After Class (Janet and Aaliyah)

Chapter 49

Acacia

My heart pounded as I put the car in reverse. How could I have forgotten that today was the anniversary of my grandparents, and that my mother always went to Louie's to remember them? How could I forget that I used to go with her, and we'd sit in the same booth every time, and order their same meal?

Aaliyah. That's why. She was distracting me. I rubbed my forehead and then I heard her shift behind me in the back seat. So deep in thought, I forgot she was back there.

  "Dang, that's crazy that she would be here too."

  "It's really not crazy at all."

  "Oh?"

  "It's my grandparent's anniversary today. She always goes."

  "Aww. Why didn't you say anything when we were in there?"

  "I forgot, to be honest." I made it to the first stop light, making a quick decision to turn right and go back home. Running into her made me paranoid about being out with Aaliyah at all today. I didn't want to take any chances.  My mother noticed me acting strange. Her invasive eyes squinting to look through my car's tinted windows as we talked had my body hot with nerves.  I would never be able to enjoy myself in the mall.

  "Oh. Wait, isn't the mall—"

  "How about we just chill at home today. It looks like rain." I tightened my grip on the wheel. For whatever reason, she was starting to annoy me and through no fault of her own. Maybe there was just a lot on my mind.

  "I mean... the stores are inside the mall, Acacia."

  "Aaliyah, honey—" I took a deep breath. "Please. I just... wanna go home."

  "But we were supposed to—"

  "I know. I know. Look, can we be quiet for a minute?"

She had made her way back to the passenger seat at this point, and was staring me down hard. My jaw clenched. I wished she would just let it go.

  "Did I say something?" 

  "No."

  "Okay, so what's with the attitude? Did she say something?"

  "Aaliyah. Please, stop talking."

  "I'm just—"

  "I swear to God," I said through clenched teeth. I wanted to drop her off at her house right now. I would have turned the car around if it weren't for the fact that we were already in my subdivision. I was really not in the mood. She grew quiet and pulled a nail file out of her purse. She was angry. She always filed her nails when she was annoyed or angry.

We got to my house and she stormed out of the car without another word. I stayed for a moment, watching her go through the garage door that I'd opened as I pulled into the driveway. Otherwise, she would have been locked out. I knew I had to go in there and apologize, but I was really on edge now. She wasn't helping at all. She talked a lot. I wasn't quite used to it yet. Khori never would have poked at a situation the way Aaliyah did—

Why was I thinking about her? Why did it matter how Khori would act? Before a few months ago, Khori's name wouldn't have come up in my head once. I was spending too much time with her. She was getting to me again. That couldn't happen.

I hit my head against the steering wheel with a groan. I really could have sworn I'd set the record straight between us. The hospital incident last night must have opened up a very old wound.
 
I guess I'd been sitting out there long enough for Aaliyah to pack her stuff up. When we locked eyes, I hopped out of the car quickly, cursing to myself. She was clearly getting ready to leave.