Devil's Eyes

Chapter 3: Cinnamon

     "One day won't hurt. I won't let it hurt you." He assured her.

    "Even from my dad?" She wrinkled her nose up, something she did when she was in deep thought. The question was half rhetorical half serious seeing that she knew her dad would be furious. If he ever found out she chose not to follow schedule, particularly why as well.

    "Even him, ma." And Dave was all the way serious.

***

    Sage felt at peace once she was in East's car for a good ten minutes. He was cruising further uptown trying to get to the best Dominican spot in the heights.

    "I'm Caribbean too! Well, on my mother's side. She's Jamaican but she grew up in the U.K." She explained. She didn't really anticipate getting anywhere near the topic of her parents again but their conversation was flowing naturally.

     "Shit, my pops from Barbados! What's really poppin'?" They both chuckled as he pulled up in front of the restaurant. "Stay here, I'mma get the food so we can take it back to mine."

    "You don't even know what I want!" Sage teased. East took the key out of the ignition and shrugged. "Okay Ms. Independent, whatcho' Upper East Side ass know about some Mangú?"

    "Lots."

    "You know? You cute when you lyin.'"

     Sage feigned being offended, placing her hand over her heart, "Psh, I'm hurt."

    "Yeah, ma, whateva." He teased.

     After ordering their food, East rushed back in the car so it wouldn't get cold. The car ride back to his apartment was even more laughs as he told her stories about times he would get high and beg his friend to pick up food for him from that same spot.

     "Nigga you be fucking hungry!" Sage felt more giggly with every story time.

    "You should've seen me, I'm most vulnerable when I get the munchies." Dave pulled into the apartment complex parking lot.

   "Okay yo ass live in the Upper East Side too," She teased.

    Dave shrugged, "Yeah but it's different. I'm not from here. I grew up in Queensbridge and East Harlem."

    "Hence the name?" She meant to think this but it came out her mouth before she knew it. Dave nodded before coming around to open her door. "Why do you go by an alias? You hate your real name? Are you a rapper? What do you do for a living?"

     Dave didn't want to straight up lie to her but he also didn't want to scare her with the truth...at least not yet, so he compromised. He stopped walking, turned her to face him, lowered his head and softly pecked her lips. When he pulled away Sage blushed and tried turning her face but he did it again so that she knew every time she tried to escape he'd pull her back in.

    "Just know I handle business, nothing yo fine ass gotta worry about." Sage nodded, looking up at him because he towered over her. Him being so close and kissing her made her feel a warmth she never felt before with anyone. She didn't know what type of feeling the questions triggered but if it was gonna get her more kisses she didn't mind triggering again.

    "I-I'm sorry." Her voice came out in almost a whisper but Dave heard her anyways.

   "Do I make you nervous?" Sage shook her head and chewed her lip.

    She's lying, he thought. He wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back in small circles like he did the first night they ever meet. She quickly relaxed into his arms and wrapped her arms around his waist, taking in the cologne on his tee shirt. "Come on. Let's go eat."