Benevolence

Chapter 25: Backseat

I have got to start asking more questions. When Drew said he wanted me to meet The Twins, I thought he meant in Ithaca, not the city. I fell asleep during the ride, soon after he picked me up. I needed it, after the all-nighter, I pulled completing assignments after work yesterday. But I was shocked to wake up to passing yellow taxi cabs, loud synchronous honking and yelling, pedestrians who don't adhere to traffic signals, and buildings whose roofs were too far up to be seen through my window. I almost killed Drew in that car, accusing him of kidnapping me. When we arrived at Phoenix's Manhattan apartment building and walked through the decked off lobby, he literally had to push me into the elevator.

"Why do I feel conned?" I ask, staring across at him.

He chuckles. "Lai, somethin' always goin' over your head, yo. I told you Phoenix lives in the city."

"Yeah but..." Yeah, he did tell me that.

"Look at you," he says chuckling.

The elevator doors open to her 24th-floor penthouse apartment and...again with the questions. This isn't a "lil get together", it's a party. "Drew, I'm gonna kill you," I mutter looking around. "Seriously this time." Strobe lights bounce off the white marbled walls, and I can barely absorb the luxury of the place because people are everywhere; in the open kitchen, in the living room, out on the deck... and they're all dressed to the nines. "Do you see what I'm wearing?" I whisper-shout, gesturing to my pants suit. "I'm not dressed for this; take me home." I reach to close the elevator but Drew stops me, ushering me ahead of him instead.

"You boujie as fuck, Lai."

"Me?" I gasp, staring up at him incredulously.

"Yeah, you."

I look back at the elevator the moment it closes, gnawing at my lips. "City folks are very judgemental," I say. I've had bad experiences here. I was called an Oreo for speaking too white, a dike because I prefer loose-fitting clothing, and laughed at because at the time I didn't know how to lay my edges--which was entirely my mother's fault.

"And you're not?" Asks Drew. He pulls me against his side, draping his arm over my shoulder. "Aight, look at it this way, I don't want no one's eyes on you but mine, but it doesn't hurt to show off a bit. Let them see you," he says close to my ear.

"There are other ways of drawing attention to myself," I say. "But like this, I'll only pass as your attorney." He chuckles, sneaking a kiss at my temple.

The place is packed. Pop Smoke, who seems to be taking over the New York party scene blasts from the speakers and two to three bottle girls are walking around handing out drinks.

"Ayo, D! That's you, Brodie?" I follow the familiar voice and spot—

--Todd?" I gawk up at Drew. "He's in this too?"

Todd's busy heading our way with that crooked boyish smile. His single plaits fall on each side of his face, and his grin widens when he spots me.

"The faster we find Phoenix and Pharoah, the faster we get to leave," Drew speaks through a tight smile. "I know tomorrow's an important day for you."

He didn't answer my question.

"Ayyee, wassup Alaina." Todd pulls me in for a short hug, pulling back to glance down at my form of dress. "Nice suit," he says, his quirked brow giving away his confusion.

I shoot daggers at Drew who covers his laugh with a cough. "So you're uh," I try to hide the disappointment in my voice, gesturing to the room. "You're a part of the team," I say, with faux enthusiasm.

"Yeah," answers Todd. "Drew and I go way back."

"Bro." Drew leans in to dap him up. "Where The Twins at?" He asks.