Page 9 of Requiem

I lead Keisha inside. “I just got here and don’t have much,” I shrug.

She plops on the couch. “It’s a safe place to sleep. That’s all I need.”

I grab two beers from the fridge, handing her one. “How sad is that? In this day and age and we’re all still searching for that…”

“Girl. That shit won’t ever change. Not as long as men rule the world.”

“What if we did instead? What id I could?” My mind started turning.

“Hilary tried. Women are beat for premarital sex on the other side of the world. Some can’t drive or even show their face. You are whack thinking shit will ever change.”

I take a sip of my beer. Maybe I could make a difference. Even if I saved a hundred or just one—it still would be a difference.

She yawns and I nod over to the folded blanket laying on the chest under the window. “What happened to the guy who choked you out? Did you ever find out?”

I nod. “I did.”

“And?”

My fists ball on their own accord. “I gave him my V-card on a platter with my heart.”

“Girl…,” she clucks, shaking her head.

“I know. Trust me. I thought he had changed. He didn’t recognize me, and I was so stupid for thinking… for believing we were some kind of fucked-up destiny.”

“I can’t hide from Leo forever. He’s going to show up at my dorm or my classes until he confronts me.”

“Let him,” I shrug. “You’ll be ready.”

She arcs an eyebrow. “I doubt that.”

“He won’t mess with you. I have my ways. After coffee tomorrow I’m going to give you a few self-defense tips with a can of mace.”

“Thanks. Good night, Romina. You saved my life tonight. Leo was trying to get me into the car with those guys and I just had an unbelievably bad feeling they were going to take me somewhere and—” she shudders.

“I know. I sensed it too. It’s some fucked-up bullshit. What were you doing down there by yourself anyway?”

“Grabbing a Red Bull. I walked from my dorm. I was working on synthesizing some proteins at the lab but was burning out.”

“You’re like really smart.” I sigh. “I know I can pass my GED, but I want to score high on my SAT’s so maybe I could get accepted to campus. I’m not good at math.”

She shrugs. “I could help you.”

“Is this weird?”

“Not as weird as having the guy you date cup you in an EZ MART parking lot then threaten you.”

“True. Help yourself to anything in the fridge. I need to get some air.” I walk past the box containing my diary and old laptop, carefully taking it with me as I walk out the backdoor. My one roaring fire is nothing but smoldering ashes. I tap my new phone against my leg.Tati.I swallow another lump in my throat. I lost everybody. Zio, Roque and Tati.

She didn’t deserve how I went out like that. But I know she’s the first person Roque will go after in his search to find me.

Biting my lip, I drop my butt on the stone steps, lifting the lifting the lid to my laptop with shaky fingers. I need to quit my old life and accept it’s gone. But Tati was my only friend. I need to make sure she’s okay.

I login to Insta and Snapchat.

What the…? Tati’s relationship with Le Blanc is now Instagram official.I quickly click through ten photos of the two of them each sweeter than the next. Good for her. But the last one I click on stops my heart. It’s a selfie we took the night I first became Blue. She posted it with multiple hashtags: #bringbluehome #missingbff #heartbroken.

Sighing, I push the hair from my crestfallen face, cloaked in guilt for the first time. I can’t post or email. He’ll trace my IP address. I only have three burner phone left in my stash. But Tati deserves to know I’m okay. I take on out, turn it on, placing a sim card in. She might not answer so I text:

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