L O Y A L T Y

5.

Rylee Kenni Sal

two days later

I post up in the senior lot, watching everyone in a rush to leave school on a Friday afternoon, while I waited for Millani. I've been standing here for ten minutes but I needed to catch my breath from practice so I wasnt doing no tripping.

Soon I see her walking towards the lot, right away I could tell something was wrong just from her walk but I wasnt going to say nothing.

"Wassup?" I greet her once shes close, she gives me a head nod in return and I unlock the doors so we can get in. "What left is to be done?"

"We just have to finish the research paper and then we can start on the painting." Millani answers in a low voice.

With that I drive off in the direction of the public library.

***

We spot an empty table and walk over to it, taking out everything we needed, then started working in silence.

But the silence was bothering me for some reason.

I watched as she typed away on her laptop, copying down the handwritten essay we worked on together.

"How much longer do you have to go?" I ask, breaking the silence, she looks up at me for a second before going back to typing.

"Two more pages." Millani mumbles in return.

"I'll type the rest." She quickly shakes her head no but I gently slide the laptop away from her anyways, earning a glare. "Check out the sketch." I nod towards the paper that was to the side of me.

She smacks her lips but picks up the paper anyways, too anxious to see her reaction I busy myself with typing.

This is the first time I've shown anyone outside of my family my art work and to say Im nervous would be an understatement. My Ma and Pops always tells me how talent I am but they're my parents so its expected.

"You drew this?" I hear her ask, I nod my head 'yes' still not looking at her reaction. "Yo this is dope, Ry!"

I hide my smile as I look up at her honest face. "Ry?"

"Yeah, its short for Rylee." She mumbles losing the excitement going back to her previous mood.

"You only give nicknames to those that are your friends." I raise a brow making her smack her lips.

"We arent friends." Millani resorts making me chuckle, I'll let her think that.

"Im done," I point towards the laptop, "You hungry?"

"No." Grabbing her laptop she saves the essay before turning it off and pack her stuff as do I.

"Well I am so you can just watch me eat."

***

I pull up to this slightly packed hamburger place and park fairly close to the front.

"C'mon Millz." I say to her, I watch her lips curl into a smile as she opens the door.

"I told you Im not hungry." Millani mumbles as we walk towards the building.

"And I told you I was." I hold the door open for her.

"Thanks." She mumbles.

I see her find a table somewhere in the corner while I go order.

"Hello welcome to Hilburt's what can I get for ya?" The man at the register asks.