A Fire As Date
Episode 2: “Damage Control”
Nick spent the next hour boarding up his window with cardboard and duct tape, his mind racing. Every car that passed made him flinch. Every sound had him looking over his shoulder.
His cell phones rings. Unknown number.
“Hello? Hello?”
“You got five minutes to explain yourself before my brothers come over to your house looking for you.” Neisha’s voice was ice cold.
“Niesha, listen—”
“Four minutes and fifty seconds.”
Nick’s words tumbled out in a rush. “I don’t know Paul! I swear on my mama, I don’t know Paul! Josh told me about you nb, not Paul. It was a mix-up, a stupid mix-up!”
“You’re lying.” Neisha replied.
“I’m not! Call Josh right now! Ask him! I mentioned Paul’s name by accident when I talking to him because I was nervous and got confused about what he told me about your previous situation!”
“You said I was more beautiful than what Paul said.”
“Because I’m an idiot! I mixed up the names! Josh told me you were beautiful, not Paul!”
There was a long pause. “Call Josh on three-way.”
Nick’s fingers shook as he added Josh to the call.
“Josh, tell her…………..
“Shut up!” Neisha shouted.
“Niesha? My girl, what’s going on? I heard about the fire—” Josh said.
“Did you tell Nick about me or was it Paul?”
“I did. Paul don’t even know Nick like that. Why would Paul—” Josh stopped. “Oh hell no. Nick, please tell me you didn’t……mention.”
“Yeah, dog it was an accident!” Nick replied.
“Nick, you?” Neisha’s voice was deadly quiet.
“I got nervous and said the wrong name. I don’t even know what that dude Paul looks like!”
Another long pause. “Describe Josh.” Neisha replied.
Nick looked around his room like Josh was there. “Uh… he’s about 6’2”, dark skin, has that scar on his chin from that camp incident when we were kids, always wears those Jordan 4s—”.
“What scar?” Neisha cut him off.
“The one from when his hand slipped off the monkey bars and hit his chin in the third grade”.
“Josh, is that true?”
“Yeah, girl. You don’t remember, you were there. You laughed your ass off when it happened.”
“I was there?” Niesha replied with a smile.
“Elementary school. You, me, Nick and Marcus used to walk home together sometimes before y’all moved.”
Nick could hear Niesha breathing change.
“Josh… I do remember walking home, but Nick? little Nick?”
“Yeah, girl. This is my boy from way back. I just thought y’all would hit it off.” Josh replied.
Neisha: “And he really doesn’t know Paul?”
The silence stretched for what felt like forever.
Niesha: “Nick?”
Nick: “Yeah?”
Neisha: “I’m… I’m sorry about your window.”
Nick let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.
Nick: “It’s okay. I mean, it’s not okay, but I understand why you did it.”
Niesha: “No, you don’t understand. You have no idea what Paul has put me through. When you said his name…”
“What’s he done?” Nick asked
Niesha: “He’s been following me, calling me, showing up at my job. Leaving nasty notes in my mailbox and on the windshield of my car. Then last week he broke into my apartment. I thought… I thought he sent you to spy on me.”
Nick’s anger flared, but not at Niesha
.
Nick: “He broke into your apartment?”
Niesha: “Yeah. That’s why I moved back in with my mom. And why my brothers are ready to jump on him .”
Nick: “Niesha, I’m sorry. I had no idea.”
Niesha: “I know that now. But Nick?”
Nick: “Yeah?”
Niesha: “We can’t see each other anymore.”
Nick: “What? Why?”
Niesha: “Because if Paul finds out I’m dating someone, he’ll come after you. And I can’t have that on my conscience.”
Nick: “But—”
Niesha: “I’m sorry, Nick. I really am. About everything.”
The line went dead.
Nick stared at his phone, then at the boarded-up window, then at Josh who was still on the line.
Nick: “Josh?” You still there?
Josh: “Yeah, bro?”
Nick: “Tell me everything about Paul.
To be continued…….