In These Streets

Chapter 5

I woke up with a painful pounding in my head, so bad that I had to keep my eyes squeezed shut or risk vomiting from the dizziness.

Faintly, I could hear my mother and Tadeus moving about in the kitchen and snuggled deeper under my quilt. I felt absolutely nauseated.

The night before was a blur, and snippets of the party flashed briefly through my mind with murky detail.

I couldn't remember much after making out with Darius and dancing with Genesis. I didn't even know how I got home and into my bed, a realization that made me feel irresponsible and a bit frightened.

Taking deep, cleansing breaths through my nose and out of my mouth helped clear my head a little. Enough for me to open one bleary eye and look at my alarm clock on my bedside table.

It was eleven-thirty in the morning.

Not ready to face the day, I turned on my other side and fell back into an exhausted sleep.

"Ambra, I'm taking your brother out to do some sightseeing. We'll be back later in the evening," my mom said curtly from my doorway.

I had stirred awake a few minutes before, and I knew she was still upset that I had gone out from the tone of her voice.

She didn't wait for me to answer, just turned on her heel and ambled down the hallway. The sound of the front door slammed shut a few seconds later, leaving an empty silence.

I squinted my eyes through the beams of sunlight shining through my flimsy window curtain to see what time it was.

A groan escaped me as I saw it was two p.m. I had wasted my entire Saturday morning.

I sat up gingerly and pure nausea rolled in my stomach. Tossing the quilt off of me, I ran for the bathroom and made it just in time to vomit the sour, burning contents of my stomach into the toilet, heaving until there was nothing left but bile.

Cold sweat dripped off my skin as I hung my head in the toilet, trying to catch my breath as tears flowed down my cheeks.

After several minutes, I straightened up, the nausea subsiding though my head still felt heavy, like a block, and my body felt like it was run over by a train.

I glanced in the mirror, horrified to see makeup smeared down my face and my lace romper askew and bunched up.

I looked like a crack whore, and not a pretty one either.

Slowly, I got a glass of water from the kitchen, gulping it down as if I had been in the desert and then took a shower.

The hot, soothing water helped the soreness of my muscles and after drying myself off, I put a simple white camisole on with denim shorts and brushed my hair carefully, throwing my wet curls into a messy bun.

I was in the kitchen scavenging for something that would be a good hangover meal when a firm knock on the door pierced the silence.

My heart thumped, and I cautiously padded over to the door, peering through the eyehole.

Genesis stood on the step, her arms crossed impatiently.

I breathed a sigh of relief, unlocking and opening the door.

Her braids were up in a high ponytail, and she had a bright yellow tube top on with faded blue coveralls and bright yellow sandals, giving her a pop of color. Oversized sunglasses framed her face.

"How did you know where I live?" I asked, so surprised that I forgot to be polite.

"Damn, Ambra, you look like shit," she replied cheerily, brushing past me..

I closed the door and followed her into my kitchen, where she plunked into a chair as I grabbed the loaf of bread on the counter.

"Girl, you were so drunk last night Cigar had to carry you to the Escalade. It took us nearly twenty minutes to find your place once we got in the hood, your directions were so wack. I had to help you into the house, and you told me which one was your room. I tucked you in and dipped. You were a mess by the time we left the party," she chuckled, shaking her head.

I shot her a mortified look as I put two pieces of bread in the toaster.

I had no recollection of anything Genesis said, and I blushed with humiliation at the thought of Darius seeing me look so sloppy. Not to mention everyone else that was there.

"I don't really drink that often. Thank you for taking care of me," I mumbled.

"Don't worry about it, you were fine. It all hit you as soon as we left the house. I'm actually here to ask if you want to go out again tonight," she grinned at me, twirling a braid between her manicured fingers.

The thought of drinking again almost made me gag.

"I'd love to, but I think I'll pass this time. Even thinking about alcohol makes me want to vomit right now," I groaned as my toast popped.

Genesis laughed, the sound loud and feminine.

"No doubt. But you don't have to drink tonight. To be honest, Iceman told me to bring you tonight. He's having a dinner party at his crib and wants you to come."

I froze mid-bite as excited butterflies fluttered in my empty stomach and flashes of our make-out session reeled through my mind.

Darius wanted me to go to his place again? I tried to fathom why, but came up blank. Surely it wasn't because he was interested in me; he had that Asian woman, Talia, after all.

Still, my heart started beating erratically at the thought of seeing him again, and I had to focus on breathing regularly, so Genesis couldn't see how much his name affected me.

"I guess dinner would be okay," I smiled faintly at her.

"A'ight, sounds good. I'll pick you up around eight this evening. What's your number so I can text you?"

"I actually don't have a cell phone at the moment," I answered sheepishly.

She gave me a funny look, as if someone not having a cellphone was some sort of oddity.

"Okay, well just be sure you're ready on time," she said finally.

I nodded as I buttered my toast, watching her fish out her cell phone from her giant bag as it vibrated with a text message.

She tapped the screen with her finger and her brow furrowed as she read it, her face growing serious.

Abruptly, she stood up.

"I got some shit to handle right now. I'll see you later tonight," she nodded at me, her tone brisk and preoccupied.

"Um, yeah, sure." The confusion was evident in my voice, but she didn't seem to notice and didn't break her pace as she headed out the door, towards a parked, inconspicuous Toyota I hadn't noticed earlier.

I watched her climb into the driver's seat and quickly disappear down the street.

It was another balmy day, the sun shining brightly.

The heat, along with the toast I'd eaten, suddenly made me feel very tired, and I headed back to my room to nap, not wanting to be sleep deprived or hungover when I got to see Darius again.