Chapter 12
“Are you not going to dance with me?” Kayla whined, with a hand on her hip. “It’s prom, Kane. We’re the prom king and queen.”
I shook my head. “Nah, I ain’t feeling it.”
Ever since I woke up today, I’d been in a bad mood. My dad had a barber at the house at eight this morning to cut my hair, then I was able to go back to sleep for a couple of hours before it was time for me to shower, and dress for prom.
They had a very dramatic prom send off that I did not ask for.
I could have done without all that shit.
Kayla and her parents came over, and I was forced to take pictures with her.
I wore a fake smile through it all. I would rather have a basketball in my hands right now, and my feet on a court than to look Kayla in her face with all that clown makeup on.
She overly did it and her mama should be ashamed for letting her come out like that. Shit just wasn’t cute at all.
“Go dance with your friends or another dude,” I told her, waving her off as I used my other hand to dig my phone out of my tuxedo pocket. I sent Slim a message, asking her what she was doing right now.
Kayla had shuffled away with an attitude.
I jumped up on the stage and sat on the edge, away from everyone.
The music thumped around me. I already knew when I got home, my mama would be waiting because Kayla had probably already told her own that I wasn’t entertaining the shit. I was here like they wanted.
Jalen: Bro! Vani got shot!
That text from Jalen caused me to jump down from the stage. There wasn’t a response from Slim yet, which made me worried. She always texted back instantly.
My feet began to move toward the exit. My shoulders bumped into others, but I kept going.
I heard Kayla call my name several times, but she was the last of my worries.
Kayla told me she’d got us a room at the most expensive hotel in Heart Heights.
Jokes was on her, because after this shit, I was going home.
That was the plan, but now I felt like I needed to get to Slim.
Me: What?! Where? Do you know if Slim was with him? She’s not answering my text, and I know she’s not sleep at this time.
I was texting just as fast as my feet were moving to my car. Three bubbles appeared.
Jalen: She was with him bro. They just told me Vani didn’t make it. Fuck. He just fucked up the city with this one man.
I called Slim. No answer. I called again. This time it stopped ringing.
“Slim,” I croaked.
“Hey, Kane. This is Scottie’s mama. She’s…She’s not able to talk right now, baby. I can tell by your tone that you know what’s going on.”
“Yea…Yes ma’am. Can I…” I cleared my throat. “Can I come see her. I know she has you, but…but…I need to see her. Please.”
“She’s not talking to anyone. Not the police. Not me, Kane. She’s traumatized. I don’t know if now is a good time,” she said.
“Please,” I tried again. “She might talk to me. Even if she doesn’t, I want to be there for her when she does.”
The line grew quiet. I made it to my car, unlocked it, and started it as soon as I sat down inside.
“Okay, Kane…but…” She sighed. “If she wants you to leave, please just leave.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I agreed.
She ended the call. I wasn’t even worried about this car being in the hood. I just knew I had to go be a friend. I had to get to Slim.
My location was turned off before I left the parking lot of the Heart Height Exposition Center. My feet were now carrying me up the three steps to Slim’s house. The hood was packed outside with the news of Vani’s death.
I knocked on the door, my hands inside my pockets. The bowtie was long gone, left inside the care on the passenger seat. I could feel folks’ eyes on me…on my expensive car… I didn’t even care about that right now.
The door unlocked and opened. Slim’s mom’s eyes were slightly lowered. Heavy.
“Come on in, Kane. She’s back in her room. She’s like a zombie right now, so, don’t get offended if she doesn’t respond. She was there when…she could have been…” She covered her mouth to muffle her sobs. Locking the door, she headed in the direction of her bedroom.
My legs felt like heavy logs as I traveled the short distance to Slim’s room. I knocked lightly, but as expected she didn’t answer. I turned the lock and pushed the door gently to open it.
Sitting up against the wall where a headboard should be, Slim had her knees to her chest, her head resting on her knees. I closed the door behind me and set my keys on her small dresser. I removed my shoes and cautiously sat down on the edge of her still made bed.
“Slim…” I whispered. “You can talk to me.”
“He’s gone, Kane. My best friend is gone,” Slim whimpered. “Why they have to do him like that. All those bullets. He didn’t deserve that. Vani didn’t deserve that. No matter what he did.”
I let her get it out. Tears fell. My heart shattered. I wanted to reach out to her but didn’t want to suffocate her either. My heart was conflicted.
“I’m sorry, Slim,” was all I could muster out.
“You didn’t even like him,” she replied, her tone ice cold.
“I never said that. I just wanted to make sure you were never near when something like this happened. I didn’t want him to die, Slim. Wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”
She covered her face with her hands as she rocked and cried. I stood and walked to the top of the bed where she was and sat down with my back to the wall, shoulder to shoulder with Slim.
“I hate you seen it,” I told her.
“He pushed me. Told me to run. Why didn’t he run with me, Kane? I don’t understand.”
Before I could even reply, Slim began to cry louder and harder. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders. I guess Vani wasn’t selfish after all. He saved Slim’s life.
Birds chirping woke me up the next morning. I groaned. The way I slept, my back hurt and my right was arm sore. When my eyes popped open, I realized I was still inside Slim’s bedroom.
She was curled into my side, her head on my chest, her breathing shallow.
My arms was numb from being her pillow all night, the other was draped protectively over her.
The morning light filtered through the sheet she had pinned up over her window.
The illuminated the tear tracks that stained her cheeks. Slim looked so…broken.
My phone had died last night and I didn’t bother asking Slim for her charger or grabbing mine from my car…if it was still out there. My parents were probably losing their minds, but my main focus right now was—her.
Carefully, I tried to shift my numb arm, and Slim’s eyes fluttered open. They were red, swollen, and empty. For a second, she just stared up at me. Our lips weren’t too far away from each other and I swallowed because the urge to kiss her so I could make everything right was real loud.
Slim jumped back. She sat up and put distance between us. Rubbing her eyes, she groaned.
“It wasn’t a dream, was it?” she asked quietly.
I swallowed. “I wish it was.”
Slim didn’t say anything else. She just buried her face into her hands, her body started to tremble, but before I could reach for her she muffled, “I don’t want to be touched.”
Respecting her wishes, I got off her bed, and located her charger. I placed my phone on it and told her I was going to find the rest room. Slim didn’t bother to point me to it which was expected. Ms. Grant was walking to Slim’s room when I stepped out.
“Good morning, Kane. Leaving?”
I shook my head. “Not yet. I was headed to the bathroom.”
“Oh, okay. It’s the door to the left. Hos she doing this morning?” she asked. “I don’t think I slept a wink last night.”
“She cried a lot. She’s upset now,” I whispered.
Ms. Grant sighed. “This was what I was trying to protect her from.”
I nodded. Inside I was screaming “Me too!”
“There’s an extra toothbrush if you need it in the cabinet. I’ll go in and talk to Scottie, then I’ll make us all breakfast.”
I turned, and sauntered to the bathroom. My bladder was full.
The bathroom was small, and clean. I flushed when I was finished, and washed my hands. I found the toothbrush, and brushed my teeth, then I splashed cold water on my face. I took my time, giving them time for privacy.
My dress shirt was wrinkle, and sticking to me. I wet my hands again, this time running it through my hair. When I turned the water off, I could hear Ms. Grant’s soft, murmuring voice from Slim’s room, but I couldn’t make out the words.
Maybe five minutes later, I emerged from the bathroom, and trekked back to Slim’s room. Ms. Grant was coming out. She patted my shoulder as she passed me. Slim was right behind her.
“I need to go see Vani’s uncle,” she sniffed.
“I can go with you, but you need to eat something first, Slim. It’s hot outside and…”
“Eat?” she squealed, pivoting. “You think I can eat right now, Kane?”
“You’re going to eat something before you leave this house, Scottie. I don’t even think it’s a good idea for you to go out anyway. What if those guys saw you?” Ms. Grant hollered. “Nah, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Slim began to shake her head. “But I didn’t see them, Kane. I can’t even help the police find his killer. I don’t care about the street code. I want to get Vani justice.”
She started crying again and I pulled her to me.
“It’s okay, Slim. They’re gonna find ‘em.”