We hear the heavy bass from Dray’s car outside, and Donna changes her outfit for the twentieth time. It’s Dray’s birthday, she tells me again. She has to look perfect.
Before we leave, Chantal grabs my arm and says, “Don’t change, Fabiola. Be yourself. You don’t have to do none of this.”
I smile, nod, and follow Donna to Dray’s car. Kasim is there waiting, too.
He doesn’t smile when he sees me. He looks confused. He doesn’t hug me or kiss me; he just stares at my very long fake hair, my long eyelashes, my too-red lipstick, and my perfect eyebrows.
I kiss him, take his hand, and ease into the dark space of the car.
The building where Dray’s having his party is like a giant Petwo drum that pulses with a heavy rhythm. I feel like I have entered the underworld.
“What’s up with that new weave?” Kasim asks as he takes my hand.
“Do you like it?” I ask, gently tossing the hair over my shoulder like I’ve seen Donna do many times.
“No” is all he says. “But I like you.”
I feel so bad that Kasim is confused by the new me, but I’m not here for him. Not tonight.
“Don’t let Detroit change you,” Kasim says into my ear. His warm breath against my face makes my whole body tingle. “I know you’re not used to this. If you wanna leave, just say the word.”
I shake my head and gently push him away.
A large group of people greet Dray in all different ways—girls kiss him on the cheek, guys slap his hand and hug him with one arm.
This party is different from the one at Q’s club. The beat changes and everyone raises their hand and starts swaying to the music. Kasim starts to recite the words and I wish I knew the words, too.
Dray looks my way and our eyes meet. Kasim puts his arm around me and pulls me in close while we walk toward Dray and Donna.
“You look good, cuzz. Finally. I’m glad you came to your senses,” Donna says to me as I reach her side.
I lean in toward her. “Kasim doesn’t like it, but all the other boys do,” I say as I keep my eyes on Dray. He looks at me again. This time, he smiles and winks because Donna is turned away from him.
“Kasim is nice and all, but honestly, he’s a cornball,” Donna says.
Dray doesn’t take his eyes off me.
“I like him. He’s nice” is all I say. Then Kasim goes over to stand next to Dray, and he looks at me, too.
I quickly turn away, afraid to see any hurt in Kasim’s eyes. I almost don’t want to be with him here; I’m in battle. There’s no room for love in this war.
Then I recognize the fat guy from the doorway at Q’s. He approaches Dray and says something in his ear. My heart skips because Dray changes. He looks around, shifts his weight from foot to foot, pounds a fist into his palm. I nudge Donna, who keeps her eyes on what’s going on, too.
Dray comes toward us. He digs into his pocket and pulls out his keys and phone and hands them to Donna. He kisses her on the cheek. Kasim steps over to me, smiling.
“You gonna be all right?” he asks.
“Where are you going?”
“I’ll be right back. Just gotta take care of these dudes trying to start shit in the front.” He gives my hand a squeeze before he walks away.
Donna puts Dray’s keys in her purse and fidgets with his phone as she leads me to the bathroom.
The music is muted in here. I can finally breathe a little. In the mirror, I look more like Donna’s twin than Pri. Unique gave us the same hairstyle, and our faces are similar with our deep-set eyes and high cheekbones. Donna leans against the wall, still playing with Dray’s phone.
“Why did he give you his phone, anyway?” I ask.
She puts the phone and her purse down near the sink. “If Kasim ever gives you his phone to hold for him, then you’ll know it’s legit.”
When she goes into the stall, I grab the phone and slide the home screen open before it locks. I glance into the mirror to watch Donna’s feet underneath the door. Someone comes in, but I ignore her. I check Dray’s messages and scroll up really fast. I see the word Ka and know that it’s Kasim. I scan the messages that say: Come thru. Where you at? What’s good? Got it. The spot. And once, Fab. She cool.
Donna starts peeing. I scroll down until I find a set of numbers instead of a name. I click on the message: Come thru the spot on Anderdon on the east side tomorrow. Be ready with my shit.
Donna is pulling up her pants. The phone buzzes and a new text comes in: You letting them niggas in son?
Donna flushes the toilet and I quickly turn off the screen and put the phone back on the counter.
“Did some bitch just text him?” she asks as she washes her hands.
I shrug.
She takes his phone and checks the text.
“Do you think he’s cheating on you?” I ask.
She dries her hands, sighs, and says, “No.”
I go into one of the stalls, shut the door, pull out my phone, and text Detective Stevens: Something is happening tomorrow on Anderdon on the east side.