Write In The Middle of It

Fear came over Mekayla and the warm water she was in seemed to instantly get cold. Her high was gone completely now and she began to tremble. She looked around her loft as she rose out of the tub slowly, this time grabbing a body towel from a basket to cover herself. For what seemed like several moments she held the phone to her ear silent as she stepped out of the tub.

"Kevin, stop playin,” she said trying not to sound scared.

"I told you" the voice said slowly, "I am not Kevin."

Now Mekayla was pissed and she snatched the towel around her to completely cover herself. She stomped over to the back door in her bedroom and rechecked the locks. "Who the fuck is this!?" she shouted into the phone.

"Whoa lil Meek, calm down!" The voice chuckled. "This should make you feel better, you beat me by four points."

Mekayla hung her head and sighed as she recognized Erik's voice, "Dammit E, you scared the shit outta me." She trudged into the living room and shut off the music abruptly.

"What did you think I was a stalker?" Erik continued to laugh.

"Funny you should say that but yeah."

Mekayla walked back behind the Asian screen and pulled the plug out of the tub dropping it into a basket. She fell across her king size four-post bed and looked up at the sheer crème material overhead. She let the towel fall open and reached under her big fluffy pillow for the baby oil and began rubbing it over her body.

"You talkin about the clean- cut cat with the earring?" he said

"Yeah," she said slightly frowning, "How did you know?"

"He's been checking you out for a couple weeks now Meek. I would have pointed him out to you but you have Kevin and all."

"Yeah well, he followed me into the alley tonight,” she said now sitting up so she could rub the oil on her legs.

"Are you serious? He didn't hurt you did he?" Erik said with a concerned tone.

"Nah, nah, he was cool. I gave him my number."

"You did what?!” Erik's loud tone made Mekayla think he was angry.

"What?! Is that wrong?" she said defensively

“Hell yeah! What the fuck is wrong with you? What about Kevin?"

Mekayla took the phone from her ear and looked at it quizzically. "I'm not doing anything wrong. Brett just wants to be friends. Besides, you don't even like Kevin"

"I never said that,” snapped Erik

"Yes, you did, you said he's playing me." she shot back.

"I’ma stop you from smoking for real. That’s not what I said. I said he might be playing you. But that's beside the point, you love him right?"

"Yeah." Mekayla said sitting naked on her bed twisting her hair so it could dry that way.

"So why give another man your number?"

Mekayla sighed, "Look I'ma big girl I can handle it. If Brett gets outta line, I can nip it in the bud."

"And what if you can't?" Erik blurted. "How are you going to explain to Kevin, who comes up whenever he feels like it without calling mind you, that you have a black eye or a split lip. Or better yet, how am I going to explain to him why you are dead."

Mekayla burst out in laughter, "You are taking this too far don't you think E?"

Erik's tone didn't change, "Maybe, but you didn't hear how scared you sounded on the other end of the phone."

Mekayla hung her head in defeat and quickly changed the subject, "So I won huh?"

Erik sighed and said unenthusiastically, "Yeah you did."

"So am I gonna get my money tomorrow?"

"You're braiding my hair right?" he asked half-assumptive.

"Of course" she said smiling.

"Aiight I'll come over around three." Erik finally was easing up.

"Cool and we can restart the book."

"What do you mean restart?" Erik asked quizzically

Mekayla hopped off the bed and went into the bathroom to get some small black rubber bands out of the vanity. She shook the plastic container and realized it was almost empty. "Yo bring some rubber bands tomorrow, I'm almost out."

"Aiight, but what do you mean restart the book?"

Mekayla was looking in the mirror re-twisting and adding rubber bands to her hair.

"I deleted it."

Erik sighed, "Damn Meek, I didn't mean for you to delete it, just tweak it a little."

"Well you were right. Besides I think Kevin was getting a little pissed at the parallels."

"Yeah," Erik said "and now that you met your 'Amir'."

Mekayla stopped twisting and glared at the phone again "What are you talking about?"

"Brett" Erik said in almost a whine. "Ugh I don't even like the fucker’s name."

"Aw c'mon he's harmless." Mekayla said bringing the rubber bands over to the bed. She reached under the pillow this time for a pack of Newports, lighter, and then slid an ashtray out from under her bed. She sat and listened to Erik chatter his warnings of strangers to her but tuned him out. She only responded with the occasional mhmmm as she lit her cigarette and inhaled deeply.

What Erik thought about Mekayla and what he knew were two different things. Mekayla by nature loved drama and tended to surround herself in it. It also seemed to make her a better writer. That's why maybe Transportation Conversations wasn’t as good as it needed to be. It lacked the real drama. By putting herself in a similar situation she could feel all of the emotions her characters were feeling.

That's why she hasn't written a good poem since her and Kevin got together. She's too happy and love poems are so overdone.

Not that she disliked being in love. Mekayla swam in it. Kevin did things for her emotionally that no other man ever did. He was her best friend, her lover, her confidant, and her protector. But he was also miles away. She never cheated on Kevin even though she did get lonely. She couldn't jeopardize her relationship for some quick and possibly unsatisfying dick. That's why it was hard to understand the butterflies Mekayla got from hugging Brett. Okay he was attractive, seemed to be built nice, and he smelled so good. Maybe she liked Brett because he represented the drama she was lacking. Maybe she just missed the touch of a man.

Mekayla realized that it was getting late and she still needed to call Kevin. And she didn't like the fact she was thinking about Brett so much. Erik was still chattering about her safety, so she had to cut him off.

"I feel you E, but I hate to cut this short," she said.

"You gonna call Kevin." Erik said.

"Yeah, even though he is a night owl, I better get to him before I get too sleepy," she said putting out her cigarette.

"Are you gonna tell him about stalker dude?" he questioned.

Just then Mekayla's other line beeped rescuing her from answering Erik's question. "Shit E, this is him."

"Aiight, but Meek, if you ain't hiding anything you should tell him."

"See you tomorrow, E." Mekayla clicked over without waiting for Erik to say goodbye.

"Hello?" Mekayla answered as if she wasn't on the phone.

"You on the phone?" Kevin asked. Kevin was sitting at his computer where he spent most of his time. His long, thick legs were cramped under his desk. He always said that he was going to get a new one but never had the time. Kevin was a big man. He stood about six foot and weighed a good two forty easily. He had a perfect caramel complexion that encased a smile that made Brett's look like a dull star in the galaxy. His eyes, although shut at the moment, were a chocolate brown. His hair donned meticulous braids, which were still a little short for Mekayla's taste, but shit they will grow and she'll have a lot of fun playin in that thick hair of his.

"Yeah, you know with E." she replied knowing she couldn't and didn't want to keep anything from her baby.

"Oh aiight, tell him I said what's up."

"I will."

"Did you win tonight?" Kevin was always interested in her poetry.

"Yeah but I had to leave early, I wasn't feelin well. Erik is gonna bring by the money tomorrow."

"Oh ok, what's wrong with you?" Kevin eyes popped open with concern.

Mekayla didn't want to answer him. Kevin hated the fact that she still indulged.

He thought that shit was childish not to mention bad for her. So she said what she thought he wanted to hear, "Nah, I think I may be getting the flu."

Kevin nodded and re-closed his eyes, "You drink your tea?"

Mekayla just then remembered that she left the water for the tea in the kitchen,

"Shit I was about to but..."

"You got in the tub,” Kevin chuckled his reply.

"You know me too well, "Mekayla chuckled back.”Listen I have something to tell you."

"Is it serious?" he replied eyes popping open again.

"It may be." Mekayla winced and sighed.