FACADE

40| Trust

BAILEY

While pacing my breath, I hurry down the stairs of our dorm– my hair flowing in the fresh Spring winds and my happy heart dancing in my chest.

It's been two weeks since our Miami trip and Paecyn's busy with school again.

*You should be too*

I am... It's exam season but I really only have one to sit, the rest were covered by course work and attendance hours.

"Watch'ya step mamas," a very sweet butch flashes her smile at me.

Mmmm, at another point in life I would add her to my cart.

I pull back from the pavement while she glances back from her electric scooter.

*Focus!*

Right yes! My eyes fall to my phone to check the time and in that very moment a call comes in from my mother.

"Hi mommy," I pick up without hesitation.

"You out of breath so?" is her first question, followed by, "Your father say yuh nah answer him calls."

Daddy feel like him anuh only the Dean of such school, but also the Dean of me... and me tired ah dat.

*Bad*

Me nahgo say that to my mother though.

"Been studying for exams, you know how that go sometimes," I murmur, with my eyes set on the car I was told to look out for.

Black CRV, license plate YTX 4355.

*Black CRV*

License plate... YTX, YTX...

YTX... Yup! A it this.

"Mommy, me a run go buy some snacks and then go library so I'll call you later," she was in the middle of telling me about things she wah mi bring down fi her this summer, but mi nuh hear a word good.

"Okay baby, love you," her tone slightly sad.

I step off and into the car, pulling my seatbelt immediately.

"Me ago call you fi real mommy," I try to reassure her. I don't like when her tone is off, if me nuh pay her no attention.

Sometimes I wish my outside brother was accepted so she wouldn't be this lonely and resting all her companionship needs onto me.

"Okay baby, later, be safe."

"I will..." I trail off before hanging up.

As soon as I hang up, I give the driver the PIN code and he pulls off. The next thing I do is double check to make sure my location is off.

*Know Kyan check that every half hour*

When I notice it's still off, I breathe a sigh of relief while relaxing further into the backseat.

Around 25 minutes later, the car pulls up at the entrance of a hotel. I looked it up... and it's a business hotel more than anything else, so I dressed the part.

*Mi nuh wah look outa place*

While making my way through the revolving door, I pull my skirt down and pinch my stocking just out of habit. Seconds later I'm at the front desk getting ready to collect my keycard and directions to the room.