She gasped again. “What is up with this dude? Is he like the fatal attraction type or something?”
“I never would’ve thought he’d do something like this. I mean, I knew that he still had feelings for me, but I NEVER thought he’d do something this drastic.”
“What else has he been doing?” She inquired.
“I…..It’s just…..I can’t really put my finger on any one thing, but he’s just been giving me a weird vibe. He’s supposed to be getting an apartment near Charleston to be near me. Stuff like that. When he first said it back around the time we first broke up I understood why he was still holding on so tightly, but I thought he would’ve moved on after all this time has passed.”
She hesitated. “So, how are you holding up?”
“I don’t even know if I totally believe it yet. It just doesn’t seem possible that he and I aren’t going to be together.”
“Well, you never know, Sammy. Maybe it’s not really over.” Her words gave me a glimmer of hope. “Now what’d you say to Antonio?” She asked.
“Nothing. You’re the only person I’ve talked to about it so far.”
“Are you kidding me?” She yelled. “Hang up now and clock out on him A.S.A.P.” She laughed quietly. “And of course call me when you get done to tell me all about it.”
“Shut up, Angel.” I thought about it for a few seconds. “Maybe you’re right. Call you back.”
“Don’t forget,” she replied.
I didn’t really blame AJ for not believing me, but I could definitely blame Antonio for what he’d done. I dialed his number swiftly and prayed that he’d pick up, and if he did he’d wish that he hadn’t soon enough.
“Hey, Sam,” Antonio answered.
“Why’d you do it, Antonio?” I asked angrily.
“Do what?” He was trying to sound like he didn’t know what I was talking about.
“You know what? Why’d you do it?” I lashed out.
“Sam, I’m being for real. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I was livid. “I’m gonna kill you!” I hissed.
“Fine, but could you at least tell why I’m gonna die today?”
“The picture, Antonio! The picture!”
“What picture. What are you talking about?” He asked.
“The one you had Brian or Terrence or whoever send to AJ’s phone during prom.”
“I didn’t have anybody send anything to his phone. I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
“Antonio, I need you to understand that I will seriously let the life out of you if you don’t tell me the truth.”
“I know you have your heart set on causing me bodily harm, but I’m telling the truth. I didn’t do it,” he replied.
Could he be telling him the truth? But if he is, then who else would do something like that? I suddenly had a new theory about who sent the picture to AJ. There was only one other person who had the motive to do something like this.
“Are you telling me the truth? Because if you are I think I may know who really did this.”
“Sam, I’ve never lied to you. I really didn’t have anything to do with it.”
Something from that night came back to mind. When I was explaining the complications that AJ and I were having, I remember seeing Antonio glance over toward the restaurant entrance. He even said that he thought he saw someone that he recognized. “You thought you saw someone you knew that night. Right?” I asked.
He took a minute to think back. “Yeah. I wouldn’t say I knew her.”
“Who was it? What’s her name?” I was desperately trying to put all the pieces together.
“I don’t know her name, but she’s in my English class.”
I sighed. “Well, what does she look like, Antonio? Give me something.”
“She’s a white girl, tall, I guess she’s kind of pretty. And her hair is red. Bright red.”
I knew it……Leila! I hung up on Antonio without giving him any explanation and immediately dialed Deanna.
“Hello?” She answered.