Ruin

80

Tuesday: 5:25 P. M.
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LUCAS ❤️: I'm downstairs.

My heart skips a beat as I read the text.

Drowning out the conversation between Alicia, Dale, and Spencer, who've all congregated beside me, I click on reply.

They've been discussing the fire, every chance they get, since yesterday, and, to be frank, it's slowly becoming a bore.

ME: OK. I'm coming down now.

I stand, tucking my phone into my skirt pocket, picking up both my gym bag and my always-so-heavy handbag. "Guys, mi a cut now eno. So, it's tomorrow business again, if life spares."

Alicia reclines in her seat. "OK. Miself ago get ready yah now, too."

It's minutes past five so it's odd that she was still here, at this time, to begin with.

Dale stands and stretches while Spencer says, "Aite. Mek mi help carry yuh bag fi yuh yawh, browning."

After powering off my machine, I hand my handbag to him and turn on my heel, heading through the door with him and Dale chatting and laughing behind me.

When I get outside, Lucas' van is nowhere to be found.

So how him say him deh down here?

I sigh, pulling out my phone and opening his chat.

ME: Hey, where are you parked? I don't see the van.

The sound of a horn brings my attention to the crisp silver BMW parked along the curb, across the street.

"Yo, tha one deh clean eeh?" Dale says, looking at the car as well.

Spencer nods his agreement. "Money affi well tall, bredda. Gas price nuh normal pon that. Not to mention maintenance."

LUCAS ❤️: Silver Bimmer across the street from you.

My mouth forms an 'O'.

I expected the van.

"Tomorrow, guys," I say, taking my bag from Spencer and turning to walk across the street.

"Weh yah go?" he asks. "Yuh nuh drive?"

Without looking back, I shake my head telling him 'No'.

I wait for the car coming up the street to pass, before I make my way across.

"Wait, how it look like a the Bimmer a Manda ride so?" one of them, not sure which one, asks.

"A it yes," a voice I know is Spencer's says. So, it must've been Dale who'd asked. He sounded strange a while ago. "When ano Audi a Bimmer? Yo, Manda affi go teach mi her ways eno..."

"Yuh have pussy?"

"No, but mi know how fi fuck it..."

Ah boi.

Ignoring them, I walk over to the vehicle, latching onto the back door's handle when I come to a stop beside it.

A knock on the glass of the driver's window brings my attention to it.

Despite the heavy tint, I can faintly make out Lucas' hand signalling for me to go around to the passenger side.

I do.

The door opens for me from the inside and I throw my bags on the floor before sliding in.

The scent of pinewood mixed with the new car scent, and Lucas' cologne tickle my nose.