The Lying Game

26.

W I L L I A M

70 days untils the election.
31 Days since Emani has been distant with me.

It's not the kind of distant where's she mad at me. I don't know what this distant is. Things were going well between us. We were at a good place. Now she talks and has been joking less.

"Here you go babe." Sarah hands me a beer with popcorn for the two of us. We're having a movie date at her apartment. I honestly haven't been to her apartment in months. The whole place used to be so familiar to me, I could picture everything in my mind down to where Sarah keeps her cleaning supplies. Now, things don't have the same familiarity as they once did.

Sarah plays the movie and rests her head on my shoulder. We're watching The Other Woman. I laugh inwardly,the title is so fitting. Emani would've said to pick another movie because it's too vanilla-ey. Also because Nicki Minaj is in it. I need to stop thinking about her. She's living her own life and I need to live mine. I put my arm around Sarah and bring her closer.

But those sad, big brown eyes.

This past month Emani looked like she's seen a ghost. Like something has been gnawing and tugging at her. Especially when we were at the cupcake shop. Maybe I haven't been listening and paying attention enough. This is too much, I get a strange feeling in my gut like something wrong is happening. I get up from the couch.

"Is everything okay?" Sarah asks.

"Yeah I just need to make a phone call." I feel my pocket, but my phone isn't there.

"A phone call at this hour?"

"Yeah can I use your house phone? It'll be quick I swear."

"Sure, go ahead." I rush to her kitchen and grab the house phone. I slide the door open to her balcony. I dial Emani's number, it went straight to voicemail.

I click my tongue. "Damn it Emani."  I remember her mentioning that she would be with Jasmine tonight. I dial Phoenix's number.

"Hello?"

"Phoenix it's William, is Jasmine with you?"

"No why?"

"Do you have her number?" I ask. "Emani isn't answering her phone and I'm worried."

"Whipped." Phoenix snorts.

"We always need to know where she is remember? We lose Emani, we lose the elsction."

"347-" Phoenix gives me the rest of the numbers. I remember them and dial it.

"Hello?"

"Jasmine it's William. Is Emani with you?"

"No?"

"She told me she would be with you tonight. She isn't picking up her phone, and I'm worried. Something doesn't feel right." I bite my lip.

"It's okay William. I'm sure she's at her job. Usually she has her phone off so that she can concentrate and get a lot of work done." She notes. "I'll figure out what's going on and keep you posted don't worry."

"Okay." I breathe out. "Thank you."

"No problem, goodbye."

"Goodbye." I hang up and go back into the apartment. I put the phone away. Sarah is still sitting on the couch, but the movie is paused.

"Sorry, thank you for waiting."'I kiss her on the cheek and sit next to her. Sarah doesn't respond as I drink some of my beer.

"So how long has this been your lockscreen?" She shows me the picture of Emani and I.