Chapter 7 #3
In under a minute, I had a perfectly rolled blunt before stepping out to hang the pump up.
Once I slid back into my ride, I fumbled with the icons on my phone’s screen until I reached the Pandora app.
Choosing Hov’s station was an easy decision.
It was the most common since I’d started using the app years ago. It was almost always first on the list.
Love Happy. The tune filled the speakers, surrounding me as I bobbed my head and lit my blunt.
I wasn’t one to admire couples or ever make anyone my goals in life.
Yet, I was fucking with whatever he and his woman had going on.
Both were getting to the paper, ducked off, and minding their fucking business.
Any nigga could appreciate that in life. I’m one of them.
Slowly, I crept down the streets of Huffington Hills, taking the scenic route rather than going straight to Lyric’s place.
Waiting Laike out wouldn’t take long. He never stayed anywhere too long.
So, when I spun the block and ended up in front of Lyric’s home, it wasn’t appalling that he’d already burnt out.
Blunt still in hand, I parked and stretched my limbs on the way out.
I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad one that I knew codes, secret entryways, and troubleshooting tactics for every Eisenberg residence.
Sliding into Lyric’s gate unnoticed was as easy as it was to get into her home nights prior.
Boooom.
Boooom.
Boooom.
I knocked at the door upon realizing the upgrades to her system. As soon as Laike had the chance, I wanted to make sure that he scanned me in. I wouldn’t push the issue and raise suspicions, but I’d make sure he did so sooner than later.
Stepping back, I waited for Lyric to show face. Hearing the latches behind the door being removed and the locks turning, my adrenaline hiked a bit. I pulled from the blunt between my fingers, immediately feeling a calmness that was most familiar to me.
The door swung open at once and there she stood. As beautiful as I remembered. As angelic as I’d imagined. As pretty as could be.
“Hi.” She sighed, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
She didn’t have any fight in her. Her defeat was obvious. Apparent on her pretty face. For that, I was thankful, because I didn’t have it in me, either.
“Pack some shit. You’re coming home with me tonight.”
My words flowed as did the smoke that I’d inhaled just before she opened the door. Tilting her head to the side, she stood in place. Unmoving. But said nothing. Her silence was loud, alarming almost.
“I don’t want to fight, Keanu,” she responded, running a hand over her face.
The stress lines the appeared on her forehead stiffened my heart. The last thing I wanted to do was bring chaos to her world. My only job was to make it a better place for her to live in. If I couldn’t do that, then I didn’t need to be around.
“Then I won’t fight you, Lyric.”
Still, she remained in place. Her eyes on me and mine on her.
I wasn’t sure what she was searching for but I hoped she found it.
After what felt like forever, she stepped back and allowed me into her space.
I couldn’t help myself, pulling her into me immediately, using my foot to close the door behind us.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, head tucked into my chest.
“I missed you,” I admitted.
Putting a bit of distance between us, she looked up at me in disbelief.
“I did,” I emphasized.
Silently, she turned and headed for the stairs. I was quick on my toes, following behind her as she climbed them slowly. When I caught up to her, I slowed down as well.
“You don’t trust me,” I grumbled, knowing exactly why she hadn’t admitted that she’d missed me, too.
“Do you blame me?”
“I don’t.”
“Good. I thought we said we aren’t fighting tonight?”
“We’re not.”
“Good, because I can’t. Not right now.”
Exhaustion was apparent in her voice. Letting her be for the night quickly came to mind, but I shoved the thought to the back of my head once we reached her room.
I expected her to start pulling out drawers and opening cabinets in the bathroom, but she did none of the such.
Instead, she walked into her closet and grabbed an LV tote.
When she made it threshold where the bedroom transformed into a space for a portion of her clothing, she stopped.
“I agreed to be his girlfriend,” she informed me.
Nodding in understanding, I pressed my back against the wall and grabbed the back of my neck. She wanted to be upfront, and she wanted to be honest with me. I could respect that. Sighing heavily, I lowered my head before lifting it again to meet her eyes.
“You’re mine, Lyric,” I reminded her. “No matter what you told that nigga.”
I could see it from across the room, the gnawing of her bottom lip as her eyes closed and then reopened. As if the words that were about to fall from her mouth was painful to conjure, she groaned slightly.
“I know.”
There was nothing left to be said. I walked over to where she stood, grabbed the bag from her hand, and exited her bedroom. As I took the stairs to the first floor, I could hear her behind me. Slowly, hesitantly, she followed my lead. It didn’t matter how she did it though, as long as she did.