Page 28 of Juliet's Echo

"Boy," Yahya sucked her teeth.

The three of us discarded our trash and headed toward the car. Psalm's crew must have had the same idea because out of my peripheral I could see him moving through the crowd toward the parking area. I hated that my mind kept cataloguing every detail about this man without my permission. The way he moved through a crowd. The way his presence commanded attention he never asked for. The way his scent had my body responding before my brain could intervene.

"Bring y'all asses," I said, climbing into the driver's seat. I needed distance from Mr. Mitchel — and fast.

Once everyone was buckled, I hit the start button. Nothing. I adjusted the pressure on the brake and tried again. Still nothing. One more time — and this time the dashboard lights flickered to life but the engine stayed completely silent.

"We good, Ju?" Mega asked.

"It's not starting for some reason," I said.

"Old man Echo probably felt you having fun and shut the whole thing down," Yahya joked.

"Shut up," I responded. "Mega, help me look under the hood."

"Aight cool — and after we look, then what?"

"Nigga, I don't know. You're the man in this situation."

"Barely," Yahya interrupted. Mega reached from the back seat and pushed her shoulder.

"Aren't men supposed to know things like this?" I asked.

"Hell nah — and that was sexist as hell. I'm surprised at you, Ju," he said, covering his heart like I'd genuinely offended him.

I exhaled hard, pushed the car door open and stepped out. Lifting the hood I confirmed exactly what I already suspected before getting out. I had absolutely no idea what I was looking at.

This nigga.

I sighed and rolled my eyes at the figure making his way toward me.

"I'm good," I said before he even reached me. "Mega, get your ass out here," I fussed — loud enough that I knew he heard me.

Yahya's meddling, messy ass had clearly told him to stay put.

"I didn't ask if you were good," Psalm said, the smirk arriving before the words did. His voice landed closer to a whisper than the beginning of a headache — which was somehow worse.

"Mega!" I said with more edge, hoping he'd get the picture and at least come pretend to help. Instead, he rolled the window down and stuck his head out.

"You're in good hands, Ju-Money," he laughed. I could see both him and Yah, chuckling through the windshield.

Traitors.

"Whatever the problem is, it's not under the hood," Psalm said, leaning against the front of my Jeep. "You want me to tell you what's wrong?"

"I want you to mind your business," I signed — smile not reaching my eyes.

"What she say?" he asked the two traitors still sitting in the Jeep.

"She said yes please," Yahya lied, without hesitation.

"Now I know her mean ass didn't say it that nicely — but for the sake of time, I'll take it," he winked at me, making his way to the driver's side. He got in, keeping one foot on the ground, and began navigating the dashboard screen. "It's the security lock."

I huffed.

"What security lock?" Yahya asked from the passenger seat.

Psalm answered without taking his eyes off me. "She probably let the vehicle idle too long before trying to restart it. Some high end systems do that — anti-theft protection."