Page 98 of The Coldest: Stay Dangerous Part 2

“A year to do what?”

Combing my lip, I look out the window. There’s evening traffic, so we’re stopped pretty far from an intersection. “Chase my dreams. You know how he can be; he’s agreed to give me space. So again, I’m all about music. My album was halfway done before all that shit happened. Once I somehow pull off this show, Sheisty will give me access to all my tracks, and I’m basically moving into the booth.”

Shad turns down the music more before peering at me. Maneuvering through traffic, he gets on the expressway toward Auty’s house.

“I wouldn’t be your friend if I didn’t tell you that nigga’s lying. I’m gonna bypass you doing more than getting your head together to remind you that regardless of how he is with you, lying and manipulating is still in his DNA. You don’t actually believe he’s gonna leave you alone for three hundred sixty-five days?”

I flinch, just a little. “Yes?”

Shad barks out laughter, grabbing his phone from the middle cupholder. “You know what; as long as you stay sober, it ain’t my business who you mess with. Would rather you fuck with a square than a psychopath, but I can’t really talk.”

“No, you can’t!” I agree, pulling hard on his ear.

“Quit it! Here; text YT and tell her we pulling up on her tomorrow, since she’s at Ty’s people’s house today. I wish I could take credit, but really, she was the one who planned my comeback show.”

I take Shad’s phone, keying in his code–Sadé’s birthday of course. After finding YT’s text thread, I send her a message, giving her a brief summary, and adding that I’ll text her myself later on tonight, too. Not even a full minute passes before she’s calling him, so I answer and connect it to the car radio.

YT’s yelling in the background for Reem to give her back her phone.

“On Baby, you knew?!” Reem bellows into the phone. “I swear to God if you knew, I’m knockin’ them fuckin’ braids off ya head.”

“The fuck is you talking about?”

“Reemie! Hang up so we can talk–”

“Man, watch out, Love. Now yo ass wanna talk, ain’t that some shit. Naw, I wanna talk to Shaddy Shad. You knew about Mars, nigga?”

My eyes stretch. Shad’s phone slides out of my hand to the floor. Not even thinking, I go to end the call on the dash, but Shad swats my hand away. I grab my own phone and order a rideshare, stat. My heart and my head begin to pound, and I can see where this is going a mile away.

Thank God we’re in Auty’s neighborhood already.

“Who the fuck is that?” Shad asks.

“Fredo’s son. Who been living in Belize the past six years. That nigga Rico showed up with his ass to Lala house and Ty beat that nigga up. Then I find out Love met the lil’ boy back when we went to Belize. Yo ass dipped off with Rico that night; you knew? He told you?”

Shad swerves into Auty’s driveway, parks, and throws a vicious glare my way.

“Nah. I ain’t know shit.”

I pull the door open before he can throw the child locks on and book it inside.

I mean, I knew that Rico was going to tell everyone about Mars. I guess I didn’t really think it through. Just like I didn’t think through what a year of Rico giving me space would look like or even mean.

But the cat’s out of the bag now. Reem wouldn’t connect the dots, but Shad definitely is. I was there for a year; of course I’ve met Mars. And I didn’t say shit.

Shad may not care if we’re messing around, but he’ll care about that.

I ignore Auty, Turkey, and Patience in the living room, going straight to the guest room. Most of my shit is still packed, and Auty slipped me the keys to my storage last night. I swipe them, my jacket, and throw all my toiletries into my bag before zipping it up. When I walk back out, Shad is in the living room, finishing his sentence.

I keep walking, even as Auty jumps up and turns to me. “Wyn, what’s going on?”

My feet stumble, and I chance a look at her. We’re supposed to be getting closer. Starting new. But I know my sister. All she’ll see is betrayal. Anything that she doesn’t agree with is betrayal, and I don’t have the bandwidth to explain to her that keeping Rico’s confidence doesn’t mean I was betraying her. Not right now.

Shad steps to me when I get to the door, but he steps back when I push him.

“You’re deadass leaving?” he whispers.

“Do you really think this is conducive to my sobriety?” I counter. I take advantage of his shock at my audacity and leave, sliding into the rideshare without a glance back.