Dreams & Nightmares

Twenty Five

Two Weeks Later

"Alright class, time is up. Please lay your answer sheets face down on your desks and I will collect them. Your final grades will be posted by the end of the week. Thank you for your cooperation and have a great winter break." The professor instructed from the front of the class.

Nicki sighed and placed her pencil down on the desk as she flipped over her exam answer sheet. She stood from her seat and followed behind the trail of her classmates who were exiting the classroom.

Upon seeing Nicki exit the classroom, Candi caught up to her and asked, "So how do you think you did?"

"I'm not sure. I definitely didn't get an A, but I don't think I failed it either."

"Oh please," Candi said, waving her off.  "You say that about every test, but you always get an A."

"I guess. Where we meeting the girls?"

"Thembi has been suggesting that we try this café downtown. I think they're already there." Candi explained while tapping away on her phone.

"Alright, let's go."

Within minutes, they had pulled up to the tiny café, parked, and headed inside. Nicki spotted Thembi and Sherika in a booth near the back and didn't hesitate to take a seat, making herself comfortable.

"Hey y'all." Nicki said as she placed her purse in the booth next to her.

"Hey, how did your finals go?"

"Let's just say I'm ready to see my final grades and I'm happy to have a break until next year. Between school, work, and everything else going on I am exhausted." Nicki vented truthfully to her friends.

"Tell me about it." Thembi sighed. "How are things going with Meek?"

Nicki couldn't stop her lips from curling into a smile, "He wrote me a letter."

"Girl," laughed Sherika. This is the first time I've seen you smile like that in a few days. You're so in love." she said, making Nicki blush even more.

"I miss him so much. I wrote him a letter back, but I need to hear his voice, so I know he's okay in there," Nicki sighed as she leaned against the soft seats of the booth.

"I know it's tough for you right now, especially being in that big house alone, but you two will get through it. Your relationship has definitely been tested over the past couple months, but no matter what happens you two always manage to make it work." Candi said offering Nicki some much needed words of encouragement.

"As long as I have Rihmeek and he has me, we'll be good forever and after that." Nicki paused. "I'm all in with him." She confessed.

"That's right friend, talk yo shit." Sherika clapped and everyone at the table laughed.

Soon after a waitress came by and took all of their orders. Fortunately, there weren't many people there, so everything came out quickly. While they were chatting casually over lunch, Nicki's phone vibrated against the table. She noticed the unknown number that flashed across her screen; it was the number from the previous time Meek called. She grabbed it and answered quickly.

"Hello. You have a collect call from Robert Williams, an inmate at North Philadelphia Corrections facility. To accept this call please dial five now. To decline the call, simply hang up." The automated voice prompted and Nicki accepted the call.

"Nic!" Meek greeted her loudly over the voices of the other inmates in the background. Upon hearing his voice, Nicki immediately began to smile and her heart began to beat a little faster.