Wickman •Nardo Wick•

8•

"Why you ain't tell me you had a job," Nardo asks from the drivers seat of his car. I scoot closer to the door as we get closer to the library.

"You never asked," I respond, gripping tightly on the door handle. I don't want to be around him at all.

"Why you being so quiet? Why you acting funny with me," he asks, pulling me by my arm closer to him. He places his hand on my thigh and then pays attention to the road again.

I just pull out my phone, searching up Horace Walls on instagram. I had to do something to figure out who he was. I distract myself from Nardo gripping on my thigh by entering google. A headline catches my attention.

Jacksonville teen wanted for murder. Suspect is-

Nardo snatches my phone out of my hand but I quickly lock it. Thing I learned from having a black mama.

"Fuck you not answering me fa?" I gulp and look out the window. I don't know what to say. I just want to go home and get the hell away from Nardo.

"Aye, look at me when I'm talking to you," he commands and I listen. He parks the car in the middle of the road. No cars are in sight so it's fine but still, why the hell- anyways. "You mad at me?"

I stay silent. Hell yeah I'm mad. He's been holding me captive since the corner store incident. He won't leave me alone. He keeps putting me in danger. He just killed somebody... in front of my house and then he has Chris pin it on somebody. I'm scared.

"What I do," he asks with concerning eyes. His tone is low and honestly, a little sad. He keeps looking at me, awaiting my answer. But I don't have any. His eyes. His lips. His face. They mesmerize me. It's like I'm stuck, and I can't look away. I can't speak. Why do I feel like this? "Lemme make it right."

He cups my face with one hand and lifts my head. "Please," he pleads. The look in his face makes my heart drop. It seems like he really cares, like he really wants to know. I can't leave him feeling like this. I just don't know what to tell him. I can't tell him the truth, because it might get me killed. "Are you scared?"

I nod my head slowly, and he drops his hand.

"Cuzza what I did last night?" I nod again. He looks back at the road and starts the car back up. He drives in silence until we enter the library parking lot.  I quickly unbuckle my seatbelt, ready to leave this tension behind. I open the door.

"Close it," he commands and I listen, remaining in the vehicle. He gets out, walks in front of the car and opens my door. I slowly stand up and walk towards him. "I'm coming witchu."

He grabs my arm and  slides his hand down into mine. I let him intertwine our fingers and walk to the entrance. He opens one of the double doors and lets me walk ahead of him, not releasing my hand. I smile sweetly at my coworkers as I approach my boss's desk.

"Hello, my beautiful girl. Who is this," Mrs B asks, eyeing nardo. Mrs B is like my second mom, and sister at the same time. She's always there for me.

"I'm Nardo," He says before I even get a chance to speak. she gives me a questioning look as she shakes his hand. She disapproves. I would too. He's not the kind of guy I would be with at all, no matter how fine he is. Guns, drugs, sagging pants. It's just not me. It's just not Alex. Yet, here we are.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Mrs B. How nice of you to bring Alex to work today," she says, faking her politeness. One thing about her, if she doesn't like you her face will show it. And it's showing it.

"Actually, she's quitting today ma'am," nardo says and I look at him in pure shock and confusion. When the fuck was this?

"Oh really," she sasses. "Bug, is that true?"

Nardo looks me in my eye, giving me that look again. The one that puts me in a trance. I nod my head.

"Yes ma'am," I respond, breaking eye contact. I smile at her as she glares at him.

"Why?"

"Personal reasons," I bluntly respond. I'm pissed and scared at the same time. Why do I have to quit the job I enjoy doing? He's really taking this shit too far.

"Which are? Girl don't play with me," she says, folding her arms. Nardo squeezes my hand tightly. Fuck he want me to do?

"She's moving in with me, and the library is too far to drive everyday," Nardo tells her. She ignores him and turns to me.

"Think of it as relocating. I'll still come see you often," I say, trying to avoid eye contact with her. I really hate Nardo at this point.

"Promise," she asks. I hug her tightly, nardo still gripping on my hand. She brings her mouth up to my ear and whispers, "Tug your shirt if you're in danger."

I want to, but I don't want to put anyone here in danger because of Nardo. So I keep my hands in view, and away from my clothes. "I promise."

"Well, keep in touch. I love you girl," she says, still giving nardo the death stare.

"I love you more," I say as Nardo drags me away. I feel my shirt rise up to I tug on it to pull it down. I look back at Mrs B one last time and wave. She nods at me like I just told her something, which confuses me. She gives me a look. I don't even know how to explain it but I wave goodbye to everybody and we leave.

"She ain't like me," Nardo says, buckling my seatbelt.

"No shit," I mumble as he closes my door. He goes around and opens his own.

"What was that," he asks as he starts the car.

"Nothing." He pulls out and starts going the opposite way of the house. "Where we going?"

For all I know he could be taking me somewhere to kill me. I don't want to go anywhere but home, with my mama. Hopefully there's no blood on the concrete. No bullets. No trace of death around my home or else I won't be able to sleep at night.

"Don't worry about it," he responds, placing his hand on my knee again. I should be fearful of him and I have every right to be, but his hand on my knee gives me chills. Butterflies. How can I get butterflies when I'm scared of him? Maybe it's just anxiety. "Ya know what, imma tell you. I gotta go make sure Chris got rid of the body. I got this gut feeling he plotting against me."

No, he's plotting against Horace.

"Let's get to know each other though," he says, his hand gets closer to my coochie. I feel a weird tingly feeling down there I haven't ever felt before. I push his hand away but the feeling stays. I feel like I'm on my period honestly, but I know I'm not. It's probably just residue.

"Okay," I respond, crossing my legs.

"I got something to tell you first tho."

Lord please let this be good news for once.

What y'all think?

What y'all wanna see next?

What nardo finna say?

Who y'all think Horace is?🌚

Why Mrs B looked at her like that?

Song I'm feeling is- everything is everything by Lauryn Hill