“Um…I think that went well,” Asha nodded.
“She’s upset but she will be fine like Namir said,” Souxie nodded. When her phone started to ring, she hardly excused herself. She simply walked out with the phone against her ear and left the house. Asha and Isis were next, deciding to walk back to their dorms together and with a wave from me, I closed and locked the door.
It wasn’t until much later in the night that I woke up to the sound of something dropping to the floor. I rose from the bed and listened, seeing the lamp post light peek over the balcony and peer into the window. Flipping the covers back, I got up and stepped out of my room to see Maggie’s bedroom door closed before hearing the movement from downstairs.
“Maggie?” I called out as I tiptoed down the stairs. I cut the light on and she turned around like a cat being exposed by the light, almost hissing at the sight of it before turning back to pack her book bag. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. She wore black sweats with a tank top and sneakers. Nothing about her said she just woke up to get something to drink.
“Where are you going?” I quickly asked.
“To the library.”
I noticed the bag of clothes stuffed inside as I crossed my arms over my chest.
“And then where?”
“Home. I’ll be back obviously…I just need to leave for a second.”
“Is Namir–––”
“We’re not speaking at the moment.”
“But how does he feel about you leaving? Is he okay with this? Do the others know?”
Maggie suddenly took in a sharp inhale as she briefly closed her eyes before releasing a forced smile at me.
“Can I help you, your highness?” She asked instead. “If not, please go back to bed and just cover for me.”
“I will not,” I stated defiantly.
“With all due respect. You just got here. You’re the shiny new toy to the group. Everyone likes you…and you don’t cause any problems, but you don’t know shit. I’m sure you follow the rules and do everything by the book in your life…aside from switching places with a sister you never met. You don’t have the same shitty load I have to carry.”
I smiled because if only she knew. My rebelliousness and defiant nature knew no bounds. Did I have to be at this school? No. I’m here because I enjoy it and enjoy the friendships I was forming. Something I didn’t have back home, but if I wanted to, I could leave once again and figure it out from there. Danielle’s life was not confined to this school.
“I’m coming with you,” I said as I turned around to start for the stairs.
“What?!” She hissed. “Ayira!”
“I am coming with you to this library…”
“Both of us can’t leave!”
“Yes we can. I will go and pack a bag too.”
I quickly pulled my braids up, brushed my teeth and washed my face and with my small bag given to me by the school, I was packed and ready to go. I yanked the charger off the walls and made up my bed.
“I can’t believe you’re actually going,” Maggie said as we began to lock everything up.
“This is what I do,” I whispered with a proud tone. “I have no ties to this land, this school…I can go as I please. None of this is my true home.”
“So this is what you do? You sneak in and out of places?” She asked sarcastically, but I answered honestly.
“Yes. My father would tell me I am like a wild cat,” I said with my fingers fluttering in the air. “I go wherever the wind takes me. The mind never settled on one place or idea.”
“Wild cat my ass,” she grunted.
We headed out the door as the quiet Legacy Park was filled with sleeping students. It was fun pretending to be in college, but my sense of adventure would have eventually kicked in.
“What is at the library?” I asked as I kept close to her. Both of us are tracking around the same height. Her bright white hair and mine seemingly pitch black almost pressed side to side like twins bound together by the body.
