Xavier

25

I laid in bed that night in the dark staring at the ceiling trying my very best to get to sleep. But Every time I closed my eyes I thought of Quincy and his mom.

I woke up the next morning feeling unrested and I had a horrible crick in my neck. Despite that I still managed to get myself together and drove the few miles to Quincy's house. As I stepped out of the car I looked over at the small home with a bit of a frown.

I hadn't been there in so long but I hadn't forgotten a single detail of the place. I made my way to the front door and knocked three times. I paced in front of the door as I waited for it to be answered.

I was slightly startled when it was pulled open quickly. "Luna?!"

"Hi, Ms. Elliot." I greeted with a soft smile. She was wearing her bonnet, a robe, and slippers. An unlit cigarette hung loosely from her lips and a tired look was displayed across her face. I'd seen it about a million times I feel like.  "Hi—Hi honey come on in."

She quickly pulled the cigarette away from her lips and tucked it away in her pocket. I stepped inside slowly. Once she shut the door I was enveloped with the smell of weed, stale cigarettes, Lysol, and bath and body works' cashmere candle.

The one story home still looked the same. Only now it lacked its sense of a homey feel. It was cold and the light from the partially opened curtains were the only thing illuminating the living room. "How are you? What brought you over?" She asked.

"Im Okay, i just wanted to come see how you're doing."

"Well that was thoughtful, Im doing alright, baby. Let me go get myself together." She feigned a smile.

I nodded and turned to glance around the living room. I turned on a nearby lamp and frowned a little when I took in the sight of the empty bottles of Hennessy and Don Julio sitting on the end tables. There was an ashtray on the glass coffee table and a few old magazines were laid out.

As i continued to look around, Quincy's old guitar crossed my line of vision. "Wow." I mumbled. I haven't seen this thing since i was 18. I smiled as I approached the crafted piece of wood.

I took a seat on the edge of the longer couch as I picked up the guitar. I examined it closely and smiled at the engraving he dug into the side of the neck of the guitar.

"I found it in the garage the other day. Brought me to tears when I saw it but I had to bring it out."

I turned my head to face Ms. Elliot. "I remember that boy wouldn't put it down. I was convinced that he slept with it beside him."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he did." I laughed.

"How'd you afford that thing anyway?" She questioned.

I chuckled at the memory of the day I bought the guitar for him and sighed. "I don't know if you remember but at that time I was working at that frozen yogurt shop and my parents were giving me a couple dollars every week for school. I saved every single dime and after about six months, I had enough to get it. I showed up to the Music Store with so many dollar bills and a bunch of change." I laughed.

"He never told me you did that." She gaped. "He never knew."

"Now I see why he was so attached to it...you gave it to him."
:::

I stayed at the Elliot's home for another 30 minutes before I made it back home. I didn't get to stay for long though because Nadia pulled into my driveway literally five minutes later telling me to get in.

"Where are we going?" I questioned as she backed out of the driveway. "There's this party..."

"Turn around." I mumbled before she could even finish.

"Wait! Listen, you remember Joy right?"

I nodded with a frown. "Well she's having a little get together of people we graduated with. She figured since most people were coming into town for thanksgiving she'd have something."

"That's really nice of her. Let me out here please."

"Oh come on Luna." She huffed. "You know I don't do parties and I do not care for half the people that'll probably be there."

"Well there won't be many and it'll be fun. When's the last time you had fun?"

I opened my mouth to reply but just closed it. "Exactly probably the fifth of neveruary."

"Only for a little bit. Please don't ambush me like this anymore."

"It wasn't an ambush I just told you to get in the car without saying where we were going. I knew you'd say no so I had to do what I needed to."

"So you kidnapped me."

"However you'd like to put it." She shrugged.

I shook my head with a sigh and slouched down in the seat. I really can't stand her sometimes.

We made it to Joy Formans home thirty minutes later and my palms began sweating as soon as we parked across the street from her parents' house.

"I can't believe you did this. I'm not even dressed for this." I groaned. "I think you look cute. You always do." She smiled.

I was just wearing black jeans, a black t shirt, tan Yeezy foam runners, and a tan fuzzy jacket.

"Thanks." I mumbled. She all but dragged me towards the home and we were soon being greeted by Joy who came to answer the door for us. That was a shocker honestly. Joy is obnoxiously rich. She had a door man, a chef, a cleaning person, and a back up for each of those jobs. Her answering the door herself was the act of a miracle.

"Oh Nadia, Lucy! It's so good to see you both!"

Who the fuck is Lucy?

"You mean Luna?" Nadia asked her as Joy pulled her into a hug. "Right of course. Im so used to just saying Genesis that I got your first name mixed up. I'm sorry."

I feigned a laugh and stepped inside. I already want to leave.

"Come on this way, the others are already here."

She led us to her game room and the smell of weed smacked me right in the face as soon as we entered. "Look who's here guys!" She said loudly.

I was standing slightly behind Nadia as she did so. I hadn't really even made it all the way inside, and the way she presented us looked like she was presenting Nadia alone.

The group of eight let out their little sounds of excitement and welcomed us. "Yo Nadia!"

"Nadia whats up It's been too long!"

"Who's that girl with her? I don't remember her." Someone else whispered not so subtly.

"What's up yall!"

This was going to be miserable.