in her shoulders.

"You look fine" I brushed her shoulder and wiped a falling tear. She looked at me and stepped away from my grip. "Trust me. Let me patch you up" she nodded letting her tears fall down her face. "Don't cry"

"How should I not? I'm going to get killed by my dad! I lied and disrespected him!" She covered her mouth and then her whole face.

"Look, we'll make up something up. Don't worry" She was biting back her sobs. She was crying softly, with no sobs or screams. My phone rang as I was brushing her back. "Hello?"

"it's Avelynn, I'm outside" she sounded tired.

"Hey, Avelynn's here" she looked up and wiped the tears coming from her eyes. She stood up and walked out of the bathroom quickly, avoiding my face. I followed behind her and grabbed her hand, I don't know why. I really don't know.

"Thanks" she cut me off as I opened my mouth to talk. I don't think anything would've came out anyways, I would've stood there like an idiot with their mouth hung open. She slipped out of my grip and hopped down the stairs. She seemed to remember the way to the door.

"Let me walk you..." I heard the doors click close. I watched her as she stood for a few minutes before disappearing to a cherry red Volkswagen. I stared at her as she hugged Avelynn.

Dammit, she's just so...

Janelle.

"Don't cry, okay. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left you all alone" Ave rubbed my back and kissed my forehead. She was out of her heels and her braids was now lying over her shoulders and breasts and stopped at her waist. "What happened?" She pulled me out of the hug and looked into my eyes.

"I got jumped, Ave. I got jumped, and you left me! You left me to get laid by that... that prick!" I shouted and her eyes grew larger. "How could you fall into his trap? If it wasn't for Miguel who knew where I'd be right now. You forced me to come with you so that you could leave me?" I saw her eyes water but I didn't care. These cuts were much more painful and permanent than my words. I wasn't lying, it was all true.

"Screw this, Jan" she whispered. A tear spilled as she stormed into the car. She started it and drove off and I watched her. I kicked the air and covered my face as tears spilled uncontrollably.

"Are you okay?" I turned around to find Miguel beside me. I shook my head and started walking the car's direction. I didn't know where I was going and how I would get there or what I'll tell my dad and how I'd explain these bruises and wounds. "Wait, where are you going"

"Home. I need to get home" I said trying to keep my calm.

"This is just another trial, Jan. This just another tribulation God is giving you to make you stronger and test your faith" my mom would always say.

"Lord, please get me home safely" I shut my eyes and continued walking.

"Let me take you home, Janelle" he said. I looked at him.

"What am I going to do to pay you for tonight, Miguel. You've done so much" I sighed. I hope he wasn't going to ask for what my mind was suggesting he'd ask.

"Help me with my Science project" I sighed in relief as he said with a small smile. That smile. The same one that lit my day during my first day. The same one that melted my heart.

I mean, used to melt my heart.

"Fair trade" I said. He held out his hand to me and gestured me follow him. I followed him to his car.

"What time is it exactly?" I grabbed the handle of the door to the backseat of his beautifully revamped black Vintage Mercedes Benz.

"Come sit with me in the front" he opened the door and hopped in. I looked at him for a minute and walked to the passenger door and got in. He looked at his silver iPhone and glanced at me.

"2 am" he said shoving his key into the ignition and sparking the car to life. He buckled himself in and steered the car out of the yard.

I was fiddling with my my fingers when my stomach growled over the soft music he was playing. "You hungry?" He glanced at me and continued focusing his eyes on the road.

"No" my stomach disagreed. It let out another embarrassing cry.

"Don't be modest. Let's get something to eat, I'm hungry too. I was--"

"No, Thanks anyways" I cut him off and he glanced at me, shaking his quiff.

"I'm not taking no for an answer. Plus, it's not like I'm asking to go out with you, I'm just being polite. I may be some kind of jerk that's painted to break hearts but I'm really not. I'm a gentleman"

Save me the stories and save them in an archive and spill them out to someone who actually cares. I've heard it all before, all that denial nonsense.

"Okay. I don't even know where my purse is" I shrugged my shoulders in attempt not to become one of his victims. The same thing happened to Shanell Thompson. He bought her lunch because she forgot her lunch money once and the next thing they dated. And as always, she ended up on his infamous 'hit and ditch' list. I can't even call what they had a relationship.

"I'll pay" he smiled. I rolled my eyes and leaned back into my seat. "You'll pay me back whenever you can if it makes you feel better" he said not removing his focus off the road.

"Okay" I licked my cut and gulped in uneasiness.

It's just a quick meal...