Texas

Chapter 11

Koffi

^^^^

"Hey cuz!" Tizani exclaimed when she hugged me and Ash. She finally let us go and we headed inside the restaurant we decided to meet up at. It was Me, Ash, Tizani, and Dezi sitting at the table. We had a lot to catch up on.

"Wassup." I dapped up Dezi. We went to sit down and the questions started rolling.

"So, how's Uncle?" Zani started.

"He's okay, I guess. I haven't spoken to him in years." I shrugged it off. It didn't seem like my dad wanted anything to with us so I never called. 

"How's Aunty?" I asked her a smile spread across her face.

"She's good. Chemo therapy is seeming to work so we're praying the cancer will go away. She's just upset that she has to rock wigs now." Zani voiced. 

Tizani has always been a positive person. She's the type to look at the glass half-full. Always looking on the bright sides, which was a good thing. Ashlynne and Dezi fell into a conversation as Tizani and I continued to talk.

"I'm gonna come get my hair done at Kaffeine." She announced to me.

"Good, just know you ain't getting a discount." I narrowed my eyes at her and she frowned a little.

"Why not? I'm your favorite cousin." She reasoned.

"Yeah, okay." I playfully rolled my eyes.

"I heard one of your favored customers got 100% off their charge..." She trailed off and I knew she was talking about Texas. I tried to ignore her comment but she was watching the smirk that came upon my face.

"Yeah...I seen that shit. What's up with y'all?" I felt like that was the real reason Tizani wanted to come see me. Just to ask about Ms. Texas.

"Nothing really. Just friends." I kept it short and sweet.

I saw Texas as a friend. She was cool and I could talk to her about anything that was on my mind.  But, I didn't have romantic feelings for her and it was that simple.

"Mhm." She eyed me. Ash and I switched, I started talking to Dezi about her job and she was telling me how it was to be a tattoo artist. She also told how much Zani missed us and how she gets on Dezi's nerves.

My phone started to ring loudly from my back pocket. I pulled it out to see Texas' name pop up on my screen. I answered the call almost instantly.

"Hey, Tex. What's up?" I put the phone to my ear and walked away from the table after I told Dezi that I'd be right back. I started to hear sobs coming through the phone. "Texas, what's wrong?"

"I can't- I can't find Nelly. I haven't heard back from her in two days and she's not at my mom's house. I need your help." She said between her cries. I could hear how desperate she was from her voice. 

"Okay, I'm coming. Just try to calm down, okay?" I told her and she just hung up on me.

I went back to tell them that I had to leave. I told them it was an emergency so they let me off easily. Ash seemed a little worried but I told her to relax.

I drove over to Texas' penthouse. It wasn't that far so I arrived in no time. I knocked on her door and it opened, revealing a saddened and worried Texas. She let me inside without saying a word. 

"I have no idea where she is." She broke the silence between us.

"And you called her, texted her?" I asked for clarification.

"Yes, Koffi." She fidgeted with her hands.

"Where's your brother?" I questioned. I assumed he would be freaking out just as much.

"He's out of town."

"She has a boyfriend, right? Have you called him?" I thought out loud. She shook her head quickly and took her phone out.

She put the phone to her ear and paced through the hallway. I could tell when her call was answered because she started speaking immediately.

"Do you know where Nelly is, Tenni?" She asked. There was a long pause as she listened to the response on the other end of the phone.

"Bring her back tonight. See if I'm playing." She hung up on him. She let out a sigh of relief but I could tell she was still upset. She didn't say anything more about Nelly. She kept pacing but I stopped her, grabbing her arm gently.

"She's okay, right?" I looked down at her angry eyes.

"Yes, but-" I cut her sentence short.

"Okay, so why are you worrying? Relax, mama." I told her and her face fell into a frown.

"He took my sister without letting anyone know where she was. Plus, Nelly knows to tell me where she is when she's not with me or my mom. It's common sense." She reasoned.

"I know, I know. But, she's safe and that's all that matters right now." I told her. She slowly wrapped her arms around me and put her head against my chest.

"You want me to stay with you until they come back?" I asked her. Whether she yes or no, I'd still be staying.

"Mhm." She hummed, telling me yes. She dragged us over to the couch and handed me the remote.

"You can put something on." She mumbled as she snuggled up under me. Maybe I did have some feelings for her.

-----

We both heard the knocks coming from the door. Texas paused the movie we decided on.

"Time to air these niggas out." She sighed before she walked over to the door. She opened the door and Nelly and who I assumed was Tenni came into view. I'm pretty sure Tenni was the one who wanted the job at Kaffeine.

They came inside and I watched the whole thing in front of my eyes.

"Y'all have 10 seconds to explain yourselves," Texas spoke solemnly. 

"Tex, we just went to a hotel." Nelly shrugged it off. Texas became visibly angry at her nonchalant attitude.

"Ohhhh. I'm sorry, I thought you were kidnapped or something." She started. "You couldn't text me or anything? Let me know that you'd be gone?" 

"I know, Texas. I lost my phone. I would've called." Nelly told her. She shifted her attention to Tenni who was standing there awkwardly.

"You couldn't have called?" Her voice was harsher now.

"I thought she had already told you." 

"Ten, it's been two days. Two days! I had no idea where she was and I was about to call the police. You guys need to learn how to communicate better." 

Tenni and Nelly stayed quiet. In a swift motion, Texas' hand raised and slapped Tenni in his face. I stood up from the couch to calm down the situation. It wasn't my business but I didn't want the situation to escalate.

"You guys are so careless!" She yelled as I grabbed her. 

I'm not sure if she was overreacting. It's been 48 hours and she couldn't find her sister. But, they explained themselves. Texas is really overprotective, especially with her sister. I pushed Texas into her room and told her to stay in there.

I went back to the living room where Nelly and Ten were. 

"Your sister is just upset. She feels as if y'all don't care. She was worried as fuck. She won't be upset former but you gotta realize that she had absolutely no idea where you were." I explained to Nelly. I turned to Ten. "As for you, I don't know."

"I heard you wanted a job at Kaffeine, though?" I changed the subject. Whatever was between Texas and them had nothing to do with me. I was gonna keep my word.

"Yeah, you're the owner?"

"Yup. You can come in for an interview tomorrow. 2 pm sharp." I told him. "Y'all have a good night," I told them. I went back into the room to check on Texas who was passed out on her bed. I chuckled and closed her door back softly.