HARVESTERS
L.L. MCKINNEY
“I’m gonna kill him.” My grip tightens on my phone until my fingers start to ache.
“Who? Not Eddie.” My best friend, Missy, somehow hears me grumbling over the music pounding from speakers strategically placed around the room for optimum hearing loss.
In lieu of answering, I just turn the screen toward her.
She lowers her drink and leans in, her brown face scrunching up while she reads. It might take her a minute; the text is at least two paragraphs long. I didn’t make it past the first two words.
So sorry
I don’t have to. I know what the rest says without reading it.
The way Missy’s expression twists tighter the more she reads means I’m right.
“Asshole!” she hollers, then knocks back the rest of her drink. “Look, forget his corny ass, okay? You look amazing tonight. I told you this dress was the one.”
The dress in question is deep red and hugs me in all the right places from my shoulders to my knees. I wear my braids in a bun, so the keyhole back is visible. Initially, I wanted to wear this beige romper. It was cute, but Missy found the dress in the back of my closet and blocked my bedroom door until I tried it on. I’m glad. Paired with matching 1s, we cute cute.
Missy says, “And Brandon Miller has been eyeing you since we walked in.” She wiggles her eyebrows conspiratorially and pulls her lips to the right.
It takes everything in me to pretend to check my phone while I glance around “casually.” Sure enough, Brandon is tilted against the far wall, cup in one hand, the other in his jacket pocket. He’s talking to someone, but like Missy said, his attention is on me.
Our eyes lock. His smile widens. My face warms.
That was not my intention.
I cannot lie. Brandon is three kinds of fine. Has been since middle school, back when we talked more. Less busy, I guess. And I got feelings for Eddie, I really do, but the way he’s been acting since school started got me fucked up.
Brandon winks, and the heat in my cheeks intensifies. I manage a little smile, then turn back to Missy, who looks ready to burst.
“See!” she squeals, and the music is so loud I’m sure no one else heard her, but I feel my stomach go a little squirmy anyway.
My eyes dart around. “Quit yelling! And yeah, I saw.”
Her smile widens to fill her round face. Even in the dim party lighting, I can see that twinkle in her eye, the one that means trouble for me. She latches onto my wrist. “Come on.”
I plant my feet. “Where?” But I already know.
The look Missy gives me means she knows that I know. “I’m gonna refill my drink. You’re gonna go talk to Brandon.”
“I don’t think that’s a good id—”
Missy narrows her eyes, then steps in close. I can smell the oil from her press just under the sweetness of whatever perfume she’s wearing. “Why not? Eddie’s bum ass? Jo, he been ignoring your texts, letting your calls go to voicemail. He don’t like or comment on nothing you post anymore, and damn near every time y’all supposed to do couple stuff, he either don’t show up or gets there so late there was no point to him coming at all.”
Damn, that don’t sound good laid out like that. But Missy is right, especially since she’s the one I complain to every time Eddie starts with some mess.
I jump when Missy snatches my phone and pulls up the text I just showed her.
“And now he wanna act like he ain’t know about tonight?” She wrinkles her nose and reads, mocking Eddie’s deep voice. “Ahem, ‘So sorry babe, I didn’t realize the party was this Saturday,’ like the whole school ain’t been talking about it all month. Whatever, nigga. ‘I have a previous engagement so I can’t go, but I’ll see you this weekend for the bonfire.’ Since when has Eddie ever used the phrase ‘a previous engagement’?”
She has a point, and I don’t have an answer. So, I shrug and fold my arms. There’s no reason for me to be irritated at Missy. She’s just telling the truth. I’m in my feelings, though. The way she pats at my elbow tells me she knows this, too.
“Six months is a long time to be with someone, but it’s only gonna get worse from here. I ain’t saying go over there and jump on Brandon’s … well, I ain’t not saying it.” She sticks her tongue out, and I crack a grin. “But talk to him. Feel him out. Maybe word gets back to Eddie, and he gets his act right. Or maybe he stay on some fuckshit and ghosts. Who cares? Just do it. For me.” Missy lays her hand, and my phone, over her heart. Her lower lip pokes out in a very dramatic pout, and I roll my eyes.
What did I say? Trouble for me. “I’m not—I can’t talk to another dude when I’m with someone. Even if said someone is being a jerk.”
“Grade-A certified bitch made liar, but proceed.”
I aim a look at her. “I won’t cheat. Period.” ...
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