𝐃𝐄𝐏𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐃

24

HER PREDATOR

"Something's up," I whispered into Casei's ear as I followed her in. "What's wrong? You're all tensed."

"Nothing. Just...hate this stupid tradition," she grumbled.

We came to the living room and a dad and daughter were already taking pictures. The girl was perched on his lap like he was Santa, and she smiled widely as her mother, I'm assuming, took the picture.

"It's a tradition," Casei explained with a sigh, "Take our little picture each year until we turn 18. It's supposed to be like good memories and shit, but," she sighed again, "I hate it."

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to," I reminded her.

"When you're in a black family, you have to do whatever the hell they want you to," she laughed bitterly. "I wish, Lowen."

I brushed my hair back, wiping some sweat off of my forehead. "I'm here for you when you're done."

"Thanks," she gave me a little side hug.

Casei's dad went over to the wooden chair the family was using, and sat down, patting his lap and laughing along with the rest of the family, so carefree. He seemed like a great man. Somebody who cared a lot about his family and protecting his baby girl no matter what. But, regardless of how he may seem...I don't live Casei's life and I have no clue what her struggles are.

Casei sat down on him, plastering a smile on her face as he threw an arm around her shoulders.

"Awww, they're twins," one of Casei's uncles smiled.

After the picture, me and Casei migrated up to the front porch. She was real quiet and I was combing my mind for topics to break the silence.

"Where's your tie at?" Casei asked me all of a sudden.

"I left it at home. I have my necklace," I answered simply.

"So, it's like a substitute or something. You need your necklace as much as you need your tie?" she inquired. We stood outside underneath the shedding, it was starting to sprinkle out anyways and I swear I could feel my hair reacting to the humidity in real time. "And why do you need either of them so much anyways?"

I only shrugged. "They just make me feel better."

"You're a pretty vague person...but at the same time I'd consider you real vulnerable."

My eyes flashed up to hers.

"Not in a bad way, Lowen," she sighed. "I think everybody needs a bit of vulnerability with the people they care about."

"You know...for a long time the distance between me and my parents made me feel like I was nothing. I felt like I was just a responsibility they had to take care of. That I was always gonna be second to their goals and aspirations. That their businesses were truly their babies and I was just...so human," I told her quietly. "But you make me realize that feeling isn't so bad. That being human isn't so bad either."

"You can feel with me, Lowen," she stepped towards me. Holding both of my hands, she said, "You can even...feel for me."

I looked away, giving her a quick smile.

"That isn't possible. That isn't...capable of me."

She searched my eyes, "You did it with Dylandra?"

"We can't have feelings for each other, sweets," I gestured between the two of us. "We can't be anything more. There are parts of me that no one can understand but me. Because I don't even understand myself half of the time."