CHAPTER THIRTEEN
PRESS PLAY
I rolled over, still groggy from last night. After the whole Samara and Jesaiah thing, I didn’t care anymore. I took shot after shot until everything in front of me became blurred. Jesaiah played in my face one too many times, and it was always me who looked dumb in the end.
My eyes slowly opened as I lifted up. As my eyes captured everything in the room, I began to panic. What the hell? Where am I? When I felt the weight of something across my waist, I glanced down. I shook my head because there was no fucking way I ended up here, with him.
I moved his arm and slowly peeled back the cover. When I realized I was naked, I freaked the fuck out. “Get up!” I shouted. “Harlem, get the fuck up!”
He moaned and groaned as he rolled over, slowly sitting up. “Apple, please stop yelling.”
My face balled up. Something was different. He sounded different. “Harlem!” I shouted.
He ran his hand through his locs, then stood from the bed and turned toward me. I pointed at him. “What happened, and before you try to lie, don’t!” I snapped.
He crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned on the bedpost. He stood there wearing basketball shorts, no shirt, and a pair of socks. He needed a fucking retwist and a shape-up, but he wasn’t ugly. His eyes lingered on my body, and I quickly grabbed the blanket as a shield to cover myself.
“Stop looking at me like that.”
His brows raised. “You ready for me to tell you what happened or—”
“Tell me,” I mumbled.
I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear the disgusting things I did, but I also needed to know how I got here and who saw me.
“Why are you talking like that?” I asked.
Harlem didn’t sound the same; he sounded like a fucking white boy.
He dropped his head and laughed. “I’m doing exactly what you’ve done for the last two and a half years, putting on.
” He winked. “Anyway, you got fried last night. After like the sixth drink, you were done. The way you were working that dance floor was pretty impressive.”
I rolled my eyes. “Get to the point.”
He tossed his hands up. “I watched as your sisters tried handling you, but for some reason, you were upset. The moment Jesaiah came over to you, well, you gave him everything you had, in your stomach that is. So, I helped you. I picked you up, put you in my car, and brought you here. Once we were inside, I realized that not only were you fried, but you were also in a conversation with Mother Nature,” he said as he pointed toward my center.
I was frantic. “I-I—”
“I didn’t want to violate you. Instead, I took off your smelly clothes and put you in my bed. I didn’t come in here until a few hours ago because of your groaning. It wasn’t until I wrapped my arms around you that you calmed down.”
I looked at the bed and saw the bloodstain and rushed to the bathroom. All I could do was cry because the universe had its foot on my neck and wouldn’t let up. I could hear Harlem at the door.
“Apple, it’s okay. You don’t have to be ashamed. I’m not like that.”
That was the thing. Harlem doing what he did for me was sweet. I didn’t want to take what I was feeling out on him, but I needed a moment. I wiped my face.
“I will be out in a minute,” I muttered.
“I’ll leave clothes out for you. The shower is yours. Once you're done, I’ll take you back to campus.” He paused. “Apple, it’s really okay.”
I heard him moving around the room, then the door closed. I slowly stood from the bathroom floor and captured myself in the mirror.
“It’s going to be okay,” I mumbled to myself.
The girl I used to see in the mirror was nearly depleted, as the true Apple was front and center. I knew I needed to acknowledge her, but I was afraid.