The Casibella

13

11:56 AM.
Beatriz Buxton

I woke up like I was waking up from a beautiful dream that ended as soon as I reached consciousness. I opened my eyes to see a white wall before realizing the bed I was sleeping in was not what I had been sleeping in before.

I looked to see Quay sitting up on the edge of the bed flicking through channels. I let go of a breath I didn't know I was holding. I sat up and he turned around to face me with a smile.

"Goodmorning," He said.

"You're here," I said barely above a whisper.

"Why wouldn't I be?" He asked as he climbed up to lay with me.

My eyes scanned his face. He looked different... like he was tired. Bags had formed under his eyes and I can tell he hasn't gotten a cut in a while.

"You look tired," I said.

"Yeah... I always look like that it's fine."

"No it's not... Quay you look terrible," I said catching him off guard.

"Well shit I ain't think it was that bad but excuse me."

"You just look like you haven't been taking care of yourself... your hairline is wobbling and your facial hair makes you look like a bum."

"I mean gettin a shape up was pretty rare around here," he said.

"Then we'll take care of that as soon as possible okay," I said and he nodded with a smile before kissing me.

"What's the plan for today?" I asked.

"First we have to take these girls to the police station-"

"Wait what? Why?" I asked cutting him off.

"Baby they have to get back to their families and what happened to y'all is big-"

"We can return them to their families without going through them. I'm sure they can still remember where they used to live. Why can't we just do that?"

"Why are you so against it?"

"Quay we were prostitutes. Some of us have killed... if they want to go to the police on their own then that's their decision but I'm not going to just throw them at the police," I said.

"Y'all weren't prostitutes," he said.

"Will they see it as that though?"

He nodded.

"If we're gonna do that we need to start getting ready," he said before getting up.

We got ready before we loaded up the van same how we did the night before. We went all through California until we got to Tierra's stop.

"Is this it?" She asked me and Mylan.

I grabbed a pen before taking her hand.

"Here, this is my Instagram. As soon as you get a phone follow me that way we can keep in contact Okay?" I said and she nodded.

She hugged me before whispering a thank you. After she said her goodbyes to Mylan she got out and went to knock on the door to her childhood home. Once the door opened we drove off. Mylan was next and I did the same with her.

When we got to my parents house all of us got out. We decided to spend the night here instead of going to Quays apartment. Quay and I slept in my old room. I looked at him taking in every detail.

"Baby it's late... go to sleep," he said.

"I can't... what if you're not here when I wake up?"

"I promise I'll be right here. I'm not goin anywhere," he said before I closed my eyes.

He kissed my forehead before pulling me closer to him.