Page 15 of Tension

“He was making you uncomfortable. I don’t like that shit. I can only watch you go through so much before I feel the need to step in.”

He looked at me, and I knew there was more behind his words.

It was like a promise and a warning, and I didn’t know what to do with either of them.

“I can stay the night if you want,” Nia said, her voice soft but unyielding as we made our way out to our cars.

I looked at her, then let my eyes drift to Vel. He was already watching me, already reading what I couldn’t quite say out loud. He reached for my hand like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Come on,” he said softly. “I got you, Honeydew.”

I hugged Nia and LL tight before letting Vel lead me to his car. As we pulled away, I heard Nia yell,

“Guess I don’t have the right equipment to take care of you. Just answer your phone!”

I smiled despite myself.

Vel’s phone lit up as soon as we got inside the car. He glanced at it, then set it down like it was nothing.

“You really don’t have to stay,” I rushed out. I was probably keeping him from his flavor of the week.

“I’m okay now. I was literally about to get myself together before y’all showed up.” I said with more confidence than I really felt.

“That was Nia threatening me through LL’s phone.”

I laughed softly. “What’d she say?”

“Unlock it. Zero-one-zero-five.”

I blinked. “0105?”

“My mama’s birthday.”

Something about that felt intimate. I unlocked the phone and read the messages.

LL:

This is Nia.

Be easy, nigga. She doesn’t need sex to fix her problems.

But she's grown, and y’all clearly got something going on.

Don’t make me hurt you.

Yeah, nigga!

That last text was clearly LL co-signing.

I snorted. To break the tension, I scrolled to his music and played Let It Burn by Usher. Vel looked at me, then we burst out laughing.

Back in my room, I felt lighter now that it was cleaned up.

“Come shower with me,” Vel said, heading into the bedroom with that overnight hoe bag he always kept in his truck.

In the bathroom, I peeled off my wig and wiped away my makeup. Vel appeared behind me, completely naked, watching quietly.

Our eyes met in the mirror.