Thank you all very much for your patience (personal thank you PM's coming soon!):
The Tell-Tale Man, clockwork'sFinest, Cartoonlover187, Guest, Jazavelli, InvisibleGeek, hueyisbae143, DaKingUndisputed, janiyah, Nicky7994, AyazakaSan, luv ta luv ya, Lolo, JackTheRipperandCupcakes, Mrs. HoneyBunns1, Anon, ricky3425, and Guest(2).
So… I'm not going to lie everyone. This was a very hard chapter for me to write. I had started on it about a month ago, but…. As of just a few days ago, one of my dear friends lost her only daughter who had just recently turned one-year old. She passed throughout the night and I cannot even begin to imagine the pain or what the family is going through. Thinking about it has kept me up, I've been breaking down, and it's all I can think about. My heart is broken for her and her family and I can't even process it fully, even now. Writing has always been very therapeutic for me, so within this chapter I've tried to impart and store some of the hurt and heartbreak I've been feeling. My friend will probably never read this, but this chapter was made with her and her family in mind and on my heart.
To Scarlett. Rest easy, babygirl.
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Aaron McGruder's The Boondocks or any of his characters.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi said: 'Your eyes can deceive you, don't trust them.' Seems to be getting harder distinguishing reality from the illusions that people make for us, or from the ones that we make for ourselves; I don't know. Maybe that's part of the plan. To make me think I'm crazy.
…It's working."
Huey Freeman; The Real
Riley's POV
"No, no, no, no, no…." He continued to chant through his tears, his hands still roaming frantically over her lifeless body. "Mommy…." He cried, resting his head over her wet shirt, the deep red stain still seeping through it.
"Dad?" He heard his brother speak hoarsely from the corner of the room. He couldn't bear to look over again. He had already watched his father start to spasm slightly on the floor, obeying his brother's orders to turn around once he started to panic and cry out. All he could do was hold onto his mother and listen to the agonizing sounds coming from the corner. His breathing quickened once the sounds started to go silent, but he heard more of his brother's shuffling.
"…Dad?" Huey repeated again, his voice not being able to mask the alarm this time. There was another pause then, longer than all the others before there was the sound of a faint sniffle. "…Daddy?" His voice ultimately broke, causing Riley to lose it.
"Mama, PLEASE!" He lifted his damp face from her in a quick moment, now shaking her, begging her to get up. "You have to wake up Mommy, please!" He sobbed loudly, shaking her even harder. "MAMA-"
He didn't see the smack coming but it came, hard. In an instant, he was on the floor. He opened his eyes and looked over to see Huey now at his mother's side, in the spot he once knelt. He stared at her body mutely before looking the one place Riley couldn't bring himself to look: her face. He gently brushed his hand over her cheek, caressing it in the same manner she had always done to the both of them. He then moved his hand lightly across her forehead, sweeping some of the wisps of her bangs to the side, before slowly bringing his fingers down to close her eyes.
"Wh-wh-what are you doing, she's gonna wake up, she's not dead Huey, stop it!" Riley demanded, scrambling to his knees, ready to shove him out of the way. But Huey spun around, gripping him painfully by the shoulders with one of the fiercest looks Riley had ever seen him have.
Riley flinched, thought he was going to hit him, curse at him, or scream. He looked like he was ready to for a moment but in the next, the ferocity in his eyes passed as he blinked slowly, the grip against his arms loosening. When he looked at him again, his eyes were glassy and hollow.
"They're gone, Riley." Huey spoke, his voice deafeningly quiet.
"No." Riley objected instantly, furrowing his brow.
"You're in shock. I get that. I am too." Huey continued as if he hadn't spoke. "Granddad and Aunt Cookie and the police are on the way. It's going to happen fast so do what you need to do and say goodbye while you can."
"I'm not leaving them, Huey." Riley shook his head, gripping onto his mother's hand, willing it with everything he had to squeeze back. "I can't leave them. Mom… and Dad…." Riley's voice cracked once he dared to look towards the corner of the room again. His father was slumped up against the wall in the same state as his mother. His shirt was drenched in red, his body was motionless, and his eyes were already closed shut.
Tears continued to fall down his face the longer he stared at him. He took in a breath at the approaching sound of sirens entering their radius. He turned back to his brother in fear, feeling himself start to shake uncontrollably.
"We can't, Huey." He cried brokenly as he shut his eyes tightly. "We can't, we can't, we can't." He continued to sob, now holding his mother's hand against his face. "We can't leave them."
Although the tears continued to flow, he stilled at the feeling of his brother's hand on his shoulder. When he opened his eyes, he noticed that Huey's were now full of tears too.
"They've already left us."
And it's YOUR fault.
Riley jolted, his eyes snapping open at the intensity of his dream. It was a reoccurring one that he'd had on and off for years, ever since he was six years old. It was actually the first time he had it in a long while, but he couldn't be too surprised.
He rubbed his face with both hands, surprisingly not feeling any dampness beneath his eyes, aside from sweat. A stray tear or two would usually slide its way out during his dream, especially when that nasty thought that always seemed to accompany it made its presence known. No one had ever said those words to him, that it was his fault. Not then, not now. And yet, even after all those years, deep down it was something that Riley believed to be partially true.
Riley rubbed at his eyes, already eager to redirect his thoughts. He already had his time and had for years. It wasn't about him or his pain at the moment. It was about Cindy's.
He glanced over at her on the opposite side of the bed, which was already strange. Riley hadn't necessarily planned on staying over her house the night, and he was sure that she hadn't anticipated it either, but nothing had happened. They had just laid in bed, his clothes and her dress still on, and stayed in each other's company. Sometimes they would talk and other times they would lay in comfortable silence. The last thing Riley remembered was that he had been holding her in comfort after she had shed a few tears, and then they had both drifted to sleep. She now laid on the far edge of the bed, her back towards him as she faced the wall. She had been slightly restless throughout the night as she woke multiple times in Riley's arms. Each time it was as if she were pulling away and trying to escape, which wasn't like her. Riley had repeatedly tried to rub and soothe her, waking her from her bad dream and holding her in his arms again, but she would struggle against him again within the hour. Eventually he let her push away from his embrace in her sleep, sliding herself to the empty side of the bed, seeming to calm herself once she did.
Riley reached over without really thinking about it, gently brushing his hand against the side of her waist. To his surprise, her body instantly tensed up under his touch.
"You up?" He whispered softly in confusion.
"Yeah." She answered easily at a regular volume, back still turned and unmoving.
"…You aiight?" Riley asked after a pause, feeling awkward as he lifted his hand from her body.
Cindy's pause was even longer as she continued to face the wall in silence. "…Sure."
Riley sighed, propping himself up on an elbow. "You wanna talk?"
He almost expected her not to answer, she was quiet for so long, but she surprisingly turned over. She rolled onto her back first and just laid there, staring blankly at the ceiling. There were still smudges of dark makeup beneath her eyes and on her cheeks. Her face was still pale and patchy from crying all night, her skin red and swollen around her eyes. She stared ahead mutely, not glancing in Riley's direction as she continued to simply blink at the ceiling.
Riley watched her carefully, giving her at least a minute of silence before he spoke up. "What are you thinking?" He asked quietly.
He watched her take a breath, seeming to hold it for several moments before she answered. "She's really gone." She said matter-of-factly. Riley nodded slowly, hoping that she would continue.
"I thought I'd wake up." She spoke again, still staring straight ahead. "I really did. Even at the funeral. I thought that it was a bad dream and that I'd wake up. Even this morning. I was hoping… praying… that it had all been a dream…." She said, her voice getting quieter. When she blinked again, a tear escaped and slid horizontally down her cheek towards her ear.
"And it's not." Cindy whispered, her voice slightly cracking as she brought her hands up to cover and wipe at her face.
"Come here." Riley told her, scooting slightly closer and rubbing her arm. Cindy sniffed and pulled her hands down slightly, finally shifting her gaze to make eye contact with him. Her eyes seemed almost hollow as she stared at him, almost warily for some reason.
"Come here." He repeated, trying to shake the look as he patted the space next to him. The gaze she once held softened slightly as she eyed the spot he gestured to. She cautiously shifted her body closer to his, stopping and glancing up at him when they were a good few inches apart. Riley sucked his teeth unconsciously before easily pulling her body towards him, sliding his arm around her so that she was snug against him, the back of her head resting lightly against his shoulder.
"Listen," He began, lightly brushing his thumb against the side of her body while he held her. "I know what you're goin' through. Believe me. And it sucks. One hundred percent." He shook his head. "But I promise… you're gonna get through this."
"How?" Cindy asked immediately, not looking at him. "How do I even get past this?"
"One day at a time." He replied with a small shrug. "It's all you can do."
"Hard to do when all you can think of is what could've been." She told him, still staring straight ahead. "If I could've just been the daughter she wanted… played less sports… acted like less of a hoodrat… done the shit she wanted me to do… maybe things woulda been better… maybe she could've loved me…."
"Aye." Riley stopped her, lifting a finger under her chin so she'd look up at him. "One, you lost me at hoodrat." He paused to smirk. "That's one thing you ain't. And you already know… you perfect the way you are. And ain't no one gonna change a thing about you. You and your mama might not've seen eye to eye on a lot, but you know… she still loved you, C."
Cindy's eyes watered as Riley held her chin in place. "I keep trying to tell myself that but… now I'll never know…." She trailed off as Riley pulled her in closer and held her body to his.
"She was your mom, C. She loved you." He told her quietly. He closed his eyes when all he heard and felt were her quiet sobs.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, Riley just holding her as she cried. He waited until they had softened into light sniffles before he spoke again. "Talk to me, baby."
She didn't answer right away, still leaning her head against the side of his neck. "I think… I'll just need time."
"True." Riley agreed. "You're gonna have that. A lot of it. Some days will be better than others and some days will feel like shit." He told her honestly, glancing down at her. "You don't have to go through it alone. I'm here for you whenever you need me."
Cindy stared up at him for a moment, that unreadable look in her eyes again. "Thank you, Riley." She told him softly.
He caressed her side again, leaning down to plant a kiss on the top of her head. "You don't have to thank me."
"…But I do need you." Cindy said even softer after a moment. Riley glanced down at her again, crinkling his brow in both confusion and surprise. Before he could ask for an explanation, she spoke again.
"As my friend." She told him, watching him carefully.
"I am your friend," Riley began, still confused until he observed her more. She was staring at him with that look again. It was hollow and detached… guarded. And then he understood.
"Oh..." He trailed off after a beat, feeling almost foolish. "Just your friend." He clarified. Cindy brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, breaking eye contact with him while she cleared her throat.
"I need time, Riley." She repeated, still not looking at him. "I need to grieve… I need to heal… I need to somehow get back to myself. And I literally cannot deal with any more emotional damage right now… especially between us." She told him, finally looking up at him again. He matched her gaze and nodded his head slightly at her.
"I feel you." He agreed, and he meant it.
"I just need a little space." She added quietly. "I need to breathe. And I need you to just… be there for me. Without the complications."
"…So what you sayin' is that I'm a complication for you?" Riley cracked a smirk at her.
"Boy." Cindy rolled her eyes, but couldn't hold back the smile that Riley took pride in.
"Yeah girl?" He asked smartly, making her gaze up at him with a faint grin.
"Are we cool? Honestly."
Riley matched her level stare and nodded. "We're good, C."
Cindy let out an exhale and rubbed his arm in content. "Thank you."
"Always." Riley replied genuinely. "Do you want me to make some food? Or would you rather go somewhere for lunch?"
"No thanks." She immediately shook her head. "I don't have much of an appetite. I'll probably have leftovers later."
"You gotta eat, girl."
"Please don't worry about me, Reez." She responded, her voice slightly firm. "Don't you work today?"
"Oh I see you tryna kick me out, don't worry. I peep dat." He told her while he glanced at his watch. "Lucky for you, I probably do need to head up outta here."
"Lucky me." Cindy quipped, pulling out of his embrace and moving to get up from the bed.
"I mean, I can stay if you want." Riley offered while he stood from his side as well. "Tito would understand being with what happened. If you need me-"
"Don't be ridiculous." She cut him off, her back turned to him as she tugged down the hem of her dress. "I'm good. And I know you're not about to turn down a day to make paper."
"I think I'd be able to make an exception for you in this case." He countered evenly, giving a look to her turned back. When she turned around, she had one of her own while she walked towards him.
"I'm good. Really." She told him, putting up a brave face while she started to pass him. "Now bring your ass to work." She added louder, leading the way out of her bedroom. Riley rolled his eyes but followed her regardless.
"You want me to stop by after work?" He asked once they approached the door. He was thrown off by the wild look she gave him in return, but then realized what it must've sounded like. "Aye, not like that, swear." He explained, holding up his hands. "Just to check on you."
"Um, how bout you text me first?" Cindy said lightly, scratching the back of her head. "I'll probably go to bed earlier since I didn't get much sleep last night."
"Aiight." Riley shrugged. "You gonna text me though?" He asked, wanting to smack himself for almost sounding like a needy nigga.
Cindy paused for a brief beat before putting on what seemed like a forced smile. "I'll text you soon."
Riley blinked at her in return before giving her a slow nod. "Aiight." He repeated while she opened the door for him. "I'll see you, girl." He said, reaching down to give her a hug.
"I'll talk to you later." She replied, hugging him back.
"I'm here whenever you need to." He told her quietly near her ear.
"…Thanks, Reezy." She responded softly. Against his better judgement, he kissed her temple lightly before he pulled away. He noticed a light flush across her cheeks while she slightly avoided eye contact. Riley bit his lip, shaking off his regret as he stepped into the hallway.
"Later, C." He told her over his shoulder.
"Bye, Reez." She answered faintly, the door already a majority of the way closed as she said it. He released an exhale once the door was closed, slightly pissed as he headed to the elevator. Not at Cindy, but at himself. She literally just said she needed time and he was already kissing on her. It wasn't like it was a major kiss but he could tell it got to her. And he'd be lying if he said he didn't want to push it farther than a simple kiss on the head.
He needed to chill the hell out, for real this time. Cindy was serious, he could tell. Even by the way she kept looking at him, as if she didn't fully trust him. And the way she kept pausing and choosing her words real carefully… Riley already knew. She was going to distance herself for a bit. Not that it wasn't a normal reaction from losing a parent but… he had a feeling Cindy was going to distance herself from Riley in particular.
He had hurt her. Bad enough for her to want a break. Bad enough for her to want to pull back on their relationship period. He felt shitty about it. And he didn't know any other way to make it right than to give her what she wanted… space and time. He'd still check on her and be there when she needed, especially for the next couple weeks, but he was gonna try to give her space.
He owed her that much.
20 Minutes Later
But did he really owe them that much?
Riley debated this in his head for a few moments while he put his car in park alongside the curb. He was still way early for work, so when he started to drive by Granddad's house, he slowed down out of habit. Caesar's truck happened to be in the driveway, which meant that Huey had to be home along with Jazmine most likely.
Riley let out an involuntarily groan as he stepped out of his car and headed up the sidewalk to the main door. As usual he let himself in, already picking up on the voices coming from the kitchen. They quieted slightly at the sound of him closing the door shut.
"Did somebody just come in?" He heard Jazmine ask someone quietly.
Riley rolled his eyes at Caesar clearing his voice obnoxiously. "Who is iiiittt?" He called out, impersonating the line from Pineapple Express.
"Don't do that again." Riley heard Huey say while he headed down the hallway. He couldn't say that he wasn't expecting their initial reaction, but damn. Did they have to automatically hit him with the stank face? They were all standing around the island counter, apparently killing time before whatever food they were baking was ready in the oven. They instantly went silent as soon as they laid their eyes on Riley.
"…Sup?" He said lowly, shifting awkwardly at the entrance of the kitchen. Caesar just blinked at him mutely while he sipped his glass of tea. Huey gave him the angry scowl he always did. Jazmine was surprisingly the first one to speak after giving him a brief once-over.
"Why are you still in your dress clothes?" She asked directly.
"I was at Cindy's." He replied, shrugging a shoulder. He realized he had to clear it up after the hostile look he got in return for the second time that day. "Not like that, damn! I was just checking on her. Ain't shit happen between us." He explained vehemently. Not that it's any of your business, he wanted to add at the end but thought better of it.
"How is she?" Caesar asked him instead.
"She's aiight. Doin' about as well as you'd expect." Riley shrugged again. Caesar nodded in understanding, Jazmine's gaze softened into sadness, but Huey's look remained the same. Riley wasn't surprised by his response.
"What are you doing here?" He asked unsympathetically. Riley cursed in his head while all three of them waited for an answer. He knew Huey would ask him that as soon as he saw him, and yet he still didn't have a good comeback for it yet. Riley glanced back at them each before clearing his throat, trying to choose his words.
"Look… a lot of shit went down, aiight?" He began gruffly, crossing his arms and not making eye contact. "I ain't sayin' I'm proud of everything I said and did, but at this point, I ain't really tryna go back there." He explained, glancing up at them. "Can we just… drop it, y'all? And move on? I don't really see a need in rehashin' old shit."
It was awkwardly silent for a few moments before Jazmine spoke again. "You really wanna drop it and move forward?"
"Well yeah."
"We tried that before, bruh." Caesar pointed out.
"Which worked out so well." Huey added with brittle sarcasm.
"Bit-… Huey," Riley corrected through gritted teeth, holding it back. "I already know and already said I don't wanna talk about old shit. I just wanna move on. For real."
"For real for real?" Jazmine asked, the corners of her lips hinting at a smirk.
"For real for real, Jazz." Riley nodded with a grin. A tiny smile of her own broke out as she glanced from Caesar to Huey.
"I think that would be good for all of us."
"As long as you're off your bullshit, nigga." Caesar implied.
"Nigga, me? You were the one-"
"Three seconds later and he still on it." Caesar smirked triumphantly at Jazmine.
"Nigga the fuck outta here, you said that shit on purpose!" Riley objected, walking over to them.
"Did I though?"
"If you don't-"
"Glad to see we're back to normal." Jazmine cut in, lightly pushing them back from each other. She then stepped up to Riley and surprised him in a hug.
"Thanks for being there for Cindy." She told him quietly. Riley let out a grin, lightly hugging her back.
"I did it for her, not for you Mariah." He smirked.
"I know. Thank you." Jazmine smiled at him anyway when she pulled back. "And I know we said we weren't rehashing things, but I did want to apologize… for the slap." She admitted, wincing slightly.
"Girl, that was cold as hell!" Riley instantly complained.
"Hold up, there was a slap?" Caesar butt in.
"I'm sorryyyy!" Jazmine apologized again, clearly feeling bad.
"She slapped the fuck out of him." Huey spoke up with a smirk.
"Yoooooo!"
"I'll be damned if I ever get slapped like that."
"It ain't hurt that bad, punk!"
"You sure as hell whinin' like it did!"
"Shut up! She ain't about to sucker me like that again, believe that."
"A, I didn't sucker you period. B, it wasn't the first time. And C, it certainly won't be the last." Jazmine smirked boastfully.
"Yeah-yeah, keep talkin' dat bull… wait… whatchu mean it wasn't the first time?!"
Jazmine's POV
This wasn't normal. Not for Cindy.
Jazmine watched in concern as her friend picked at her pizza idly. Her pizza. Her favorite style from her favorite pizza joint that she'd been going to for years. On an average day, Cindy would have already polished off her second slice and would be over halfway through her third. But today, it had already been more than a half hour and she had barely eaten a third of her first slice.
"Is something wrong with it?" Jazmine asked her gently. She sat diagonal from her at her dining room table, already finished with her plate before Cindy which never happened. Jazmine had stopped to get takeout on her way up to visit her for a surprise lunch. She had initially opened the door looking whooped, but did seem semi-grateful to see her. Upon entering and noticing the almost empty bottle of Pinot Noir on the coffee table, Jazmine concluded it was probably one of the reasons she looked so out of it.
"It's fine." Cindy nodded slightly, reaching instead for her wine glass. "I'm just not that hungry today."
"Have you been eating?"
"Yes mom." She quipped in return.
"Saying you're not that hungry today isn't that convincing." Jazmine pointed out.
Cindy didn't respond, instead giving her a passive look as she took a large and exaggerated bite of her pizza.
"MMM." She added sarcastically.
Jazmine stared back at her, deadpanned. "…You're so extra."
Cindy shrugged in return, but surprisingly cracked a grin. Jazmine took advantage of her lightened mood and changed the subject. "What all did you do today?"
"Was bored out of my mind til you showed up. I almost considered cleaning my entire apartment… almost." She revised, swirling her glass. "I dunno. I'll probably sketch up some new plans for choreography later. I'm thinkin' about goin' back to work tomorrow to be honest."
"Tomorrow?" Jazmine echoed. "Today is Tuesday, Cindy. It's only been two days since the funeral. You definitely get more time than that."
"I don't need more time, I'm good." She replied easily, finally taking another bite of her pizza. "The hell I need more time for?" She grumbled with her mouth full.
"To cope." Jazmine told her calmly.
Cindy let out a light scoff. "I can cope at work. I'm not the type to stay home and internalize it. I need to do something to keep me busy."
"Whatever will help you." Jazmine shrugged, not in the mood to argue about it if she was already set in her decision. "How have you been dealing with it so far? Honestly."
"I have my moments." Cindy admitted quietly. "The funeral and the days before it were obviously the worst. Yesterday was a little hard too. I'm feeling better today though."
"I heard that Riley visited you yesterday." Jazmine brought up casually, trying to gage her reaction. Cindy gave her a questioning glance, raising an eyebrow.
"He actually talked to you?"
"Yeah." She nodded. "To all of us actually. We're moving on from it. For good this time."
"And he initiated the conversation?"
"He did."
Cindy seemed surprised. "Well I'll be damned."
Jazmine nodded slowly, still feeling her out. "So how are the two of you now?" She asked cautiously.
"We're good." She answered simply.
"Yeah?"
"Mm-hm."
"Did you talk or clear things up or…?" Jazmine trailed off, sensing her holding back. She could confirm that by the way she slightly cut her eyes as she glanced in her direction again.
"Did Reezy say we talked?" She asked instead.
Jazmine hedged. She could feel the mood already taking a turn. "I mean, not really. He didn't really say too much of anything other than he was over here. I was just wondering-"
"Wondering what, Jazz?" Cindy interrupted, facing her fully. "We're fine. Why do you ask?" She demanded point-blank, giving her a level look.
Jazmine shook her head quickly with a shrug, feigning that she was backing off. "No reason."
But that was a lie. Especially after the interesting conversation she had with Riley not long after their resolution yesterday.
"So uh… are you gonna check on her?" Riley had asked Jazmine discreetly while Huey and Caesar had been preoccupied in the other room. Jazmine looked at him like he had grown three heads.
"Of course I'm going to. What sort of question is that? Aren't you?" She asked, confused. He seemed to hesitate with his response.
"Kinda."
"What does that even mean, Riley?" Jazmine sighed, wishing he would just say what he meant. He was quiet again for a moment.
"I'm tryna give her some space. That's all." He finally revealed, throwing her off.
"What? What do you mean? If anything she needs you most of all right now!"
"It's what she said." He snapped back. "And what she wants. I'm tryin' to respect that, aiight?"
"So what, you guys are not talking?" Jazmine crossed her arms.
"Not necessarily. She's just pullin' back from me. I don't wanna force nothin' or make her upset so I'm tryna back off too for a while." He shrugged.
"Okay?" Jazmine was still confused.
"Can you just keep an eye on her for me? And let me know how she's doin'?" Riley asked her, seeming strangely sincere. "She'll talk to you but… I don't think she wants to hear from me right now."
And I have a few guesses as to why. Jazmine kept the thought to herself, thinking back to Cindy's earlier confessions and insecurities about Riley.
Regardless, Jazmine found herself somehow agreeing to checking on her for him. Obviously he didn't need to know everything regarding what Cindy was going through, especially regarding him. But Jazmine already had a hunch about that. And she was planning to figure out the root of what was going on with Cindy.
"You sure actin' like there's a reason." Cindy quickly snapped her out of her own thoughts when she replied to her, still casting off an unhappy mood as she glared at her pizza.
"I just want you two to be okay, that's all." Jazmine sighed.
"We will be… we are." Cindy corrected herself, seeming borderline pissed at herself for her slip-up. Jazmine watched her intently.
"It wouldn't be a huge surprise if you guys aren't there yet. A lot has happened." She told her slowly. Cindy scoffed.
"The only thing that's happened is some stupid-ass fucking. That's it."
Jazmine ignored the bluntness and continued. "Maybe the act itself was… simple, but I can only imagine that it could've easily altered the vibe and feelings associated with it."
"Girl please." Cindy rolled her eyes again. "The vibe associated was whatever and the feelings were nonexistent." She shrugged, leaning back in her chair carelessly.
Jazmine blinked at her, trying to feign a neutral expression. Did Cindy suddenly forget what she had revealed to her that night?
"I just need some time right now. To 'cope' and shit." She air-quoted, lifting her wine again. "Once I get back to myself, who knows… we might even go back to it." She muttered into her glass before draining it.
That caused Jazmine to break out of her composure. "You'd really go back to that again? Seriously?" She blurted, not being able to keep her mouth shut.
Just like that, her guard was back up. "Why would it be any of your business?"
"Because you just said it to my damn face!" Jazmine shot back, already irritated. "Why the hell would you put yourself through this again?"
"Through what?" Cindy demanded, getting louder.
"HEARTBREAK!" Jazmine out-did her, already having enough. "You just went through this and were miserable! How many times did you tell me that you regretted it and wished you had never started? How long do you want to watch Riley with Tish and how many other girls while he's sleeping with you?"
Cindy rose from her seat immediately, skidding her chair back noisily in the process. "You know what, fuck this. I should've never said anything to you about it." She hissed, collecting her empty plate, glass, and pizza box.
"You should've never thought anything about that!" Jazmine retorted, following quickly behind her to the kitchen. This was out of control.
"So much for moving on and staying out of our business." Cindy sneered, throwing her plate and glass down into the sink with unnecessary force. "Glad that lasted a while."
"I don't give a damn about that!" Jazmine exclaimed, placing her dish and cup on the counter. "I'm all for moving on and staying out of your drama and your business the best that I can, but I'm just trying to protect you. And I would hope that you'd want to protect yourself."
"Oh, you want me to protect myself from Reezy now?" She demanded, tossing the box onto the countertop before crossing her arms in disbelief.
"I want you to protect your heart from him." Jazmine replied in seriousness. "It's not just about being with Riley. Hell, in my opinion you both would make a great couple. In a committed and exclusive relationship together." She stressed. "But this? Whatever the two of you have been doing is volatile, Cindy. For you and for him. But mostly for you."
"Oh you know me so well, huh bitch?" Cindy retorted idiotically. Jazmine's eyes narrowed at the insult but ignored it, chalking it up to the alcohol in her system. "And why is it sooo terrible for me then?"
"Because you LIKE him, stupid!" Jazmine shouted at her. She wasn't one to call anyone out of their names, but she had started it.
"That's not true!" Cindy immediately replied, clearly flustered. It was all over her face as her cheeks flamed red.
"It IS true and we both know it." Jazmine shot back evenly. "In the grand scheme of things, it's not a big deal. Like him, don't like him. Date him, don't date him. But don't keep putting yourself and your heart in limbo like this when there's no cause for it!"
"And you think you know everything!" Cindy shouted at her suddenly. Her body was rigid and her face was contorted in anger but her eyes were just… sad.
"You think that just because you have the 'perfect' boyfriend and 'perfect' relationship, everyone needs to get on a fuckin' Juey level!" Cindy continued to yell at her. "Not everybody's got it like that! And not everybody has someone that even wants them all like that! Some people are just fucking lonely. Not that you would know shit about that." She scoffed, giving her a look of disdain and slight hurt.
"Cindy." Jazmine sighed, trying to calm herself down. Trying to even find the words to get through to her while she was acting like this. "Look. I never said I have the perfect boyfriend… because I promise you I don't. And I can also promise you that I now and will never have the perfect relationship. That's unrealistic. And it's not about that. And not about me right now. This is about you." She told her seriously, taking the opportunity to continue when she realized that she wasn't ready to respond yet. She cleared her throat and took a few paces closer, watching her sadly.
"You're not in a good place, Cindy." She told her quietly. "We both know that. A lot has happened. A lot has gone on. And a lot has changed… forever." Jazmine spoke softly, feeling her eyes well up at the sight of Cindy's doing the same. "I care about you. And I love you like you're my sister. Which means you can yell and scream at me. You can call me every name in the book. You can try your best to push me away. But at the end of the day? I'm not going anywhere. And I'm here for you… when you want me and even when you don't want me to be." Jazmine concluded, wrapping her arms around herself. Cindy continued to eye her silently and unmoving. With a quiet sigh, Jazmine shrugged and turned around, prepared to leave and try again tomorrow.
"I don't even know what the fuck I want."
Jazmine paused mid-step and glanced over her shoulder, shocked to have heard her finally speak. She avoided eye contact, instead choosing to stare solemnly at the clock on her stovetop.
"I don't even know… what the fuck I even want." Cindy repeated, her voice quiet and strained as Jazmine turned to fully face her. "My mom back?" She let out a humorless attempt of a chuckle. "I guess? I probably sound like a heartless bitch, but that's how I feel. I wish I could change the way that she died. I wish she hadn't have died before we could've maybe one day salvaged our relationship. But if she were alive… it honestly probably would've been more of the same. Even if she died at 90, our relationship probably wouldn't be any better than it was now." She said, glancing down at the floor. Jazmine was silent, patiently giving her time to continue if she wanted.
"Do I want to go back to my arrangement with Riley?" She surprisingly spoke after a few beats, eyes still on the floor. "I don't know… probably not. Not for the right reasons anyway. Other than the sex, I don't like the way it makes me feel after everything's done. I don't like how he comes and goes. I don't necessarily like that there's others. I don't like a lot of things…." She trailed off, letting out a sniff as she lifted her head up and stared straight ahead, clearly trying not to let any tears fall. Jazmine walked closer again, not stopping until she was right in front of her.
"Then why do you do it?" She asked her gently, anticipating the response. It took a few moments for Cindy to finally make eye contact, a few tears falling when she blinked at her.
"Because I might want Riley."
Several minutes later had them both sprawled out on their backs on Cindy's bed (their usual positions), as they stared at the ceiling quietly. Jazmine found that it was easier and more effective when she let Cindy speak first and lead the conversation where she wanted to go. So she waited patiently for Cindy to break the silence.
"I didn't mean to say it out loud. That I wanted to mess around with him." She said after a few minutes of quiet. Jazmine nodded slowly without glancing her way.
"It was probably the wine talking." She suggested.
"Yeah…" Cindy agreed, trailing off. "I don't want that anymore."
"You only want Riley."
"…Maybe."
Jazmine turned slightly to her at her hesitation. "Why don't you tell him, Cin?"
"Because." Cindy muttered, not making eye contact. "One, I don't know if I really do or if I'm just lonely. And two… I just can't."
"Why?" Jazmine still didn't understand. Cindy finally looked at her, seeming slightly exasperated.
"How can I? How am I supposed to admit to him that I may have developed feelings for him, something we both said we weren't going to do? And they came by way of fucking? So I can look like even more of a hoe? I just can't do that."
"You are not a hoe. And I really don't like that you keep labeling yourself like that when it comes to this situation." Jazmine replied strongly.
"Only hoes get themselves into this kind of situation." Cindy mumbled.
"That's not true either." Jazmine shook her head. "Good people get themselves hung up by situations like this all the time. Some people end up dating the person and some people end up pregnant. It doesn't make everyone hoes."
"I ain't talkin' about everyone then, I'm talkin' about me. I don't like the way it makes me feel."
"Then stop."
"I want to." Cindy answered, sounding truthful about that.
"What's holding you back then, other than him?"
"…Nothing." She shrugged." I told him I need time. And I do. But after I have the time I need, what if he asks to start up again?"
"Tell him you want out. Simple as that. If he's your friend and it's a friends-first sort of relationship like you say it is, he'll respect what you want and understand." Jazmine told her.
"I'll still never be able to tell him… that I might like him."
"Why not?"
"Because even if we don't hook up like that again, how then can I come out of the blue and tell him I like him? And admit that I started liking him during the time of our arrangement? It's not like I can ever date him."
"Let me tell you something." Jazmine said, waiting until Cindy made eye contact with her again. "If it's meant to be, it will be, Cindy. Period. You can't stress about scenarios that may or may not happen. It'll happen naturally."
"If it's meant to be." She repeated as if she were looking for clarity.
"Exactly." Jazmine nodded.
"How can I even face him in the meantime?"
"The same way you always would. Nothing has to change."
"Everything already has."
"Hey. This renewed friendship between the two of you, now void of any sexual interaction, is now on your terms. You set the tone, you decide what makes you comfortable, and you decide when you're ready."
"For what?"
"Anything. What you'll do when you hang out, where you'll want to do that, and when you'll even be comfortable to do that. He's giving you the time you need, so take it. And use it to your advantage." Jazmine explained simply.
Cindy stared at her for a minute before facing the ceiling, seeming to be in thought. Jazmine was almost surprised when she subtly glanced back over to her, the hint of a tiny smirk at the edge of her lips.
"You really do have all the answers, huh?" She finally spoke in a teasing manner.
Jazmine smiled back and shook her head. "Not all of them."
"Oh yeah?"
"No... Cindy?"
"Yeah?"
"…What the hell is a Juey?"
She didn't understand why Cindy slapped her forehead the way she did, letting out a groan.
Cindy's POV
"How did you enjoy it, loves?"
"The duck was a little overly well-done for my taste."
"I didn't want to say anything, but I'm positive they added the wrong dressing to my salad."
"Oh, mine too. The service was a bit slacked today."
"I agree. The only saving grace was the waiter."
"He was nice to look at… at the very least, I suppose."
"Now then, girls." Cindy's father chuckled light-heartedly at the two of his daughters, save for Cindy. He probably didn't even realize that she hadn't replied to his question. Not that she was surprised. Her step-sisters could definitely fill the voids of silence on Cindy's end, whatever their names were. As far as Cindy was concerned, their names might as well be Drizella and Anastasia. She had been half-tempted to call them that several times during their meet-up, but held back for her father's sake. This was his second time reaching out for her to join his family for lunch.
Now that was something that actually shocked her. Ever since Cindy's father had divorced from her mother and re-married, Cindy almost never saw him and rarely ever heard from him if she didn't count mailed checks for bills and birthday money. She knew that had everything to do with his new wife, Madeline. She also knew that Madeline had despised her mother, which wasn't too surprising after all of the hell she had raised through phone calls and constant texts to her father, going so far as to show up drunk at their house one night and demand to be seen.
It was no surprise that she probably couldn't stand Cindy either. Their first time truly meeting was at the funeral. She was civil towards her, but it was fake. Cindy could tell and didn't have time for it. Thankfully, she hadn't been able to make it to lunch according to Cindy's father, due to a prior engagement. Judging by the way the evil step-sisters shared knowing looks to each other, Cindy somehow doubted it.
These bitches. If she could remember, their names were Gwendolyn and Evelyn. They might as well have been twins, they looked, spoke, and acted just alike. The only difference was the way they styled their dark brunette hair. Gwendolyn's was cut short into a wavy inverted bob, held back by a girly headband. Evelyn's on the other hand was long and down her back, styled today into a curly Pinterest-looking waterfall braid.
Cindy couldn't believe these chicks were over three years younger than her, Evelyn seventeen and Gwendolyn barely eighteen, yet they acted like they were grown. Other than the funeral, which neither had said much, this was the first real time getting to know them. And she didn't like what she saw, even from the start.
"So glad you could make it, honey." Her father had stood and warmly greeted her once she entered the dining room of the Wuncler Golf & Country Club.
"Thanks, Dad." She replied, reminding herself to smile when he enveloped her in a hug. Her father had originally invited Cindy to meet with them three days after the funeral but she had made up an excuse about not being able to make it; she just wasn't ready. After about a week and a half later and another offer to meet, she forced herself to go and spend time with the only family she had left.
"Gwendolyn, Evelyn. You girls remember Cynthia." He spoke to his two other daughters still seated at the table, not looking too impressed. Cindy had tried not to grimace too hard at the use of her extended name and took a seat down at the table at her father's gesture.
"Of course, Daddy." Gwendolyn seemed to put on a false smile as she stared down Cindy, Evelyn doing the same. "How are you? We're so glad you could join us."
Somehow I doubt it. Cindy had thought to herself, but held the dig back. "I'm fantastic." She had responded with a fake smile of her own. She realized it might've sounded too sarcastic, so she continued. "How is your day going so far?"
"Amazing." Evelyn spoke this time. "We got up early to do a little riding which was nice. And sometime after lunch, Daddy promised to take us out on the boat later." She had smiled, turning to bat her eyes at him.
"One after your homework." Her father had winked, ignoring the small pout.
The lunch went on, Cindy not talking much as she tried to control her expressions for most of it. She couldn't figure out which was more difficult, controlling her reactions over the blasé conversation, trying to figure out the shit on the menu, or trying to ignore the way her lovely step-sisters kept sizing her up when they thought she wasn't looking. She let it go on for about ten minutes when she couldn't bite her tongue any longer.
"Yes?" She finally snapped her eyes up, directing her focus on the last person she caught staring, which happened to be Evelyn.
"W-what do you mean?" She asked, seeming surprised Cindy had called her out and most likely noticed the edge she had in her voice.
"You've been watching me for the past several minutes, did you need to ask me something or…?" She said plainly, raising a brow at her.
"Oh, it's nothing really, I just-"
"I think we've both just been observing your outfit this whole time." Gwendolyn surprisingly inserted herself into the conversation smoothly, not looking too flustered unlike her sister. "It's very unique." She grinned cunningly, seeming to enjoy Cindy's glare in return. She instead turned to her father. "Isn't it, Daddy?" She had asked, pretending to sound sweet.
"All of my girls look beautiful today." He had replied proudly, completely clueless.
"Thanks." Cindy answered quickly, not able to keep the clipped tone out of her voice as she stared down Gwendolyn. "I've never been to a country club. I thought they were usual dressy casual." She had worn a white chiffon V-neck blouse tucked inside a cute pair of black and white printed shorts. To dress it up slightly, she had worn low-wedge sandals and had styled her hair down her back with a few loose beach waves. She had actually thought she looked decent and yet this bitch had a problem with her outfit?
"I mean… that's an easy mistake if you've never been to a country club." Gwendolyn told her with fake empathy. "But for this particular club during lunch and dinner meals, especially on a Friday, they usually prefer you to class it up a little more." She added lightly, casually gesturing down to her own ensemble, which was a floral tea-length dress.
"'Class it up a little more?'" Cindy echoed, her eyes flashing at her. Did she really wanna go down this road?
"Like with a nice cocktail dress or skirt or something." Evelyn had finally found her way back into the conversation, but she didn't say it as nastily as her sister did. Cindy honestly couldn't even tell if she had picked up on it or if she was just that oblivious. "But how could you know if you've never been? Maybe one day we can take you shopping to the mall we like and we can find you something." She smiled, seeming almost genuine. Cindy had stared back at her, not being able to tell if she could trust her.
"Isn't that right, Gwen?" Evelyn asked, turning towards her with a hopeful grin. Cindy almost took pride in the way that she was clearly so not down with that, but obviously couldn't say so with their father right there. So she forced a smile, reaching over to firmly pat her sister's arm.
"Oh Ev, you're such a peach." Gwendolyn replied simply, but even Cindy could hear the audible sarcasm laced through it.
Cindy almost grinned thinking back about it. Gwen was definitely that bitch. Evelyn? The jury was still out. Being younger, she might've just picked up on her sister's bad habits, not knowing better. Cindy would have to see… maybe. They were the only family that she now had pretty much, but she doubted if they could really act like or even blend as a family. Especially when step-mommy dearest didn't seem to want anything to do with her. It seemed pretty doubtful in Cindy's opinion.
"Sweetheart?"
Cindy finally glanced up, surprised that her father was addressing her. "Yes?"
"Where'd you park, dear?" He asked. They were now out in the parking lot after lunch. She hadn't really been paying attention to the fact that she had idly followed them to their car, a new-edition black Benz of course. The girls had already started getting inside.
"Oh, right down there." Cindy gestured down the lot vaguely.
"Okay then. Would you like to join us again for lunch next time? We usually try to go weekly." He told her with a grin. Cindy avoided his eye contact slightly, not really sure how he could smile and go on like this was normal.
"I'll have to check and get back to you, Dad. I probably won't be able to go every week because of my schedule, but I'll try every once in a while when I can." She answered, trying to make it seem reasonable.
"That sounds fair, honey. Whenever you can, just let me know. We'd love to have you." He smiled at her, reaching his arms around her to hug her. "I'm so glad you came. And your mo-Madeline is sorry again that she missed you. She promises that she'll make it the next time that you can come." Her father said sheepishly as he pulled back, his face slightly turning red. He had tried to clear it up but Cindy had heard it. He almost referred to that woman as her mother. The woman he had gone to instead, fathering and raising her children instead of physically being there for Cindy.
"Okay, Dad. I'll see you. Love you." She told him quickly, trying to get out of there as soon as possible. She gave a haphazard wave to the back window of the Benz as she was already walking away.
"Be safe getting home, honey!" Her father called behind her. She didn't look back as she tossed a wave over her shoulder briefly, eyes in her bag looking for her keys. She couldn't even respond after that.
It wasn't long before she was cruising down the highway, not really sure where she was heading next. She had gotten off for that day and hadn't really had a plan in mind, other than lunch. She had no idea what she wanted to do, but knew she wasn't really in the mood to stay at her house all day. She could always go to the gym, but she almost wasn't even feeling that. She kind of wanted to hang out. Maybe with Jazmine, since it had been a few days since she'd seen her. Possibly Caesar because it had been a minute since they'd hung out one-on-one, especially since he'd been hanging around his new girl lately; she still needed the latest update on that. She supposed that they haven't hung out as a group ever since the funeral but… the invitation to the group always extended to one grumpy Freeman and one that she'd been isolating herself from.
He had texted her a few times within the past week. When she responded, she kept it brief, ending the conversation pretty early. She knew he was checking on her and was maybe even worried about her, but to be honest, she was worried about herself. She wasn't ready… not ready at all to go back down that road with Riley. She didn't even want to go near it. And if that meant keeping to herself and not seeing him for as long as she needed, Jazmine was right. She had that right. And she was going to use it.
Tick-tick-tick-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-tick.
"Whoa," Cindy said aloud, snapping out of her thoughts as she suddenly felt a weird shift in the pressure on the gas pedal. When she glanced at her dashboard, she squinted at it in disbelief. She was just going about 70mph just a few moments ago, but now her speed read 0 along with everything else on her dash. Her gas gage fell below empty, the car temperature read below the cold line, and she hadn't even noticed until just then that her radio had shut off by itself. The only thing that still had a gage was the RPM meter, but it was steadily declining even though Cindy was trying to apply more and more pressure to the gas.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit." Cindy repeated over and over to herself, quickly turning on her hazard lights and trying not to work herself up. She was already in the farthest right lane, so she carefully merged her car onto the gravelly shoulder of the road, along her car to coast down until it quickly ran out of power.
"Please baby, please." Cindy begged, taking her key out of the ignition before placing back in and attempting to turn it over. She placed her head on her steering wheel when all she heard was that dreadful click, followed by everything flashing on her dashboard at the same time. After a few more times of trying and arriving to the same result, she tore the keys out of the ignition and threw them angrily onto the seat.
"Fuck!" She yelled, not even believing that this was really happening to her. What the actual fuck was she gonna do? She had no idea what the hell even happened. And no idea what to do other than….
She instantly closed her eyes as soon as her mind went there, wanting to scream at the top of her lungs.
You just haaadddd to think about him, didn't you? You didn't want to see or talk to him today, bitch? Well guess fucking what?
"Dammit, shit, fuck." Cindy hissed harshly to herself, pulling out her cellphone and scrolling for his name. She hesitated over it when she found it, not even sure what to say other than, "Funny story but I kinda need you. Not in the usual way, but to do me a favor and fix my car." It just sounded bitchy to her. But she didn't have a choice. So she dialed Riley's number.
It surprisingly rang and rang, which was rare for him. He almost always answered, which is why she was shocked when she started to hear the pre-recorded message to leave a voicemail. She hung up with a groan, not about to leave him a damn message anytime soon.
"Fuck this." She muttered, glancing in her side mirror before popping her hood and stepping out of the car. She lifted and set the hood up, using the band on her wrist after to quickly pull her hair up into a high ponytail. While she did that, she listened and looked around for anything out of the ordinary. Other than that initial ticking, she didn't hear anything now. Nothing was smoking and nothing smelled funny. Everything looked the same as it always did to the naked eye.
She left the hood up and stepped back to the side of the car, opening her door to grab her phone to use it as a flashlight. When she exited her car again, she noticed a rusty truck slide up slowly beside her as he rolled the window down. It was a grungy looking man with an even grosser looking grin.
"Need some help, sweetheart?" He asked loudly over the noise of the highway.
"Uh, no thanks I'm good." Cindy called back instead, glancing away as she walked back to her hood.
"Hold on, I'll pull over." She heard the man say.
"Wait no, I'm-" She turned, trying to stop him, but it was too late. He already swerved quickly in front of her car and put it in park.
"Of course. The only help I get is from this dude." She mumbled sarcastically to herself, watching the older man step out of his truck. He was even grimier the closer he approached, and Cindy was not feeling his vibe at all.
"What seems to be the problem, babydoll?" He asked, standing way closer than necessary to her. He didn't even glance at the open engine, only stared up and down at her.
"I don't think you heard me, I said that I'm good. My friend should be coming to get me soon. But thanks for checking." She put up a fake smile, taking a slight step backwards from him.
"I don't mind waitin' around. Perhaps I can be of even better assistance." He supplied with a wink, stepping back into her personal space again.
"I'm good, sir. My friend's a mechanic, he'll be here any minute now. Have a good day though." Cindy told him again, trying not to keep the glare off her face but failing.
"What if I told you I'm a mechanic? I can fix what you need here and that much more." He told her creepily, causing Cindy to instinctively take another step back, right into the chest of someone else.
"Ahh!" Cindy shrieked as she spun around, practically in mid-swing thinking that she was about to get jumped, but was stopped by a pair of gentle arms restraining her and an even gentler voice.
"Hey, hey, it's okay, it's just me." The man smiled down kindly at her, and Cindy was almost taken aback. For one thing, she had never seen this dude in her life. What the hell did he mean it was "just him?" Did he have her confused for another and luckier bitch? Because for the other thing… good… GOD. Cindy had just backed into one of the finest brothas she had ever seen in person in her life. Homeboy was tall, had that pristine fade, sexy facial hair, an amazing physique, and damn. Some of the easiest eyes she had ever looked into.
Was this real life?
"You aiight, girl?" The mystery man asked, seeming to be giving her a questioning grin. And damn it didn't help that his voice melted her like butter.
"Uhhh..." Cindy blushed, feeling like an idiot as she quickly tried to compose herself. "I'm fine but who-"
"How am I here already?" He interrupted her lightly. "I got your message, I told you I was on my way. Let's see what's going on with your engine." He said, gesturing for her to lead. It was then that Cindy got it and beamed at him in thanks. He smiled back at her before glancing up, locking eyes on the grungy guy who was still standing there. "We're all good man, thanks for looking out."
"Well I already told her I can help her." He told him rudely, having the nerve to get an attitude.
"And I already told you, that I don't need you!" Cindy snapped at him, over this dude. She flinched when he suddenly pointed a hard finger in her direction.
"Watch it you little-"
"AYE!" The man behind Cindy barked, making them both jump at the bass in his voice. He easily slid Cindy out of the way and got right in the other guy's face.
"You already heard her, so now hear me." He gritted out starkly. "Step… OFF." He warned, his voice filled with intimidation. The grungy dude took a step back, seeming to rethink it before curling up his lip in disdain at the both of them.
"Y'all ain't worth my charity." He sniffed, spitting onto the ground as he headed back to his dirty truck and got in. Cindy sighed with relief as she watched him peel out unnecessarily. She blushed when the guy turned back to her with another one of those grins.
"I don't even wanna know what version of charity he offered you." He chuckled.
"It would've probably been very sad and extremely disappointing." She quipped, making him laugh genuinely, a soft and rumbly one that was enjoyable to hear.
"I bet." He smiled. "So, you still need help with your car or you got someone coming?"
"I don't have anyone coming at all. How'd you know that though?" Cindy asked curiously.
"I was standing not too far behind you when you said it."
"When'd you even get there?"
"Well, Flannel-Pants had been driving in front of me for a minute. I had to pretty much stop once he slowed down that suddenly to talk to you. I could see all over your face that you did not want that man anywhere near you. So I figured I should probably pull over to help you out." He shrugged.
"Wow… that's really nice of you." Cindy told him, impressed. "Thank you."
"You don't have to thank me." He shook his head. "What's your name though?"
"Oh my God, I'm so rude. I'm Cindy." She quickly held her hand out to shake.
He grinned, reaching for it. "Nice to meet you, So-Rude-I'm-Cindy. I'm Landon. Landon Rivers."
Even his name is like magic.
"Do you always got jokes, Rivers?" She grinned instead at him.
"Usually. Do you usually have long conversations on the side of the highway with strangers, Cindy?" He asked, glancing down at the way their hands were still lightly shaking.
Cindy laughed, fighting her blush as she let go. "You'd be my first."
"Lucky me." Landon smirked, a little mischievously this time. Cindy quickly looked away from him and headed to the hood of her car once again.
"Aiight boy, you helpin' me or what?"
"It's what I'm here for." He said from behind her.
"Knock yourself out." She told him, gesturing to it. She couldn't even front like she had any idea what she was looking at. Meanwhile, Landon rolled up his sleeves and immediately started eyeing everything.
"What happened? It just stalled out on you?"
"It just stopped, period. I have no idea."
"Any noise or warnings?"
"Just some really low and brief ticking, then it just died. None of my service lights came on or nothin' though."
"Hmm… nothing seems to be too out of place. I'm thinking it's either your battery, your timing belt, or alternator."
"Yeah?" She asked, not knowing anything other than battery.
"I think so. I might be able to jump it with my car though. I have some cables in my trunk."
"Really?" Cindy asked quickly. "You think that would work and I'd be able to start my car?"
"It should work. Cross your fingers though." He said, stepping back from her hood and glancing at the traffic that continued to pass by. "If you want to stand further up here by the guard rail, I'm going to go pull my car up as close as I can next to yours. But I want you to stand up here out of the way."
"Aww, you don't want to hit me?" She teased, following him to where he said to stand.
"Nah girl, I just don't want another car to hit you. Or to bump me into you. People fly down this stretch."
"My hero." She grinned cheekily at him, making him smirk at her again before he went to get his car. He put on his hazard lights but still had to pull up so slowly because of the traffic swerving around him. Once he was close as he was able to get without tapping her mirror, he waited until the coast was clear so he could hop out and bring the cables over.
"You don't have your keys turned on in the ignition, right?" He asked.
"Nope. I wanted to pretty much through them into the street."
"Nice." He chuckled. "Alright, how about you get in your car from the passenger side and just give me just a few minutes to hook this up." He said, popping up the hood of his car as well.
"Take your time." Cindy said, glancing at her phone as she opened her side door to get in. Riley still hadn't called her back yet. What the hell?
It wasn't long after examining the engines before he began to hook things up. Cindy watched him closely, not being able to pull her eyes away from him as he was deep in concentration.
This boy is way too fine. And he's good with his hands? And cars at that?
Riley who?
"Try starting it up?" Landon called, pulling her out of her trailing thoughts. She nodded and placed the key in the ignition again, lightly holding her breath as she turned it forward.
"Yes!" She exclaimed, a wave of relief going through her body as her car finally churned to life.
"There it is." Landon grinned with a satisfied nod, watching her engine go for a while. Cindy scrambled out of her car through the passenger side again, hurrying over to him in excitement.
"Thank you SO much, oh my God! I honestly don't know what I would've done." She told him earnestly, still feeling slightly anxious.
"It's no problem." He smiled at her easily. "Where you headed? You should probably drop it off at your mechanic so they can take a look at it. It'll probably won't start without a jump again."
"Okay. I guess I know a place I can take it." She admitted quietly, not really thrilled with the idea of that. "I guess I'll head there now."
"I'll follow you down."
Cindy turned to give him a look in surprise. "Really?"
He gave her a level look with a placid grin. "What kind of dude would I be to leave it up to chance that you got there safely?"
"Uhh, to be honest, most." Cindy replied bluntly. "It wouldn't surprise me at all if you left."
"You're dealing with the wrong ones then." He shrugged, beginning to un-clamp the cables from her engine.
"Point me in the right direction." Cindy spoke quicker than her brain could think about how suggestive that comment sounded. She tried to appear expressionless when Landon indeed glanced over at her in amusement, but by the way his eyes locked onto hers she felt like her wall thoroughly cracked.
"Once I can merge better onto the road, I'm gonna stop and let you go ahead in front of me so you can get out safely, alright?" He told her, thankfully not commenting on it. "I'll be right behind you." He told her before heading to his passenger side. Cindy nodded mutely and stood still, waiting until she had enough space to go to her side of the car and slide in. But on the inside, her stomach was doing mini-flips, something she hadn't really experienced for the past several weeks.
What was happening? And maybe more importantly, what was about to happen?
Riley's POV
He couldn't lie to himself, even though he tried to deny it. He kind of felt like a jerk.
Riley was currently at the shop, taking a mini-break since he had just finished up on his last car. He had escaped to his boss's office to finish up his timesheet and smoke a quick cigarette, still trying to rid his slight guilt.
In his defense, he hadn't done much. He had a real break several minutes ago when he took his lunch. He had been minding his own business when Tish started texting him on her own, deciding to slide a few naughty little pictures throughout their back-and-forth. She eventually called him not too long after, tempting Riley even more to sneak out of work for a few hours since he wasn't even feeling it today anyway, and the pictures damn sure weren't helping.
However… that urge to play hooky came to a steady halt when he heard a notification on his phone mid-way through the call. The very last person he expected to see was Cindy beeping in. Especially when he had casually hit her up almost every other day for almost the past two weeks just to check on her. He didn't know if she didn't want to talk to him yet or just didn't believe him when he agreed that they should take a break. All well and good, but did she have to ignore a nigga again, when she already knew that he hated that shit?
So it was at that point that Riley hadn't felt so bad when he let the call pass through to voicemail. But it was now that he was starting to regret it. Cindy never called for no reason, so why would she start now? Especially after everything that's happened. He decided to either text or call her back in about an hour or so, even though he had a feeling it would go nowhere. She'd either be pissed, non-responsive, or both… probably both. So he had that to look forward to on top of everything else.
"What did I tell you about smoking in my office?" Tito asked dryly upon entering the room.
"Why is there an ashtray on your desk that encourages me to?" Riley asked instead while he blew out a puff of white smoke. "Aye!" He complained when Tito quickly swooped it out of his hand on his way to his desk, promptly discarding the cigarette in said ashtray.
"That's why." Tito countered, brushing off his hands before plopping down in his desk chair.
"You ain't got no manners, nigga. That was rude as fuck." Riley grumbled, tossing his completed sheet across the table to him.
"So I've been told." Tito ignored him, lifting the paper from the desk to place it in a file sorter. "Thanks."
"Yeah, whateva. Can I go home now?"
"No."
Riley threw his head back and groaned. "I'm bored as fuck today."
"You've whined a lot today."
"I ain't got shit else to do, all my work is el bueno, nigga."
Tito paused mid-click on his computer to look at him directly. "That doesn't even make sense. Are you trying to say your work is good or done?"
"You know what I mean, nigga!"
"I promise you I don't."
"T, can't I just take a half day?" Riley moaned, wanting to rip his hair out. By the sigh that Tito made, he sounded like he felt the same sentiment.
"Look. In two hours if you wanna take a half day, whatever. But while you're here, you might as well see if anyone else needs help with a job."
"There's barely anyone even here today." Riley rolled his eyes, turning to glance out the open blinds of Tito's office window. He about did a double-take when he noticed a distinct Camaro that had just pulled up into one of the lot parking spaces.
"What the hell?" He muttered, rising from his chair and walking to the window.
"What?" Tito asked.
"Cindy's here." He confirmed as soon as he saw her begin to step out of her car.
"Just when I thought there was barely anyone here today."
Riley shot him a light glare from the window. "You sarcastic." He said, confused as he watched Cindy practically hover by her car, her eyes on another vehicle parking to her right beside her.
"She's probably waitin' on me. I'mma go see what she needs." Riley spoke out loud to himself and Tito, heading out of the room.
It only took a few seconds to get out to the front lot but when he did, he noticed Cindy still hovered against her car, now tapping away at her phone. Riley figured it was for him again and pulled out his phone to look while he walked, not yet receiving any notifications. When he glanced up again, Cindy hadn't even spotted him, her back now to him as she looked to her right again, starting to walk around the front of her car. It was then that Riley noticed a guy standing nearby as well, smiling at Cindy as she approached. Riley slowed his steps, already confused by who he was and what was going on. He was even more confused when Cindy rose on her tiptoes slightly to wrap her arms around him in a light hug.
That brought Riley's pace to an abrupt stop. What in the hell was going on? And who the fuck was this nigga? Riley knew pretty much everyone around the area, especially the niggas. He was almost positive that he'd never seen this dude before in his life. He was definitely positive he'd never seen that black Range Rover on the lot since he'd been working at the shop, so it's not like he was a client either. Did he really just come for Cindy?
"Thank you so much again for everything you did." Riley managed to make out a little of the conversation from his temporary halt on the pavement. To seem distracted, Riley stepped a few paces nearer to the line of cars on his left, glancing down at his phone again as he pretended to read over something.
Dude's voice was kinda low. Riley glanced up briefly from his phone, missing his response. He heard Cindy's though.
"Can I at least buy you a cup of coffee if nothing else?" She asked, smiling up at him hopefully. Riley didn't understand why she was looking like that. He also didn't understand why homeboy was grinning at her the same way.
"How about lunch?" Riley managed to hear his voice better this time, shamefully taking two paces forward nonchalantly.
"That's perfect." Cindy nodded, handing her phone over to him so he could presumably input his number.
"Cool, put your number in mine as well." He said as they swapped. Riley was so confused. He needed some sort of explanation for what the hell he was watching.
"Done." Cindy grinned, beating him as she gave his phone back to him.
"Sweet." He nodded, returning hers as well. "Do you have a favorite restaurant?"
"I mean, I love The Steakhouse but who doesn't? What about you-"
"Awesome. Is noon okay for you this weekend?" He asked again.
"Um it is, but hey, this is for-"
"Perfect. I'll pick you up then." The guy smiled, starting to casually walk back to his car. "I'll text you." He winked at her.
"Hey!" Cindy complained with a big smile, but let out a light laugh. "For real… thank you." She told him, sounding sincere. Riley felt like a fool the way he was literally straining to hear, but did manage to make out the nigga's last remark as he stared back at her, a loose smile hanging from his lips.
"A date with you is all the thanks I need." He replied smoothly, supplying another wink as he got into his Rover. With a spacey grin, Cindy lifted her hand and gave a tiny wave, watching him as he pulled out of the stall and headed off the lot. She still had the look on her face when she turned back around, but it started to vanish once she laid eyes on Riley.
"Hey." She greeted him plainly, the warm smile now gone.
"Hey." Riley said back, his brow furrowed. "What's goin' on?"
"My car died on the highway."
"What?" Riley exclaimed at her unbothered tone. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Cindy shrugged. "I got someone who was kind enough to help me and jump my car." She told him, a faint grin coming out again.
"Who was that guy?"
"Landon… Landon Rivers." Cindy said, the goofy smile on her face back in full effect when she said his name, no longer making eye contact with Riley. He didn't know why he felt some sort of way about that.
"C, I woulda came to get you." He felt the need to point out. "You didn't need to trust no stranger."
It was then that Cindy's eyes finally locked on his suddenly. "Maybe you could've come, but you didn't because you didn't answer your phone." She shot back smoothly, making Riley wince at his own stupidity.
"And as far as Landon being a stranger," Cindy continued, glancing back over her shoulder as if he were going to roll his ass back through the lot. "I'm hoping he doesn't stay a stranger long." She smirked, dropping her car key into Riley's palm as she practically floated past him, still seeming kinda dazey as she headed to the main building.
Riley looked from her retreating back, to the key in his hand, to finally down at his cellphone in his other hand that had remained silent and text-free the entire time. He sighed lowly, grudgingly turning to head over and look at her car, not quite in the mood to chat at the moment.
Things he wanted to do: fix the stupid car, go home, and call it a damn day.
Things he regretted not doing: Answering that fucking phone call.
To quote Timon from The Lion King… "it starts." Missed you guys and this story. It's been about 4 months from today that I updated this one… damn.
Disclaimers: Zip.
Requests: Please pray for my friend and her family over the loss of their first and only daughter. It's without a doubt one of the most heartbreaking stories that I personally know and am affected by.
Random Thoughts: I miss writing for Granddad! I knew he wasn't going to be featured as much for this particular story, but still! That's the homie! He's definitely long overdue! He'll definitely be in the next chapter installment of From Uncle Reezy, To Daddy Reezy and I'll try really hard to find a spot for him in the next chapter of this story.
Thanks: To the homie clockwork'sFinest for providing me so directional help with this chapter. I had the basic points I wanted to hit on, but compiling it and deciding how I wanted it to go and from who's POV was the damn struggle. Thanks again for looking out, girl!
Bonus Thanks: To all my amazing readers. I love every single one of you and more material is coming as soon as I can. It's been a whirlwind lately.
Stay tuned for an update of my sequel story next and then we'll be right back into this ASAP!
Take care, loves.
~Schweetie
PS: This is now my longest chapter of this story up-to-date… had to make up for it somehow... y'all welcome ;)