I Belong To You

IV

From the park, we walk down to Ashmont still joking around and play fighting one another on the way there.

D almost died when a car broke a red light, I grabbed her by her gray hoodie and tugged her back just in time.

“Just because we have the walk sign doesn’t mean these assholes pay attention,” I say as we crossed the street and walking down the street to the steps of the station.

I hugged D and Yas because they had to take the bus and train back to their homes. Cat stayed with me because we take the trolley to our houses.

“So Darren, how are you getting back?” Cat said turning to Darren after D left on her bus.

“I was gonna take the train after dropping yall off,” Darren said with a carefree shrug of his shoulders.

“I’m meeting with Shawn at my stop so I’ll be fine. Kalina’s area is darker than mine, walk her home.”

“No, I couldn’t do that. You have to get up early for class tomorrow. I don’t wanna cut into your sleep schedule and I’ve been walking back home since freshman year, I’ll be fine. I change which street I walk up and down so people can’t track my habits.”

Cat and Darren looked at each other, “He’s/I’m walking you home.”

“Let’s go.” I sigh out knowing damn well this was a fight that I was going to lose. We walk down to the trolley and wait for it to come up the hill.

“Hey, Kalina what college(s) are you thinking of attending?”

“I’m leaning to out of state schools like Clark and Bryn Mawr College as an example."

The trolley began coming up and I faced forward to pay attention. I sit in the back with Cat and Darren following close behind. I sat on the far left, Darren in the middle, and Cat on the far right.

"Kalina, don't you have some schools that you've applied to in Massachusetts?"

I nod, "Yea Emerson and BFIT. I wanna apply to Wentworth and Lesley. Why what's up?"

"Nothing just asking. You're very independent so I'm not surprised that you're trying to get out of Boston." Cat responded and Darren seemed to relax. That's weird.

We just kept talking until my stop started coming up and I pulled on the rope thing and stood up. The trolley stopped harsher than I was used to and I fell backward onto Darren's lap. I jumped up and stood by the back door anxiously. I quickly turn back and hug Cat goodbye and step off the trolley with Darren walking beside me.

It was silent at first, but we started talking after my initial embarrassment I shyly apologized and he waved it off.

"It'll be another memory for us to talk about, don't worry." I made my pace slow so we could take our time walking together and Darren didn't seem to complain as we kept walking. The time came for us to depart, but I couldn't bring myself to go inside knowing he had to walk and take the train back to his dorm room.

"I'm getting you an Uber. You can fight me later, but I'm getting you an Uber." I saw his mouth open to retort and close as I unlocked my phone.

"You don't have to." He stated softly.

"And you didn't have to walk me home, but you did," I responded back and patted a seat on the stairs with a small smile, "I'm not doing it cause I got money like that, I'm doing it cause I got you like that. You're my friend and I know you would do the same, Darren." I say looking over at him.

"You-I can't fight that you're one hundred percent right." I give a big smile and he chuckles, "How am I supposed to let you know I got home safely?" Darren asks.

"You have my snap."

"You and I don't use snap that much."

"Then what do you suggest?" He looked at me like I was slow and slapped his forehead, "What Darren?"

"Kalina I'm trying to ask for your number."

"I know that, I just needed you to stop beating around the bush and tell me directly what you wanted," He sticks his middle finger at me "My number is 617-XXX-XXXX, you better text me when you get back to your dorm or I'm beating your ass the next time I see you."

"Always so violent," Darren said smiling at me as he shook his head. I looked at my phone to see how close the ride was and as I look back up there it is. I get up and hug Darren and he hugs me just as tight before letting go and entering the car. He winds down the window, "Go inside Kal." I roll my eyes and unlock my front door watching as he's getting driven away.

I rush upstairs into my room knowing my parents were at work and my siblings hiding up in their respective rooms. I would eat and then write in my journal but I needed a shower first.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I put my hair in a messy bun and wore a white thin-strapped tank top and black leggings when my phone started ringing. I shrug and answer the facetime. Nobody calls me like that so I have nothing to worry about. What could go wrong?

I place my phone on the kitchen counter and walk to the fridge in the search of food.

"Kalina?" That sounded like a familiar voice, I just don't know who.

"Yea I'm here, just looking for food," I said tilting my left hand back to wave at the camera.

I got to the counter with food in hand and see who had called me. f*****g Diego taking pictures.

"No Diego stop I look hoot."

"Nah b***h you look fine as shit." I shook my head at him and he cackled, "I'm so deadass, but I missed you!"

"I miss you too, it's sad you left our junior year."

"Yea, but at least I visit during your soccer games, just like Darren..." Diego trailed off looking at his nails.