"we fell in love the way you fall in leaves."
Juwan "Rocky" Rockwell has had a pretty hard life. Between trying to find a way to fend for himself and dealing with the normal hardships of teenage angst, he had nowhere to turn as an adolescent and no...
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"race against the clock"
"Man, am I glad to see yo' ass, man," I sighed deeply with a smile. "You know I wouldn't leave you hanging in this bitch," Rashad returned the smile as we linked hands and bumped shoulders.
"How'd you get the money?" I asked just before my eyes landed on Quinn. I felt my heart skip a beat while my face became saturated with heat. I was suddenly anxious, the moisture in my mouth having evaporated as soon as our eyes locked. The moisture from my mouth somehow inhibited my palms in the form of sweat. My body temperature steadily climbed the longer I stood there watching her watch me.
I was in love all over again.
"Thank Quinn," Red told me. "She covered the majority of the bail." "Yo. . ." I spoke out of astonishment, partially still stunned at the sight of her. I didn't know what else to say, too entranced by her beauty to say anything more.
"It was nothing," she shook her head modestly. "No, it wasn't nothin'. Thank you. Thank you so much, Quinn," I was suddenly running over with a variation of emotions. Seeing her after all this time coupled with the alleviation of the desperate need to escape this place just seemed to overthrow my cool nature.
"I know that you've been saving up for forever and—" "I save up for rainy days, Juwan. This was a rainy day. . . So, don't even mention it," she smiled gingerly. "Thank you," I repeated once more, giving a slight smile as well while gliding my hand down my pant leg to rid some of its moisture before sliding it into her hold.
"Alright, man. Let's get you home. Where'd you leave your Jeep? You better hope somebody hasn't jacked it yet," Red butted into our interaction. "I left it on the block, man," I was waving him off a little, continuing to swim in those dark eyes that always twinkled up at me.
"Well, let's go," Red said. "Yeah, I know how much that Jeep means to you. You guys should get going. . . I've got some things I need to take care of anyway," Quinn began to take her hand from my grasp, and as much as I didn't want to, I allowed her to do so.
"A'ight. . . You got a ride?" I asked. "Yeah, Sweets is outside," she nodded. I simply nodded, trying to think of the next thing to say.
"Let me walk you to the car then," I insisted. She hesitated, tearing her eyes from mine to briefly look at Red. When her eyes returned to mine, she softly granted me permission.
I smirked the smallest amount before telling Rashad that I'd meet him at the car. With that, Quinn and I began walking at our own pace all the way across the parking lot.
"So, how have you been?" I asked her while my hands pushed themselves into my pockets. "I've been fine," she nodded. "Seein' anybody?" She scoffed. "Why is that any of your business?"
"Whoa. I can't just make simple conversation?" I asked as if I'd grown defensive. I knew what I was doing, but shit, can you blame me?
She grew quiet, never giving me an answer. I was taking her silence as a no to my question.
