Limerence | I

18. The Second First Impression

One Month Later

"The case has gone cold." Detective Washington sat across from Mama, Eli, and I at then dining room table. He was telling us how they weren't doing so well in finding out who killed Derrick. But I already knew that B.Dee had something to do with it. And I couldn't help but think that Eli knew but wasn't speaking up. That's why he hadn't spoken one word to each other in a month.

Eli wasn't the charming, loving, and protective big brother that I knew when I was younger. All the shit he was doing changed him for the worse and I couldn't no longer stand to look at him. I even noticed that he didn't have much of a reaction after Derrick died and it raised some suspicion.

"So now what? You're just gonna' give up?" I asked angrily with aggression in my tone. Mama placed her hand on top of mine.

"Charli, don-"

"No, it's okay." Detective Washington cut her off, keeping eye contact with me. "I'm not saying that we're giving up but it will be on the back burner for a while." He said confidently. I shook my head in disbelief. Why were they so quick to let it go? It had only been a month. And how were Mama and Eli not angry about this?

"Whatever. I have to go." I stood up from the table. I was ready to walk out in an attempt to avoid screaming at the Detective. Mama stood up, pulling me into her warm embrace. She kissed my cheek before I headed for the door. I didn't bother to speak to Eli before I walked out.

As soon as I got outside, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I smiled to myself when I noticed a text from the one and only, Xavier. The past month had been interesting. Nothing happened between us. However, when Astrid wasn't around, the flirting was uncontrollable. And when she was around, the tension was out of this world. The tension was hard to avoid, especially after becoming her new roommate. There was no way that I could stay at Auntie Kel's anymore so moving in with Astrid was my best option.

Xavier 😩😍 - where r u??

Me - Brooklyn

Xavier 😩😍 - Be there in 15

Me - ok...

I had no idea why he was coming to get me or where we were going but I had already learned that asking Xavier questions wasn't going to get me anywhere. I didn't want to go back upstairs to Mama's house so I stayed outside and sat on a bench. Even though I was freezing my ass off in the mid-November wind, I refused to look at Eli's face again.

I had already been waiting for 10 minutes when I spotted B.Dee across the street. He was talking to a couple guys that I had seen around town a couple times before. Of course, they were being secretive. It sickened me that he was still walking the streets.

Once the two guys walked away, B.Dee was left alone. My stomach turned when he made eye contact with me. It felt like he knew exactly what I thought of him. His lips curled into a smirk and I could have killed him right then and there. He knew exactly who I was and what he did. And he had no remorse.

B.Dee began walking across the street toward me. My muscles tensed up at the thought of him even walking beside me. But unfortunately for me, he didn't just walk by. He sat next to me. My heart raced and all I wanted was for Xavier to show up now.

"I'm sorry about your brother, Derrick." He said. His voice was deep and dark enough to to send chills down my spine. And they weren't the good kind. Hearing him say my brother's name ignited a fire in me.