Chapter Text
“Shit.”
Imani checked her watch again, peeking out of the bus window impatiently as she perched by the double doors. Thirty minutes late and counting on her first day to school—well, college here. She tapped her foot as the bus came to a slow break then burst out the doors, squinting under her shades from the sunlight. Cradling her iPod against her chest and clutching her black purse, she jogged towards Roundview College and through its empty halls, breezing by a couple of stragglers and inhaling a bit of smoke, noticing an extinguished locker as she rushed to class.
“Fuck me, fuck me…”
She came to a harsh stop as she found the classroom number and caught her breath, lingering for a moment to compose herself, pausing Siouxsie and Banshees and shoving her iPod into her bag. Then, with a disappointed sigh, she opened the door. The whole classroom’s eyes fixed onto her, but she didn’t notice, looking at the teacher as she pulled off her sunglasses.
“I’m so sorry, I slept in too late—still jet lagged.”
She offered an uneasy laugh, but the man waved his hand in brazen dismissal.
“Least you’re here. Go to a desk, introduce yourself after that one.”
She eyed him strangely then turned too look to where he was pointing. It was a tall, spindly kid with a face splattered in freckles and acne. He stared at her with small, close-set green eyes that seemed intent on drilling directly through her skull. Yeah, not sitting there. She looked around for a moment, then settled on retreating to the back next a blonde girl with impressive cleavage. She gave her a nod, setting her bag on the table as the girl looked her up and down.
“Henry,” the spindly kid said, finally pulling his stare off of her. “Got six sisters.”
“Lovely,” the teacher said, scribbling on a clipboard. He pointed to her. “Go ahead.”
Slowly, Imani rose from her seat, surveying the class again as she tapped her leg with her sunglasses. She was about to smile, but stopped herself, thinking of how much the teacher seemed pleased by it.
“Imani. Washington.”
Silence hung in the air as the sea of faces looked her expectantly. Involuntarily, she smiled again.
“Sorry, is there something I’m supposed to say?”
“One interesting fact about you,” the teacher told her with an edge of impatience.
She nodded, “Right. Well…um…”
Her eyes scanned the room as she racked her mind. A few interesting faces out of the crowd. One of them, a girl with long brown hair, fishnets, and a neck drenched in chains, gave her a slight acknowledgement when their gazes met, but her eyes were unreadable. Another was a pair of red-haired twins.
“I’m from California. I speak some French. I love Camus.”
“Must not teach you how to count in America, that was three.”
She rose a brow at the teacher’s remark, sitting back down in her seat as a couple chuckles passed through the room. This one’s a charmer.
“Next.”
Imani let out a puffy sigh and sunk down into her seat as another boy rose to his feet, rubbing her forehead. Suddenly, she felt it tingle as if someone was watching her and tensed, lifting her gaze and dreading to look at the green-eyed boy again. This one was different, though; he sat by the window. He was handsome enough that Imani could actually stand to look back, but then a strange, broad grin formed on his face that put her off. She scrunched her nose and put her sunglasses on, facing forward. Doubt the teacher would give a shit.
“You’re American, yeah?”
She tilted her head slightly toward the girl next to her. “Yeah, L.A.”
A bright smile formed on the blonde’s face. “Los Angeles? Like, Hollywood?”
“Like Hollywood,” she affirmed dryly, pressing her lips together in a polite smile back.
“That’s so class,” she exclaimed. She flipped her pin-straight hair, leaning towards her as if to confide something of grave importance. “You know, I want to be an actress, actually.”
“You don’t say…”
“Yeah, for real. I’ve been in a play already; I was one of the witches in Machbeth, I think. Crazy, that one.”
Imani nodded slowly, watching uneasily as the teacher pulled out a CD. “Do we actually learn anything in this class?”
“I’m auditioning for a play today, actually. A musical sort of thing. I can’t sing for shit, really, but it’s good for experience.”
“Ah.”
She glanced over to the window again, seeing the boy was still watching her. She shifted uncomfortably until she realized his focus had moved from her face to her colleague’s breasts, which he happily grinned at as he teased the cap of a pen between his teeth. With a face of disgust, she reached for her bag and pulled out her iPod again, plugging her ears with the buds and pressing play. Siouxsie started up again as she leaned her head against the wall, her eyes growing heavy again now that she had settled. She’d nearly nodded off waiting for the bus to come too, but the was before she checked the time. It had only been eight hours since she’d landed in Bristol, and within that time she’d endured an uncomfortably long drive from the airport with her father and a subsequently quiet dinner, then four hours of sleep before she’d realized her father had gone off to work and she’d have to take the bus to school. Not school, she reminded herself again, college.
The flights between Los Angeles to Bristol granted a total of thirteen hours awake straight since she couldn't sleep on planes. She was due for a siesta.
Siouxsie lulled her into rest as she made herself comfortable, crossing her arms and letting out a sigh.
I am the passenger, I stay under glass…
Her breaths grew deeper as some commotion occurred in the room. She didn’t open her eyes to investigate.
I look through my window so bright, I see the stars come out tonight…
Her shoulders relaxed, and she knocked out quick.
🩰𓈒⋆⑅˚₊୨୧
“Ms. Washington.”
Imani sat still in her chair, lips slightly parted in deep sleep.
“Ms. Washington.”
She stirred slightly and turned her head, one earbud finally descending from her ear and nestling in her braids. The teacher peered at her, leaning closer.
“Ms. Washington?”
“Ungh!”
She woke with a start, shooting up in her seat, her forehead colliding with his. He cried out, stumbling back as Imani took off her sunglasses in a daze. She frowned, touching her forehead as it throbbed, then looked at the teacher in surprise and flew to her feet.
“I’m so sorry,” she began, but the teacher cut her off.
“Fine. It’s fine. Just…get out.”
She nodded and grabbed her leather coat off of the back of her seat and her purse from the desk. Gingerly, she stepped by him as he groaned and muttered to himself under his breath. The hallways were full of commotion now as she slid past other students. She wanted a locker close to the library, just like back home, then she’d get something to eat after setting her things down.
“Fuck me, I didn’t know they made ‘em like you!”
Imani paused, unsure if the voice she’d just heard was directed to her. She didn’t want to turn around, either, lest she encourage whoever said it to her if they had. It was directly behind her, signaling it likely was meant for her ears, but she simply decided against that and kept on walking.
“Hey, didya hear me?”
She cleared her throat in annoyance, weaving past a large cluster of students gathered in the center of the hall. A hand suddenly grabbed her arm and forced her to turn around. It was, she discovered with dismay, the same boy with the strange grin from before. Her expression shifted into brief disgust, then she looked away. He frowned at her, stepping closer and trying to catch her eye.
“You ignoring me?”
“That seems to be that case,” another voice said.
“Fuck off, JJ,” he shot back.
Imani tugged her arm out of his hold and began to walk away briskly, eyebrows drawn. He followed quick on her heels, calling after her.
“Oi! American girl! I’m talking to you!”
She payed him no mind and dove into a group of conversing students. They exclaimed in protest, but she ignored them and made a sharp turn right, quickly slipping into the nurse’s office when she read it as unoccupied. She quickly closed the door behind her and put her back against it, hand clutching the knob tightly. Sure enough, three sets of footsteps appeared soon after.
“Shit,” the same voice hissed, “Some fucking manners.”
“Let’s just leave it,” a new voice suggested.
She discreetly peeked through the window, taking a look at her pursuers. The one who grabbed her was the shortest of the bunch, with a pierced ear and a slim build under his form-fitting red v-neck sweater. There was another with curly hair, who Imani noticed had an interesting blink, that had a slight smile on his face as he watched his friend search the hall like a falcon, jaw tense. Then there was the last one. Her eyes lingered on him for a moment. He was tan-skinned with dark hair that swept over his dark, almond-shaped eyes. He was tall and slender with a bookbag slung over his shoulder. He was cute. Looked sweet.
“That’s got to be the first time I’ve ever seen a girl run away from you, Cook,” the curly-haired one remarked, smile revealing his braces.
“Fuck off, JJ!”
The red one gave him a shove before staring down the hall one more time. Her breath hitched as he stood still, and she retreated behind the door, turning towards the room. That’s when she came face-to-face with the same girl from her class seated on the desk with a cigarette hanging from her mouth half-naked. Her lips curved into a smirk as Imani’s eyebrows rose in surprise.
“Fuck it, let’s go to the pub.”
Imani let out a sigh as the footsteps departed. She dropped her bag and coat to the ground, turning to peek out of the window again before letting her shoulders slump and leaning against the wall.
“I see you’ve met Cook, then.”
She turned to face the girl as she spoke to her. They held each other’s gazes for a moment in silence, brown on blue. The girl had delicate, foxlike features and an unbelievably slender figure. To be honest, Imani had never seen such a beautiful girl before in her life. She looked like a fairy. A naked one, but still. She lit her cigarette then slid off the desk, walking over to Imani.
“I’m Effy,” she said, offering her cigarette. “You’re Imani, right?”
Imani nodded, taking the cigarette from her fingers and having a drag. Effy smiled enigmatically at her.
“He’s not a bad fuck if you let him catch you,” she said, “Cook, I mean.”
Imani’s face broke into an amused smile and she laughed, passing the cigarette back to Effy.
“I’ll keep that mind, thanks.”
Seemingly pleased by the reaction, Effy turned away and dressed again, which only consisted of an oversized shirt over her underwear and fishnets. She regarded Imani in silence, a pleasant curve settled on her pink lips.
“You fancy a spliff?”
The girl frowned. “A what?”
“A joint.”
“Oh,” she remarked in understanding, giving it some thought. “We don’t have more classes?”
Effy shook her head, eyes fixed on her cooly. Imani picked up her coat and bag, then noticed the barely lit joint on the floor. She picked it up, examining it, then gave Effy an inquisitive look. Effy only smiled again, opening the door. Imani pocketed it and followed her out.
“So, what are you doing in England,” Effy asked as they walked through the hall.
Imani glanced around, noticing all the stares fixed on her newfound acquaintance, and tugged her jacket closer to her side.
“My dad and I just moved. He got a new job in London, decided to drop me here.”
Some of the stares began to shift to her, too. Imani sighed, looking down at her feet. Effy glanced at her out of the corner of her eye.
“You live alone?”
“A bit, yeah. He comes back for the weekends.”
“Your mum not there?”
Imani offered a wry smile. “She’s in New York.”
“Which one fucked up?”
Imani looked at her in surprise, then smiled again. “They’re so classy about it, you wouldn’t know.”
Effy smirked at her. “Sounds nice. Wish I was so lucky.”
“Sorry to hear it.”
“Yeah.”
Effy passed her the cigarette, and Imani finished it. They headed for the crowded entrance. Imani pulled on her coat, flipping her braids out of its back after.
“Want to come over? I got a shit ton of leftovers and empty space. Wouldn’t mind company.”
Effy smiled. “Yeah, sure.”
“Effy, there you are!”
The pair turned around as a girl with skewed blonde ponytails ambled up behind them, bright blue eyes alight with excitement. She seemed to be wearing some kind of…ninja outfit, if Imani wasn’t confused, which a lot of folks seemed to be wearing around the school.
“Hey Pandora,” Effy greeted, “This is Imani, she’s from the States.”
Pandora’s eyes met hers, then widened, scanning her face.
“Blimey, you’re gorgeous! You a model or something?”
Imani chuckled. “No, but thanks.”
“Well you’d make a perfect one, wouldn’t you?”
Imani shrugged.
“Panda, we’re going over to Imani’s house. Wanna come?”
“Can I?”
Pandora’s eyes shone at Imani, who couldn’t refuse. With that, the trio headed to the bus stop and waited for their chariot home.
“Effy, I mean it, I really want to surf n’ turf this year,” Pandora insisted, “You’ve got to show me how.”
Imani frowned. “I’m sorry?”
“Sex,” Effy clarified.
“Oh.”
“Have you ever surfed n’ turfed a boy, Imani?”
“Yeah, a few. Mostly boyfriends I had to hide from my dad.”
It was Effy’s turn to be amused. “Boyfriends?”
Imani shrugged, rising to her feet as the bus arrived. “A few.”
“You mean you’ve been in love,” Pandora inquired excitedly.
She smiled. “A couple times, yeah.”
Effy smiled to herself sardonically as they seated. Pandora leaned over her, eager to uncover more.
“Well? What’s it like?”
Imani leaned back slightly toward the window. “Well it depends, really. Different kinds of love comes from different kinds of people. Each of them teach you something about yourself. Makes you a better person.”
“All kinds makes you better?”
She frowned, looking out the window in thought. “I can’t imagine it makes you worse. It’s either love or it isn’t. It’s delicate. You gotta take care of it.”
🩰𓈒⋆⑅˚₊୨୧
“Blimmin’ heck, you’ve got a nice place!”
“It’s alright.”
Imani tossed her keys in the china bowl on the coffee table, tugging off her boots and carrying them with her.
“Shoes off, if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all,” Pandora said, leaving them by the door with Effy and padding onto the spotless, plush white carpet.
They took in their surroundings with wide eyes. The place was impeccably furnished with shiny leather couches, a large television, and all kinds of exotic furniture and decor. It smelled sweet but musky, and oriental rugs adorned the floor of the living and dining room. Imani grabbed a remote and clicked a button, and suddenly the air carried the tunes of a jazz song. She turned to the two with a small smile, beckoning them in with a tilt of her head. Effy looked up at the futuristic ceiling light as she passed through the living room. Imani tossed her coat aside, sighing. Pandora smiled brightly at the strange art on the wall.
“Patio’s out back. Want something to drink?”
“This is class, Imani!”
Effy looked at her. “What did you say your father did again?”
“He’s an investment banker, but uh, his side of the family’s a bit…”
She gestured to the room. “Loaded.”
She waited patiently for the shock to wear off of the two, then nodded, going to the kitchen.
“Right, patio.”
The three migrated from the living room to the kitchen, where Imani grabbed a chilled bottle of Merlot from the fridge. She winked at them, grabbing glasses.
“It’s Dad’s but, doesn’t matter. Got the, uh, spliff? Only have the one off the floor.”
“Got a couple more,” Effy said, opening the patio doors.
The backyard was nothing short of sprawling, filled with bright and fragrant roses as well as having a pool. Imani sighed deeply, soaking up the sun as she walked onto the grass.
“Sun’s not bad today. Ladies?”
She smiled, raising her eyebrows at Effy and Pandora. They shared a smile and followed.
It didn’t take long for the wine and spliff to get conversation and laughter flowing. Pandora eagerly shared stories of Effy and her’s past exploits, as well as slightly encouraging Effy to share the same. However, Effy was busy smiling at the sky, watching the clouds thin and weave across the blue expanse on her back. Imani relaxed in a pool chair she carried over, a glass of wine sitting next to her on the grass. She had done her braids up in a bun and let her legs and arms out into the sun. She sipped some wine, giggling, then grabbed the spliff from Effy’s hand.
“Okay, so,” she began, devious smile forming on her face, “Those three guys who followed me today. Who was the tall one?”
Effy’s nirvana dipped. She met Imani’s glittering bronze eyes as she awaited an answer. Imani raised a brow.
“Well?”
“Freddie,” she said, sitting up.
Imani nodded slowly, leaning back in her chair with a coy finger pressed against her lip. “Freddie, huh? Very interesting.”
Effy stared at her in silence for a moment, then smiled. “I can introduce you if you’d like.”
Imani seemed to hesitate, then a grin spread across her face that made her glow as she laughed. “I won’t lie, I'm so fucking stoned right now that I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
Pandora laughed along with her as they lied back to look at the sky. Imani began to hum a jazzy tune, eyes shut against the sun. She passed the joint back down to Effy on the ground.
“What do you think of the other one,” she asked as she took it.
“…Who?”
“Cook.”
Imani made a sound, a frown defiling her face. “Psshh…”
She stuck her tongue out. “Blegh.”
The three burst out laughing at her reaction.
“He’s got hair like a…bird.”
Imani crumbled back into laughter, covering her mouth as her shoulders shook.
“I’m guessing he fucks like one too!”
Pandora was delighted by idea and joined in with uncontrollable giggling. Effy smiled and lied back down. They stayed put until the sun set, and dusk brought a chill that forced them back inside, wiping their feet off so as not to stain the carpet and perching awkwardly on the sculptural furniture in the living room. Pandora clicked on the TV, eyes glassy as she giggled at the action movie that was on.
“You guys should totally stay for dinner,” Imani suggested, “I can make some pasta or something. It’d be my pleasure.”
Effy adjusted herself uncomfortably on the leather and bone folding chair. “Sounds fine for me. Panda?”
“Whizzer,” she said, taking in the large, hi-def explosion on the TV.
“Great! I’ll go ahead and get started.”
Imani rose to her feet unsteadily with a little sound of surprise, then made way for the kitchen. She snorted.
“Fuck, I keep forgetting how blasted I am,” she called to the living room giggling, “Might have to order in. You like Thai?”
🩰𓈒⋆⑅˚₊୨୧
Cook just couldn’t get over it.
Even after seven, eight, nine beers, and a fuckton of shots, he still couldn’t—
“—fucking believe what the fuck I saw today.”
He grinned at his friends, laughing. Freddie and JJ shared a look as he gulped down more beer.
“I mean, fuck! That was A-fucking-1, that chick!”
“She didn’t seem to like you very much,” JJ reminded him. “The whole…sleazy bit.”
“Chicks dig sleazy,” Cook corrected, shaking his head, “No, no, I’m shagging that girl. It’s fate.”
Freddie smiled, shaking his head. “Really didn’t seem your style, Cook.”
Cook looked between them, pausing from drinking his beer. “Well, what’s this? You two want a go at her too, that it?”
His eyes pressed on JJ. “I doubt she’ll drop her pants for some magic either, J, but you don’t hear me goin’ on about it do you?”
“She said she liked Camus,” Freddie interjected, “Do you even know what that is?”
Cook peered at him. “Do you?”
Freddie scoffed and drunk his beer. Cook’s eyes darted between them briefly before he spoke again.
“Right, that’s it, I’m settling it now, the American one’s off limits,” he demanded, “Don’t get in the fuckin’ way—Don’t. Got it? I swear I’ll break your fucking faces in.”
He jutted his finger at them, pointing at both individually. Then, he burst into laughter, finishing his drink and slamming it down on the table.
“Right, let’s get out of here.”
The three left the pub and went into the cold night air, starting to head home. Cook lit a cigarette, then paused, chuckling to himself and shaking his head.
“A-Fuckin’-1.”
🩰𓈒⋆⑅˚₊୨୧
“This is quite nice.”
Imani, Pandora, and Effy sat wrapped in towels, sweat dripping from their noses and foreheads. Imani had reclined fully on one of the wooden benches, a damp towel folded and set over her eyes. Effy stared at her, slightly impressed by her ability to withstand this level of heat. Pandora was half asleep and propped up against the wall, water bottle in hand. The familiar hiss of steam made Effy close her eyes, reducing her to nothing but darkness and heat. The scent of lavender filled her nose as steam choked her. Imani exhaled deeply and sank further into her rest. They’d woken up in the morning hungover and spacey, and Imani claimed to know just the cure: sauna. So, she’d called them all a taxi and rode them to a spa to get it done.
“You do this every time you get hungover?”
Imani chuckled at Effy’s question. “No, hot baths do just fine. Just thought I’d take you guys somewhere nice…”
She’d noticed a few concerning things about Imani so far, the forefront being her overwhelming generosity. Maybe it was just because Effy wasn’t rich, but it seemed a bit odd to spoil a couple of strangers. That was the other thing, though—she seemed to have already decided they were friends. Maybe this just the American way.
“Guys want breakfast after?”
Pandora, half-conscious, made a sound of assent.
“Sure,” Effy agreed.
“Cool.”
They sat in silence for about ten more minutes. Effy opened her eyes again, looking around in the stone sauna’s soft purple lighting. Her eyes settled on Imani again. She traced the curves and grooves of her doll-like face and plush bow lips, then blinked away some sweat from her brow as it fell. She really was pretty. No wonder Cook chased her through the halls, with a face like that. She was warm, too, and welcoming. A little shy about her interests, like when Pandora found her art journals in her worn leather trunk at the foot of her bed—she’d begged her to put it away, she was too embarrassed. A little bit sweet, like when she brought the fuzzy black kitten she’d found in the backyard inside and excused herself to clean it up a bit, then proudly declared she had a new cat and held it for the rest of the night.
“Gotta get Mustard food on the way home,” she thought to herself out loud, “Little baby must be starving.”
Effy chuckled. “You’re really gonna keep that thing?”
Imani moved her eye towel to look at her. “Of course.”
“What if it’s sick? What if it has fleas?”
“Nothing a little time and care can’t fix,” she dismissed, putting her towel back over her eyes. “Can’t just leave something that little to fend for itself.”
Pandora snored softly, catching Imani and Effy’s attention. Imani sat up, cradling her towel close to her chest. She chuckled at the sight of Pandora fast asleep.
“Think that’s our cue.”
They took the taxi back to Imani’s after cold showers, then Imani proceeded to lay out a platter of delicious berries and fruits for them to eat.
“I’ve got more food in here then bellies,” she remarked with a smile while grabbing a water bottle.
They all stood at the marble counter, eating silently, until Pandora’s phone suddenly started ringing. Imani looked over curiously as Pandora quickly flipped open the phone and put it to her ear.
“Hello Mum,” she greeted, her voice arier than usual, “Yes, I’m with Effy. Volunteering ran late, super late. Another food drive, Mum. Canned foods, for the homeless. Anyways, I’m at Effie’s now. I’ll be back really soon.”
Imani looked at her with a slight smile as she lied, glancing at Effy.
“Love you too, Mum. Bye-bye.”
She flipped the phone shut, going back to eating.
“No fun allowed,” Imani asked, cutting up a mango for herself.
“No, no, it’s not that,” Pandora explained as she ate, “She lets me have heaping loads of fun—you just can’t tell her the truth, that’s all.”
Imani laughed softly, then popped a chunk of mango into her mouth and brought the bowl with her to the patio. Pandora watched her leave, then turned to Effy.
“Crikey, she’s, like, the nicest girl ever, isn’t she?”
Effy looked over at dining room table, where Mustard the kitten ate her little portion of wet food. She smiled a little.
“Yeah.”
“I should totally invite her to my pajama party, don’t ya think?”
She tried to imagine Imani playing twister and eating brownies but failed. “Totally.”
“Whizzer, I knew it!”
Imani came back inside and rinsed her bowl out, setting it in the dishwasher. She popped a strawberry in her mouth, then a banana slice, then went over to the dining room table.
“Oh, that’s a good baby, huh? You finished all your food!”
She got a shrill, tiny meow in response and cooed back, holding the kitten delicately against her chest and petting it. Then, she turned to Effy and Pandora.
“Well, it was lovely having you over, but I won’t take up your whole day,” she said with a self-conscious chuckle, “Feel free to head out after breakfast. I gotta look up a vet nearby for this little angel.”
She kissed the top of Mustard’s head, then waved at them both, heading upstairs to check her computer. They watched her leave, then finished eating the rest of the apples and blackberries before heading out.
🩰𓈒⋆⑅˚₊୨୧
It was another nice day, so Imani decided she wanted to walk to the vet instead of just a straight taxi. It had started out just fine. She was listening to The Doors through her earbuds with the kitten nestled in a scarf in her arms, enjoying the fresh air and warm weather. Her peace was disturbed in an instant when she passed by a pub, and guess who out came jogging out of it after her if not him. She yelped at the feeling of a hand on her back and whirled around with her purse in full swing. Unfortunately, Cook ducked. Once her nerves had calmed, she watched him laugh, taking an earbud out and sighing.
“You alright,” he asked, grin plastered on his face.
She stared at him, face reticent, observing him silently. He paused, staring at her back.
“You aren’t deaf, right,” he asked a bit more genuinely, “ ‘Cause I’ve made this mistake before, and it didn’t go so well—“
“No,” she answered with a sigh, “I am not deaf.”
His smile bounced back in full force as he stepped towards her, looking her up and down and making a pained face.
“Fuck me, you’re gorgeous,” he said, “Say, why don’t you come on in to the pub for—“
A tiny meow interrupted him, and he looked at her chest in confusion. “They talking to me?”
She raised her eyebrows, unimpressed. “Yes, Cook. My breasts are talking to you.”
“Oi, so you learned my name,” he remarked with a grin, “Askin’ around, are you?”
“Effy told me about you.”
His eyes glimmered. “She did?”
“Mhm.”
“So you know I’m a proper good fuck then?”
He stepped closer, the same strange smile from before threatening to form on his face, making her face scrunch in displeasure.
“Don’t do that with your face please, it’s genuinely alarming,” she told him, holding her scarf a little closer to her chest.
“Didn’t answer my question, Hollywood,” he poked, the strange smile morphing into an expectant grin.
She shrugged casually. “Yeah, she said you weren’t too bad.”
The door opened again, releasing JJ and Freddie onto the sidewalk behind Cook, who was quite pleased with himself at the moment.
“Fuckin’ knew it,” he said with a laugh, “So…what’s it gonna be?”
Imani pursed her lips, looking clueless. “I’m sorry?”
“C’mon, you fancy a ride or not?”
She tried to fight it, she really did, but she couldn’t help herself. She burst into laughter, immediately erasing Cook’s smile. JJ and Freddie watched her face glow in subdued awe as the sun peeked out from behind the clouds.
“I think I’ll be alright.”
He stared at her, taken aback by this form of rejection. In all his years of women turning him down, he’d never heard such genuine amusement as this.
“Fuck’s that’s supposed to mean?”
“It means, Cookie, that I can tell you don’t really know how to fuck.”
Cook was stunned into silence. He started glancing around to check if the moment was real.
“I don’t know how to fuck?” He started laughing in disbelief at the thought. “I don’t know how to fuck?”
Cook rose a brow, eyes trailing up and down her figure through her white dress before he looked at her square in the eye--less a flirtation, more a challenge.
“Wanna bet?”
Imani laughed softly and gave him a patronizing look before she paused at the sight of Freddie behind him. Cook followed her eyeline, his frustration building.
“Fuck you lookin’ at him for?”
She ignored Cook, her face softening a bit as she smiled at Freddie, waving. He turned around for a second to check if someone was behind him, but his face was in full flush once he realized she was looking at him. He almost waved back, but JJ wisely stopped him, eyes fixed on their hotheaded friend.
“I think he’ll actually break your face in,” he warned.
Awkwardly, Freddie put his hands in his pockets, unable to look away from her. He offered a small smile in return, wary of Cook’s stare grilling him. Finally, she looked away, turning her attention back to the one in front of her. She looked away for a second, then met his eyes again. Her eyebrows rose expectantly as she waited for him to leave.
He shoved his hands in his pockets, moved to say something, then wordlessly turned away, walking back into the pub. She watched him go with an apologetic smile on her face, then looked back up at Freddie. She began to walk over to them. JJ panicked, eyes darting to the window.
“Freddie—Freddie, she’s coming over.”
Freddie didn’t answer. He was too busy taking in what was in front of him. She was a little short, but her posture made up for it—she moved gracefully, like a swan. Her dark brown skin still carried a California glow—he’d never seen someone’s so shiny. Her braids curled at the end, framing her heart-shaped face charmingly, giving space for her big brown eyes to swallow any man whole. Her teeth shone like pearls as she smiled up at him, holding out her hand. Her lips were plush and glossy.
“Hi there, I don’t think we’ve met.”
Her voice was sweet but husky, making him swallow. Still, he managed to smile back, taking her hand in his.
“I’m Imani. I just moved here.”
“Hi,” he greeted.
They, quite noticeably, weren’t shaking hands. JJ glanced between the two with concern as they stared at each other. Cook was definitely going to break his face in.
“I’m JJ,” he interjected, “You’re in our class.”
Her eyes slid over to him kindly, and she let go of Freddie’s hand to shake his gently.
“Nice to meet you, JJ. Your friend got a name?”
Her eyes glittered playfully as they flitted over to Freddie again. Quickly, he found his voice to answer.
“I’m Freddie.”
She nodded, swaying slightly onto either foot. Her white dress billowed lightly around her legs as a breeze passed. Her fruity rose perfume filled their noses, making JJ swallow. A small meow broke Imani and Freddie's second stare-down, and the boys peered curiously at her scarf as a fuzzy head peeked out through the fabric. She chuckled, scratching the kitten's head affectionately.
“Well…off to the vet. See you two around.”
She turned her back to them, putting her earbuds back in and petting Mustard. JJ and Freddie watched her walk away.
“She’s lovely,” JJ remarked.
Freddie was still silent. The pub door slammed open as Cook came back out, zipping up his jacket. He eyed the two as he lit a cigarette.
“Fuck you two doin’ standing out here?”
“She’s lovely,” JJ repeated, forgetting himself.
Cook paused, a frown forming on his face. “What did I tell you? Off-limits, yeah?”
JJ and Freddie glanced at each other, then turned to face Cook.
“She laughed at you,” Freddie said, eyebrow raised, “Like, to your face.”
Smoke plumed from Cook’s nose as he shrugged. “So?”
“So I don’t think she’s interested,” Freddie laughed, his hand still tingling from her touch.
Cook eyed him, taking a drag from his cigarette.
“You don’t get it, do you,” he questioned, “Girls like that, they don’t give in easy. They like to play with their food first.”
He watched the white-clad figure in the distance, a grin forming on his face. “Yeah, she’s a naughty one. Just you wait and see.”
JJ and Freddie exchanged another look, mutually unsure of what could’ve led him to that conclusion.
“Don’t know how to fuck,” he muttered to himself, “Cheeky one.”
🩰𓈒⋆⑅˚₊୨୧
“All done, she’s clean as a whistle.”
Imani smiled as she picked up Mustard from the veterinarian’s hands, giving her a kiss. She meowed back, paws stretching in the air.
“Thanks so much, Mary. Can I schedule her spay now?”
“Of course, we’ve got availability next week Thursday, ‘round 7:30 in the morning.”
“7:30?”
Mustard mewed, reaching for her braid with her tiny arms. She sighed, her eyebrows creasing.
“Alright, guess I can make it.”
“Lovely, I’ll pencil you in."
“Great.”
The bell jingled as she opened the door and slid out into the afternoon. She flipped Mustard on her back, tickling her tummy as the kitten tried to bite her finger. Imani laughed.
“You’re a mean girl, aren’t you? So feisty.”
She let Mustard bite her finger, eyes crinkling affectionately at the feeling of her little teeth. “Sweetie.”
Her phone vibrated in her purse as she brushed past a group of guys in the street laughing amongst themselves. Delicately, she removed her finger from Mustard’s mouth and plucked it out. She paused at the contact name, then smiled, flipping her phone open.
“Maman?” (Mom?)
“Salut, chérie, ça va?” (Hello, darling, are you well?)
“Ouai, ouai, ça va bien,” she answered, glancing across the street as the crossed. “J’ai adopté un nouveau chat. Elle est trop mignonne!” (Yeah, yeah, I'm well. I've adopted a new cat. She's too cute!)
Her mother laughed. “Très bien, ma fille. Où est ton père?” (Very good, my daughter. Where is your father?)
“À Londres.” (In London.)
“Londres? Donc tu es en Angleterre tout seul?” (London? So you're in England all alone?)
She smiled at her mother’s concern as she passed the pub again, thinking of Freddy with some tenderness, Cook with amusement.
“C’est pas grave, maman. Tout ira bien. J’ai déjà fait quelques amis, je vais faire plus.” (It's not serious, mom. Everything will be fine. I've already made some friends, I'll make more.)
“Je sais, je sais, mais vivre à Bristol toute seule…c’est pas quelque chose que nous avons discuté.” (I know, I know, but living in Bristol all alone...It's not something we'd discussed.)
“Ne t’inquiète pas, maman. Je vais m’occuper de tout.” (Don't worry, Mom. I'm going to take care of everything.)
Her phone started to vibrate again, and she found herself surprised again to see Effy’s name.
“Maman, je dois te laisser. À bientôt!” (Mom, I have to let you go. See you later!)
She answered as she stopped at a crosswalk. “Hey! What’s up?”
“There’s a party tonight,” she said, “Do you want to come?”
She hummed in thought, looking down at Mustard, then up to the sky. “Sure, but someone’s got to look after my cat.”
“Come over. I know just the person for it.”
And so she did. She tugged on a short, figure-hugging leather dress and a thigh garter with a small pocket to hold her keys and tuck her switchblade into, put on some combat boots and eyeliner, then made her way over to Effy’s under a large flannel after the sun went down. She smiled at Mustard while she rode the bus, singing quietly to her and ignoring the strange looks she got. Then, she finished the trek and knocked on Effy's red door. A woman answered in a robe with disheveled blonde hair. Imani hesitated, taken by surprise.
“Does Effy live here?”
The woman looked her up and down with tired eyes. “You sound different.”
“American,” she explained with a smile.
Mustard meowed in her flannel pocket, drawing the woman’s attention with a gasp.
“Oh my, who is this little number?”
The scent of alcohol hit Imani’s nose as she stepped closer, but she brushed it off and smiled. “This is Mustard, she’s about three weeks old.”
Effy came down the steps in fishnets, shorts, and a halter top with her hair did up, dark eyeliner making her eyes beacon out from her face. She smiled cooly at Imani as she came to the door.
“Mum, this is my friend, Imani.”
Imani waved politely, smiling at her. The woman nodded.
“Anthea. Come on in.”
She stepped aside as Imani came in and closed the door behind her. Imani looked around the place with interest. It was a little messy and dark, but normal enough. The quiet is what drew her attention, though, that and the empty wine bottles on the counter. Effy brought her upstairs immediately. Imani took a seat in the bed as Effy closed the door behind her. The two smiled at each other. Effy took a seat next to her on the bed. She looked at Mustard as she slept soundly.
“Vet went well?”
Imani nodded. “Yeah, just gotta get her fixed and then she’ll be set.”
“Cool.”
Effy got up, sitting down at her vanity to finish her makeup. Imani slowly reclined on the bed so as not to wake her cat and shut her eyes. She let out a sigh.
“Fuck, my feet are sore. Walked all day today. It was nice, though.”
Effy worked on her eyeshadow. Imani breathed deeply, one hand on Mustard, the other in her braids. Suddenly, she laughed.
“Right, I ran into them again,” she said, “Cook and them.”
Effy paused and looked at Imani through the mirror.
“Well, more like Cook ran into me. I passed by some bar and he came out after me. Asked if I fancied a ride.”
Effy smiled at Imani’s imitation of Cook while she giggled. “Sounds like him.”
Imani sat up, watching Effy finish her eyeshadow. “No offense, but why’d you let him fuck you?”
“Why not,” she smoothly answered.
“I mean, he’s not bad, but…”
Effy set her brush down, turning and leaning on her chair as she looked at Imani.
“But?”
Her nose scrunched. “Guys like that…they talk way more than they can walk. At least in America, they do.”
“Well, this is England,” Effy said, smiling, “Things work a bit differently here.”
Imani rolled her eyes. “Pfft, men are all the same—America, France, Britain, you name it.”
“I thought you were all about love changing people,” Effy questioned with amusement, “Now men are all the same?”
She shrugged, starting to unbutton her flannel. “Nuance. Hold her?”
Effy gently took Mustard out of Imani’s shirt pocket and watched her unveil herself. Her body was slim with curves and toned. She stood as she took the flannel off, the dress riding up her hips a little. She had a serpent tattoo that coiled down her left leg and disappeared into her boot and dress. Effy raised a brow.
“How long did that take?”
Imani paused, a small smile forming on her face. Slowly, she traced the tattoo across the front of her thigh. Effy watched her curiously.
“It was nothing, really.”
She tied the flannel around her waist, then plopped back down on the bed. Her face burst into a smile.
“Awe, she likes you!”
Effy looked down at Mustard in her lap, watching her little paws knead at air. The kitten was tiny and fragile as it stretched. She never cared much for animals. Too trusting. Too delicate.
“Let’s go.”
🩰𓈒⋆⑅˚₊୨୧
Techno music vibrated through the walls and down the street as Effy and Imani drew near, talking amongst themselves and laughing. They brushed past the couples making out by the porch and slid their way in. Imani squinted as the music thudded into her eardrums, mustering a smile as people shoved past her and bumped up against her. She looked around as her hearing recovered. It was someone’s house, she was sure of that, which surprised her a bit. She looked at the decorations through the haze of smoke that had formed in the air: paintings of flowers, family photos, potted plants, things that didn’t belong in a party a wild as the one she was in right now. She yelped as she got shoved into the crowd by some drunk, roaring idiot and crashed into another girl. They fell to the floor with a thud. Imani groaned, pushing herself up off the ground.
“Fuck, can you watch where you’re goin?”
“Sorry, sorry.”
The girl shoved her off roughly, her alcohol-laden breath hitting Imani square in the face as she fell back again, knocking against moving legs. She looked at the girl with annoyance as she got to her feet and disappeared. Effy replaced her, taking her hand and helping Imani up.
“Sorry about that,” she said.
“Nah, no problem. Just give me tequila, will you?”
Effy smiled and led Imani through the throngs of bodies by her hand until they reached the kitchen. On the counter, aside from the burnt up spliffs and spilled glasses, was an impressive assortment of liquor. Imani smiled as she grabbed a couple shot glasses out of the sink and a bottle of vodka. She poured into both, handing one to Effy.
“Santé,” she said, clinking the glass, then knocking it back.
“Cheers.”
They had a few more shots, then shared the bottle until they were giggling uncontrollably. Effy finished it as Imani swayed, holding herself steady with a cabinet door.
“Fuck,” she muttered, “Haven’t drank this much since ‘07.”
Effy gave her a questioning look and Imani smiled back. “Spain. Let’s go dance. I’m feeling the beat now.”
Imani shoved her way through the crowd and tugged Effy along with her until she found a pocket of space and started to bounce gently to the pounding bass. Effy swayed along with her. They took each other’s hands and began to dance harder, jumping and spinning each other and laughing as they repeatedly crashed into other people who swore at them. Effy pulled out a silver case from her top, grabbing a spliff and lighting it. She exhaled deeply as she passed it to Imani, who took a hit, then handed it back to her, falling back into the rhythm. She rocked her head from side to side and rocked her hips, her movements slightly dragged by the weight of alcohol.
“Fuckin’ groovy,” she said over the music, taking off her flannel.
Effy laughed and watched as she got swept up into the energy of the room and blended into the crowd, barely keeping upright on quick feet as she rocked between sweaty bodies, then disappeared. Effy took another drag of her spliff, picking up Imani’s flannel and putting it on, closing her eyes and letting the music take over.
Freddie, Cook, and JJ walked up to the house as a girl with a blue pixie cut shoved past them, doubled over, and retched onto her shoes. Cook jumped to the side as he narrowly avoided it, spliff falling out of his mouth.
“Fuck me!”
“Guess they started early,” Freddie remarked as he sidestepped her.
JJ stared in slight horror as he passed, then caught up with the other two. A wave of heat emanated from the doorway as they walked in, bathing them in the stench of sweat and weed.
“This looks a bit shit,” Cook remarked, reaching to his mouth for his spliff then pausing once he realized it disappeared. “Ah, fuck.”
He turned around, going back out the gate to retrieve it, but groaned once he saw it was doused in vomit.
“Oh, come the fuck on!”
A laugh carried through the air and reached his ears that made him straighten up to attention. It was sweet, but more importantly, familiar. He whipped his head around to find the source as Freddie and JJ shuffled through the crowd inside. He located it quickly, catching sight of Imani leaning up next to the open window, getting chatted up by a guy. Cook stared as the guy leaned closer to her with a flirtatious smile on his face and whispered in her ear. She squeezed her eyes shut and giggled, pressing a hand against his chest and lightly pushing him away as his hands found her hips and pulled her closer. Coyly, she turned her face away and said something Cook couldn’t hear before laughing again as the guy leaned closer toward her neck and seemed to kiss it. Cook swallowed, watching his hands creep lower down her body as she looked away.
Her eyes met Cook's and widened in surprise a fraction while the guy got more touchy and tried to slip a hand between her legs. She frowned, moving his hand away, saying something and shaking her head with a smile, but he persisted, pressing up against her as she tried to push him off. Her eyes slid to Cook again, and she made an amused face before stomping on the guy’s foot and ramming her knee into his groin. He groaned loudly, leaning onto her as he doubled over, making her grimace and shove him off. Cook chuckled as she watched him drop to the ground, flipping her braids over her shoulder. Her attention shifted back to him, and she leaned out of the window with a small smile.
“Fancy seeing you here,” she called, leaning onto her elbows as he walked up to her. “Or are you following me?”
He watched the light sheen of sweat over her skin glisten as he looked up at her from the lawn, a smile playing on his lips.
“Wherever there’s a party, I’m there,” he said, pulling out a cigarette. “But what are you doing here?”
“Effy invited me.”
She glanced around, then suddenly began climbing out of the window. Cook’s eyes widened as she eased herself through the frame, dangling her legs over the grass then gracefully hopping down with a drunken stumble. She giggled as she found her footing, then took a deep breath of fresh air. He blinked, cigarette hanging from his lips as she tugged her dress down against her hips with some difficulty, then walked over to him, plucking the cigarette out of his mouth and putting it into her own.
“Fucking stinks in there,” she said, looking at him. “Got a light?”
Eyeing her with amusement, he flicked on his lighter and brought the flame to the end of the cigarette. She took a drag, then put it back in his mouth as she blew out the smoke. He stepped back, looking at this new version of her in leather and smudged eyeliner, a grin curling the edges of his mouth.
“Thought I wasn’t good enough to talk to.”
She frowned. “I never said that.”
“You sure acted like it, laughing in my face and all that.”
She looked away innocently, stepping towards him. “Well, I’m talking to you now.”
His eyes lit up with interest as she took the cigarette from his lips again and had another drag, offering a sweet smile.
“Yeah?”
She giggled, leaning onto one hip. “Yeah.”
They held each other’s gazes, Imani’s eyes glittering something curious as she held out the cigarette for him to take. His fingers brushed against hers as he took it and studied her closely as he smoked.
“You’re a tease then, aren’t you,” he accused, knowing grin spreading across his face.
She gasped as if she was shocked, but her smile betrayed her. Cook laughed, nodding.
“Yeah, you are.”
“Am not.”
“Are too,” he teased, leaning towards her. “Princess.”
Imani frowned playfully, crossing her arms. Cook took the cigarette out of his mouth and held it out for her. She leaned forward, wrapping her lips around it and taking a drag, stepping back as she pushed the smoke out of her nose. She tilted her head slightly, seemingly looking through him as her expression shifted.
“Your friend around?”
Cook paused from whiplash, then his face hardened in annoyance. “Yeah, he’s in there.”
She turned around to look at the door, then faced Cook again with a smile and took the cigarette out of his mouth, backing away as she headed for the steps.
“Thanks.”
He fished in his pocket for his cigarette box again as he watched her leave, transfixed by the way her dress hugged her ass. He shook his head with a deep exhale as she slipped through a group of people and, ultimately, his fingers.
For now, he thought to himself, sparking another cigarette, there’s no way Freddie can handle all that.
With a fresh drink in her hand, Imani caught sight of Freddie and grinned. She slid up next to him and gave him a little nudge, not noticing that he was distracted, nor what he was distracted by, or the pair of blue eyes that went from him down to her as Freddie nervously froze. She looked up at him, brushing some curled ends out of her face, beckoning him to lean down. Effy watched as he obliged and Imani put a hand on his shoulder to reach his ear.
“This music’s shit,” she said, “Want to get out of here?”
“I just got in,” he answered, a smile already building on his lips.
She rose a brow, eyes piercing his. “So?”
They held each other’s gazes for a moment, then laughed. Imani held her hand out, wiggling her fingers, and Freddie hesitantly took it. Before he knew it, they were out of the door. They left the yard and went down the street until they found a curb to sit on together. Imani stretched her legs and crossed one over the other, letting out a pleased sigh then turning her head to look at Freddie with a smile. He held her gaze then looked down as another nervous smile formed on his face. She chuckled, nudging him.
“What?”
“Nothing,” he said softly, managing another glance at her.
She laughed, leaning toward him. “C’mon, it’s something! Tell me.”
“It’s just…I think this is the first time a girl’s picked me up.”
He watched as she laughed again, clutching her stomach as if she had heard the funniest thing in the world. She tilted backward with a yelp and Freddie quickly caught her, pressing his hand firmly against her upper back to help her sit back up. He eyed her curiously with an amused grin.
“You okay?”
“More than okay, I’m quite drunk.”
He held onto her shoulders gently as she leaned again, frowning slightly. Imani held onto his arm as she steadied herself.
“I take it you’re not drunk often?”
“Mm-mm,” she answered, shaking her head. “But, you know…when in Rome…”
She smiled brightly, leaning back onto her hands as Freddie let her go. He watched as her fit of giggles passed and she tilted her head back, taking a deep and slow breath with shut eyes. She exhaled sharply and opened them again, eyes alert as they fixed onto him.
“Okay, I’m here, I’m good.”
Freddie leaned onto one hand with a chuckle, finally able to maintain eye contact with her. She brushed her braids out of her face again and cleared her throat.
“How do you like it here,” Freddie asked.
“Mm, great,” she said, lifting her cup to her mouth and gulping her drink down.
He chuckled again as she wiped her mouth with a sigh.
“I got a cat last night. Well—I found her.”
“That’s what was in your scarf, right?”
Her eyes lit up as she nodded. “Yeah, yeah! I named her Mustard.”
He laughed. “Mustard? What kind of a name is that?”
“It’s a good name, isn’t it? Cute name.”
She watched him laugh with offense. “Oh, so you have a better idea?”
“It’s cute, it’s cute.”
“Hmph.”
He dug into his pocket and pulled out a spliff, lighting it as Imani stared quietly at his mouth. He took a long hit then offered it to her, but she smiled and shook her head.
“I’m deep enough as it is.”
He nodded, smoking silently. She stared at the houses across the street then looked up at the sky, admiring the few stars that managed to reach her eye through all the streetlights.
“So, what do you do?”
She hesitated for a moment as if she needed to find the words. To be fair, she probably did—Freddie could see her eyes going in and out of being alert.
“I…dance. Or danced. Still figuring it out.”
“Really? What kind?”
“Ballet,” she said with a smile, finally looking at Freddie again, “Since I was four.”
Freddie raised his eyebrows. “Wow.”
She shrugged. “Yeah.”
“You know, I could tell when I saw you.”
“Really? Do explain.”
“Just…something about the way you move. Very graceful.”
Her back straightened as she looked away with a modest smile, fiddling with her empty cup.
“Why, thank you.”
Freddie put out his spliff as he finished it, fanning the smoke away as he turned to her.
“What are you doing at our college if you’re a ballerina,” he asked, “You should probably be in London or something, right?”
She rubbed the rim of her cup with her thumb, biting her lip as she stared down at it.
“Yeah, or something.”
“Do you like it?”
To his surprise, she laughed at the question, raising her eyebrows. She sighed.
“Worse. I love it.”
She tossed the cup aside, folding her legs and wrapping her arms around them. She looked at him as she rested her cheek on her knee.
“What about you? What do you do?”
Freddie blinked, unsure how to answer. “Uh, I skate.”
She made a ‘ooh’ shape with her mouth. “Fun.”
His head spun slightly as he stared at her and began to space out. Her eyes meandered his face then crinkled as she smiled.
“Dude, you’re so faded,” she teased.
“Guilty as charged,” he admitted, smiling back.
“I take it you smoke too?”
He rose his hands in surrender and she laughed.
“Hey, I’m not judging,” she said, “I’m from the land of California sober. There’s more weed in the air than oxygen.”
“Nice,” Freddie remarked, “I’ll be sure to put it on my bucket list.”
He watched as her lips curved into another pretty smile, then looked away as she covered her mouth to yawn.
“Fuck, I’m beat. Time to head home.”
Imani grunted as she struggled to get up on her feet from the curb, taking Freddie’s hand as he stood to help her up. She grabbed onto him as she almost lost her footing—blood rushed to her head, and the world tilted under her feet. He held onto her waist to keep her upright. She groaned quietly, squeezing her eyes shut as her head cleared, then looked up at Freddie, eyes widening at the close proximity. Freddie stared down at her. Her eyes were so sweet and tender, like a deer’s. She held his stare quietly, lips parted, waiting. But Freddie couldn’t—he let the moment pass.
Imani didn’t let it bother her, not visibly, at least. She drew her eyebrows together and looked away vacantly, seemingly playing the drunk girl to let him off the hook. Awkwardly, he released her waist and swallowed.
“I’ll walk you home,” he muttered.
“I need to get my cat first. She’s at Effy’s.”
“Alright.”
They walked back to the party in silence. Freddie stole a glance at her, checking for any sign of upset, but her eyes were fixed forward and cool. She was probably more focused on staying upright—at least that’s what he told himself. He kicked himself, what was wrong with him? Of course he knew what, but still. Tentatively, he looked at her, hoping she’d look back up and offer a smile, but she just hugged herself and studied the cars lining the road.
“I have a shed.”
Imani turned her head, eyeing him quizzically.
“Okay.”
“Just…if you’d ever like to come by.”
Her gaze was piercing. It didn’t let up. She was reading him, he could feel it. A small, amused smile formed on her face. A glimmer of hope he hadn’t fucked it all up.
“Yeah, sure.”
“Cool.” He pulled out his phone, opening a new contact and handing it to her.
Her smile grew as she paused and took the phone from his hand. Freddie looked up at the house as she lagged behind, typing in her phone number. His stomach dropped, and he stopped at the gate. Cook and Effy were in the window, looking a bit too close for his comfort. Cook grinned at her, and she smiled back coolly. Imani looked up from Freddie’s phone and hesitated to speak as she saw him frozen in place. She tilted her head, walking up quietly and following his gaze. Her eyebrows raised as she watched Cook and Effy kiss in the window. She almost laughed, but then she noticed Freddie’s face as she came up next to him.
He was staring. He was staring like he’d seen the most devastating thing on Earth.
Her smile fell.
“Here’s your phone back,” she said softly.
He jumped, looking down at her in surprise. She smirked slightly as he cleared his throat, taking the phone out of her hand and looking down at the ground. She opened the gate and gestured for him to pass. Freddie couldn’t hold her gaze; he could tell by its sarcastic edge he’d been caught red-handed. He brushed past her, and she followed, peering at him with crossed arms. She glanced at the window again, chuckling at the sight of Cook and Effy still going at it, shaking her head. She patted Freddie on the arm, then walked across the lawn, knocking politely on the window.
“Effy, let’s go.”
Cook stood to attention at the sound of Imani’s voice. Effy, dazed, frowned and tried to pull Cook back into another kiss, but he nudged his head down towards Imani on the lawn. Effy slowly turned her head and stared down at Imani, gears turning. Her eyes suddenly grew alert and shot up past her to Freddie. She straightened up, wiping her mouth and looking away.
“What’s up,” she asked, meeting Imani’s gaze.
“I gotta swing by yours, get my kitty cat.”
Imani raised her eyebrows at Cook playfully, then fixed her eyes back onto Effy.
“Freddie’s gonna walk with us,” she added. “C’mon.”
Cook tried to decipher Imani's expression as Effy brushed past him and headed for the door, easing her way through the boisterous crowd. Imani frowned slightly at the feeling of his stare but didn’t look at him, turning away as Effy came down the steps. He quickly climbed out of the window and jumped down after her as they walked away, slinging an arm around her shoulders as he caught up to the trio as they headed down the sidewalk. Imani let out a cry of surprise, making Cook laugh as she shoved him away and rolled her eyes. He bounced back quick, throwing another arm around her shoulders and glancing ahead at Effy and Freddie walking together.
“Things go well with your man,” he poked, grinning down at her.
She gave him a harsh glare, then shook her head and looked at the cars. He chuckled lightly, taking out a cigarette and lighting it. After taking a drag, he leaned over and put it against her lips. Her head turned sharply, eyebrows drawn together as her eyes simmered at him in warning. Cook didn’t budge. He only smiled at her, wiggling the smoking cigarette between his fingers as they walked.
Imani kept glaring at him while he smoked nonchalantly. His mouth curled knowingly under the heat of her stare. He tugged her closer, the roughness of the movement on a razor’s edge between affectionate and boyishly careless. She huffed and crossed her arms, looking away. Her eyes wandered down to his hand on her shoulder, then flitted up to Freddie ahead.
Fuck it.
Cook moved his hand away as she took the cigarette out of his mouth and held it between her teeth, rolling her shoulders back. His crooked teeth shone in the streetlight they passed under together. They stopped at the corner as the light changed, watching Effy and Freddie go down the crosswalk, not even thinking to check back for them. Imani let out a quiet sigh that Cook felt in the movement of her shoulders.
She slowly exhaled, watching the smoke plume over her face, then looked over at Cook. He was watching her silently, eyes fixed onto her mouth, a hint of a smile making his lips twitch. She considered him, placing the cigarette carefully between his teeth.
“I’m not fucking you,” she said bluntly.
His eyes lit up as they met hers. He didn’t answer, just smiled as he took in her face, palm flattening against her skin. It was a wicked smile, the kind that Imani recognized from lazy mornings in plush hotel beds with no-good company that pressed their weight onto her just right, the kind she saw when she gave it, the kind that only meant trouble. She looked at it, finding it contagious as she gave him an incredulous look, accepting the cigarette back in her mouth.
“I meant that, Cook.”
For the first time since she’d met him he didn’t say anything back, just kept smiling that little smile and looking ahead self-assuredly. Imani scoffed, smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as they crossed the street.
“You are such a…”
“I didn’t say nothing,” he finally answered, eyes twinkling at her with amusement.
“Connard,” she shot back, elbowing him roughly in the ribs. (Asshole)
He stumbled back with a grunt and braced himself on his knees, hunching over. She glanced back over her shoulder with a grin. He rubbed his side, straightening up, watching her walk ahead with a lazy smile.
Freddie was a fucking idiot.