Thinking About You

Chapter 12

Ding!

The bell goes off as I walk into Dom's. It must get annoying hearing that all day because this place is constantly busy; people come and go. Linc spots me from behind the counter.

"I'll be with you in a minute, fam!"
"Aiight," I nod and move to the back tables.

It wasn't busy at the moment; I was able to get a table without anyone sitting at the table to my right, in front or over my shoulder. Linc walks over and gives me dap.

"Been a minute."
He sits down across from me.
"Tell me about it, what's been going on?"
"Same ol', same ol'. Section 1 needs some new people cause I'm starting to recognize more faces than usual."
"You calmed things down with Damantaé?"
I hadn't heard anything from him since that day. Linc looks at me sideways.
"You don't know?"
I pause and tense up.
"Know what?"
"He got locked back up. I think he has to do 11 months."
I swear under my breath while shutting my eyes.
"Same shit only this time it was that broad I first tried to holla at."
I shake my head and watch the cars drive by on this sunny day.
"How long ago was this?"
He was staring above my head, thinking a minute before replying.
"Like 3 weeks ago."
"Shit!"
"You and Cruz been living under a rock lately I see."

At the mention of him I caught a nervous flutter in my stomach and grew anxious at the same time.

"He hadn't known about Damantaé either."

I didn't know that Linc and Alex recently talked or hung out. I wonder what they talked about. But I try to play cool and shrug it off.

"I think we all kind of distanced ourselves from Damantaé after that day at the mall."

I'm looking down and hadn't looked at Linc in a minute. When I glance back at him he's staring at me with a blank face. Something tells me he's been staring at me like this for a while.

"Maaaaaaan, cut yo shit! A nigga already know!"
I could feel my cheeks heat up.
"Know what?"
He tilts his head while still watching me.
"It don't take a damn rocket scientist to realize that something is going on with you and Cruz."
I shut my eyes again and exhale. Maybe Alex told him something.
"Cruz didn't need to tell me," he says as if he read my thought. "I decided to show back up at your place maybe two hours or three after I pulled Treese out that night. I thought it was kind of odd that his car was still by your place so I bounced. I just started putting one and one together."
I didn't know what to say but I feel uncomfortable as hell.
"Jaquez."
I look over at him, he's shaking his head.
"It's alright, it's okay. It's about fucking time cause I can tell you held that shit in for a minute but I'm glad y'all happy."
He reaches over and places both hands on my shoulders. I notice I start to breath more calmly, Linc having relieved me.
"Thanks, Linc."
"You're like a brother to me, Jac, it's nothing."
I nod.
"You want that milkshake now?"
I crack a grin.

I was still uncomfortable with Linc. After the milkshake I jet and go for a walk. Questions swarm through my head. If I had been calmer I probably could have gotten a chance to ask them to him.

How long had he known to put "one and one" together? Did he tell Alex that he knew? Did Damantaé know? Did Linc and Damantaé ever discuss it together?

The time at LIPS comes to mind. They probably knew that night. Only a small part of me is glad that it's out. A whole 'nother part of me is taking its slow ass time to process it all. I guess I could talk to Alex about it.

I had given Alex a key to my place, he was always there anyway. When I open the door I could tell he was here, he always had the stereo on. He comes from the kitchen in a white tee and gym shorts.

"I'm trying to make my mama's cookies, so far so good."

I smile at him, he looks so cute. I walk over and plant a kiss on his lips.

"Guess what I found out today?" I ask when our kissing ends.
He stares at me and waits but quickly changes his mind and says, "¿Que?"
"Damantaé's in jail."
Alex immediately winces and slaps his forehead.
"I knew I kept forgetting to tell you something! You keep distracting me with all this good dick," he mutters the last part but it causes me to laugh out loud.

He's not too phased by my laughing, just staring off into space thinking but eventually he cracks a smile before continuing.

"I ran into Linc the other day, it's odd that we don't chill anymore and he mentioned it."

I start to change out of my clothes, Alex following me into the bedroom.

"Did he tell you that he knew about you and me?"
I watch his eyes go wide but he slowly shakes his head.
"No," he says with an accent. "He said that to you?"
I nod my head then pull a T-shirt on. Alex quickly looks to the side before looking back at me.
"What else did he say?"
"He just put the pieces together when he noticed things getting weird between us. He's cool with it."
I stood before him now. He isn't looking at me but instead off to the side looking to be deep in thought.
"I wonder if they knew that day at LIPS. Even Damantaé!"
My eyes shoot open.
"Me too! I thought the exact same thing."

He walks back out the room and into the kitchen, I follow behind him.

"It all makes sense now." I hear him say.
The sweet smell of cookies were now evident in the air.
"It's crazy to think they knew this whole time."
"And didn't say shit," he offers to finish my sentence. "I know."
He takes the cookies out and turns the oven off.
"¡La cena está lista!"
After a beat I chuckle in response.
"Looks good, babe," I tell him.
He stares at me with a content smile on his face.
"I'm going to sing you a song," he says out of nowhere.
"W-what?"

He grabs my arm and practically throws me on the couch. He goes to the stereo and starts tapping away at his phone. I sit back on the couch while watching him curiously. Eventually a soft and slow piano melody begins. I didn't recognize the song whatsoever. The song starts with the words I never dreamed you'd leave in summer.
I start laughing when I see him lip syncing the words. But he began to put on a performance. I did recognize Stevie Wonder's voice after a while but I've never heard the song. I lean forward and watch him enthrallingly. He acts more intensely where the singing calls for it. His clumsy ass twirls on a note and trips but gets back up and continues. I blow air out before laughing.

Then the song came to an end on Why didn't you stay and the note at the end was drawn out. Stevie went in on that long ass note and Alex was trying to do the same. His neck and face begins to turn red and before the note could end he starts to pretend like he's choking and can't breath. He even slowly falls to his knees from all the "lost air". Just dramatic as can be.

"You're stupid!" I laugh but applaud him when the song goes off.
"You like my singing skills?"
"Superb!"

I grab him and place him next to me but go to lay on top of him. I lay between his legs like this for a minute, he watches me passionately the whole time. My eyes in turn slowly roam over his face. I could feel the comforting heat between us; I didn't want to change positions.

"Move in with me," I say after a while.
He gives me his sexy grin.
"You willing to live with me and my farts morning, noon and night?"
I slowly back away from him but couldn't help the smile that starts to form on my lips.
"Why are you like this?" I whisper.
He's laughing.
"I'm just playing. I already live here if you haven't noticed."
I look around the place. I could even see his duffel bag in the bedroom.
"I've never farted around you though," he confesses.
"I have," I say nonchalantly.
He pauses.
"Nigga. ¿Que?"
I laugh.
"All the time."
He stares at me with squinted eyes as if I was his enemy.
"Okay then, two can play that game, bitch."
"I take it back, please don't."
He leans back and closes his eyes, arm thrown under head.
"I'm lighting it up tonight."