Seventeen year old Safaya Bennett must navigate young adulthood under the stresses of her sins, her crumbling relationship with her twin sister, Rue, and a crippling mental disorder that makes her very dependent on her relationship with Nate Jacobs...
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Safaya walked out of her last class for the day trudging to her locker to see a familiar face leaning against it. She didn't want to be rude when TJ was doing her a favor but he wasn't what she was used to and she couldn't fight the feeling of being uncomfortable around him.
As she approached her locker he gave her a warm smile and wave. He stepped out of her way and gave her some space to gather her things.
"Thank you for the ride, T." She said quietly. Slamming her locker shut with Nate's sweatshirt in tow. She placed her bookbag on the floor and put the garment on her body when she noticed her bag was missing. TJ held her bookbag in his hands, ready to go whenever she was. "Oh ... no." She reached for her bag.
TJ's eyes went wide, handing her back her belongings. "I'm sorry." Nate had told the boy what to do when it came to Safaya. How to treat her and take care of her like she was a dog and Nate was away on vacation.
"Um," She squeezed her eyes shut. "Nate normally does that but I-I can hold it. T-Thanks." She stuttered. The normal confidence and wit she exudes was gone and she felt like a little kid again. The same scared little girl who held onto that blue teddy bear for dear life wherever she went.
God, she was gonna need a fuckton of drugs when she got home.
She sat in the passenger seat of his car, looking out the window like she was the star of a music video. Safaya's hands were on her face in efforts to calm her down and take in Nate's scent from his sweatshirt.
TJ made an effort to start a conversation but it was only met with the curly haired girls trepidation.
"Is there anything you wanna listen to?"
"No."
"How was your day?"
"Fine."
"Are you okay?"
No.
"Yeah."
He had never seen her this quiet, but then again, TJ never saw her without Nate by her side. He was the key to Safaya's personality. Around other's she was unsure of herself and felt like she didn't know what she was doing.
She turned to face him as they approached her home. "I'm not trying to be rude." She stated. "I just don't really ... talk—"
"Talk to people?" TJ finished. Glancing at her for a mere second. He watched her put her curls into a messy low bun out of her face. She was starting to feel hot even though the temperature in the car was a rival to Antarctica. "It's okay to be shy, Safaya. I know you don't mean it." He shrugged. "I'm sorry Nate couldn't drive you."
