His Soft Obsession

Chapter Thirteen: Fast Girls Don’t Wait (Janiyah’s POV)

Janiyah

I don’t know what it feel like to have a mama that cares where you at.

Mine? She stay at some man’s house. Ain’t never the same one longer than six months. This week she in Atlanta with some dude named Calvin. Before that, it was Rashad from Texas.

Me? I been raising myself since I was thirteen.

Ain’t nobody telling me when to come home, what to wear, who to be with.

That’s why I move fast.

Fast girls don’t wait.

I know people talk about me. Loud. Ghetto. Always in somebody’s section. The girl with the long nails and the slick mouth.

But I got one thing they don’t got — options.

And right now? Mine is Smoke.

He pulled up on me after school, his car fresh, wrist icy, dreads twisted.

“Get in,” he said, flashing that smirk that made my stomach flip.

I slid into the passenger seat, lashes fluttering.

“You miss me already?” I joked, touching his arm.

He looked me up and down, eyes slow like he was undressing me in his mind.

“Nah,” he said. “But I’m used to seeing what’s mine every day.”

My heart flipped. “So I’m yours now?”

He didn’t answer. Just drove.

We hit a few spots — liquor store, gas station, he grabbed some party trays and loud.

I stayed in the car the whole time, phone in my hand, texting Lyric.

Me:

You still acting like you not coming tomorrow? Girl stop playing.

Lyric:

I’m just not in the mood, Janiyah.

Me:

Zay gon’ be there 😏

And he already watching. Don’t make him come get you.

She didn’t respond right away.

That’s when Smoke got back in the car, glancing at my screen.

“She still acting like she ain’t going?” he asked.

I nodded. “Mmhm.”

He pulled his phone out and started texting.

“To who?” I asked, already knowing.

He didn’t answer. Just smirked.

Later that night…

We parked outside Lyric’s job right when she got off. She didn’t even see us at first. Just walking slow, eyes on her phone.

Smoke rolled the window down and yelled, “Ayo.”

She jumped a little.

I leaned over. “Surprise, bitch.”

She squinted. “What y’all doing here?”

Smoke tapped the passenger seat. “You not staying home tonight. Get in.”

Lyric hesitated. “I didn’t say I was going out…”

Smoke stared at her, serious. “Zay said you was.”

She looked at me, eyes wide.

I just shrugged and smiled. “You know you was coming anyway.”

After a second, she sighed… and opened the door.