Dear Artina || Keith Powers

Love Letter #7

So her initiative was to cut class, get an Uber and leave the school without Brandon catching her.

Just so she could get in contact with Israel again.

Artina rushed to leave the school through the gym doors and the Uber she ordered was there waiting with a minute left to spare. She held her damaged phone in her hand and she hoped to get a new one.

"What's up with you, man?" Israel's friend Ty asked him after he told him the assignment.

Israel shrugged as he copied down the notes from the whiteboard, "Nothing."

"You sure? Because you've been sour for about two weeks." Ty mentioned as he took Israel's pen to keep him from ignoring him, "Something is wrong with you."

"I'm just tired, bruh." Israel groaned as he rubbed his face, "I wouldn't have came to school if I knew I was going to be asked questions."

"But I'm worried. Your brother and mom is worried. Shoot, some of these teachers are too."

Israel rolled his eyes, "Why?"

"Nigga, you look dead."

He kissed his teeth and took his pen back, "Whatever."

"And yeah... how was it?"

Israel paused with his note taking and looked at his friend with a side eye, "How was... what?"

Ty danced his eyebrows and Israel frowned as he thought about it. He seemed to forget about that and only thought about only her in general. He pushed everything about Artina in the back of his mind after trying to get in contact.

But after seeing her today by avoiding to see her for about a week, every feeling came back. Every chill, thrill, and will spiked him.

"Good."

That's an understatement, he scratched his forehead.

When second period ended, it was time to transition to another class. He talked to Ty as they made their way through traffic in the hallways.

Ty said he'll finish talking to him in lunch and Israel went to the last hallway near the parking lot.

Being tugged down the hallway to a storage closet, he was shoved inside and he heard the door close. The person turned the light on and they both stood in dim lighting.

Israel went to walk past her, but she stopped him with her hands against his chest, "Israel, let me explain."

His eyes examined her facial features and some parts of her face were darker than usual. He noticed it through the makeup, especially that scared above her left eye.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't have my phone for two weeks and-"

"You could've came to my house."

Artina felt embarrassed, "The way I was looking, I couldn't." She mumbled, "But I should have... you know, to see you and let you know."

"Let me know what?"

"That I couldn't go anywhere without Brandon there to watch me."

Israel's face was in an angered frown as he put two and two together. The bruises and Brandon-- something inside him became triggered. His fingers tapped the strap of his backpack as he glared at her.

"Israel." She pressed her palms against his warm cheeks as her fingers caressed his skin, "Say something."

"I mean what do you want me to say?" He said to her, "What I want to say is leave his ass, but you can't even do that."