He did stupid shit like tried to crack jokes on my clothes in front of the family or ask me to lead the family in prayer before we ate. Just immature shit out of nowhere. I had to tell him a few times not to go too far or I’d fuck him up. Mr. Cooper has even spoken to dude a few times over it. So, I’m sorry about his death, but it’s not like the biggest deal to me. I only saw him a few times a year anyway.”
Her eyes blinked. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“No sweat. I guess I never thought to bring it up that night or on our way home because we already had a vibe I ain’t wanna crash with talks of Aivery. I’d already been having a time getting you to see we’re done.”
Her mouth twisted.
“So, that’s it?” I asked. “That’s all you got for me?” Tori shrugged. “Now, tell me. How did you get in here?”
I knew she had access to this side of campus because of being a Panther, but security didn’t call up.
“The laundry room door was open.” Tori’s eyes were still downcast. She scratched her scalp, lifting her arm which exposed the side of her breast. Hair tangled in the air and body lazily curled over, Tori McNabb looked gloriously feminine. It made me want to take out my camera. “Stephan let me in.”
That explained why the bedroom door was closed. Damn. I’m sure he heard shit, though.
“So?”
Tori’s lip released from her teeth. “So what?”
“Can I be your Valentine today?”
“Why am I just hearing this? When were you going to tell me?”
“I called you two nights ago—BBM’d you, too. You never replied.”
Her mouth twisted, eyes low again. “My phone’s dead.”
“For two days?”
She nodded. “I left my charger in Kentucky when I was there for my fight.”
“Then why didn’t you get a new one?” She shrugged. “I called your room, too.”
“I haven’t been there much. Samantha and Dre been doing it every night there. I slept in the lounger the night after my fight!”
I tossed my head back and cracked the hell up. “Damn. They got you fucked up, huhn?”
She nodded, blowing out air. “They’re there now, doing it!” Her arms shot into the air. “That’s why I’m out so early.”
“I thought you were out this early on a dick run.”
Tori rolled her eyes. “Stop it.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You can stay the night here tonight if you let me be your Valentine.”
“I don’t even know what that means.”
I tossed a throw pillow at her. “Be here by six and I’ll show you.”
“Hey, Ma?” I answered my phone, walking into the elevator of Ashton’s campus apartment building.
“Tori, you there?” The voice shouting into the line sounded familiar, but not like my mother’s. “It’s Sonya.”
“Yeah. What’s up, Aunt Sonya?”
“Not much. I’m just here with your momma at the doctor’s.”
Aunt Sonya…with mommy?
This was strange.
“What’s going on with her?”
“She’s okay. She right here. We waiting for her to be seen now.”
“I saw she tried to call me a couple of days ago. I lost the charger to my phone.”
“Yeah. She called your room, too.”
I studied the panel to see which floor I was passing. “I know. I’ve been training hard. I had a fight a few days ago.”
“Did you win?”
I smirked. “You know I kick ass.”
“Hmmhmmm. I know that’s right.”
Usually, she’d laugh at my cockiness. That coupled with how the line went quiet made it very weird for me.
“You wanna speak to her?” she sounded muffled, and I assumed she was talking to my mother. “Hold on, Tori. Here’s your momma.”
“Hey, Tori.”
The elevator chimed and I stepped off, officially weirded out. She didn’t sound good.
“Hey, Ma. You okay?”
“Yeah. I’m good.” There was a delay, causing me to freeze in place in the middle of the hallway. “I had another episode at work, and the stupid doctor sent me to see a specialist.”
“What kind of episode?”
“It ain’t no big deal. I get dizzy and start seeing blurry, too. I got this tingling in my arm and leg, and I’m tired all the time. I hope they give me the energy shot. We waiting to see them now. Sonya been bringing me to these appointments ‘cause I get dizzy when driving sometimes.”
“Shit…” I breathed. “I hope the doctor can figure out what’s wrong and give you some medicine to knock it out.”
“I know,” she agreed. “Because I got to go back to work. These bills ain’t gone pay they selves.” Then the call went quiet