Miss Sacrifice

Malik

I was driving down Jaaliyah's street when I saw her exchanging what looked like goodbye hugs with another girl. The girl looked a little older than Jaaliyah did and she was much taller and slimmer with short brown curly hair. I didn't want to intrude but I slowed my driving when I locked eyes with them both. The girl whispered something to her and the both giggled to each other but it seemed as if Jaaliyah was hesitant laughing along with her friend. She waved to me but she seemed scared to do so like when a child is doing something bad knowing that their mom is watching. I noticed how the girl nudged Jaaliyah to go to my car and I suddenly checked myself in the rearview mirror.

"Whats up Ma?" I said when Jaaliyah approached my car.

"Hey Malik." She said in return.

"Who's this?" I said, not wanting to seem rude.

"This is my best friend Tanya." She said with hand gestures introducing us.

I introduced myself to Tanya but she already seemed to know who I was. Tanya eyed me constantly as I talked and she tried to look into my eyes when I spoke to her but she was nothing in my interest. Jaaliyah's bruise was still sitting on her face ripe and ready to burst, my blood coiled when I looked at her and it made me just want to indulge myself in what happened and comfort her.

"Wanna go for a ride?" I asked and Tanya's eyes lit up. "Jaaliyah." I clarified.

"I don't know, I can't just leave Tanya alone." She said.

"Maybe we could all ride together." Said Tanya with glee.

Without another word, the door to Jaaliyah's house sprung open with force and a man came out looking intently for something. His eyes scanned the front porch and looked deadly ahead to where Jaaliyah was standing with Tanya, he didn't approach them but only called out.

"Liyah! The fuck did I just tell you?!" He yelled.

She gasped when she heard his voice and turned around walking over to him with her head down and Tanya followed behind her. When the man noticed Tanya walking behind Jaaliyah he held his hand out in a way to stop her from coming. I didn't drive away immediately but I slowly rolled my windows up and watched through there. I saw Tanya walk away and I fixed my gaze on Jaaliyah and the man. It occurred to me that the man was her father. I waited to see if she was going to come back but instead I saw that she was briskly pushed into the house and the door were slammed shut behind her. The engine of my car roared to life and I drove away.

I'm sorry I left without even saying goodbye. Jaaliyah texted.

I was surprised that she texted me later on that day. "Its no problem ma. I just wanna hang out with you more.

Maybe tomorrow. She said.

I felt surprisingly excited when she said we could get together the next day, that but I was also worried. The way her father called out to her today was a bit strange, I've seen mean fathers but not the way this man was towards Jaaliyah. The was she carried herself when approaching him was different from the kids who fear their parents, something about her changed when she walked to him. And the way he came out yelling at her to come in was unlike anything I've seen between a father and a daughter. I continued to text Jaaliyah and scheduled to see her the next day around the same time at the library. I planned to take her somewhere besides the library so I could get to know her and maybe get to know her deep enough that I find out something about her home life. I spent the rest of my day with Tay in and out of thoughts of Jaaliyah and I didn't want to think about her anymore, I wanted to be with her.