Page 36 of Mad Love

15

Blaise

Before . . .

“Collins?” I cup my hands over my mouth. “Collins, get your ass down here or else I’m taking the food with me.”

That got her ass moving. From my place hidden away from the flickering streetlights, I watch Collins come down the fire escape ladder. At the bottom rung, she pushes off the ladder and lands on her sneakers.

“Here.” I hand her the bag of takeout food. “Take this too.” I give her another bag.

“What is it?” She peers inside.

“Converse.”

Her eyes widen. “You didn’t.”

“Happy belated birthday. Sorry I didn’t make it last night, but Roman has been on my ass like white on rice. That guy takes my grandfather’s ask that he watch my back too seriously.”

“Roman is serious, period.”

“I should tell him to take a chill pill.”

“Last time you told him that, he made you put on armor and run around for his target practice.”

I roll my eyes. “Fun times.”

Collins laughs and pulls me in for a hug. “Thank you, Blaise, for being my friend. Best sixteenth birthday.”

“Friends for life, right?”

“For life.”

We pinky swear.

“Did Rylan or Edward give you a ride?”

“I took the city bus.”

“At ten at night in Oakland? What are you thinking? This could’ve waited until morning.”

“Roman doesn’t spend mornings with his latest girlfriend. He spends nights with her. Night is the best time to slip away.”

“Blaise, it’s not safe. Call your cousins and have them come get you.”

“No way. They’ll tell Roman, and then Roman will stop spending nights with his girlfriend, and like the others, she’ll blame the crash and burn of their relationship on me.”

“Blaise.”

“Good night, Collins.” Walking backward, I give her a small wave. “Don’t forget I won’t be around until Christmas. Grandfather is taking me to the Virgin Islands.”

“The cold and the shorter days messing with your sleep, huh?”

“You know me too well.”

“Since I jumped you when we were thirteen too well.”

“Broke my ribs, but I wouldn’t change how we met for the world.”

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