I Used to Know Him, page 6
“You ready?” I turn and ask Michael. He nods, and I open the front door that will lead to our freedom.
Angela is standing outside on the doorstep . “How could you do this to us, Michael? Why would you choose her over me, Michael?” Angela screams.
I slam the door and lock it.
“How the fuck did she sneak past us? How did she get outside? Did you hear her? Forget it, find a phone and call the fucking cops,” I scream to Michael. We both run in different directions.
I run upstairs, and Michael runs to the kitchen, turning on lights and looking for a phone. “Any luck?” I scream from a room that looks like Sabrina’s.
“No!” Michael responds.
There’s a twin-size bed with pink bedding, a tiny desk, and a flat screen TV in the room I just ran into. Outfits are scattered around the floor as if someone has been looking for the perfect outfit. There are multiple plates stacked on the desk. I’d guess Angela and Sabrina have been staying there for a few weeks, which makes me wonder how long Angela has been watching me.
“Roxie, where are you?” Michael screams.
“Upstairs,” I respond before all the lights go out.
“MICHAEL!” Angela screams from outside the house, “Sabrina and I forgive you! Come out now and we can be a family!”
As I am standing in shock, trying to figure out how I got here, Michael grabs me in the dark. “Roxie,” Michael says.
I’m pissed I’m in this situation because of him but also excited he found me in the dark. I wrap my arms around him, asking, “How are we going to get out of this?”
We stand together for a few moments before we hear a noise from downstairs. The front door opens and shuts, its creaking noise bringing a chill to my spine. It sounds like some dying animal, crying out in pain with its last breath. All I know is Angela’s now somewhere in the house, and we need to find a way out.
Eight
“We need to get out of here,” I whisper to Michael.
“Let’s sneak downstairs and out the back door and just make a run for it,” Michael says.
“Okay, you grab the door,” I respond.
As soon as Michael goes for the door, I feel a breeze hit my face. The door is kicked in and now Angela is staring at us. “Miss me, bitches?” she shouts, holding a gun pointed right at my face. “I tried to be nice, but now I see I’m going to have to kill your little girlfriend to get you to come home to your family,” Angela says.
“You’re fucking crazy!” I scream.
Angela’s phone starts ringing. She looks down at her Apple Watch and rejects the call.
“Put the gun down, Angela!” Michael shouts.
“I’ll put it down after I blow her brains out,” Angela responds.
“How about I just leave?” I say coyly, putting my hands up and taking a step towards the door.
BANG. Angela fires off a shot from her gun at one of Sabrina’s windows. “You’re not fucking going anywhere, Peaches,” Angela says in a calm voice with her head tilted to the side. Angela’s phone continues to ring, and she continues to send it to voicemail.
“Do you need to get that? We can just go while you answer that,” I taunt.
Angela glares at me with a death stare.
“Seriously, Ang, this has gone far enough,” Michael says.
“Seriously, Ang, this has gone far enough. Wah wah wah,” Angela mocks him in a whiny voice. “You know nothing, Michael. You’re out here catering to this bitch, hanging out with her, buying her shit, posting pictures of her, and calling her your new bae. I came here to save you. Do you know she has no job, no money, and no car? She’s a bottom bitch. She just wants to use you. Don’t you understand, Michael?” Angela cries.
“I only lost my job because of your stupid games! I’ll get a new job and my money will be replaced. But you—you’ll always be a simple, lonely hag. Don’t worry, though. I’ll raise your daughter to grow up with sense after the cops cart you away!” I scream with frustration.
That is the icing on the cake. Angela charges at me, hitting me in the face with the back of the gun. Angela recovers quickly, steps back, and draws the gun up, now slowly swinging it back and forth between both Michael and me. “You’re gonna die tonight,” Angela says, looking into my eyes.
DING. DING. Angela looks down at her Apple Watch after two texts come through. She picks up her phone and makes a call.
“Are you okay?” Michael asks, looking over at Roxie.
“Don’t talk to me,” I respond through clinched teeth as Angela begins going back and forth with someone over the phone.
“That’s not a good idea.”
Pause.
“I don’t want to, bro.”
Pause.
“No.”
Pause.
“I’m never going to get my way. I don’t want that.”
Pause.
“Bro, please, no,” Angela says.
Pause.
“Ok, whatever, bro. I’ll let you handle it.”
Angela looks at us, lowers the gun, and reaches into her pocket. She pulls out Michael’s keys and throws them to him. A tear rolls down her cheek as she says, “You guys are free to go.” She walks into a room across the hall, slams the door, and locks it.
As soon as the door slams, I make a run for the staircase. Michael follows. They run out the front door and to Michael’s purple Dodge Charger. Michael beeps the remote to unlock the car and slides into the driver’s seat while I run around to get in the passenger side.
“Let’s fucking go before that bitch changes her mind,” I say without looking his way.
“You don’t think that was strange how she just decided to let us go?” Michael asks. “What about my daughter?”
“Bruh, if you want to wait around, go for it. Give me the keys, and you can get your car from my house,” I snap back.
“Fuck it,” Michael throws the car in drive and speeds away.
It’s a silent and long drive home to North Bergen. At the gate to my apartment, Michael brings the car to a stop. “I’m really sorry about everything that happened tonight,” Michael says softly.
“Yup, me too,” I say holding back tears of frustration not sadness. “Can you just take me home?”
Michael pulls in front of the apartment and tries to lean in to give me a hug. I pretend not to notice and go straight for the door to open it.
“Can I come in?” Michael asks.
“How about I just see you another time?” I respond, slamming the door closed.
Walking up to the door, I see a shadow at my door. I pause and turn back and look at Michael. Our eyes meet. Michael starts getting out of the car. I look back at the door. Out of the shadows steps Earl. A rush of relief runs through my body. I immediately run to him and jump in his arms. He smells the same—like coconuts and palm trees. He’s dressed in an all-black jumpsuit with black sneakers.
“Rox, are you okay? I’ve been blowing up your phone for two days, girl,” Earl says. “I swear I didn’t put those naked pictures up on social media.”
I hold him tighter, hearing Michael swerve off behind me.
“What is going on?” Earl asks. “Your clothes are ripped and your mouth is bleeding. Did he hurt you? I’ll kill him.”
“No, no, no, babe. I’m okay. Let’s go inside where I can explain,” I finally respond letting go of him.
I uncover a hidden key under a rock in front of the house. “Did you lose your keys?” Earl asks.
“I think I lost my mind,” I respond, opening the door for us to go in. “You want something to drink or eat? I’m going to make some tea,” I say in a stale voice.
“Rox, you look like you’ve been beat up and dragged down the street. As your oldest friend, how about you let me take care of you for once,” Earl says. “I promise I can boil some water for some tea. Why don’t you wash up and change?” I nod in relief, heading into another room to do just that.
Earl starts making the tea while I stare at my reflection in the mirror. I do not recognize the woman staring back at me. I can’t believe this night. I can’t believe any of this happened. I can’t believe this bitch hit me.
I poke my head out the door: “Before I jump in the shower I just wanted to say thank you for being here.” Earl looks up from his text and smiles.
“Who you texting?” I ask in a prying way.
“My sister,” Earl responds.
I take a few steps forward. “Your long-lost sister? Oh my gosh, that’s crazy! I thought you had no idea where she was or what she was doing?” I ask.
“Yeah, she found me two years ago when she found out she was having a baby girl. She needed some help raising her,” Earl says.
“Wow, that must have been so great meeting up with her and talking to her again. I’m so happy for you, babe,” I say with a smile.
“It’s definitely wild. She’s introduced me to a different world. I love her, and I’d do anything for her,” Earl says.
“I love hearing that,” I respond, taking a few steps backward. “I’m gonna hop in the shower real quick. Then I want to hear all about her and your niece,” I add before heading back into the room.
I take a quick shower. Clean up the blood on my face. Throw on some comfortable pajamas and socks and heads back out to the living room where Earl is waiting on the couch with an ice pack and some warm tea.
“You’re perfect, you know that?” I ask, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “What’s your sister’s name, by the way?”
The adorably cute accommodating smile from Earl’s face washes away. A mean, almost sadistic, expression replaces it. A cold chill runs through the room, and I start to feel a weird vibe.
“Angela,” Earl responds with a straight face.
To be continued . . .
Airielle Vincent, I Used to Know Him
