I bottle up what Lucas told me for the whole car ride home with music blaring in my ears in case Vince wants to start a conversation. I've kept my eyes fixated on my phone and I didn't find it in me to give Vince the smallest glance. There was no need to look at him, because in my mind I keep on picturing the football game 2 years ago and Vince's hand wrapped around that guy's neck. When we get out of the car is when I give him a once over and he doesn't seem phased or filled with any sort of quilt. Matter of fact he has a smile on his face and this past week he's been at his happiest which is sick. That's all about to change for him, that conniving smile is going to go away so fast.
When we get inside I rush into my room and try to postpone my anger by watching my short film.
"Childhood the days of wanting to grow up because of that song by the Pussycat dolls, and not having the word impossible in your vocabulary," my voice narrates over a clip of Sascha spelling because wrong. The film is good, and surprisingly my voice doesn't sound bad. I watch it three more times then submit it to the president of the student council who will be judging the films.
"Daya dinner," Dani yells. I go to the dining room and with a little help from Kayla my dad is placing plates on chicken breast and vegetables on the table. I sit and begin eating and keep my eyes on my face plate. Vince is smiling and enjoying his food and I roll me eyes.
"Daya good news I can do your braids Saturday,"Kayla says. I'm glad to hear this because on Monday when Unna said my hair smelled I asked her when is the nearest time she was booked and she didn't have a concrete answer.
"Okay thanks," I say.
"No problem so how was everybody's day today?" Kayla asks.
Vince is the first to perk up and finish swallowing. " I left everyone in the dust when we were doing 100s today," he says. Show off.
"My boy," my dad says and gives Vince a high five. Ooh dad if only you knew what else his boy was doing. "I was a beast a practice too, I guess I work better in the cold," Vince shrugs. I stab at my chicken and shove a huge piece in my mouth. The chicken is amazing as always, but it would taste better if Vince didn't threaten Ziyah and take away one of my only friends.
"Good for you, but can we talk about something else besides sports," Kayla pleads. Dani nods in agreement and Sawyer pats her hands on her high chair.
Not giving anyone else an opportunity to share about their day Vince continues. "Well Vicki and I are friends again." I mimic his words in my head. If only Vicki knew what he was up to then maybe she would change her mind about letting him back into her life.
"Yay what great news," Dani says dryly. Vince gives her a look, but goes back to smiling. Dad and Kayla praise him then the spotlight is off of him.
"Daya How was your day?" Dad asks. My cheeks are filled with veggies at the moment, but I swallow and plaster a little smile on my face.
"It was good except for the part where I was informed my brother threatened to beat up Ziyah if he comes near me," I say. Vince's light expression goes away and he drops his fork creating a clinging sound on the plate.
"What?" My Dad's voice booms and Sawyer pats the high chair some more. He turns to Vince whose head is now hanging low as he plays with his fingers. Dani senses the awkwardness and goes to drop her plate in the sink. She scatters off to our room and takes dad's phone with her. Now I can see the guilt in Vince's eyes.
"Vince threatened Ziyah and his friend last week," I clarify.
"Is this true Vince," dad is staring at Vince with a good amount of intensity in his voice. Yes this is true why would I lie about that. I take the last bite of my chicken and it tastes better when I'm not bottling up my anger at Vince.
Vince slowly looks up from his lap and then all of us at the table. "Yes," he barely says. The way he's not making eye contact he looks like the kid who stole something.
"Daya go in your room," dad says. Damn I was tryna witness this confrontation. My dad may be touch, but he doesn't tolerate unnecessary violence or fighting. Sure if someone hit us he would be proud if we hit them right back, but he still isn't cool with fighting.
"But I'm not done eating," I say and gesture to my pretty m clean plate. There's just some scattered vegetables on it, but I am trying to do stay. My dad gives me a look and I pick up my plate and drop it in the sink. I go into my room where Dani is on her bed watching tv, and instead of picking out my clothes for tomorrow I lean against my door. There's no yelling, but I do hear talking and some of Sawyer's whining.
"You've got to be kidding me here Vince," my dad says. Vince's words are soft and small like mine with Lucas so I don't hear a thing he says. I give up and flop on my bed. Along with the taste of chicken this whole Vince situation is ruining my Friday evening which already isn't the best because I have to take my braids out tonight.
If I can go back to choosing not to eavesdrop on Darian and Chase none of this would be happening, and I wouldn't have terrible pain the ache of my stomach. I would be working on my simple Christmas List of gift cards, but no way Vince just had to be the overprotective brother. Then again if it didn't happen I would have no reason for what happened between me and Ziyah.
"Daya!" My dad says. Of course Vince found a way to put this all on me.
"Oooh," Dani says. She looks up from the phone and then at me. When she gets in trouble for leaving the caprisun straw wrappers everywhere best believe she is going to be getting a long drawn out "ooh." from me. I go back into the living room and Kayla is on the couch reading a bedtime story to Sawyer while my dad and Vince are in the same places I left them looking at me.
"Yes," I say. Vince barely looks at me and keeps his head low as I approach the table. My dad still looks mad with his arms crossed and a scold across his face. Taking in his expression I sit down in the seat facing Vince and to ease the tension my chair squeaks which resembles the sound of a fart. "It must've been the chicken," I say with a laugh. There faces stay stone cold. Tough crowd.
"Did you go to a party on Saturday?" dad asks. I give Vince the same scold, and we're now locking eyes. Vicki must've told him about the party, but if that's all Vince gots he's going to need to dig harder.
"Yes, but I already told mom about that." My dad nods then he looks back at Vince whose slouching in his seat. The way my dad is sitting in the middle of us makes it look like Vince and I are trying to settle some lawsuit and my dad has the painful job of being the mediator. It shouldn't be like though, Vince is guilty and my dad should be sentencing him to a punishment rather than trying to accuse me of bad behavior.
"I think Vince owes Ziyah and Lucas an apology," I blurt out.
Vince rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "I was trying to protect you!"
"From what?" My dad is doing a terrible job at this mediator thing and he's now looking over at Kayla and Sawyer.
"From being a stupid little girl who only cares about her boyfriend."
My dad interjects. "Wait he was your boyfriend?"
"No he's more of a friend." My voice gets high pitched signaling my half lie.
"With the benefit of kissing," Vince adds.
"You were doing the same thing with Jessica when you were in 10th grade."
"Jessica wasn't doing drugs." I don't give an automatic rebuttal instead dad and I give Vince a knowing look.
Vince puts his hands up to surrender."Ok she was doing a little something here and there, but she wasn't known for it like Ziyah and Lucas." At this my dad turns and looks over at me.
"He does drugs?" Wow Vince that should've been your first argument.
"He did but it was just weed and, he stopped when we became closer." And then started smoking again, but that's besides the point.
"Marijuana is still a drug no matter how many people in our family secretly doing it," dad argues.
A smirk comes across my face, "I found blueberry kush on your dresser when you told me to get your charger one day." It wasn't a lot of it just a little amount, but it was still there in plain sight. If you're going to smoke weed or even hide it you have to be discrete, but then again I've never done drugs.
Kayla looks up from Sawyer's book that she's using as an excuse to eavesdrop, and gives our conversation her attention. "You found what?"
"Blueberries," dad says while giving me the side eye. "Anyway weed is not what we're talking about here. Vince you will clear the air with Lucas and Ziyah tomorrow or your going to be the one who's risking get their ass beat." Vince lets out a huff and a smile spreads across my face. The smile quickly goes away when my dad turns to me. "Daya until finals are over your only friend will be Harper, as for both of you the only party you will be attending is the Falims Christmas party." Finals end next wednesday so that's not too long of a period away from Ziyah. The Falims Christmas party is pretty fun with their outrageous decorations and food. I'd say my only problem with going would that the majority of the party are friends of Michelle, in other words we will be the one family with melanin.
My dad gives us one final look. "Capesh?"
"Yes dad," Vince and I say in unison.
"Then we're done here," my dad lowers his voice. "And Vince you better hope these guys aren't some sceret thug niggas and aren't getting ready to send goons over here right now, becauase yo would be on your own with that one." Mhmm Don't judge a book by it's cover.
We all get up and when Vince and I are about to head into are rooms and my dad is heading in the kitchen I flip Vince off because although it's going to be awkward as hell when he has to talk to Ziyah and Lucas my anger hasn't dissolved, even if he was trying to protect me.