Devil

-43-

-Esla-

We left Main Event, Kiersten oddly quiet. I was mentally preparing myself to have to lie to my best friend when she turned to me and asked, "Do you think Jay thought I was pretty?"

My eyes widened, and I cleared my throat. "I, uh, probably," I smiled unsurely at my friend. She had caught me so off guard that I didn't even know the proper way to respond. "I know, like, that there's not a lot of studs who like other studs. But Jay made me feel something I haven't felt since I had my first crush," Kiersten admitted with a sheepish grin. "I think I have a crush on Goddess' friend."

My eyes widened as I thought about the type of person Nicotine was and the type of things that she did. My mind sobered as I realized that if I worked for Goddess that I'd probably be doing some of those same things too. "From what Goddess tells me, she isn't a good person to anyone except Goddess. She's been pretty abusive to her past girlfriends," I lied. Why did I feel guilty about lying on someone who smuggled for a living? I'm just tryna keep Kiersten safe.

Maybe it was because she had been the kinder out of the two when they had kidnapped me? But then again they could have just been playing bad cop vs good cop. I shivered as I remembered the emotional instability I experienced under Goddess' wraith.

"Oh," Kiersten commented. "That's a lot to tell someone you only met on IG," she then added.

I couldn't tell whether she was suspicious or not so I quickly came to Goddess' rescue. "She overshared a lot, thinking we wouldn't ever meet. She literally stated that," I told Kiersten as she drove her mother's car back towards Perry Island Street.

We drove the same way we had to run back into the neighborhood that life changing day. Kiersten didn't know much about what I went through ever since that once innocent fight. I felt guilty for not being completely honest with my best friend, but there's nothing I could do about that. I couldn't risk endangering her.

"Did you finish the English article due this Monday?" she asked me absentmindedly.

"Yeah, I finished it this past Monday."

"Do you think I'll get to see Jay again. I know what you said about the girlfriends but...she seemed caring," Kiersten quickly asked with a wistful look.

And I would do everything in my power to discourage her from wanting to involve herself with Nicotine. "I don't think it's good idea, but you can ask Goddess."

"I wonder if she's gonna ask you out," Kiersten smirked over at me. "I met her earlier today and I was like damn. I had never approached another stud like that before. I think it's worth trying out- you know, trying studs out," Kiersten blushed.

"Goddess is not gonna ask me out. I'm not her type," I rolled my eyes. "She seems to want something more masculine-

"She might like fems and studs like I do now," Kiersten shrugged. "And she might not care about labels."

"Goddess is a different type of person than what I see myself with. My mother would have a baby if I brought Goddess home," I argued.

"It sounds to me like you're denying a romance that's there, but anywhooo," my best friend sung. "I'd be willing to risk another sibling to have Goddess," my friend joked.

We pulled up to my house and I hugged her gently. "Thanks for this break, I needed it. It's been hard ever since...Ms. Orange," I whispered. She nodded with understanding, sadness filling her eyes. "I'll text you tomorrow," she told me.

"Stay safe," I got out of the car and started towards my house. I peered around in the darkness then sped up to the front door. I quickly unlocked it and made my way inside.