Brooklyn James

Chapter Ten

“Sneaky bitch,” I mumbled, as I dragged my bags to the parking lot. I had seen that Alysia and Desmond were gone but Xavier was leaning on the rental car. I quickly called Alysia. I heard her chuckle when she answered.

“Don’t be mad, Brookie.”

“What the fuck you mean don’t be mad? I don’t know this nigga like that to be traveling with him for hours.”

“Brooke, come on now; just let him ride with you until we get to the first rest stop then he can ride with Me and Dez the rest of the way.” I rolled my eyes as if she could see me. I was so mad I couldn’t say anything so I hung up. She knew that I had just let my frustrations out on how he stood me up. I didn’t take well to people not coming to see me when they said they were. I was the person that did the standing up. Me waiting on him and him not showing was cutting into the time I could’ve spent with someone else. 

She also knew I was the type that avoided stopping when making long trips unless I really had to. I walked over to Xavier leaning on the Nissan Versa I had rented for the trip. He looked up at me with a black hanging out of his mouth. I rolled my eyes at him and stood in front of him waiting for him to move out of my way. 

“How have you been, Ms. Brooklyn?” I stared at him as I hit the unlock button on the key ring the dealer had given me. I was still a little salty for being stood up by him two days prior. He could’ve at least called to let me know he wouldn’t be able to make it. He chuckled as he grabbed the bags from my hand and put them in the back seat then getting in on the passenger side and said, 

“We’re riding together for about six hours baby girl. You’ll talk eventually.”

Four hours into the trip, my arms and legs were aching. I’d never owned a car so I rarely drove around; especially for such long distances. If I wasn’t so intent on ignoring Xavier, I would’ve asked him to drive. He’d been reclining in his seat for the past few hours looking absolutely appetizing. At the few red lights that we’d come upon, I’d admire his appearance and I realized that Xavier was not sexy. He was average in the looks department but there was something about him. As much as I hated the word, the man had swag, sex appeal. He was oozing of confidence.

The ringing of my phone broke had broken our silence for the thousandth time. Since we’d been on the road my phone had rung or gone off for a text at least every half an hour to hour. I glanced down at my phone and to see it was Alysia. 

“Can you get that for me?” I asked him softly. He glanced at me before grabbing my phone from the drink holder and answering, 

“Hello?” I glanced at him and raised my eyebrows, silently asking who it was. The conversation only lasted a few seconds before he ended the call and replaced my phone back in the holder. “Alysia said when you get to the Exxon about a mile up, pull over.” I nodded and ran a tired hand over my face. I was so tired from this long drive and my limbs were starting to get stiff. 

“Aye, you bout to pass the gas station,” I heard Xavier say.

 “Shit,” I cursed as I slammed on brakes jerked the car across two lanes, ignoring all the horns that were being honked so I could make the exit. I was praying there were no police around. I sighed once I parked in a parking space of the gas station. I looked over at Xavier, one of his eyebrows was raised and he was watching me like I’d grown another head. 

 “What?” I asked with a slight bit attitude.

 “My life just flashed before my eyes. You were bout to kill us, that’s what.” I smirked at him being overly dramatic. 

 “Grow some balls, scared like a little bitch,” I said before throwing my door open and stood, stretching my tired legs. My muscles were so stiff and sore that I had dropped back into my seat with my legs planted on the ground in front of me. The cold weather bit my skin but I didn’t want to sit all the way in the car so I wrapped my scarf around my neck.