Hood Ornaments

Dell didn’t know what he was thinkin just getting into the back of his uncle’s truck like that.

Maybe he wasn’t supposed to think.

Or ask questions.

Or for that matter—talk.

Sticks and the dude that was driving who apparently was so insignificant he didn’t even get called by his name.

His uncle just called him Mann.

Mann, you got money for the toll?

Mann, can you stop at the next rest stop?

Slow down, Mann.

Dell looked at Mann’s reflection in the review mirror but when spotted quickly dropped his gaze. From rather vague conversation between Sticks and Mann, Dell discerned the trio were headed to the Midwest. So he began taking mental inventory of the world racing by his window.

All kinds of thoughts were rushing through Dell’s head. He knew he didn’t do anything to warrant being murked in the back woods in Iowa somewhere, yet he shifted in his seat at the thought of it. The truck seemed to be goin in circles.

He reached into his pocket and turned on his phone. The notifications sounded like a casino. It startled Sticks awake. And Man raised his eyebrow at him through the rearview mirror. But none of that mattered to him now. All that mattered was the myriad of text messages from Tori. They started out concerned but ended with her calling him everything but the child of God. Dell felt a lump in his throat. The lump felt like it was blocking his breathing. He had to make this right somehow. It was only less than forty-eight hours, but it was the longest they had gone without speaking since they were old enough to speak. She is his best friend. Annoying and all yeah, but what girl wasn’t? She is only annoying because she is smart as hell.

Both book and street wise.

Yeah Tori is special. No wonder he loved her.

He wondered if she knows he loves her.

Shit, he just realized his damn self.

Or did he always know and was afraid to admit it

Ms. Trudy knows he loves her.

And she told Tori.

Who laughed it off.

Like it was some sort of joke.

Like he was a clown.

Crying.

Painted tears.

But it wasn’t a joke and Dell needed Tori to know how he felt about her. But he was scared. In his little bit of experience with girls, he learned that, typically, they don’t respect dudes who are emotional and show their feelings.

But Tori wasn’t typical; so fuck it. What will it hurt to try?

He started pushing buttons on his Blackberry when Sticks, as gently as Sticks ever could, took the phone from his nephew’s hand. This made Dell, naturally, freeze in terror and it showed on his face. Sticks slowly handed him back the phone, but as he did he held onto his nephew’s hand as if he were consoling someone who was grieving. He looked into his nephew’s eyes as kindly as he could until his fearful expression subsided.

“Not now,” Sticks said in almost a whisper, “She saw you get into the truck. She knows you are with me. No matter what you say to her right now she is going to be pissed. Call her and express yourself when you get home. She will acknowledge and accept the sincerity in you.”

Dell did everything in his power to keep his expression unchanged. He hoped it worked. He hoped that Sticks could not tell that he was scared of the fact he read his mind.

How in the hell did he know I was thinking about Tori?

How the hell did he even know she even saw him and the truck?

How in the flying fuck did he know what I was about to do?

That I was even thinkin about tellin this girl anything?

What the fuck does he know about my sincerity?

Who is this motherfucker?

He has human qualities?

Who the fuck knew?