10. Juliet #2
The three of us discarded our trash and headed toward the car.
Psalm's crew must have had the same idea because out of my peripheral I could see him moving through the crowd toward the parking area.
I hated that my mind kept cataloguing every detail about this man without my permission.
The way he moved through a crowd. The way his presence commanded attention he never asked for.
The way his scent had my body responding before my brain could intervene.
"Bring y'all asses," I said, climbing into the driver's seat. I needed distance from Mr. Mitchel — and fast.
Once everyone was buckled, I hit the start button. Nothing. I adjusted the pressure on the brake and tried again. Still nothing. One more time — and this time the dashboard lights flickered to life but the engine stayed completely silent.
"We good, Ju?" Mega asked.
"It's not starting for some reason," I said.
"Old man Echo probably felt you having fun and shut the whole thing down," Yahya joked.
"Shut up," I responded. "Mega, help me look under the hood."
"Aight cool — and after we look, then what?"
"Nigga, I don't know. You're the man in this situation."
"Barely," Yahya interrupted. Mega reached from the back seat and pushed her shoulder.
"Aren't men supposed to know things like this?" I asked.
"Hell nah — and that was sexist as hell. I'm surprised at you, Ju," he said, covering his heart like I'd genuinely offended him.
I exhaled hard, pushed the car door open and stepped out. Lifting the hood I confirmed exactly what I already suspected before getting out. I had absolutely no idea what I was looking at.
This nigga.
I sighed and rolled my eyes at the figure making his way toward me.
"I'm good," I said before he even reached me. "Mega, get your ass out here," I fussed — loud enough that I knew he heard me.
Yahya's meddling, messy ass had clearly told him to stay put.
"I didn't ask if you were good," Psalm said, the smirk arriving before the words did. His voice landed closer to a whisper than the beginning of a headache — which was somehow worse.
"Mega!" I said with more edge, hoping he'd get the picture and at least come pretend to help. Instead, he rolled the window down and stuck his head out.
"You're in good hands, Ju-Money," he laughed. I could see both him and Yah, chuckling through the windshield.
Traitors.
"Whatever the problem is, it's not under the hood," Psalm said, leaning against the front of my Jeep. "You want me to tell you what's wrong?"
"I want you to mind your business," I signed — smile not reaching my eyes.
"What she say?" he asked the two traitors still sitting in the Jeep.
"She said yes please," Yahya lied, without hesitation.
"Now I know her mean ass didn't say it that nicely — but for the sake of time, I'll take it," he winked at me, making his way to the driver's side. He got in, keeping one foot on the ground, and began navigating the dashboard screen. "It's the security lock."
I huffed.
"What security lock?" Yahya asked from the passenger seat.
Psalm answered without taking his eyes off me. "She probably let the vehicle idle too long before trying to restart it. Some high end systems do that — anti-theft protection."
Mega nodded slowly. "That makes sense. This thing runs so smoothly you can't even tell whether the engine is on or not."
"Nobody asked you," I signed, hitting him with the stinkiest look I could conjure.
Psalm chinned toward my phone. "Call old man Echo and have him unlock it."
"Echo does not have the security information on my vehicle," I said sharply, both hands on my hips.
"Yeah, okay, bratty ass. That man probably knows your tire pressure," he laughed.
"He do too," said messy one and two, in unison — and a little too enthusiastically might I add.
I sucked my teeth and pulled out my phone. "Fine. I'll call my father."
Small chuckles escaped from the three people irritating me the most right now.
"What's up, baby girl?" My father answered on the second ring.
"Daddy, my Jeep won't start. It was fine when I parked but now I don't know what's happening."
"Ju-Ju, did you forget to turn it off?" my mother asked from the background.
"Probably — you know how you both are," my father responded to her. She popped him with what sounded like a stack of papers.
Psalm looked away, clearly fighting back a smile.
"Can you unlock it, Daddy?"
And then, because the universe had a personal vendetta against me, he said — "Call Echo. He has access to unlock it remotely."
Why, Juliet. Why did you put your father on speaker?
Yahya slapped the door handle. Mega bent over laughing. Psalm closed his eyes for half a second like he needed a moment to collect himself before the laugh got loose.
I wanted to evaporate.
"You want me to call him for you?" my father offered.
"I got it, Daddy."
"Baby girl—"
"It's cool, Daddy. I got it."
He chuckled. "Aight. Call me back if you need anything. Love you."
"Love you too," I smiled, ending the call.
There was always a quiet reassurance behind my father's words. Like he was simply designed to make me feel settled. That peace lasted approximately four seconds before Psalm — still maddeningly calm, by the way — hit me with a look that said sooooo?
"What?" I said.
"You gonna call him or not?"
"Yeah, when I'm ready. Don't you have somewhere to be?"
"I sure do," he said, climbing out of my car. He turned toward the windshield. "Y'all want to ride with me?"
My two former best friends did not even hesitate.
"Move," I said, attempting to push past him and get back in the driver side. There was not a chance in hell I was giving him the satisfaction of watching me call Echo. "Why would they need a ride from you?" I asked — knowing I should have left it alone.
Before I could clear him, he smoothly caught me by the waist and drew me in.
His hand cuffed my face gently, tilting it up toward his, and he leaned in close enough that my body didn't wait for permission to respond.
Warmth moved through me and I felt myself soften in a way I had absolutely no intention of softening.
As much as I couldn't stand Psalm Mitchel, I was not opposed to this.
I let my eyes close and waited — his lips grazing mine with every word when he finally spoke.
"Because someone would rather cut her nose to spite her face than let her friends enjoy a concert."
Every sensual feeling vanished and I pushed him off me.
His laugh followed me.
"Ride offer still stands," he called to Mega and Yahya.
"We good, bro — appreciate you," Mega dapped him up, still laughing.
The three stooges said their goodbyes while I settled back into my driver's seat, completely depleted.
Psalm gave Yahya a hug through the passenger window, then made his way back to my side and dragged his index finger gently under my chin.
I swatted at his hand — but not before I let that touch land and linger just a second longer than I should have.
Ready to lose myself in Heaven and Aladdin, I reached for my phone.
Me: Unlock my Jeep please, Choo-Choo.
Echo: Bout time. I almost popped up.
Me: Why didn't you?
Echo: Already had eyes on it. You were good.
Me: So why didn't you just unlock it ahead of time?
Echo: Where's the fun in that?
Me: Echo!
Echo: Hit the start button.
I pushed the button and the Jeep came to life, smooth and unproblematic.
Me: Thank you. Love you.
Echo: Love you too.
Yahya and Mega turned slowly to face me, grinning like demons.
"What exactly was that?" Mega asked.
"Right — because had I not known you couldn't stand Psalm Mitchel, I would have thought you came on yourself when he grabbed you," Yahya added.
I gripped the wheel and reversed out of the spot. "If this ride isn't as quiet as a library — on my mama — I will drive this Jeep off a cliff. Capisce?"
They both laughed — until I whipped my head around with nothing but death in my eyes. Yahya made a zipped lips motion and handed Mega the imaginary key, who promptly tossed it out the window.
For the entire five minutes it took to drive up to our spot on the hill, I had exactly one thought.
I need a shower.