Broken

17.

Izel

Right now, me, August, Celeste, and Travis were all at this breakfast/dinner diner called Rise and Shine. They had soft music playing and it set a comfortable tone.

"You eva' been hea' befo?" Aug asked while taking a seat next to me.

"Never -- Have you?" I looked at him knowing his answer.

"Never." He mocked me and laughed.

I knew he has never been here before because the way he was looking around. August is the type of guy to always watch his surroundings, but he heavily watches it when he's in a new area.

"That's because his scrawny ass don't like ta eat." Travis shook his head.

"Don't mess with my baby." I kicked him.

"Oop." Celeste giggled. "I already know what I'm getting."

"No one cares." Travis smirked.

"Hey, how come you were already at the house?" I frowned and looked at Celeste, waiting for her answer.

"Oh -- I had to talk to -- Travis."she smiled nervously.

"You did?" Travis looked more confused than I did.

"She had ta talk ta me bout some -- You ain't gotta lie Leste."

She nodded her head.

I was starting to get awfully suspicious about them two talking to each other when I wasn't around. They'd started getting secretive, and I know it's something more that happened between them while they were dating.

"Oh."

I stayed quiet for the rest of the time and Travis probably had caught onto it.

"You good?" He asked.

"Yes." I gave him a fake smile, but I think he caught onto that too.

"Hey Y'all, I'm Yori. I'll be taking your orders for today." The waitress came up to our table.

--
After we were done eating, I rode with Travis so I wouldn't be in the way of August and Celeste time of talking.

"I can tell dat it's botherin' ya." Travis broke the silence between us.

"What? -- Pfft! It's not." I laughed nervously.

He gave me a look like he knew I was lying then back at the road.

"My brotha' anga' issues used ta be horrible back when he was like -- I don't know, fifteen, sixteen? And while him and Celly was datin' he uh -- Izel, If I tell you, you can't change ya mind bout my brotha'. I swea' he changed all his ways."

I started getting scared of what they were hiding and I almost didn't want to know anymore, but whatever happened, I'm sure he did change and he wouldn't do it again.

"I won't."

"He made ha' feel afraid. He used ta' get angry ta' the point whea' he'll threaten ha' or get physical wit'a." He cleared his throat. "But he good. He learned from his mistakes, and the reason why they talk is because his therapist told him befo' that maybe it'll be good ta' apologize so they could get pass it."

"He hit her, Travis?" I frowned.

"Yea." He said quietly. "You ain't hea' dis' from me though, because I swea' ta GAWD, if that nigga run up on me, i'm sendin' his skinny ass straight to his grave."

He always tried to lighten the mood, but this time he couldn't.

He hit her.