Page 8 of Let Me

“Oh, soyouput this on?”

“I did, and sent a group chat message to anyone who wanted to join me.If you play your cards right, I’ll add you to the group chat.”

She chuckles.It’s what I was hoping she’d do so I could see that stellar smile of hers.I take a moment to admire her.The ambient light from the fire on her face makes me want to touch her cheek.I look at her ear.Her piercings.She has four in this ear.I imagine the same is true of the other.All of her earrings are silver – even the necklace she’s wearing.

Her side profile is a thing of beauty.I know she feels me staring at her, but I don’t care at the moment.I feast on her face like I’m at a buffet, taking her all in.

“How long do y’all usually stay out here?”she asks.

“A few hours.Sometimes we stay until we hear howling and see bats.”

Her eyebrows shoot up.

I smirk and say, “I’m kidding.”

“Oh,” she gasps, placing a hand on her heart.“You got me there.I was about to leave.”

I look at my watch and say, “Maybe we’ll be out here for another hour or so.Is that good with you?”

“Yeah.Sounds good.”

Chapter 3

“Come holla at me for a minute, Judah,” his friend Nico says from across the way.

Judah looks at me and says, “I’ma go over there for a minute.You good?”

“Yeah.I’m fine.I’ll just sit here and sip on my water.”

“Okay.”

He walks off and almost as soon as he leaves, Moriah comes walking over to me with two other women.

“Hey, again,” she says.“This is Luna and Tabitha.”

“Hey, ladies,” I say, greeting them with the same smile and demeanor they’re greeting me with.

“Hi.It’s nice to meet you,” Luna says.

“Nice to meet you as well.”

“I love your name.It’s so…so…earthen.”

“Um…thanks?”I say.I’ve never had anyone describe my name asearthenbefore.I actually have never used or heard anyone else use the word earthen.She’s adifferentone.That I can tell already.

They all sit around me.Luna sits on the ground in a criss-cross position.Moriah and Tabitha are sitting on either side of me.One thing I notice right away about these ladies and the other ones out here is that they’re all stunning in their own right.Luna has this boho-chic thing going on with the long locs and loc jewelry.Tabitha looks like she’s ready to hit the runway, and Moriah is a doll with her long, waist-length braids.

“Judah is amazing, isn’t he?”Luna asks.She looks and sounds like she’s under a spell.

“Yes, he is,” I respond, agreeing with her.

“So, tell usyourstory of how you met him,” Tabitha says.

“My story?”I ask, seeking clarification for how she asked the question.

“Yes,” Moriah says.“We all have a story.I met him one day at the store.I accidentally dropped some money and he was behind me.He picked it up and gave it back to me.We’ve been friends ever since.It’s been two years.”

Tabitha says, “I met him five years ago when my car broke down.He helped me push it off the road and then called a tow truck for me.”

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