Black Waters (Frank Ocean Love Story)

Chapter 九

Ajahni's View .  †

I left the cab, since there was nowhere it could take me.  I didn’t want to go back home—if my little musty apartment could burn down for all I care—and I had no money for a hotel.  I was just an empty soul wandering up and down these suburban Pennsylvania streets. If I didn’t get to a rural area soon, I’d probably go crazy.

Too late, I thought. I laughed at myself for having the thought. But really and truly, it wasn’t funny. I’m on the verge of being a crazy girl.  That’s something I should be concerned about.

But I have other things to be concerned about…for example, where I was going to be living for the next few weeks.  Or more importantly, the fact that I was abducted by somebody I don’t know. The only people that wanted me right now were the police, so they could take me to a psych ward. So why would anyone else want me? And why did they let me go after they took me in the first place?

I shook my head. Too many unanswered questions. My new mission was to get some clues as to what happened to me that night. One problem—how?

“Is everything ok?” An old lady asked me. She was walking up the same sidewalk I was walking down, clutching her purse close to her side and staring at me with a worried look.

“Yes.” I said, puzzled.

“Oh, alright. I was wondering since you were…talking to yourself.” She said as politely as she could.

Shoot! I had been mumbling all my thoughts instead of keeping them in my head.

“Sorry, bad habit.” I lied with a smile. The lady just nodded and walked past me a little quicker. Talking to myself wasn’t a bad habit of mine at all—this was a first. And hopefully, a last. If I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, the last thing I should be doing is randomly voicing my thoughts.

Keep your thoughts in your head, Ajahni, I thought to myself. Then I went back to wondering about what I should do, where I should go…

The only thing I really could do is start over; go back to where the strange things started happening. Go back to where I was taken. Go back to the concert arena.

“After Odd Future’s concert here was over, all the posters with their tour dates were removed. If you want to know their future tour dates, you have to go on their website.” The skinny, sarcastic girl that worked at the arena told me. She was short and had a headpiece on, so she seemed to be distracted (even though all she was doing was walking around the office looking for nothing in particular).

“I don’t have access to a computer.  And I don’t necessarily need to go to one of their concerts…I just want to get in contact with one of them.” I said.

“Honey, you’re talking to the wrong person. I haven’t spoken to any of the famous people that come here to perform. Sorry.” She shrugged her shoulders and I sighed. Of course I was talking to the wrong person. I needed to talk to Lucas. But all this was to get in contact with Christopher, anyway.

“Okay, thanks for nothing.” I started to walk out of the office. There was nothing else to do. I just had to relax for a few days and wait until somebody came to take me again, and then hopefully get to see their face this time.

“Wait, come back. I know one of those boys from Odd Future.” The girl said. I went back into the office quickly, but I realized it wasn’t the girl that said that. It was another girl in the office that I hadn’t noticed before. She was sitting on the floor quietly.

“You do? Which one?”  I asked her, feeling the optimism growing in my tone.

“Gerard. Well, he says to call him Damien. You’ve heard of him, haven’t you?” she asked me. This girl seemed way nicer than the first one.

“What’s his stage name?”

“Hodgy Beats.”

“Oh, yeah, I’ve heard of him. Do you have his number?”  I walked closer to her, but then backed up a little. She seemed really shy. The girl stood up and pulled a phone out of her back pocket. She browsed through her contacts until she found a name listed ‘Damien/Hodgy’.

“Take that number down in your phone.” She said.

“I can memorize it.” I replied, not wanting to tell her that I didn’t have a phone. I read the number over and over, memorized it, but ended up taking it down on a piece of paper just to be safe. I thanked the girls and left the office feeling a little more accomplished. Now all I had to do was come up with a strict plan.

I was hoping for Lucas’ number so I could meet up with him and ask him if he knows anything about the people that took me. But having Hodgy Beats’ number will do me just fine. He won’t know anything about who took me that night, but he can lead me directly to Christopher.

Then again, I’m starting to feel like that’s not what I want. At least not right now. Before I’m ready to find Christopher, I organize myself, mentally and spiritually.

Two Weeks Later.

This is easy, the whole getting myself organized situation. I thought I would have a nervous breakdown trying to figure everything out, but I was wrong. All I had to do was get a job, get some money, and go meet Hodgy.

I already got a job working at the neighborhood’s most popular movie theater. I’m the one that gives out the snacks (which is great, since I get to steal popcorn when no one’s watching). It may not sound like the best, but it pays $250 a week. Now that I’ve collected five hundred dollars, there’s nothing left to do but get back on track.

“Are you moving there?” Charlotte, the ticket handler, asked me as we swept up our area.

“Where, Portland? No. I’m just visiting for a concert. But I don’t know, maybe I’ll move.” I replied. I told her that I was going to Portland soon. Hodgy Beats and Left Brain would be stopping there tonight, and it was my only chance.

Well, not necessarily my only chance. But I could feel myself slowly losing faith—or better yet, patience—to carry out this plan. If I couldn’t meet him tonight, I know I’ll give up.

“Oh, that’s good for you. I hope everything works out.” Charlotte said, resting her broom on the candy counter to go pick up the phone. She was one of those super-nice girls. Not fake-nice, but easy-to-take-advantage-of nice. I shook my head. There’s a lot of people like her out here. They’re all smiling and cheery. It’s sickening.

Charlotte soon got off the phone and returned to the area she had been sweeping. “That was the boss. He said you can leave now, someone else is coming to take your shift.”

“Oh, thanks Charlotte.” I dropped my broom, grabbed Charlotte’s jacket and ran out before she could notice. It was time for Mellowhype. It was time for Hodgy Beats. It was time to start clearing things up.

This is where my new life would truly start.

A/N: This chapter is whack, I feel so unaccomplished. ;( But anyway, thanks for my extremely silent readers. I hope you enjoy, and comment/vote once in a while.

-Cukkies.