by S. L. Walker
“Yes, I would like to report someone missing. Yes, he didn’t come home last night and he’s not answering my pages. What do you mean 24hours?” Her dad had called the police. Raven pinched her nose in nervousness and rushed to her room to get dressed. She didn’t even take a shower; she threw on the first jeans she saw in her closet, a red hoody, tied her braids in a bun and ran out of the house with her dad fussing at the police in the background. She hopped on her bike and headed to school. She needed to see Zara, NOW!
CHAPTER 14
Raven knew the first thing her dad was going to do was ride by a couple of his friend’s houses, so she didn’t even bother. She rode up to the front of the school where the girls normally met, hoping she’d see Zara before anyone.
Wallah, Zara came rolling by in her new Mercedes into the school parking lot. Raven biked over where Zara parked her car in the school parking lot. Zara was so distracted grabbing her backpack, she was startled to see Raven.
“Zara, I need your help!” Raven cried out.
“Raven, what the hell? You’re here early,” Zara told her, draping her backpack over her shoulder. She pulled her long hair from underneath the straps and unzipped up her pink puff jacket that matched her pink Ugg boots.
“Deon’s missing. He left with some guy named West yesterday and none of us have seen him. I fucked up!” Raven said, hysterically hopping off her bike.
“Shhhhh,” Zara looked around as other students, mostly seniors, lucky enough to have cars, parked and walked towards the school. A couple of last minute students still lingered in the parking lot. “Get in the passenger seat,” Zara pointed to the passenger side of her car and threw her backpack in the backseat. Raven put her kickstand down on her bike and hopped in the passenger seat. Zara turned on the car to put some heat on. Raven looked around at the brand new, black leather interior, touching it as if she saw it for the first time. It smelled of Vanilla from her air freshener and she had a little pink furry steering wheel cover.
“What’s going on?” Zara asked, interrupting Raven’s brief admiration.
“Yesterday I overheard Deon talking to some guy named West about taking Treach out. DJ dropped off a note to me for a drop,” Raven said as quickly as she could.
“Another one?” Zara shook her head.
“Yeah! Another one! I thought I was doing the right thing by giving it to Deon, but now I don’t think it was a good idea. He didn’t say anything to me, he just left with that West dude,” Raven rested her head on the headrest to calm down.
“Oh shit,” Zara sighed.
“My dad is worried out of his fuckin’ mind. He called the cops!” She shouted.
“This is bad,” Zara stared at Raven. She didn’t know what to tell her.
“I need you to find out if your dad knows anything,” Raven pleaded.
“My pops is real secretive about stuff like that. I doubt he’d even tell me,” she said, fearful of getting her dad involved. Raven sighed with frustration. Zara could see her trying not to let her emotions overwhelm her. Raven did have her back and in a way, she owed her.
“You do know that means I have to tell him everything. That you’re involved with Treach,” Zara told her. Raven looked at her,
but there was nothing to think about.
“Do whatever you gotta do,” Raven exhaled.
“Did you talk to your girls yet?” Zara brought up their agreement.
“We are meeting after school at the spot. Just make sure you ask your dad. I’ll try paging DJ again from a pay phone. Maybe he will at least let me know he’s okay,” Raven hoped.
The school bell rang which ended their conversation abruptly.
“That’s the warning bell, let’s go. I’ll try to find out anything I can,” Zara assured Raven. Raven hugged Zara which threw Zara off a bit but she hugged her back knowing that Raven’s tough side was coming down. Raven realized it too and immediately let go.
“Let’s go,” Raven said, adjusting herself and getting out of the car.
In Biology class, Raven walked in to see Eva at Professor’s Heart desk a little too flirtatious. She wondered what that was about but kept walking to her desk. Eva finally turned to lock eyes with her and excused herself from Professor Heart, following Raven to her desk.
“Hey, what’s up?” Eva sat down.
Raven was still a little distant and she didn’t get a chance to talk to Eva after class the day before. Eva stayed after class and made plans with Professor Heart after school for today. She was a little frustrated that she would have to squeeze seeing him and meeting the girls, but Angel stressed that it was important.
“Watsup? You comin’ to the spot later?” Raven sat at her desk.
“Yea, I have something to do really quick before, but I’ll be there. You going, right?” Eva nodded.
“Yeah,” Raven told her. She wanted to tell her what was going on with DJ right then and there, but the final bell had rang for class to begin.
“Okay, class, be seated!” Professor Heart yelled out as he closed the classroom door.
“Listen, Eve-” Raven started to apologize. Eva already knew what she was going to say.
“Don’t worry about it,” Eva smiled holding up her fist for Raven to return the gesture.
Raven smiled and pounded her fist with Eva.
$$$$
Professor Heart invited Eva to ride with him since the ice cream shop was too far of a bike ride for her, but she didn’t want to risk it. He decided to pick a place he knew wouldn’t get a lot of student and teacher traffic located in a smaller town of Baltimore. Eva stopped her bike and looked up at the big green sign saying Gelato Brothers. It didn’t seem that fancy to her. The shop was small and not very busy. She took her red beanie and hoodie off of her head. The ride there was freezing cold and she knew her nose was probably as red as her beanie. She made sure she had on gloves, though, but the cold was still a lot and she dreaded biking back home in it. She locked her kickstand, laying her bike against the wall and walked into the shop where Professor Heart was seated in the far, right corner. It was all worth it when he grinned.
“Hey,” he looked up from his paper menu.
She made her way to him, bringing in the cold from outside.
“Geesh, you look cold. You okay?” He properly stood up and hugged her. She melted at his fresh cologne and the softness of his grey mock knit sweater.
“Mhmmmm,” she shook her head, taking a seat at the booth table.
“I feel like we should get you something warmer than ice-cream. Have you ever had Gelato before?” He asked her, sitting down facing her.
“No, I love ice-cream,” she took off her black puff coat making sure she kept her grey and red Nike hoodie on.
“Okay, then,” he told her getting up and guiding her to the front counter where there were tons of choices.
“What’s Gelato?” Eva asked, interested.
“Gelato means ice-cream in Italian. They just make it differently. They use a base of milk, cream, some sugar and then puree with a fruit and nut. They have all sorts of flavors. My favorite is Vanilla and caramel,” he said, pointing to a wonderfully caramel swirled vanilla bucket. Eva smiled as if she was in a candy shop. She gazed over the different flavors and colors. They all looked so delicious with fudge and orange swirls.
“I’ll take the Vanilla Caramel please,” Professor Heart said to the server.
“No, No. You have to try something new since this is my first time,” Eva grabbed him by the arm like a little child.
“Okay, okay okay,” Professor Heart chuckled. “Scratch that then.”
“I’ll have the Wild Blackberry,” Eva pointed to a red swirled ice-cream.
“Excellent choice. I hope you like blackberries,” the server told her. “How many scoops?”
Eva looked at professor Heart for permission.
“Don’t look at me it’s your ice-cream,” he laughed.
“Two is fine,” Eva answered her.
“And
I’ll try the Sea Salt Caramel. Two scoops for me as well,” he told the server.
“Two scoops it is,” the server smiled at Professor Heart. Eva noticed the little flirting going on from the server which made her actually size up the server. The server looked old enough to be Professor Heart’s age. Professor Heart of course was oblivious, but Eva confirmed it when she added bigger scoops to Professor Heart’s ice cream than she did hers. Eva quickly took him by the hand once his ice cream was given and walked him back towards the previous table he was sitting in.
“How is it?” He asked her, taking a seat back in front of her.
“Delicious,” she said, taking small teasing bites. She let her tongue run over the spoon as she finished her bite.
“I’ve never had sea salt caramel before, it’s actually good,” He told her, taking a couple of spoon filled bites himself.
“She gave you a lot. She must like you,” Eva implied. She watched his sexy tongue run over the ice cream himself.
“Nah, I’m a guy, I can’t eat little scoops,” he laughed. “Besides I’m only here for one girl,” he poked her on the nose with his spoon and took another bite of his ice cream.
“I’m jealous of that ice cream,” she blushed. Eva finally took off her sweater that revealed her white v-neck tee that showed off her cleavage thanks to her push up bra. Professor Heart couldn’t help but look.
“So, what do you have planned after this?” He asked her. Eva had completely forgotten about the girls.
“Oh, crap,” she took out her pager, it was almost 4pm. “I have to meet some of my friends.”
“Oh, well don’t let me hold you, sweetie,” he said almost packing up his ice-cream to go but Eva wasn’t having that. She was waiting all week for this date. They could wait.
“No, it’s okay. I can stay a little while,” she touched his hand assuring him she wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
ANGEL
“Where’s Eva?” I asked as Raven pulled up to the shack. Victoria and I had already been waiting in the front. Raven sat her bike down and took her hoodie off of her head.
“I don’t know. She said she had something to do but that she was coming,” Raven answered her. She looked down at her pager obviously worried about something.
“Well, let’s get a fire started, it’s freezing,” I said, opening up the door to the shack.
“Where’s your friend, Zara?” Victoria asked, still with a smart attitude. She was still very much sour about Raven not going to the mall with her, and getting caught.
“I don’t know,” Raven said with an attitude back.
“Come on now, y’all,” I said already getting irritated. “Vee, please tell me you have some liquid warmth with you,” I prayed to her. I instantly threw old newspapers and trash in the garbage bin and lit it.
“I didn’t have time. If anything I’ve been really distracted. I’m sorry y’all, I know I normally bring at least some kush. I ain’t even got that,” Raven sounded embarrassed.
“Well, you have been acting shitty lately, so I’m not surprised,” Victoria smirked, sitting at her usual spot. She threw her backpack to the ground and blanket over her.
“You know what Tori, fuck you!” Raven started to get in her face before I intervened.
“Stop y’all, damn! That’s exactly why I am holding this meeting. It would be nice if Zara was here too, so her and Eva could squash their beef, too. But this is bullshit. You too are mad over some petty shit,” I told them angrily. I didn’t realize I was standing in the middle of both of them.
'That’s Tori’s fucked up ass attitude, all cus you got caught stealin’! Ain’t nobody tell you to do that! You did that on your own!” Raven pointed at Victoria.
“You were supposed to be my partna! Did you even have to help your dad that day?! Tell the truth! Or were you somewhere being besties with Zara?” Victoria pointed her finger at Raven’s face. I slowly stepped from in between the two so they could hash it out.
“No! I wasn’t with Zara!” Raven shouted.
“So what were you really doing, Vee?! You were really helping your dad?” Victoria got closer to Raven’s face. Raven backed up, now looking guilty.
“Let’s wait for Eva,” Raven told her, looking at me. I could tell something else was going on.
“Ah! See I knew it! I fucking knew it!” Victoria threw her hands up and walked away from Raven. “So we lying to each other now?! That’s what we doing?! That’s what friends doing now?!” Victoria ranted.
“Tori, stop! Let’s just wait for Eva,” I reiterated that this was a group meeting. Victoria went back and sat in her corner pissed, leg shaking and everything.
“Calm the fuck down, Tori,” Raven almost approached her before I stepped in.
“We are going to wait,” I told her putting my hand on her chest. “Can you light that other garbage bin, please? We are going to need some more heat in here with no alcohol to warm us.”
Raven sighed and grabbed some papers and matches. I looked back at Victoria who was glaring at Raven and then looked down at my pager. It was 4:30pm. Where the hell was Eva? It would soon get dark.
Ten minutes later, in burst Eva with a smile on her face that quickly dropped when she saw the frustrated looks on our faces.
“Oh, I’m sorry guys, I tried to get here as soon as I could,” she said dropping her backpack on the floor and heading to her normal spot. She looked around at us, “Where’s Zara?”
“She’s busy. Since when do you care about Zara?” Raven responded.
“Okay guys, whatever, she’s here, now can we get to why I called you guys here?” I interrupted them, standing up to get their undivided attention. “We only have a little time. I’ve been noticing some real messed up attitudes and stupid arguments between all of y’all and I’m not understanding what it is. We’ve gotten in bickers before but it’s never divided us. So what’s really going on? And Raven since you seem like you’re dealing with the most, we will start with you,” I sat back down. All three of them looked at me like I was a counselor.
“Yeah, miss, I need to help my dad,” Victoria annoyingly added. Raven shot her eyes over at Victoria’s hating remark and looked at us who were all waiting for an answer.
“I’ve been working for Treach,” she said boldly as if she was ready for this day to tell us. We all gasped.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Victoria stood up from her seat, blanket still wrapped around her.
“I’ve done a couple of drops for Treach. Deon’s involved, again, and I don’t know where he is. No-one does,” she added, looking towards the ground. I was speechless. Eva and Victoria had enough to say for me.
“Are you fucking stupid?” Eva burst out.
“What made you do that?! What you mean Deon is missing?!” Victoria asked. They both had stepped closer to her. My hand covered my mouth in surprise.
“So you never threw that damn letter away he gave you huh?! That’s why he was creeping all around you at the fair!” Eva started putting pieces together.
“Why didn’t you tell us?!” Victoria also chimed in. By now they were both yelling at Raven at the same time.
“I bet you Zara knew, didn’t she?!” Eva yelled, now in Raven’s face. “Didn’t she?! That’s why y’all been spending so much time together!”
“Get out of my face, Eve,” Raven said, calmly looking Eva dead in her eyes.
“Naw, answer the question,” Eva calmed her voice down a bit but still remained in Raven’s face.
“Did Zara know?” Victoria wanted to know, too. I wanted to know as well. I walked in closer with the girls, praying a fight wasn’t about to break out, but the tension could be cut with a knife.
“Yes. She knows a lot. Her dad is involved with Treach, too,” Raven answered, still staring Eva in her face.
“Oh my God!” Eva threw her hands up in the air. “So it’s like that?!” She pushed Raven a bit.
“Eva!” I stepped in, but the shove was warranted.
“Is that why you weren’t talking to her?” I spoke up, now understanding why Raven was all sour with Zara at one point.
“She met me at a drop one day. She was helping her dad. I didn’t even know her dad did business with Treach, nor that she had done that kind of stuff before. So, yeah, I was mad. But we are good now,” Raven turned to me.
“See, I knew that bitch was trouble! And you trusted her!” Eva wilded out. Victoria had walked away from us by then, back to her seat with her head in her hands.
“You don’t know shit, Eve! She’s the one that told me to even tell you guys!” Raven yelled at Eva.
“So, you only came clean because she told you?! Not because we are your friends?” Victoria looked up at Raven.
“It’s not like that, look, I need you guys right now! I’m scared! I’m scared for my brother! I told Treach I wasn’t doing that shit anymore and I told Deon about it and now I don’t know what is going on. He left all mad yesterday and hasn’t been home! If you guys are my friends, you will stop judging me and help me!” Raven’s tears were forming in her eyes. I could tell she was at her wits end. And she was right, even though she wasn’t truthful with us about what was going on, this was a crucial time for her, and we needed to be there. I walked up to her and hugged her.
“I am so sorry, Raven, this is happening to you. Whatever it is, we will fix it and get through it,” I held her as she held me back. I could hear her sniffling and knew she was crying.
“Whatever!” Eva wasn’t buying it and turned and walked outside. Victoria still sat there stuck and she finally got up and came over and joined our hug.
“I’m sorry too, Vee,” Victoria said. We let each other go and Raven looked towards the door where Eva had left.
“She will get over it. She always does,” Victoria said.
“No, we need this fixed now. Go talk to her,” I nudged her to go after Eva. Raven walked outside, and Victoria and I looked out of the old chilly window. Eva was leaning on one of the big old trees as Raven walked up to her. The window was thin, so we could pretty much hear everything.
