Limerence | I

22. Eye Witness

"I think Eli is downstairs with his friends." Mama said as she turned the stove off. She had just finished making dinner. "Can you go grab him?" She asked. Even though it was in question form, I had no choice. I left the apartment and took the stairs down to the first floor. I walked out of the building to find Eli's friends sitting on the bench. However, I didn't find Eli.

"Any of you know where Eli is?" I asked them. I'd known a few of them since I was little and they knew me. Calvin, Eli's closest friend nodded. He pointed toward the corner of the block. I started to make my way over but stopped in my tracks when I saw who he was talking to. It was Detective Washington.

Eli handed him a brown paper bag as he looked over his shoulder. Detective Washington looked over his as well. He opened the bag and pulled out a wad of cash. My eyes widened when I saw it. Possibilities ran through my mind. Did B.Dee tell Eli to bribe him to drop the case? That was the only thing I could think he was doing. Why else would he be paying off the detective that was on our brother's case? My blood boiled and I wanted to storm over there so badly. But I knew getting involved at that moment would only end up bad for me. So I turned around and went back upstairs before anyone saw me watching.

♠️

Wednesday came too quickly. But I noticed that Xavier wasn't in class. It was surprising being that he was usually the first to show up. I did however, see Astrid in the hallway with Alex. She had tears running down her puffy cheeks as she cried into his chest. I assumed that she told Xavier what happened. I watched Alex hold her tight and I shook my head. I could barely stand the sight of either one of them. I turned toward the opposite direction, frustrated. If anyone was in need of comfort, it was Xavier. So I went straight over to his loft.

The receptionist in the lobby let me up without question. She was used to seeing my face already. When I got up to his floor I knocked on his door softly. It took almost a minute for him to answer the door. When he did, his eyes were red and I noticed a half empty bottle of Bacardi in his hand. I snatched it out of his hand as I invited myself in. "Are you drunk?" I asked even though I already knew the answer. He closed the door behind me as I made my way into the kitchen. I poured the liquor down the sink's drain. He watched me intensely as I did so.

"Not drunk enough." He mumbled. It took me a minute to realize that all he wore was grey sweatpants. My eyes scanned his toned torso before I caught myself. I made a mental note not to check him out again. Xavier left the kitchen and I followed behind him. He plopped onto his couch and stared at the hardwood floors blankly. I had never seen him so broken before. I thought he would be angry, or sad, or surprised... Or something. Instead, he was emotionless. I sighed and sat beside him.

"When did she tell you?" I wondered. I sighed and leaned over to rest his elbows on his knees. He fidgeted with his hands.

"Last night." He answered.

"And what did you say?" I bit my bottom lip curiously. I wanted to know his reaction. Did he yell at her? Break up with her? Did he forgive her? I was so eager to know.

"I was surprised at first when she told me that I got her pregnant." He spoke calmly, which was a little frightening. I raised my eyebrows in shock. How could she make him think that he was the father? I made another mental note to slap her the next time I saw her. I opened my mouth to speak but he beat me to it. "Then I did the math. She said she was a month along... Two weeks ago was the first time we had sex in months... So that didn't add up. And I would never forget to use a condom." He explained, finally looking at me. I felt so relieved that he knew and I wasn't the one that had to tell him.

"So you know it's not yours." I meant for it to be a clarifying question but it came out as a statement because I was so ecstatic that he wasn't dumb enough to fall for her lie. I had to stop myself from jumping up and down in happiness.

"Of course I know. I not a fucking idiot." He sat back calmly. Now that that was out of the way, I wanted to know how she reacted when he caught her in her lie.

"And what happened when you told her you knew?"

"I didn't tell her yet." He admitted. I furrowed my eyebrows. Why not? And if he didn't tell her that he knew, why was she crying into Alex's chest? Yet another question in my mind.

"Are you going to?"

"Of course." He nodded. I pursed my lips and sat back on the couch beside him. Then I thought of one more question. Astrid said that the father was some guy in one of her classes. I wondered if Xavier just so happened to know who he was.

"Do you know who the father is?" I asked nervously. I saw one of the corners of his mouth threatening to curl upward. He shook his head.

"Nope. But I'll find out."

I think Xavier is angrier than he's letting on. And Detective Washington seems pretty crooked to me. Comment and vote, Chicas!