Chapter 9 Farrah #2
We watched as a tall figure in dark clothes took his time getting out of the car.
He was dressed too nice, moving too slow.
He smiled at us as he straightened his suit jacket before bending back into the car and pulling out a bouquet of multi-colored tulips.
They were beautiful… and my favorite. Somehow, that freaked me out more.
“Did you hear me? You need to move!” MiMi ordered.
He looked at her and, just for a second, the smile on his face turned menacing. I moved quickly, putting my body in front of my grandmother’s. I scowled at Mariah as she got out anyway.
“Nigga, did you hear my grandmother?” she asked, clutching a can of mace in her right hand. Riah was ready to mace the whole block down. I loved her for it, but I knew instinctively that this wasn’t a situation we could mace our way out of.
“You don’t wanna do that, lil bit,” he warned her.
Mariah’s eyes narrowed as she lifted the canister.
“Try me. We don’t know you and you all on our property. I’ll burn your fucking eyes outcha skull!”
Knowing my cousin, I knew she wasn’t playing. I lifted a hand to stop her. “Riah, chill,” I ordered, before turning back to him. “What do you want?”
“I just came to bring something for you, Farrah.”
His smile was relaxed again, even as I frowned at the fact that he knew my name.
He walked closer to me, his steps slow and sure.
Once he was close enough, he handed me the tulips.
Surprised at his boldness, I accepted them.
My hand clenched around the stems as I glared up at him, trying to look unbothered, even as my mind was whirling.
Who sent him? Who told him to come to my MiMi’s yard?
“You need to move,” I said.
“I am.”
But he kept standing there. Kept smiling. Kept looking at me like he knew something I didn’t. Just looking at him made my skin crawl.
“Who are those from?” Mariah demanded.
His attention shifted to her as he slid a hand into his pocket. “A secret admirer.”
I scoffed. “Please! Who sent these?”
Another smile. “You’ll find out soon enough, shorty.”
It could have been a sweet gesture. It could have been romantic.
But something about how the whole thing had unfolded, something about the way the “delivery” man looked like a goon in a suit, something about the way he took his sweet time getting back in his car and pulling off, all smooth and unconcerned, made me nervous.
I could tell my family felt the same way.
When he turned the corner, I finally breathed again.
“MiMi, throw these away, please,” I asked, handing her the bouquet.
She didn’t even argue, her eyes still glued to the car’s retreating back end. I put on a fake smile, trying to calm the situation.
“Riah, let’s go.”
Nodding, she got back into the car.
“You think you just finna leave here after some mess like that? Nuh-uh, Farrah,” MiMi fussed.
“MiMi, it’s okay. I know who it is,” I lied. “I went on a date, and this fool just can’t believe I won’t go on another.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Girl—”
“MiMi, don’t call my parents. They deserve this trip, and you know they’ll stay if they’re worried about me. Please,” I begged.
Hands on her hips, she stared at me for a long moment before huffing out a breath. “I don’t—”
“I’m calling Ajani nem. They’ll handle it,” my Aunt Nette said suddenly.
Aww, hell. Her grandson Ajani along with his partners Prime and Braeden specialized in security and protection. I really didn’t want my family all involved, not when I knew the one man who was at the heart of this.
Not when I felt like it was his protection I wanted.
“Aunt Nette—”
“Either she calls Ajani, or I call your mama and daddy,” MiMi threatened.
I closed my eyes, exhaled, then nodded. “All right. I’ll talk to Ajani,” I promised.
Another round of hugs, and I was finally in my car. It was Mariah’s turn to start.
“Farrah—”
“I have no idea. Please don’t ask.”
She surprised me by staying quiet the rest of the ride.
She didn’t joke, didn’t talk. She just kept glancing out the window, like she was expecting another car to corner us.
I felt bad for that. I was going to talk to Ajani.
And I guess I was going to have to talk to Mekhi.
Ugh! Ten minutes later, we pulled onto the ballpark’s parking lot.
“You sure I look okay?” Mariah asked.
I rolled my eyes at her, but I appreciated the attempt to act normal, like nothing had happened. I focused on her. She was gorgeous with her flawless, milk chocolate skin and big, doe eyes. I hated that she needed so much reassurance.
“Okay? Bitch, get out of my car.”
I grabbed my phone and texted Kera to see which field she was about to play on.
She texted back quickly, and I hopped out and made my way to the front of the complex, Mariah right behind me.
I found Field Six and looked around for Kera.
When I didn’t see her on the grass, I figured she was in the dugout.
I walked over to the bleachers and Mariah and I climbed up a few before sitting down.
We talked for a few minutes, waiting for the game to start.
The sun felt necessary, like something warm and light, pushing the dark away.
I smiled when I saw Seth jog up the bleachers toward us. He gave me and Mariah quick hugs.
“What’s up, ladies? I’m doing a concession stand run for Elena. Y’all need anything?” he asked.
“Not right now, thank you,” I told him.
“You sure?”
“Unless Mariah wants something…”
My cousin shook her head. “I’m good.”
“Okay. I’ll check on you again after the game starts,” he said.
We waved as he walked off. After about fifteen more minutes, Mariah started fanning herself.
“I can tell y’all really best friends,” she said.
“Huh?”
“You willing to come sit out in this sun to support your girl. That’s love.”
I waved a hand at her. “Riah, you so crazy.”
She opened her mouth to say something else, but then old school hip hop came blasting through the loudspeakers, and she started dancing in her seat.
For a second, I forgot the car, the man, the flowers.
I was so busy looking and laughing at her, that I didn’t even realize that someone was standing over me at first. Suddenly, I felt the fine hairs on my body rise, my stomach tingling as I felt the heat of a gaze.
My cousin got still, a smirk on her face, confirming that we had company. Shading my eyes, I looked up.
Mekhi Venzant stood over me.
And even though he was frowning like I offended him just by existing…
I couldn’t deny the rush of relief that consumed me.