Page 57 of When a Soul Cries

“Zari, not tonight.” I didn’t look at her. I couldn’t.

The couch creaked behind me as she stood. “What is that?”

“Nothing.”

“Then let me see it.”

I turned around, and she was already looking at the paper. I tightened my grip around it while Zari’s eyes moved from my hand to my face.

And she knew.

Maybe not exactly what it was, but she knew I was hiding something.

“Sol.”

“Leave it alone.”

“Give it to me.”

“No.”

She stepped closer. “Sol, give me the damn paper.”

“Zari—”

Before I could pull it away, she caught the edge and snatched it from my hand.

I froze.

Her eyes moved across the page once, then again. The confusion on her face disappeared, and slowly, she looked up at me.

“Sol.”

I turned away.

“Why the fuck you ain’t tell me?”

I folded my arms across my chest, suddenly feeling exposed. “Because there was nothing to tell.”

“Nothing to tell?” She held the paper up, disbelief all over her face. “Bitch, this is an eviction notice.”

“Keep your voice down. Halo sleep.”

“Fuck that—”

“Zari.”

Her eyes flicked toward Halo. She immediately lowered her voice, but the anger didn’t leave her face. “How long you been knowing about this?”

I looked away.

“Sol.”

My jaw tightened.

“How long?”

“A minute.”