Locust Lane

Chapter 14

{Amir Calhoun}

Any little movement I attempted to do caused my head to hurt. Quickly, I snatched the hair tye out my dreads... which did absolutely nothing to ease the pain.

Slowly, I sat up. I was about to get out of bed, but then I seen a moving phone.

"What the fuck?" I mumbled as I rubbed my temples. Nothing helped.

A few seconds later, the lamp on my end table came on. Suddenly I'm thinking that the 'dream' I had wasn't really a dream. I thought I dreamed about her being here. Didn't know she actually was.

"Good morning." She whispered.

"You don't think it's such a good morning, do you?"

The reason I asked her that was because her eyes were red and dried tears were on her face. Looks like she hasn't slept at all.

"Here, take these."

She gave me a small advil bottle and a glass of water. When she seen how slow I was moving, she sat beside me and helped me out. She put two of them in my mouth then she made me sit back so the water wouldn't spill everywhere.

Can't say this is the first time I've tried to use a substance to numb my stress. Only difference is, I usually don't have anybody to try and take care of me. Why does she even care enough to help me?

My hair was all in my face, so she moved it back.

"What's wrong Saraji? I don't remember much from yesterday. Did I say or do something wrong?"

She looked hesitant to say anything, but she spoke anyway.

"It's not that. It's just... I just wanted to be away from home yesterday. That's all."

She never wants to be at home. Almost makes it seems like someone either is or was abusing her there. What other reason would she have for never wanting to be there?

"Why? It seems like you never want to be there. Well, you know... maybe if you save up enough of your Greater Greens money you'll be able to move."

"That will take quite some time. The pay is decent, but I need enough to move to a neighborhood that I can raise my daughter in. And right now, that's the safest place for her."

But not for you? She's slowly giving herself away.

There are a few more questions that I would like to ask her, but I decided against doing so. If she was going to tell me, she would have already. I asked and she avoided it. There's no need to pry. Well, there probably is, but... I don't know. If it's something I really need to know then it will come to me.

"Umm, Amir. You were telling me that you don't want me here and that it isn't safe for me to be here. Why? What has you so spooked, Amir? You've been that way since Saturday afternoon."

She's very observant I see. I already told her more than she needs to know. Any other time I wouldn't even open up a little, but she makes me talk. I'm not sure why that's the case with her, but I wish it wasn't. If I tell her what's going on, though, maybe she might want to stay away from me. But... I can't say that I want her to.

Get it together Amir.

When I attempted to look away from her, she placed her hands on my face.

"Tell me what's wrong. Is someone threatening you? Does someone one want to fight you or something? I'll beat them up for you. Don't let my kindness fool you, I can fuck somebody up."

Her saying that caused me to chuckle. She probably could beat Tasha's ass. I wish somebody would. I'm sick of her harassing me. I guess I'm going to have to set up a meeting with her soon.