Page 8 of Reserved for Him
I needed to shake off those thoughts because neither of us needed to be with the other.
“Thank you. I’m not even sure what made you step in, but I appreciate you. He didn’t comprehend that I don’t want to be with him anymore. I don’t know how I didn’t hear him take my car.”
“I don’t either, but I think you might want to start parking in your garage if you can.”
I never parked in my garage, but that was because I used it for other stuff, like working out, and whenever I worked on the model cars. There was space to park in there if I needed to, but I only did it during the winter. I hated cleaning ice or snow off my car.
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” She shivered and wrapped her arms around her body. “How can I repay you for what you did?”
“You don’t have to, but don’t make me regret it.”
“Trust me, I am done with him. All his belongings are gone, so there is no need for him to come back over here. I’m actually going to file a police report too. They might not do anything because he returned it, but I want it to be on record.”
I was glad she said that because that showed she truly was done with him. At least I hoped so. I would have hated to stepin for her and she went back to him. If that happened, I would mind my business the next time some shit went down.
“Good idea. I’ll let you go. Be careful.”
“Thanks again.”
I turned to walk back to my house. I knew my tea had gotten cold.
“Wait.” I heard her say before I could reach the second step. “I didn’t catch your name. We’ve been neighbors for a while, but we’ve never been formally introduced. I’m Junicia.” She stuck her hand out.
I stepped back onto the porch and shook her hand. I was surprised by how warm it was even though she’d been outside. “Nice to meet you. I’m Franklin.” I held her hand in mine.
“Hi, Franklin.” Her cheeks reddened, and I knew it was from the cold. Something about the way she said my name made me not want to let her go, but then I remembered she had just gotten out of a relationship, and I wasn’t ready for one.
We held each other’s gaze, but I didn’t miss when she shivered again.
“You probably should get in the house or go wherever you need to go.” My mouth said one thing, but I hadn’t let her hand go.
A few seconds ticked by before either of us moved. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it felt like something transpired between us.
“Bye, Franklin.”
“Bye, Junicia.” I watched as she turned to enter her house, and I didn’t walk away until she was behind her locked door. I made sure I heard her turn the lock to be sure.
I walked back over to my house, grabbed my tea and gun from the porch, and went inside. I took the cup in the kitchen to wash it out, then pulled my phone from my pocket to call Quan.
“Yo.”
“Man, you won’t believe the shit that just went down.” I took my glasses off and placed them on the counter, then went to sit at the table.
“Aww shit. I know it’s about to be something crazy.” He chuckled.
Quan and I didn’t talk on the phone that often. Most of the time, it was a quick question or check-in, but not on some gossip shit.
I ran down the story to him. It wasn’t much to tell, so it didn’t take that long.
“I can’t believe it. You pulled your piece out for a chick you don’t even know. It must be about to storm.” He laughed. “He don’t even know what could have happened to him.”
Years ago, when I was a youngin, I shot some dude at a party, and he ended up paralyzed from the waist down. I never got charged for it because there was a code to the streets we lived by, so nobody snitched. It was something I dealt with for years, and that was why I was the way I was. It was better if I kept to myself, because I let my temper get to me once before, and I didn’t want that to happen again. I was glad things didn’t get out of hand with Junicia’s ex.
“Which is why I try to keep to myself. I still don’t even know why I intervened.”
“I know why, but you don’t want to admit it. You feeling her.”
I had told Quan about her a few times, but I never expressed interest in her. He knew me and knew I didn’t typically talk about a chick unless I was feeling her.
