She slipped back into her sandals and grilled me across the coffee table. Alba charged toward the door, and I hopped from my chair to trail her. Snatching her by her wrist, I forced her to spin around to face me. Anger and resentment filled her features while more tears streamed down her silky skin.
“Alba, you know this shit is complicated,” I rebutted.
“It’s complicated, but you don’t have to treat me like this, Lock. I’m your fucking friend. I’ve been here since before Harbor. How you gonna switch up on me?” she choked out.
She nailed it and made me feel like shit at the same time. Alba was beautiful and carried a piece of my heart that another soul couldn’t touch. Not even Harbor. But a nigga was fucked up about her disappearance. I didn’t give a fuck about a lot of people, but Harbor managed to sneak into another piece of a nigga’s heart that I kept sealed.
When I met her, she was like a breath of fresh air. She was smart, bubbly, and full of life. She talked a nigga’s ear off, but it was cute, and I found that it was some shit she did when she was nervous. Harbor wasn’t jaded by the hood, but she had some swag, and that shit didn’t even matter to me. I wasn’t one of those dudes that had to have the baddest bitch. Harbor was fine as fuck too though. I thought about her smile all the time. Sometimes, when I was drunk and inside Alba, it was really Harbor I imagined in all those positions. I never even got the chance to be with her like that. Another loss.
“I’m sorry, Alba.” My words stopped her where she stood. “You’re right though. I haven’t been the same. I shouldn’t take out what I’m going through on you. Especially now.”
“What are you talking about?” Alba furrowed both brows.
My shoulders were heavy. The weight of the streets, and what I learned from Harbor’s father had me shook and disturbed. I stayed up all night trying to pick apart the night she was taken and everything that he told me. There were holes in the story. Ineeded to talk to Harbor so that she could fill them in. Alba saw that I was in my own head. She inched closer to me with her hands on her hips.
“What is this about?” She continued to pry.
“I talked to Harold Lawson last night.” I began, falling back in my chair.
“OK. Did you call him?” she questioned.
“He called me. Thought I would like to know that he got a call. From Harbor,” I revealed, watching confusion spread across her face.
“Wait, what? Is he sure it was her?” Alba asked next.
“He talked to her long enough.”
“Well, what did she say? Where is she?” Alba interrogated.
“She didn’t say. Apparently… she’s been fine this entire time,” I articulated.
“What? That’s doesn’t make sense,” Alba retorted. “I saw her get taken. How does he even know this?”
“Harbor is… dramatic… according to her father. Did you know that she was changing grades for kids at school? And making bank off that shit?” I disclosed.
Alba was floored, and her mouth parted partially while she gaped back at me in disbelief.
“Wait… Harbor? That’s… unbelievable. I mean… I knew she was smart. Wow. I guess that good girl image was all for show,” Alba muttered. “So she… faked a kidnapping? For what? And where is she?”
“I don’t know. She hung up before he could go into any of that,” I answered, staring off as my anger flared.
“What is wrong with her? How could she do this to her own family?” She wondered out loud. “And to you and anyone else that cared about her?”
“You know what I realized out of all of this? The only person I can count on is you. You’re always in my corner, and you keepit one hunnid with me. All this time… a nigga been in limbo… blaming himself. Whole time, I had everything I needed in front of me.” I held my hand out.
She soaked in every finger and finally stepped forward and placed a hand in mine.
“You and this baby come first. That’s my word,” I vowed, watching the waterworks build in her eyes once again. “With ya crybaby ass.”
Grabbing her hand, I squeezed it in mine for assurance, and she gave me a weak smile. I was saying all the right things, but there was a lot resonating inside of me. For Harbor, Alba, and the entirety of the fucked-up position we were in. I was caught in the middle of a triangle that had formed without my knowledge. The first time that Alba and I got close was months after Harbor vanished. I was consumed with guilt and could barely talk to her or even look her in the face. Harbor had me on some sucka shit over her, and I hurt Alba in the process. That wasn’t going to happen again.
Harbor
The birds chirped almostin a song outside of my window. It was the first thing I heard. A smile came to my lips as I listened and finally peeled my eyes open. The sunlight streamed into my room with large rays that went from low light to high beams. I soaked in everything around me. It was a beautiful day outside, and for the first time in a long time, I would be able to actually get out and experience it. I stretched and yawned before getting out of bed and going to brush my teeth and get dressed. The only thing I had was workout attire and the dress that I had when I arrived all those nights ago, which Frequency had cleaned. Sweeping my hair into a knotted bun on top of my head, with myedges crowning my face as I moisturized it. I slipped into some tight fit joggers, a Nike baby tee, and a pair of Air Max to go with them—all courtesy of Frequency. He sure was a generous fucking asshole.
It was strange getting dressed to actually go somewhere when I felt like I’d been in quarantine for years. I was anxious, excited, and nervous. Part of me wondered why I never plotted or planned an escape if that day ever came. In all honesty, I could say that Frequency did scare me. Sure, he was handsome, charming, and could probably sell sand to a fucking beach, but something dangerous lingered behind his hypnotizing eyes. I didn’t want to see that side of him. Something told me it would be no turning back.
The digital clock on the dresser showed me that it was almost ten in the morning. I heard the lock to the door click while I was in the middle of my morning yoga stretches. Doing my downward dog, I could feel Frequency’s presence long before I set eyes on him. When I lifted my gaze, he had his head angled, watching me as I kept perfect posture and brought myself back into a standing position.
