Scared of Beautiful (Scared #1)(49)

And I don’t doubt that his threat is legitimate. I grew up with Emmanuel. I used to appreciate the fact that he was a dude of his word. Now the idea sickens me. “Okay,” I say resignedly. “When do you need me?”

“Beginning of next week,” he answers.

“Can’t do,” I reply, “I have an exam.”

“Skip it, Jay,” he says before hanging up. f-uck!





Chapter 27




Maia

I know something’s wrong with Jackson. It’s a bit hard to find out what, though, since he hasn’t answered his phone since he hightailed it out of here earlier. I pay for the mountain of Thai food I ordered when there were two of us. But my appetite is well and truly gone. I decide to make the call to Megs to check on my mother.

“Hi honey,” she answers happily after two rings.

“Hey, Aunt Megs, how are you and Mom doing?”

“Great!” she answers. After catching me up on the fact that my so-called father has not been in contact with her, and that she has been volunteering at the local church, I’m satisfied that everything is going well. I ask about money and she tells me that they’re fine. After promising to visit next week, we hang up. I feel like a weight has been lifted. I will always run from my past, but I won’t stop feeling bad for the people I left behind, at least the ones who deserve it.

My thoughts wander to Jackson. I left him behind. I’m still leaving him behind. My phone rings shrilly next to me, startling me out of my pity party. Jade’s name flashes across the screen.

“Hi,” I answer immediately. I miss Jade so much. Real friends like her are so rare, and it makes me miserable that she’s so far away.

“Hey, babe!” she says happily. We chat on for awhile about Providence and Atlanta, and the girls who she has been seeing lately. I tell her about Blake, and debrief her on what’s happening with Jackson.

“He’s really proud Maia,” she says. “Don’t push the offers of help on him. It won’t end well.”

“I figured that out,” I reply.

“Hey, I actually called because I wanted to talk to you about Jackson.”

Oh, why?” I ask, definitely curious.

“He called me a little while ago, to tell me to watch my back. He said he’ll see me next week. Did he tell you he was making a trip down here?”

“No,” I say, confused as hell. He would tell me something like that, wouldn’t he? Or would he. Maybe that’s not the sort of thing he tells his friends?

“Maia, I heard rumors that Emmanuel is up to something big, and that he needs Jackson. I don’t know what’s happening with you guys, but he doesn’t need to come back here for anything to do with Emmanuel. You need to make sure.” Jade sounds like she’s on the verge of tears.

“Big, like what, Jade?” I ask.

“I don’t know, but whatever it is it’s not good.” Jade’s voice breaks with worry. “Maia, this is not your neighborhood, when shit goes down here, people die. That’s how it is.”

My heart seizes in my chest. The words die and Jackson should never be used in the same sentence.

“I’ll talk to him,” I say before we end the call.

I try Jackson’s phone a few more times over the course of the evening, with no success. My heart sinks. Apparently, friends don’t have the luxury of knowledge of their friends’ comings and goings.

The weekend rolls by with no word from Jackson. Blake seems to pop up every time I’m at the Bean, and for a brief moment I consider the fact that he may well be waiting in the back, every day until I arrive. Good thing I’ve never been that vain. By Monday, I’m over the fact that Jackson won’t take my calls. In fact, I’m more than a little pissed. When I swing by his dorm room, Ben, his roommate, who I know realize is not always tired but just a complete stoner, tells me that he’s not there, but has barely left the room for most of the week.

I wait until Wednesday and just after lunch make my way over to the basketball courts. If there was ever a guarantee in this world, it’s that he’d be there. Sure enough, as I approach the courts, I see Jackson slamming his way across the court defensively, practically knocking down the other guys in the process. He’s normally a team player. Apparently, a lot’s changed since last week. I make my way over to the courtside and wait for him to notice me standing there. He does more than once, but averts his eyes back to the game, barely acknowledging me standing there.

As the not so friendly game finishes. He makes his way over. “Hi,” I say meeting his eyes. Where I normally see happiness at the sight of me, today I see somberness and hostility. His eyes are stormy and dark, a far cry from their usual warmth. “So you’re just not talking to me anymore, just like that? Does this have something to do with Emmanuel? Don’t I deserve at least an answer of some depth?” I practically shout, the pitch of my voice increasing with my aggravation.

“Did Jade tell you about that?” he asks quietly. “What does it matter, Maia? You gave up the right to question me the day you decided that you didn’t to be with me.” Jackson wipes his hand across his sweaty forehead in frustration.

“You know my reasons, I thought you understood.” My voice sounds desperate because really, I have no comeback.