No Good For You

XXIII

I woke up and went downstairs to get breakfast. It was 11:30 but B wasn't there.

"Where's B?" I asked Psycho.
He shrugged.
Malcolm was heading outside and I called out to him.

"Malcolm!" I yelled.
"Yes, Leila?"
"Have you seen B?"
"He hasn't left his room yet this morning." he answered then went outside.

I looked at Riot and Psycho.

We all quickly ran up the stairs to head to B's room.

When we made it, I pressed my ear against the door.
It was completely silent.
I barged into his room and turned the light on.

B laid there, one leg stretched out and the other slightly bent, one arm over his stomach and the other behind his head. His head was turned to the side.

He was breathing.

"B!" Riot shouted and I shoved him.
B jumped up quickly.

I looked at Riot. "REALLY?!"
"I ain't know if he was breathin' or not."
"He so clearly was!"
"What is happening?" B asked as he rubbed his face.
"Riot and Leila thought you were dead." Psycho snitched.
"You ran here too!" I yelled at him.
He shrugged.
"Why???" B wondered.
"Because it's 11:30 and you haven't gotten out of bed yet."

His eyes bulged out of his head.
"IT'S 11:30?!" he asked.
"Like 11:37 but yea." I answered.

He quickly got up and ran into his bathroom to start brushing his teeth.

"Why're you rushin'?" Riot asked.
"I was supposed to be awake for 6. Leila, you told me you'd set my alarm! I got shit to do!"
"It was 2am when you said that! You needed more than four hours to sleep, B, I wasn't doing that to you!"
"THAT DON'T FUCKIN' MATTER, LEILA! I GOT SHIT TO DO! NO ONE ASKED YOU TO WORRY, I ASKED YOU TO FOLLOW SIMPLE FUCKIN' DIRECTIONS AND YOU COULDN'T DO THAT SHIT RIGHT!"
I just stood there.
"IF ANYTHING FAILS, BREAKS, DECREASES, IT'S YOUR FUCKIN' FAULT BECAUSE YOU DON'T FUCKIN' LISTEN!" He went back to brushing his teeth.
I pushed past Riot and Psycho and left.

I hurried to my room and slammed the door shut then crawled into bed.

I just laid there in silence. That was the first time B had ever really yelled at me. And all because I just wanted to help him.

There was a knock on my door and I ignored it.

"Leila?" Psycho called as he entered.
I turned around to face him and he closed the door.
"Listen, he ain't mean it." he stated.
I looked away from him again.
"It's like what we talked about last night. Pleasing Zachariah is his biggest concern and that comes from progress. He's not actually upset with you. He's afraid him wakin' up later than usual is gonna affect how Zachariah sees him. He don't know Zachariah couldn't care less. Just don't make him lose money."
I didn't respond.

Another knock on my door.

It creaked open.

"Can you give us a minute?" B asked.
Psycho nodded and left the room.
B walked in.
I faced the other way.
"Aww, come on." he stated.
I remained looking at the wall.

He walked around my bed and looked at me. I turned the other way again.

I heard him suck his teeth. My shirt was grabbed and I was pulled to the other side of the bed. I flipped over again and looked at him.
He crouched down.

"I'm sorry, alright?" he claimed.
I didn't respond.
"I ain't mean to yell at you. I'm just..." he thought about his words. "I'm stressed the fuck out, man." he snickered.
"That's why I wanted you to sleep."
"Yea, I know, I know." He sat on my floor, leaning against my nightstand, with his knees up and his arms balancing on top of them. "I appreciate your concern, shorty."
"Mhm."
"But I'm fine."
"No, B. You're not."
He looked back at me.

____________________________________

After eating breakfast, I decided to do something on my own today and chose to get my nails done.

I, of course, had to have Rayne come with me for whatever reason. He waited in the car as I went inside.

The lady was asking me loads of questions as she did my nails.

"Do you have a boyfriend? You're very pretty." she stated as she filed.
"No."
"No? I'm surprised."
I snickered.
"I'm sure they're lining up to be with you."
"I guess..."
No.

"I bet she's in one of those complicated relationships. You know when they don't say they're dating but they are." said the woman who was getting her nails done next to me. "Everyone's in those nowadays."
They both looked at me.
"Um, no. I'm just not in a relationship. I don't have the time. The strength. Or the patience for that."
"Hm."

"Well, my son is single and you two would make a beautiful couple." the nail lady smiled.
I just grinned back but I prayed she didn't try to add on to that conversation.

We finished up not too long after and I paid then headed back to the car.

"That shit felt like forever." Rayne stated.
"How long did you expect it to take?"
"I don't know, like fifteen minutes."
I looked at him.
"What?"
"You think this could have taken fifteen minutes?!" I waved my fingers in his face.
He shrugged.
I rolled my eyes and we headed back home.

...

We made it back and I heard a lot of shuffling and loud noises behind the door. I waited for Rayne to unlock it.

When I walked in, I just stood there as I watched B and Riot throw punches at one another.

I looked at Psycho who was just standing there with his arms crossed.

He walked over to me.

"I was gone for like two hours. What the fuck happened?"
"B brought up the 'you and Riot' situation again."
"Why?"
"Riot kept asking where you were and when you'd be back. B thought it was weird and repeated how he didn't want you two dealing with one another. Riot was like, 'I'm gettin' tired of you tellin' me who I can and can't have'. And B said he didn't give a fuck and maybe if Riot wasn't a fuckin' prick, and didn't only think with his dick, he wouldn't have to keep bringin' it up. Then Riot was all like 'I'll ask her if she feels the same way when I finally thrust my dick into her stomach'. Or something else very vulgar. Then B just swung. They've been fightin' for ten minutes."

'They better not break my nail.'

I walked over to them and pushed them out of each other's way then just stood there.
They both stopped and looked at me.
"What the fuck are you doing?" I asked.

Riot stood with a black eye and B had a busted lip.

"He started that shit!" Riot shouted.
"I'll finish it too, bitch!" B threatened and tried closing the space again. I put my hand against his chest.
"Both of you are in time out. I don't want to see you speak to or even look at each other for the next two hours."
"I'm a grown man, you're not puttin' me in time out." B stated.

I pulled out my phone and pressed a few buttons.

"Fuck are you doin'?" Riot asked.
I held my finger up to his face.
Then showed my phone to B.
I had Zachariah's contact pulled up.
I showed it to Riot.
"Make me press that button." I threatened.
The brothers looked at each other.
"You. That way." I told Riot and pointed to the left side of the house.
"You. Opposite side." I told B and gestured at the right.

They rolled their eyes and went on their ways.

"GROWN MEN BUT YOU FIGHT LIKE BOYS!" I yelled at them both.
I walked back over to Psycho.
"Children." he stated and shook his head.
"Exhausting." I added.