The Stranger

Chapter 13.

"So, you really gon' play me like I'm a fool?" He asked. I could tell by his tone and demeanor that he wasn't satisfied with what just happened. "Tray.." I said in between sniffles. "Nah, ma. You really tried me." He said slightly raising his voice. "You don't understand." I pleaded. "Help me understand then." He said while glancing over at me. "I.." The words that processed in my head, didn't flow out of my mouth in time to respond to him.

He raised his arms midway into the air. "I'm waiting." He said in an irritated tone. "Okay!" I screamed. Before responding back to him, I swallowed nervously while twiddling my thumbs. "I met Oscar at school." I exhaled shakily. "We were talking, but things started to get really... weird." He sucked his teeth in irritation. "Weird? Really." "Yes, it's been a lot going on." "Dazie, you have to tell me somethin' because this.. this ain't tellin' m-"I didn't have sex with him!" I blurted out. He rapidly blinked his eyes, releasing a low chuckle. "What does that have to do with anything?" He asked. "Isn't that what you were mainly concerned about?" He shook his head no while smiling. Was this really a joke to him?

"No, that's not what I'm pressed bout." "Then what are you "pressed bout"? I asked while making air quotations with my fingers. "It don't even matter at this point." He said while starting the car. "W-what do you mean?" He didn't say a word; instead of responding back to me, he reversed the car out of the parking spot and exited out onto the streets. "What do you mean, Tray?" I asked again. "Let it go, ma." He tsk'd. "But I don't want to let it go." I said, as tears begin to form. "Why you don't want to let it go, huh?" He asked. "Because I like you, Tray. I really, really like you."

"I hear you ma, but you got me bent." He said this while smiling. I lowered my head in disappointment. I should have been more honest with him. I should have told him the truth about Oscar. "I should have told you the truth." These words caught his attention. He swiftly looked towards my direction while trying to keep steady on the streets. "What chu mean?" He asked, putting his attention back on the streets. "I should have told you about Oscar. I didn't because things between us weren't serious. He never even asked me to be his girlfriend." I said lightly laughing. "So? That don't mean nun. He called you his girl, so y'all had somethin' goin' on." He replied.

"But I'm telling you, that it's nothing. Please believe me." "And why should I?" "Because I'm still in your passenger seat." I said. He scoffed, replying back, "yeah, you may be right. But I ain't no asshole. I wasn't gon' leave you on the side of the road, because of some high school drama." "He did that to me.. He left me on the side of the road, and that was the last straw for me. That's when things started to get weird between us." He shook his head in disbelief, "and now Yazz, out here runnin' round' wit yo seconds."

"I wouldn't call it that. We never did anything but kiss." I said. "Oh, yeah?" He glanced over at me smiling. "Yes." He nodded his head up and down. We didn't speak for the next 20 minutes. I wondered where he was taking us, because we were getting further away from my home.

He drove us to Riverside Park. A very calming trail for us to walk and enjoy nature, and of course, the river. I've only been here a couple of times with my dad when I was smaller; so being here brought back my childhood memories. Piggyback rides with my dad, bike rides and vanilla ice cream dates. Perhaps, me and my dad should come back here one day. "Why'd you pick this spot?" I asked, as he parked. "You love askin' me questions." He said chuckling. "I love hearing your answers." I replied, smirking.

"You tryna win me back wit yo sauce?" "How is it sauce, if it's real?" He thought about my response for a moment, before licking his lips. No response. I got him. "C'mon." He said exiting out of the door. I followed after him, as I closed the passenger door and walked side by side down the trail with him. For moments, we didn't speak. We took in the environment around us; how the trees overlapped each other, the blooming flowers, the friendly people that walked by with a smile. Our silence speaks louder than me and Oscar's.