Neriah

27

Third person

"I'm sorry I must've heard wing. You said you're dropping the case?"

Hernandez sat across from Neriah with her eyebrows raised to the ceiling.

"Yes." Neriah didn't want to but her family and Jacq's were at stake.

"And why is that?"

Neriah tried to be as vague as possible since she knew saying to much wouldn't be  beneficial on her end. "Because its what I have to do. And its not against the law for me to do so. So I'm dropping the case completely."

"So you mean to tell me. Your blood was found all over that crime scene. Witnesses on your apartment floor say they saw Will drag you into your apartment kicking and screaming but didn't see you come out. You disappear with no reason why. You magically reappear again with severe briuses and go knows what else. All signs point to William Cox but you're dropping the case?  Something's a little wrong here. You and I both know Cox did this to you." Neriah clutched her purse in her hands and swallowed hard. "I can't push a case if the victim drops it but I'm keeping a watchful eye on you. So I'm going to let you go. Here's my card in case something happens, you immediately call me. Don't call 911 or anyone who you think can help you. You call this number and I'll come running." Neriah stood up and shook Hernandez's hand.

"Sorry for waisting your time." She grabbed her things and practically ran out the police station.

Neriah dug in her purse for the keys to the matte black Audi Jacques bought for her.

Jacq stayed true to his word. He even bought her a new wardrobe since Will bought Neriah everything, even right down to the type of conditioner she washed her hair with.

Will controlled and owned everything Neriah had. He might as well owned her like a dog.

Once she was inside the car she drove off in the direction of the hayfield center where the boys practices were always held.

For some reason it was like her first day all over again. She was scared the boys would be mad at her for being gone so long.

She had called coach and told him bits and pieces of what had happened. For some reason she trusted Coach with such heavy information.
Coach nearly cried at the sound of her voice when she called him.

He told her not to tell anyone she was coming and swore to God he wouldn't tell anyone about what she told him.

Neriah looked at the rearview mirror several time making sure she didn't see a car she recognized behind her.

Will had her paranoid.

She couldn't sleep at night without the thought of him finding her keeping her awake.

But Will wasn't worried about Neriah. He was doing press conferences about running for Mayor in the upcoming election. Mayor Galloway had been helping him with his campaign and have him the grant for the $500,000 Will had been crying about for weeks.

Even though Neriah wasn't on his mind he was on hers and haunted him everywhere she went.

Jacques

"I'm open." I raised my arms up and waved them so Anderson would pass the ball to me.

He tossed the hall half court and I caught it.

It's been a week since the whole thing with Will went down.

When I came back to practice two days later I kept quite about it. Everyone asked what happened to my head I just reply with: I fell off the moving truck bring boxes into my new house. Everyone seems to have bought it.

Neriah said she wanted to come back to practice today. One of her professors from her school is coming to evaluate her and said he wasn't excepting any excuses for why she isn't there.

Coach had done her the favor of still giving her credit for her internship and writing fake reports about how well she's doing with the team. He's the realest nigga alive for doing that shit.

He could've easily told the truth and that could've sent Neriah's ass packing back to Detroit.

I dribbled the ball and shot it from the three point line. The ball ran around the rim like seven times before it fell in.

"You could've done better than that." We all turned around to see Neriah sitting in the bleachers.

"Neriah?" Iman took off up the steps and picked her up.
Everyone else trailed behind him crowding around her.

I sat down on the ball and watched them drool all over her.

Living with her is cool. She got ya boy sprung I swear.

She's just so perfect.

She don't be complaining, she can keep a conversation, and she we got so much in common.

Riah let me kiss on her ever now and then but she taking everything slow and I respect that.

We even sleep in separate bedrooms.

It's nice waking up and someone's not screaming your name or standing over you cussing you out for no reason. She makes me breakfast and fixes my plate before I wake up. I'm so used to having to take care of everybody it's nice for someone to do stuff for me.

Even if it's a little thing like making me breakfast.

"What's all this noise? It don't sound like hard work to me." Coach came out his office and stood next to me.

The boys moved out the way and a Neriah walked down the bleacher steps to him.

She pulled him into a hug and he smiled.

"You had us all scared for a second there." She laughed.

"I'm fine now. What did I miss."

"You ain't miss to much. Just a few practices and two games. We play the Heat tomorrow so we're working our asses off today. And because you've missed so much. You gotta run drills and run every single one with them."

She shrugged. "Fair enough."

"Get back to work. Work em hard Neriah. I think they been slacking since you been gone." He patted her back before going back to his office.

Neriah looked at me with a little smile.

"What?" I looked her up and down.

"Nothing. Just looking." She took her bag off her shoulder and sat it on the bleacher. She got them tight ass leggings on, on purpose. 

"Let's get to work." She walked passed me with a knowing look on her face.

I stood up and grabbed the ball and took it to her. "You got them on for me?" I grabbed her ass when no one was watching.

"Maybe." She bit her lip and took the ball from me.

How did I get so lucky?

----------------------