Kelvin kept peeking at Aliyah’s hand as he walked her back to her car. The sun had set an hour earlier, and only a hint of orange remained on the horizon. The streetlights along the block resembled lampposts. A swarm of bugs flittered around each. Houses lined the sidewalk in tightly packed rows with chain-link fences. The bustle of crickets could be heard throughout the neighborhood. In the distance, a dog barked.
“So, is it cool if I say this was pretty much the best day of my life?”
She smirked and bumped into him. “Yeah, it was a pretty good day.”
“Are you, like, in a whole bunch of trouble because of it?”
“Oh yeah, it’s gonna be bad. But that’s not on you, and I’ll make sure they know it.”
When they reached her car, she circled to the driver’s side but didn’t get in. Kelvin stopped at the curb, stepping into the gutter. A trash can stood beside him. And stunk.
“You probably guessed it,” she said, “But I better not do something like this again. Not until I actually have a job.”
“Yeah, no, I get it.”
He slouched and put his hands in his pockets. His inner voice told him not to pout. They had a great day. She could handle the rest.
“You got my number now, though, so you can text me.”
He perked up.
“And don’t wait three days, either. This ain’t college.”
His cheeks flushed. Sometimes he forgot how much older she was.
“I want to hear from you tomorrow, actually. I’ll probably have a lot of people yelling at me. I could use someone on my side.”
“Absolutely. I’m your man.”
Before she got into her car, she checked her reflection in the window. Her look had changed several times throughout the day. She ditched her hat and sunglasses but kept her scarf. The last time she tied it she wrapped it in the front with the knot like a rose. The vibrant red silk complemented her dark complexion.
She opened her door. “Have a good night, Kelvin.”
“You, too.” His voice squeaked. He loved it when she said his name.
After she drove away, he found himself stuck. Half of him wanted to dance in the street. The other half wanted to sit at the curb and sulk.
His biggest concern was Tiffany. He hadn’t checked his phone since he last texted her, and he dreaded what was waiting for him. Considering how bad he felt, he couldn’t imagine what Aliyah was going through.
While she drove away, the trees rustled. A breeze swept through the area and brought in a chill. The scent of the trash blew away, leaving behind a nip in the air. It smelled like the ocean.
He shivered.
EJShaun.com 