Chapter 8

𝙻𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚢𝚗

I waited exactly twelve minutes after class ended. Not eleven, not thirteen. Twelve. Long enough for the crowd to thin out, and long enough for Aries to think I was doin’ what I was supposed to—headin’ straight back to the car like a good little problem she handled for the day.

I wasn’t.

I slipped my phone out because I ain’t completely reckless—I got some manners. I typed fast.

> L: Runnin’ to the restroom. Brb.

A lie, but a polite one. Very considerate, if you ask me.

The back of the stairwell smelled like old paint and straight-up regret, mixed with weed so strong it felt like I was catchin’ a contact high just standin’ there. Somebody been hotboxin’ between classes again like they ain’t got a future to protect.

I took two steps at a time, heart light, adrenaline buzzin’ just enough to make this feel fun instead of stupid. This was nothin’. Just a quick link. Ten minutes, max. I’m sure Aries was occupied with Khalil and his friends, or starin’ at walls like a damn security camera.

Jalen had texted earlier. Said he needed to talk. Somethin’ ’bout needin’ help. Ion want him thinkin’ I owe him shit, ’cause I don’t. He willingly gave that pack—okay, let me not lie—I took it, but that’s besides the point.

The side gate was propped open like it always was, because this school had zero survival instincts. I slipped through and crossed the street, hoodie up, head down. The bodega sat on the corner, loud, grimy, and familiar.

I was halfway down the block when a hand wrapped around my wrist. Firm. Unyielding.

I yelped and spun, ready to swing on whoever thought today was the day to try me, but I stopped cold when I saw Aries. She was grippin’ me tight—not enough to bruise, but enough to let me know she ain’t letting go.

“Girl, what the hell?” I snapped, tryin’ to yank free. “You stalkin’ me now?”

“We lyin’ again??” she said, her jaw clenched so tight I could practically hear her teeth grind.

“So?” I shot back. Who she think she talkin’ to??

“So you don’t get to walk off alone.”

“I wasn’t alone,” I shot back. “I was—”

She didn’t even let me finish. Just turned and started walking me back toward the campus gates, fast, steady, and controlled, like she already decided how this was about to go.

“Aries, let go!” I grumbled, tryin’ to plant my feet. “You doin’ the most right now. Like, actually.”

She stopped so suddenly I almost ran into her chest, when she turned around. Up close, she was terrifying in a quiet way. No yellin’. No threats. Just that quiet that makes you feel like you already lost the argument before it even started.

“You don’t disappear on me like that,” she said. “Not anymore.”

I scoffed. “You can’t tell me where I can and can’t go.”

“I can when it gets you killed?” she shot back, her brows pullin’ together tight.

I rolled my eyes so hard it should’ve came with sound effects. “I wasn’t meetin’ anyone dangerous.”

Her eyes flicked past me and down the street to the parked car idlin’ a little too long. “You wanna bet your life on that one?” she asked.

My mouth opened then snapped shut.

She turned me again and walked me back through the gate like it was light work. Like I wasn’t lowkey shaking—like my pride wasn’t bleeding out all over the damn concrete. 

She Kept her cool while I was lookin’ like a toddler gettin’ snatched up by they mama. And most of all, I hated how the other students stared like they just got front row seats to my embarrassment.

When we reached the car, she held the door and waited. I slid in, arms crossed, heat crawlin’ up my neck. The second that door slammed?

“You ain’t my nigga, Aries!?” I snapped. “You don’t get to put your hands on me like that!”

She leaned in, her presence fillin’ up the whole SRT. Her voice stayed low. “And you don’t get to lie to me.”

“I don’t owe you honesty!?” I shot back, eyebrows raised.

“You owe me survival, Londyn.”

“That’s your job,” I said. “You get paid.”

Her expression didn’t change. But something dark passed behind her eyes. “I don’t get paid to bury you,” she said. “I get paid to stop it. And you’re making the job harder than it has to be!?” She huffed.

Silence filled the car fast. Thick and uncomfortable. I looked away first, jaw tight, my phone buzzing in my hand like it knew I needed a distraction.

A message from my ex.

>  Jalen: you lucky I ain’t catch yo ass.

Yeah. Okay.

Aries glanced over subtly, her hand tightening around the steering wheel just a little before she pulled off.

“You done testing me?” she asked, voice firm but not loud.

I swallowed. Not because I was scared of her. But because for the first time, I realized something worse. She deadass wasn’t bluffing. And she wasn’t leaving either. Not even after the amount of times I put her in danger in the span of about 2 and a half weeks.

I hated that she’d stopped me. I hated that she was right. And I hated, really hated, that a small, traitorous part of me felt safer than I had in years.

The rest of the car ride was silent. I already knew how this was ’bout to go. I’m sure I’d be spending the rest of the day on my own. When Aries gets pissed she goes on about her day to deliberately avoid me like the plague. It’s not the first and prolly won’t be the last. But luckily I called up Imani and Britney to hang with me.

I was not about to sit in that house alone with my thoughts and her silent treatment. Absolutely not.

“I think I might’ve pissed her off big time…” I murmured, sinkin’ deeper into the cushions while the TV played in the background, completely ignored. Snacks scattered everywhere, legs tucked up close to our chests like we was having a sleepover instead of me stressing over one very specific, very annoying person.

“What’d you do?” Imani asked, poppin’ popcorn like my life was a netflix special.

I let out a long-ass huff. “Did somethin’ she specifically told me not to do…” I trailed off, dragging the words as I looked for an out.

Britney didn’t even look up as she hummed, lips pursed as she scrolled through her phone. “Yeah… that’s on you, Lo.”

I rolled my eyes so hard I had to adjust my glasses after. “She’s ain’t even talking to me, like damn?? No ‘don’t pull that shit again,’ no barkin’—just straight silence like I caught a body.”

Both of ’em hummed at the same time, which already pissed me off, but our attention shifted when we heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

Aries hit the last two steps like she had somewhere to be, her curls out from taking down her twist-out. She had on a black and orange varsity jacket that sat perfectly on her shoulders, baggy black jeans, and some 1s so clean they looked like they ain’t ever touched concrete a day in their life.

And then that scent hit. That pressure. It was sweet, masculine, and not too strong, just enough to linger.

My brows furrowed, my body turnin’ toward her before I could even tell it not to. “Where you headed?” I asked, tone laced with just enough attitude to keep it casual.

Imani snickered beside me. Aries didn’t even slow down. “Back to my spot,” she said, her voice clipped, back to that professionalism.

I turned more in my seat, facing her fully now. “Just ’cause we argued—?”

“Girl, can’t you see she tryna go put Whitney through the mattress—”

I snapped my head toward Britney so fast I almost caught whiplash. Aries let out a sigh, but I caught that small chuckle tucked in there. “Now that’s crazy.” Aries murmured.

I looked back at her, my face scrunched in pure disgust. “So you leavin’ just to bump purses?”

Imani choked on her drink. Britney lost it. Aries’ whole head jerked back like I’d just spoken a different language.

“Girl… what purse?”

“My fault,” I muttered, waving my hand dismissive-like. ” The Strap. Whatever”

She kissed her teeth, shaking her head. “Ion need that shit either?”she brushed past me like I was air, and I scoffed loud as hell. “Cocky as fuck!”

“I am,” she tossed over her shoulder, walkin’ straight out like she ain’t just get under my skin on purpose.

The door shut, and I turned back to the girls, rolling my eyes. Imani was still fightin’ for her life. “Are them two datin’ or… just hunchin’?” Britney asked, still laughin’.

I snatched the bag of M&M’s from her. “Definitely just fuckin’.”

Both of their heads whipped toward me so fast it was almost in sync. “Are you…” Imani trailed, squintin’ at me. “Jealous?”

“The hell I am!?” I sat up straight, lookin’ for an argument like I had something to prove. They both hummed again. That damn hum.

“I just don’t understand why she leavin’ for some pussy just ’cause we argued?!” I added, my voice risin’ because the logic wasn’t logic-ing.

“You real passionate ’bout this, Londyn,” Imani snickered.

Britney side-eyed me hard before going back to her phone. “Say sorry, maybe? You suck at that shit. She might appreciate it.”

Imani leaned back into the couch, nodding like she just solved world peace. And the crazy part? They was right. I don’t apologize. Like… ever. Even when I’m wrong…which is rare. But what was there to ignore me for. Yeah, okay, the ex thing was “dangerous,” but I’m still cute. Still alive. Everything worked out.

“I’ll try when she gets home… maybe,” I muttered.

Both of their brows shot up. “She just went home—” Britney pointed at the entrance

I froze, then immediately groaned, dragging my hands down my face. “Oh my God.”

How the hell do I explain that?

“She just… be here sometimes,” I said quickly, tryna save face. “My dad ain’t ’round, so she keeps me company, you know…?”

Imani’s jaw dropped. “Y’all kiss on the low or some shit?”

I launched the M&M’s at her. “Girl, what the fuck? You know I ain’t never kissed no damn girl before.”

They both started gigglin’ like I just told the funniest joke of the night. “You just might soon,” Imani added.

I hummed, unconvinced. “Yeah… okay.”

Three hours passed. We talked, we fake-studied, we smoked just enough to feel good but not stupid. But by 3:00 a.m, the girls were gone and the house was a tomb. And Aries still wasn’t back.

I let out a huff, draggin’ myself to the kitchen. I was already dreamin’ ’bout that drink I’d been savin’—my reward for survivin’ the day. Only to open the fridge and—nothin’.

“Who the fuck—”

A soft clank against the marble made me spin. Aries stood there like she ain’t just been ghost for hours, holdin’ my drink like she knew exactly what I was looking for.

“I took it,” she said simply. “But I got you a fresh one.”

My hand went straight to my chest. Not even dramatic—she deadass caught me off guard. One, I didn’t hear her come in. And two… I wasn’t exactly dressed for company. Just a black lace bra and some tiny-ass black shorts.

I walked over anyway, snatchin’ the drink from off the counter. “You smell like gas. You went outside?” She paused, eyes narrowin’ just slightly as she took me in. from my face, down to the lace, then back up.

“And you smell like sex and weed?” I shot back immediately.

Her brows furrowed, and she wiped at her mouth instinctively.

My face twisted. “Oh, that’s nasty…you out here hunchin’?”

She laughed—actually laughed—then grabbed my arm when I tried to dip, pullin’ me right back into her. “Ew, nigga,” I complained, Twisting in her hold. “You smell like Whitney.”

“I ain’t do nothin’, stop playin’ in my face,” she said, still chucklin’ low.

“Then why was you gone so long?” I pressed. “You disappeared like you in witness protection or somethin’.”

“Needed a break,” she replied easy. “You be workin’ my last nerve, Londyn.”

I tilted my head, steppin’ a little closer without even realizing it. “So…I’m livin’ rent free, huh?”

Our eyes locked. She smirked. Slow and confident.

“You like thinkin’ that,” she said.

“So what you sayin’ is, I be on your mind?” I raised a brow, testing her.

Her gaze dropped just a little, something darker settlin’ in. “You stay entertainin’,” she said. “That’s different.”

“Oh,” I stepped back, my brows pulling together. My pride stung. “So now I’m a joke?”

She clicked her tongue and pulled me back—by the waist this time. Firm but still careful with it. I hated that I didn’t even try to fight it.

“Nah,” she murmured, leanin’ in until all I could smell was her cologne and only her cologne. “You just loud about it.”

I pushed her off, suckin’ my teeth. “You swear you run shit.”

She hummed, tiltin’ her head, that same smirk still playin’ on her lips. “You know I do.”

That made me go quiet. Jaw tight. Thoughts louder than I wanted ’em to be.

“So is you done?” she asked, soundin’ way too amused for 3:00 a.m. “Or you need attention again?”

I rolled my eyes hard as hell, already turnin’ away. “Leave me alone and go call Whitney. I’m sure she’s waitin’ by the phone.”

I walked off toward the stairs like I had somewhere important to be. My chin tucked high. Behind me, I heard that low, easy laugh again.

“Goodnight, Londyn.”

I flicked her off without turnin’ around, hopin’ she saw the raw disrespect in the gesture. But the crazy part? I was deadass supposed to apologize. Imani and Britney’s voices were ringin’ in my head, tellin’ me to just say sorry. So how the hell did it turn into… whatever that just was..?

I paused halfway up the stairs, bitin’ the inside of my cheek until it stung. The house was quiet, but I could still feel the heat from the kitchen followin’ me up.

She seemed fine, though.

Too fine….