Insecure

Four

Lost
“This was crazy yo! We should def do it again sometime.” Tommie grins at me from the driver’s seat as she pulls up in front of my house and surprisingly, I don’t disagree. We’d hung out for the rest of the day, going from arcades, to bowling alleys to the actual fucking zoo. It was just a few minutes after five so I figured Grace wouldn’t give me crap. I’d just tell her I hung out with a friend after school.

“See? I can be well behaved.” She beamed like a puppy and I had to laugh. “Yeah. Yo ass is very well trained.” I smirk and she rolls her eyes.

“Do you want a treat for being such a good girl?” The moment the words leave my mouth I regret them. Tommie gives me a thoroughly amused look “A treat huh?” I can feel the heat returning to my face. Damn studs!
I look away from her and stare at the mostly empty street while I wait for my face to return to normal.

“Um. Thanks for today. I needed to chill out more than I realized.” To my relief, she went with the switch in conversation and I promised myself to avoid saying such potentially flirty things around her.

“I hear ya. If you give me your number now, we can even do it again sometime.” The glance she sent me was a tad nervous and low key sweet. Is there something in the water here or do gay people here just not know about the whole labels thing? Some part of me wants to refuse her because I know where she wants this to go and I’m not entirely sure I’m okay with it. Another part doesn’t care because we’d actually had a whole lotta fun today and despite not being my type she’s still kinda cute. After a moment, I sigh and hold my hand out for her phone. The huge grin she gives me is sickenly adorable and I’m almost annoyed with her because of it. I punch in my phone number thinking how some of my niggas back home would react to me getting picked up. Oh well.

“I still think you an asshole.” Tommie laughed.

“Of course I am. But see I can be YOUR asshole.” She winked. I shook my head.

“That was hella cheesy.” She shrugged and I opened the door. “I’ll call you.” She yells as I climb out of her jeep and close the door. She had some really nice wheels and I faintly wondered how she got em. Another question for another day.  
I wave until she drives off and trudge up the steps to the front porch. My easy mood from this afternoon is darkening again and the moment I open the door, I can feel the restlessness creep in.

“Where the hell have you been?” Grace exploded springing from the couch and I jumped. She glared at me frozen in front of the door.
“Well?”
“Jesus. Why the hell would you scare me like that?” I rub a hand on my chest. “Where were you Chantari? Your school called. You skipped three classes and left the premises in the middle of the day.”
I sighed. “I had some shit with this dumb ass teacher who kicked me out of class. Unfairly.” I started to move past her and she blocked me.
“That’s it? You disappear for hours and that’s all you gotta say?”
“What else do you want me to say?”
“Um lets see. How bout where the hell you went? Why did you not call me and why are you only just getting back?” Her eyes narrowed and she examined my face a moment. “Did someone hit you?”
I cursed silently. Shit. I’d taken off my glasses sometime during my time out with Tommie.
“No one. I just ran into something okay? Look its not a big deal. Imma go tomorrow.” I start to walk past her again and she grabs my hand. “I’m still talking to you and saying its not a big deal is not acceptable. You can’t just skip school whenever and run around town with people you don’t know Tari.” I whipped my hand from her grasp and glared at her.
“And who’s gon’ stop me? You?” Grace opened her mouth and then closed it. She took a deep breath and her voice was small when she spoke this time. “Why wouldn’t you even call. I sent you like twenty texts. I was fucking worried about you.” My anger which has been simmering since I opened the door flared.
“Oh hell nah. You don’t get to do that now Grace. Why wouldn’t I call you? You mean the way you never fucking called me for fourteen fucking years? What’s your excuse for that huh?”
She stared at me.