r.e.m

open arms.

"No matter what come between us, yeah, I decided
I'm forever ridin', you're forever guidin'
Pull up on an opp, hit his curb up, slide it." 

I leaned back in the comfy leather chair as Jasai, Flaco, Reese, and I sat in Flaco's IT office. The room was full of monitors and computer equipment that I didn't fully understand, but Flaco was in his element. He sat behind his desk, clicking and typing rapidly, his eyes glued to the screens. It was like he was in his own world, and we were watching him work. The rest of us stayed quiet, waiting for Flaco to say something.

As soon as he stopped moving, we instinctively leaned forward, like we knew what we were looking at. Flaco had been working nonstop to try and figure out if it was Travis at the rest stop and how long this nigga had been tracking our moves. Something in my gut told me it was him. I had no questions, but we had to confirm before executing anything.

We knew he was lurking somewhere. It wasn't a question of if but how long and where. Ever since that weird encounter on the drive back, I hadn't been able to shake the feeling that we were being watched. Even sitting here now, surrounded by the boys, I couldn't get comfortable knowing Jazelle and Zyra weren't in my sight.

Since Jazelle had told me about her history with Travis, my protective instincts have kicked into overdrive. Knowing what he put her through, I understood why she had been so detached from love and attention. When we first met, she was distant, constantly pushing me away, and I couldn't even blame her. After everything she endured, it made sense. Travis was a sick, twisted-ass nigga, and I honestly couldn't wait for the day I could get my hands on him. The thought of him lurking like a fucking weirdo still pissed me off.

Jazelle was the girl of my dreams, and I wanted her to be happy, to live the kind of life she deserved, with a nigga like me who would treat her right. Someone who saw her flaws and all and still believed she was perfect. I wasn't saying I was the best, but I knew, deep down, that we were the best for each other. The way we vibed, the level of understanding we had, that shit was unmatched. There was this undeniable chemistry between us, something you don't come across often.

Something told me she was my soulmate. She had to be.

"Oh shit..." Flaco mumbled.

"What?" Jasai shot up in his seat, eyes locked on the screen.

Flaco clicked around, switching tabs like he was putting a puzzle together. "We got here in April, right? Around Jaz's birthday?" He asked.

"Yeah," I replied quickly, leaning in to see what he was looking at.

"Man, this nigga been here since the end of May," Flaco said, pulling up more footage. He clicked on a video from near Jazelle's building. "Look at this. He been lurkin' round her spot."

We all crowded around, eyes glued to the screen as the video played. Travis is walking around Jazelle's courtyard, looking all suspect and shit. The only reason we knew it was him was because he didn't have that damn hoodie on, and Jasai confirmed it on sight. I'm so glad I moved into the same apartment complex as her.