CONSEQUENCES

17

JISELE ADAMS
'Jilly'
RALEIGH • 919

"Are you following me? What is wrong with you?" I snapped at Jd who was standing by my car at my school.

"You've been avoiding me."

"Duh! Do you think I'm suppose to answer your calls around people?"

He shrugged, "If I call, you need to answer. Simple."

"Whatever." I waved him off, attempting to open my car door only for it to be slammed.

"Time is ticking Jilly."

"Well what do you want me to do! I can't rush anything, that will seem suspicious. He already thinks I be acting weird anyway."

"Just tell him you wanna meet his folks."

"If I'm not moving fast enough for you, get somebody else to do it."

"I would hate for yo mom to lose her innocent life and then you ending up losing yours too."

"You know something" I scoffed, "I'm starting to think you bluffing."

"I wasn't bluffing when I took her the first time... And I promise you I won't bluff when it's time to put a bullet in both y'all heads."

I cleared my throat and looked away from him.

"Now like I said, time is ticking so you better figure something out and if not— that's all y'all asses." He told me before walking off.

I sat in the car and rested my head on the steering wheel.

Me and Milo were damn near fully back where we were before— it actually feels like we even closer now so I just can't bring myself to fuck this up.

Plus now knowing that his mom the only family he really got didn't make this situation no better.

I lifted my head up hearing my phone ring, when I picked it up it was Milo's name across the screen.

"Hey."

"Wassup, where you at?"

"Finna leave my school. Why?"

"Nothing, just come over my house real quick."

"Okay." We hung the phone up and I started the drive to his house.

—

"Milo.."

"What?"

"Is that yo momma?" I swallowed the big lump in my throat while looking at the back of some lady standing in the kitchen.

"Yeah, she wanted to meet you."

She turned around and gave me this big ole smile as I did the same.

"Hi Jilly! Nice to finally meet you." She walked over to me and pulled me in for a hug, "You're beautiful!"

"Thank you, so are you!" I returned the energy I was receiving but inside...I felt like I was having a panic attack.

"My names Cynthia."

I kept smiling at her not knowing what to say... I was afraid I was gonna say something awkward so I just kept it at a simple smile.

Both her and Milo looked at me in a strange way.

"Told you she weird." He walked off.

"You hungry sweetie? I cooked up a few different things because I wasn't sure what you liked." She walked off back into the kitchen.

"Uh, yeah— I could eat." I followed behind her and sat at the table.

I really wasn't in the mood to eat— when I'm nervous, I could barley hold a fork without shaking. I just didn't want to be weird and tell her no.

Milo came and sat at the table as well and I just straight mugged him.

"What?" He had this smirk on his face that I just wanted to smack off of him.

"You know what."

I don't like how he set me up like this, he could've at least warned me. She probably think I'm a hood rat the way my hair looking right now.

"Girl please."

I kicked him under the table and he kicked me back then we just went back & forth like little ass kids.

After a few minutes Cynthia sat fully loaded plates in front of both of us that looked good as hell!

"Thank you." I smiled.

"No problem."

She soon came and sat down, blessed the food then we all began eating.

It was quiet for a few minutes which was fine with me— the less talking, the better. That didn't last long though.

"So Jilly, what do you do for a living?"

"Uh just in college right now and planning on starting a business soon."

"What are you in college for?"

"Dental assistance."

"Hm, really? Oh you a smart one."

I looked at Milo who was looking at her with a mug over his face, "Ma!"

"What? I ain't say anything bad. It's not often you talk to a smart girl with something going for herself." She said which made me laugh a little.

"But anyways..."

She continued a conversation with random questions but nothing I couldn't handle.

—

"You know something? I like you for my son." Cynthia stated as just me and her stood in the kitchen cleaning up.

"Well thank you."

"And he likes you too. A lot. He started telling me all about you a while back then he randomly stopped but just recently started back, what happened between you two?"

"Ummm." I dragged not knowing what to say.

"Just normal relationship problems huh?"

"Yeah. That's it." I nodded my head just going with it.

"Well I hope you guys stay strong and stay together this time...And jilly one more thing—

"Huh?" I looked up at her.

"Don't break my sons heart."

I took a deep breath and exhaled, "I won't."