Southern Californ-I

X.

Southern Californ-i

~

"Why'd you have me pause?" I asked as I took my eyes off the drawing. I just realized I had drawn my favorite tattoo of his. If you've ever played Mario Party, it looked like the yellow star with the black eyes and no mouth. It was adorable as ever and I remember that tattoo placed right on his elbow.

"Let me get this straight, you and him ran off because someone wanted you dead?" I nodded. "It seems like that happened so quick though, I mean there was no build up to it and then you both just left." He sat back in his chair, crossing on leg over the other and even loosened his tie just a tad.

"That's what I thought too. It seemed like something straight out of a cartoon but the drug game is nothing to get entangled with unless you know what you're doing." I spoke, dropping my eyes back down to the drawing. I went over some of the lines, making them darker so the stood out more.

"From there he was then a suspect? How? I just need to be clarified."

"Both of us went missing the same night and they figured he could be a suspect. Especially since sources confirmed that he and I had previous relations." I to this day still don't know who confirmed to police that CJ and I had relations. There were three main suspects but there was also the classroom of students in our first period that could have easily spoke up. "If no one had confirmed CJ and I's relations, they would have never had a reason to link him to me."

"And how did he know he had to leave?"

"His friend kept him up to date with what Malik was doing and how the case of finding me was going. He found out CJ was wanted for questioning and then CJ was told. So now we're at the part where CJ had to reroute where to go due to cops closing off the freeway entrance."

"Now I understand." He gave a nod indicating for me to continue.

"Is CJ here?" He nodded. "Will I be able to see him when I'm done talking with you?" He stared at me with the wildest look that left me confused.

"Why would you want to see him after all that's he's done to you?" He picked up a piece of paper from a manila folder that I didn't even notice was on the desk before. "Do you not read and understand the words written on this? Do none of these words trigger the events that he put you through? Are you that delusional to where he has you believing what he did was to help you?" He set the paper down and slid it my way. I scoffed at the investigators notes, pushing them back to the man.

"Like I've said plenty of times; CJ never hurt me in the ways that you have written on that vile piece of paper. Those are all wrong and that's why I agreed to share the real story. I have the pieces of the story that fill in the gap holes. CJ is an innocent man, aside from the drug charges. When I'm through with this, I want to see your investigator eat the garbage she calls her notes and swallow them whole." I spat back with furrowed eyebrows. "For the last time, I'm not delusional."

~

Sitting in the car, he made a U Turn and started down a different road. I kept looking in the side view mirror and turning around to see if cops were following us or for whoever Malik has looking for us- though it's hard to look for someone when you don't know exactly who they are or what they look like. Basically if anyone suspicious was following us, I'd assume it was one of Malik's guys.

"You okay?" He asked breaking the extensive heavy silence that fell between us. His eyes never once shifting from the road as his left hand clenched the wheel so tight.

"I guess." I rolled up the window and reached for the AC. Turning it up as high as it could go. Feeling that cool air crash against my chest and face was calming me down a bit. I was feeling so short of breath and tightness in my chest, trying to breath deeply was kind of helping but the sensation of knowing one wrong turn could end up with us being caught.