Chapter 27

Ihave been looking forward to dinner with Jo and Elisa since they moved to town. However, due to their busy schedules, we can only manage to get a short time to hang out. As I drive up to the apartment building, I notice how nice it is. Jo and Elisa live in a two-story complex with a neat, well-maintained lawn and a small pond near the entrance.

I find a parking spot, switch off the engine, and glance at Sophia, who is gazing out the window.

"Are you excited to see Tio Jo?" I ask her.

She turns to me at the sound of my voice and beams a wide smile. She raises her index finger and babbles excitedly. I get out and unbuckle her from her seat. She keeps babbling and pointing at the building.

"Yeah, we"re going to see Jo," I say, trying to make sense of her incoherent chatter as if I understand what she is saying.

"Yo! Yo!" she keeps chanting. Her inability to pronounce the letter J makes them sound more like Ys.

I lift her in my arms, and she wraps hers around my neck. With one swift motion, I shut the car door with my butt and start walking up the stairs toward Jo"s apartment. Sophia"s diaper bag jostles on my shoulder, but I balance it while holding her securely on my hip.

When I reach the door, I hear laughter and music coming from inside. It is no surprise, really, as Jo has always been the life of the party. With my little girl on my hip, I knock on the door.

After a few moments, the door swings open to reveal Jo standing there, dressed in dark jeans, a short-sleeved shirt from the college I am attending that I had bought him and Elisa, and with no hat on his head this time. As he looks at me, he shakes his head in disappointment.

"Didn"t I tell you to text me when you got here so you didn"t have to walk up alone?" he chides me gently before quickly grabbing Sophia from my arms.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I mutter.

"Yo!" Sophia grabs his face and covers his nose with her mouth.

He laughs softly, pulling her away. "My little unicorn," he says affectionately.

He opens the door for me, and I walk in, immediately hit by a spicy aroma.

I glance around the apartment and notice how cozy and inviting it is. Elisa has decorated it with colorful throw pillows and artwork. It isn"t hard to miss Jo"s DJ system, which he"s had for years, in the corner of the living room. The sight of it brings a sense of comfort and nostalgia to my heart.

We turn the corner that leads to the small kitchen. Elisa stands by the stove, stirring a spoon in a skillet that's sizzling on the nearby burner. Her long, wavy caramel hair cascades down her shoulders and glimmers with a healthy shine. She wears snug leggings and a white top tied in a knot at the hem. She even has her toes painted in a shade of purple and flaunts an ankle bracelet, something she used to wear before.

Jo sets Sophia down in her booster and smooths back her soft curls at the same time Elisa greets me with a warm smile. "Hey, Sadie."

"Hey, Elisa," I say, giving her a tight hug. She still smells like roses.

I glance over at the spread on the counter. "Everything smells amazing," I tell her.

Elisa"s face lights up with a radiant smile. "Thank you," she says as she approaches Sophia. With a gentle touch, she brushes Sophia"s cheek. "Hello, sweet girl. Are you hungry too?" she asks, her voice filled with affection.

Sophia squeals in response, her laughter filling the room and making us all laugh.

When Elisa turns back to the stove, I sit at the table and reach for the soft, pastel-colored bib with intricate lace trim that Elisa laid out for Sophia.

"Sade, what"s your poison of choice?" Jo quips, his head buried inside the fridge. "We got Orange Crush, Pepsi, iced tea, and water."

"Iced tea, please," I reply, fastening Sophia"s bib.

Jo turns his attention to Sophia and grins. "And for the little unicorn, we"ve got the best Kool-Aid in the hood."

Jo shuts the refrigerator door with a thud and walks over to us. He pours the fruit drink into Sophia"s spill-proof sippy cup, then prepares a glass of iced tea for me and places it within my reach.

He assists Elisa in bringing the bowls with guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and cheese. Then Elisa sets the tacos, their shells crispy and golden, on the table. She then hands me a divided plate with macaroni and cheese, mixed fruit, and veggies for Sophia. I take the plate, my heart brimming with gratitude, and thank her with an appreciative smile.

Jo and Elisa settle into their chairs at the table, and Jo gestures toward the spread of food, saying, "Dig in."

After dinner, Elisa and I make homemade popcorn while Jo searches Netflix for a movie to watch. As we settle down on the cozy living room couch, I place the popcorn bowl on the coffee table along with three small personal bowls. Once a movie is chosen, Elisa snuggles up beside Jo on the other side of the couch while I sit on the loveseat with Sophia.

We end up watching the newest Mission: Impossible movie. I am eating a bowl of popcorn when Jo starts talking, or more like nitpicking every fucking scene.

"There's no way that's real."

"There's no fucking way."

"That car would never do that."

"Why couldn't they kill that annoying bitch instead?"

I shoot him a warning glare, knowing Jo tends to talk during movies and it is always freaking annoying.

"Shh," Elisa snaps at him, rolling her eyes in frustration. But Jo, oblivious to her plea, continues his bullshit rant.

"Come on! That's so fake," Jo chuckles to himself.

Then, he is silent, but it only lasts two minutes.

And I have had enough.

"Jo!" I lean forward and throw a handful of popcorn at him. "Would you shut up!" I hiss. "No one wants to hear you bitching about a fictional movie, for fuck's sake."

He shifts his attention toward me, his eyes locking onto mine, and then a smug grin appears on his face like an idiot. "Am I annoying you, sis?" he says teasingly.

God, he is infuriating!

I let out an exasperated "Yes!" as I lean back in my seat and grab a handful of popcorn, my frustration evident in the sharp crunch of each kernel.

Jo chuckles.

Elisa raises her hand and playfully smacks Jo upside the head. Despite her attempt at seriousness, she breaks into a fit of laughter. "That"s enough, Jo. Stop talking," she manages to say through her giggles.

Jo"s grin widens mischievously as he responds, "Oh, yeah? Make me." Without any warning, he leans over and begins tickling her, causing her to erupt into uncontrollable laughter.

I let out a frustrated groan and lean my head back, tossing pieces of popcorn into the air and trying to catch them in my mouth.

Jo"s motormouth is getting on my nerves, and I can't take it anymore.

"Okay, okay," he says, finally sensing my irritation. "I"m sorry, Sade. I"ll stop talking," he says with a chuckle, but I'm not convinced. I lift my head and shoot him a withering glare. "You better," I warn.

Elisa flashes a wide smile at me and winks before snuggling up against him, clutching her bowl of popcorn. Surprisingly, Jo remains silent as we all turn back to the movie. Just as the scene begins to get interesting, my brother ruins it.

"Why does he have to—"

"That"s it!" I shift my weight forward on the chair, rising on my feet. With measured steps, I make my way to Jo, who is laughing so uncontrollably that his shoulders shake. Without a second thought, I dump the remaining popcorn over his head.

"Jo!" Elisa chides him. "Stop bothering her."

"I"m sorry, I was just playing," he says, still laughing. I walk away, intending to leave with Sophia, but Jo calls out, "Ah, come on, Sade! Stay and watch the movie. I"ll be good, I promise."

So, I do.

But he lied.

After the movie ends, I say my goodbyes and hug Jo and Elisa. Jo carries a sleepy Sophia to the car and buckles her up in her car seat, watching me leave before he goes back up to his apartment.

While driving home, I listen to a Reggaeton mix on the radio when I notice a car tailing me. They are about two cars behind me and mimic my every move, turning at every intersection that I do.

I drive aimlessly, trying to shake off the feeling of being followed until I lose sight of it while driving on busy streets.

When I finally arrive home, I switch off the car"s engine and walk to Sophia"s door. I unbuckle her, and she doesn't even stir.

I push Sophia"s door shut with my hip and notice a black sedan with tinted windows parked in the middle of the road.

That"s weird.

What the hell are they doing?

I keep my back turned toward the door, my eyes fixed on the vehicle. Suddenly, the car starts moving slowly toward me and stops right next to my car. I hear the door's unlocking sound, and I quickly turn around, almost bumping into Tia.

Thank God.

Tia holds onto my shoulders and says, "Woah, Sadie. What"s the matter? Why are you freaking out?"

My head snaps back abruptly, and I hold Sophia close to my chest as I hear the sound of the car"s engine revving up behind me. It speeds off, leaving me shaken. I watch as the car disappears around the corner, my eyes fixed on it until it is out of sight.

"Someone was following me," I say, panicked. My heart rate quickens, and my chest thuds like a wild animal trying to break free.

Tia"s eyes grow wide with shock as she swiftly positions herself in front of me, obstructing my view. "What happened? Did you see who it was?" she asks, eyes still on the road.

"No. Let"s go inside," I say urgently, hurrying inside the apartment entryway and climbing the stairs with Tia behind me.

Once we are in our apartment, Tia locks the doors and closes the curtains in the living room. After putting Sophia to bed, I pull my phone out and call Javi instead of the police.

Fifteen minutes later, he shows up.

"You know we could've done this over the phone." I hate taking his time away from his family.

He waves me off and gets right down to business. "Tell me everything that happened, from the moment you left your apartment and when you left Jo"s," Javi instructs, his eyes focused and determined.

And so, I do.

I cross my legs while sitting on the couch and recount the events of my drive home. My fear has etched them into my memory. Javi listens intently, writing notes on his pad as I speak.

After I finish, Tia paces the living room floor. Javi stands up, walks over to the window, and peers out into the darkness as he processes the information.

"Have you noticed anyone watching you?" he asks, gazing out the window.

I shake my head. "No."

"Did anyone threaten you?" he asks, facing me with his arms crossed over his chest.

"No. What is with all these questions, Javi? What's going on?" I ask him. But before he can respond, Tia stops pacing and glares at me. "I bet you it"s that girl, Payton," she spits, her voice dripping with anger.

Javi snaps his head toward Tia. "Why do you say that, Tia?" he asks.

"Because." She put her hands on her hips. "She"s got a hard on for Donnie."

"What do you know about her?" Javi says.

Tia folded her arms across her chest and pursed her lips. "I know that she"s an obsessive puta who can't seem to keep her hands to herself when it comes to Donnie."

Javi turns to me. "Have you had any contact with her?"

I nod. "Once when Donnie and I went to grab a burger."

Javi"s eyebrows furrow. "Did she say anything to you?"

"Not really. She was more interested in getting Donnie's attention."

"Yeah, fucking convenient that she happened to show up after you did," Tia scoffs. "She followed him there."

I roll my eyes at her statement. "Come on, Tia, isn"t that a bit far-fetched?" I ask, trying to inject a sense of reason into the conversation. "It's a freaking burger joint near campus. Everyone goes there."

"Not really," Javi intervenes. "Stalkers tend to do that. They don't care about respecting the feelings or boundaries of others."

I rear back at his implication.

Stalker?

"We have to consider all the possible scenarios," Javi says, seemingly reading my thoughts. He walks over to me and sits beside me, leaning forward with his hands hanging between his legs. He faces me and continues. "I need you to remain vigilant of your surroundings and never go anywhere alone." He gives me a pointed look. "That means no more walking to and from work."

I"m not going to argue with him.

"Okay, I won"t," I vow.

"Good. I"ll stay here tonight," he says in a calm, reassuring tone.

I lift my gaze to Tia, who is still visibly anxious. Sensing the tension in the air, I address Javi. "It"s alright, you don"t have to do that. Remember, you have Gabby and Abi waiting for you at home."

"Gabby and Abi flew home a few days ago to visit her family. Gabby will be back tomorrow night," he says. "No fighting me on this."

And with those words, I know there is no changing his mind.