Within (17 page)

“Well…” she began, as she scratched her right arm. “I, umm… needed some help and I was referred to him.”

“Were you now?” I began, before he cut me off.

“Yes she was,” Elijah said aloud. “Don’t kill my game bro, damn. Let me use your office right quick,” he whispered.

Without waiting on my response, he turned back around towards her, placing his arm across her shoulder, “Come this way to my office so we can talk in private, please.”

I stood there brushing my fade with my hand, trying to think, I was a little confused. Elijah hasn’t been down here that long and he doesn’t come down that often; no one knew him like that.

“Excuse me, ma’am? What did you say your name was again, and who referred you?”

“Who me?” she asked, turning back around and looking at me. “Oh, I’m Skittles Hill and a good friend referred me.”

Chapter Two:

“WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW”

JESSICA

I sat two streetlights down from Bryce’s Atlanta office, in a black Impala with tinted windows, and watched as Skittles skipped out the front door and then stopped. She looked around at first, then dug into her dress pocket and pulled out her cell phone.

“Yeah?” I said, answering my phone.

“I talked to Elijah and seen Bryce!” Skittles yelled, in a coarse whisper.

“Shut up and listen to me. A Yellow Cab will be pulling up in ten minutes at the Starbucks on the corner. Take that taxi and meet me on Carnegie Way, fourth floor, room 403, you got that?”

“That’s the Marriott; we weren’t staying there last night. Why are we moving so much?”

This bitch was making me mad as hell, but I was trying to keep my cool; if I really wanted it my way, I would have killed her slow ass six months ago. At this time, I kinda needed her ass, well at least until we got back to Houston.

“Look, just do what I said, and make sure nobody and I do mean nobody, follows you.”

“But I don’t know anyone here,” I heard her say, before I hung up the phone and sped off down Peachtree.

I was in the room for about two hours when Skittle finally walked in with her head down.

“Where the fuck you been Skittles?” I asked, watching her walk slowly to the other queen bed and sit.

“I missed the taxi you sent me, because I was in line getting a Cafe Latte. You mad at me, Jessica?”

“Mad ain't even the word!”

“I’m sorry,” she said, beginning to sob. “I… I was going to call you and tell you, but then I didn't have enough money to pay for my drink.”

“And?”

“And then a lady showed up and offered me a ride,” she said, putting her head down.

“What did she look like and what did she have on?”

“I can’t remember exactly, but I didn’t ride with her.”

“Stop playing games with me, Skittles, who dropped you off?” I asked, getting more irritated.

“Elijah,” she said, smiling at first, before she noticed I was staring at her.

“You let him drop you off here?” I said, standing up from the bed, walking towards the window, peeking out the blinds.

“Well yeah, I didn’t see any harm in that, you said y’all were friends.”

“Skittles, did you tell him my name? I need to know!”

When I asked her that, she looked off.

“I know you heard me! Did you tell him my fucking name?”

“No! Well maybe; I don’t remember.”

“What the hell do you mean? You know what, we wasting time, get those bags and hurry up!” I shouted, pacing the room frantically.

“But we just got here!” she said, standing and picking up the two duffle bags out the closet.

“No bitch,
you
just got here and now because of yo dumb ass, we can’t stay here! Shit!” I yelled. “Give me that!” I yelled again, snatching one of the bags off her shoulder.

“I’m sorry; you told me he was your friend.”

“Fuck that, let’s go!”

I told Skittles to stay in the lobby, while I looked around the parking lot to make sure Elijah didn't stay after he dropped her off. Then I pulled up to the front to pick her up.

“Hurry up!”

Her foot was barely in the door, before I pulled off. I drove in silence for about two hours before she spoke.

“Where are we going?”

I didn't respond to her right away; I was still pissed, but I was trying to calm down.

“We're going back to Houston,” I said, pushing my seat back a little, trying to focus on the road and not my anger.

“To Houston? If they find me, they gon’ put me back in that crazy hospital! We can't go back!” she said, reaching over and trying to put the car in park.

Without saying a word, I drew my left hand back and punched her in the face, causing her to pull her hand back.

“I'm bleeding,” she whined

“Good! None of this would have ever happened had you just did what I said!”

“I'm bleeding!” she repeated, crying louder and harder, holding her nose.

Without a word, I pulled over the car, put it in park, opened the glove compartment, and pulled out some napkins. What came out my mouth next was out of my character, but I tried to say it in the nicest way.

“Bitch, I’m sorry, I mean, I apologize, but you can't try and put the car in park when I’m driving. You trying to kill us both? You understand what I'm saying?”

“Yeah,” she said, hanging her head.

“Hold your head the fuck up,” I said, pinching her nose with the napkin.

“I think I may have to go to the hospital,” she sobbed through her deep breathing.

“We ain't going to no motherfuckin’ hospital, Skittles, just hold that shit until it stops bleeding!”

“Okay,” she said, calming down a bit.

I put the car back in drive and pulled off, and just like before we were silent.

“He wasn't really your friend, was he?” Skittles asked, still holding her nose.

“No Skittles, he ain't.’

She let out a deep sigh, then looked out the window, still holding her nose upwards.

I wanted to know what she was thinking, but I wasn’t about to show it.

“I know something isn't right about me, but you can't treat me this way for the rest of my life.”

“I treat you like this, because I kinda look at you like you're my little sister. I've never really had a family.”

“Well, why are you going through so much trouble with Elijah? Did he hurt you?”

I chuckled a little, glancing in her direction, and then back at the road.

“Baby girl, it has nothing to do with Elijah, but everything to do with Bryce, and that stupid bitch Reese. The best way I can explain it to you is that when you love somebody, you go out your way to show them, and that's what I've been doing.”

“Can I be honest with you? I see why you were in the hospital with me; you just as crazy as I am.”

Her comment pissed me off so bad, but I stayed quiet and the next exit I saw I took it and got out the car.

“Why are we stopping?” she asked, rolling down her window.

“You know what, you been asking a whole lot of questions lately; things you shouldn't even have any concerns about. You a snitch or something? Do I have a damn narc with me?” I said, finding myself pacing back to the car.

“No,” she said, taking the napkin off her nose. “Understand this, love has no boundaries and just because someone acts a certain way, doesn't mean they mean it!”

Skittles was stupid or even played crazy, but not at all, to what I believe she is. I mean, I kinda trusted her, but only to a certain extent. I don't know why I felt like I could be honest with her, because that really doesn't happen in my life. I told her how Bryce and I felt about each other, but she seemed as if she didn't understand.

I opened the passenger side door, and then sat down on the rail beside it. “You are to always fight for what's yours, always. I'm fighting for what has always belonged to me.

“But before we left for Atlanta and before you killed the nurse, I heard her say that you would kill for him; the man named B. B is Bryce, isn't it?”

“Her questions to me is the reason why she died, you wanna be in her position?”

“No,” she said, taking the bloody paper towel and throwing it on the ground.

“So let's stop worrying about my past and go forward to the future. I’m going to take care of you; nobody will hurt you while I'm alive, so get out yo damn feelings and help me get the love of my life back. That's all we ever want in life is love right? I gotta do this to show him.”

“But show him what?” she asked, pulling down the visor and looking at her nose in the mirror.

“That Reese ain't shit! She needs to die for real this time, so Bryce can see what we have is real,” I said, closing the mirror. “Are you with me or no?”

She looked at me, closed her eyes and kissed me on the lips, and then pulled back. “You have me.”

THANK YOU’S

Thank you God for everything, faith is the substance of things hoped for, but evidence of things not seen, and my faith is more focused and secured on you… so thank you.

To my family, I LOVE YOU ALL!

Suge, Duce, and Kar my sunshine’s, my reasons of breathing, Mommie continues to do what I do, just for you three.

Overstepped outside of myself so much and without the encouragement of these people in particular I wouldn't have released it: Kai “KeKe” Houston, Sixx, Damien, and Dee: thank you all for looking at what I write and correcting me. I will always and forever be grateful.

My hopes and admirations always came from the thoughts of you…You may not act a certain way, but who am I to judge? My first books stemmed from you and outside of me trying to vocalize my feelings, which you know it's hard for me to do, write. Thank you for listening, Uno even when I know you're not, lol.

MICHELLE, JAMES, DARIUS, MAKAYLA, DARIUS, EBONI, JACOB, ZACH, DAYNA , my siblings I LOVE you all with every breath that's in me.

Momma & Daddy, thank you (big lip kisses).

Everybody that has EVER SUPPORTED ME, I THANK YOU A TRILLION!

My RACHEL RAE AND HER BOOKS PEOPLE!  Thank you for holding me down; I know you're ready for this, especially Sheila and Clarice (lol).

To my Zitro family: LET'S GO! 2016 is our year baby!

Courtney, I hope you like this one “yo”.

I hope you all enjoy
WITHIN…..

Rachel Rae