Drake ✔️

Chapter 81

Drake

I drop my phone into the fucking hole of doom in my car - you know, that space between the seat and the gear shift that no hand was invented to fit in between. I laugh to myself and roll my eyes as I awkwardly crouch down to retrieve it, and my eyes land on the small notebook wedged in between the stick and passenger seat. Shay's new journal that she's started writing in. There's no lock on it, and I fucking love that she trusts me enough not to go through it when she isn't around. She left it in here, knowing I have absolutely no intention of snooping through her private thoughts.

She needs that shit, just for herself, and I respect that.

I scoop my phone up and hit pause on the latest Kendrick Lamar album that's been filtering through my car speakers since Shay went into the prison. Her visit session's almost up, and I wanna meet her at the front door to walk her back to the car.

No sooner have I slammed the door shut and started walking across the parking lot than an incoming call comes through on my phone. I was gonna just leave it in the car when I dropped it, good thing I didn't. Because it's River - a dude who's number I only recently programmed in.

"Hey, man." I accept the call as I continue walking towards the front doors.

"How is she?" He cuts straight to the point, and he actually sounds serious. In the short time I've known the dude, I can tell he's got a good sense of humour and he prefers to keep things light and playful whenever possible. But he knows when to be serious too, which I appreciate. Particularly following the events of last week.

"She's been good so far." I inform him, lingering outside the front doors while I'm on the phone. "Her visit with Axel's almost up, I'm just waiting for her to get out."

"She really wanted to see him on her own, huh." River comments, like he's talking to himself more than me. "I honestly thought she'd change her mind and ask you to go in with her. You mean so much to her, I thought she'd wanna keep you close during the visit."

"She's strong." I smile as I look through the glass doors, noticing some visitor's starting to make their way out. "She knows she's got me if she wants me, but she doesn't need me."

She's totally independent, always has been. It's one of the many things I love about her.

"Tell me about it, good luck keeping her ass in check going forward dude." River says, his humorous side shining through now. "You have your work cut out for you. You're a bigger man than I ever was."

He laughs, and I do too. I know all about his history with Shay. They hooked up many times, for years. It should make me resent him and feel a little threatened by him even. But it doesn't. I know what they had was purely physical, and for Shay it was about getting that physical release from somebody she trusts. It was never about love or feelings for either of them. I know that, so I'm totally secure. If anything, I respect River more for always holding Shay down back in the day when she wanted him. Maybe that's fucked up, but I don't care. It works for us, and that's what matters.

"You coming out to South Bridge tomorrow morning?" I ask him as my eyes land on Shay. She's heading through the security turnstiles inside, destined for the front doors.

"Yeah, I wanna see A, too." River confirms. "Shay's welcome to join, of course."

"I'll let her know." I tell him as she walks out, and the small smile on her face is enough to have me beaming. I knew seeing Axel would do her the world of good today, and although she isn't smiling properly, I'll take a small one. Baby steps.

"Cool, well maybe I'll see you guys later then." River says, and I pretty much hang up on him as I walk to Shay, eager to help her with those crutches.