on the map//spencer 'spider' white

29

Malakai and I help Amerie into Harper's apartment. Harper is on the phone with a doctor.

"Can you tell me when she took the first one?"

"Yeah. Yeah, she took the first pill around eight o'clock last night," Harper says. "Yeah, okay. I'm... I'm just gonna put you on speakerphone."

"Hi, Amerie. From what your friend has described, you don't need to worry. Have you started bleeding yet?"

"No, just cramping like hell," Amerie whines.

"That's normal. Sounds like your body might be trying to jumpstart the process."

"Awesome. Okay, do I even bother taking the second pill?" Amerie asks.

"Yes, take it now. It might still take a while to expel all the tissue." Amerie whimpers. "If you develop a fever, call back."

"Thanks so much," Harper says as she hangs up.

"Where's the other pill?" I ask Amerie.

"It's in my wallet," Amerie tells me.

"Uh, oh, I'll get it. Right," Malakai offers.

Amerie cries out in pain. "Oh, my stupid body. Why is it doing this to me?"

Harper brushes the hair from Amerie's face. "I know, baby. It sucks, I'm sorry."

"I should have waited till after the debate," Amerie states. "All that work, I can't believe I'm gonna miss it."

"It's okay, baby, just keep breathing," Harper tells her.

I squeeze Amerie's hand. "It's gonna be okay."

Harper and I lay on the couch as Amerie takes a bath. Malakai has gone to sit with her.

"What's up with you and Ant?" I ask her.

Harper groans. "I don't know."

"Well do you like him?" I ask. "Because he's clearly into you, Harps."

"I know," Harper tells me.

"You two would be cute together," I tell her.

"Ri," Harper starts.

I throw my hands up. "I'm just saying. You guys are already friends. Why not be more?"

Of the things I thought I would be doing today leaning over a toilet with Harper, Amerie, and Malakai was not it.

"I don't really know what I'm looking for," Malakai states.

"Well, it's a bunch of cells the size of a pinhead, you won't see anything," Harper explains.

"Turns out it's nothing like getting a mole removed," Amerie remarks. She starts to sob.

Harper rubs her back. "Oh, hey. Hey, hey, hey."

"Sorry," Amerie tells us.

"You're all right. Come here. Sit down," Malakai tells us.

"We got you," Harper tells her.

"Sorry," Amerie says through tears.

"No, it's... It's over," Malakai tells her.

"That was an event," Amerie says.

"Hey, glad we had tickets," Harper remarks.

Malakai laughs. "VIP section."

"With backstage passes," I offer.

Amerie sniffles. "I'm okay." She stands and flushes the toilet. "Lil' Feats' album just dropped."