• • •

Taco Tuesday was typically a good day at lunch.

Laken didn't know what it was about the meal that made the kids calm— she wondered if they put Lexapro in the beef.

Whatever it was, Tuesdays were good for an easy lunch wave.
Usually.

Today was anything but.

The resource officer moved too slow to intercept the first punch, and it landed loudly— Laken heard it over the sudden eruption of noise in the cafeteria.

Brielle had a fistful of braids in one hand, the other swinging so fast Laken could barely track it.

It always amazed Laken how happy the students were to see each other fight. Phones were out, kids cheering them on like they wanted somebody to fight to the death.

Working at Maxwell, she'd broken up a few fights, and it was never something she enjoyed. Seeing Bri involved made it worse, and the frustration caused her to yank harder than she wanted to— harder than she should've.

"Let me go!" Brielle screamed, tugging against the hold.

"Calm down before they send your ass to Strickland." Laken hissed, "I'm trying to help you!"

"Fuck that!"

That was just the beginning. All the students cursed; it was something Laken had trained herself to pretend she didn't hear unless it was loud enough.

She'd never heard so many 'bitches' and 'dirt foot ass hoes' in her life.

The other girl fought against the resource officer, yelling back her own insults, "You mad 'cause you broke as fuck! Your mama can't even feed you!"

Oh.

Laken had Brielle in a headlock at that point, struggling against her jerks to break free.

With another teacher's help, Laken finally got Bri out of the cafeteria and toward the principal's office.

"Please let me go so I can stomp her ass out." Brielle begged, "Please, man."

"Shut up, Bri, you're on your last suspension before expulsion. It's only so much I can do."

"Ain't nobody did shit for me."

"Cry me a fucking river."

That made her stop talking at least. Stop fighting against Laken's hold, too.

The chaos faded the further away they got, and it was almost silent until Brielle spoke again, "I didn't know you cursed."

"So imagine how mad I am."

"What you wanted me to do? Sit there and let her talk crazy to me?"

"Walk away."

Brielle stopped walking, "You ain't hear what she said."

"You're acting like I've never been thirteen. Just ignore it."

Ms. Bradford tried to help, "They used to talk about me every day. Now look at them— either poor or in prison."

Laken closed her eyes briefly, opening them with a smile, "We're good now. Thank you."

She lingered long enough to make sure, then walked away, glancing back before disappearing around the corner.

The minute she was out of sight, "What did she say to you?"

"We're not broke." Brielle spat the word, "My mama just have a lot going on right now—I don't have to explain that to nobody."

Laken took a breath, "You don't, but you do have to explain why you were fighting. If your mom has a lot going on already, why add to it by getting kicked out?"

Call it guilt-tripping, Laken didn't care. She saw so much in Brielle, wanted so much for her, and when given the choice between right and wrong, Bri always chose wrong.

"She won't be mad when I tell her what happened."

"You told me, and I'm still mad."

"You're not my mama."

"Thank God." Laken exhaled.

A smile tugged at the edge of Bri's lips just as the principal poked his head out, "Ms. Green? I'm waiting on you."

It went as bad as Laken expected.

• • •

That set her mood for the rest of the day.

Thankfully, she only had a few more hours before the end of the day.

But it dragged.

No matter what she was teaching, she kept thinking about the principal's office—the defeat in Brielle's mom's voice, Brielle sitting there quieter than Laken had ever seen her.

Where had all that snark gone? More importantly, why?

Why did it seem like Brielle didn't want to go home?

She ran through a hundred different scenarios, and none of them ended well.

By the time the bell rang, Laken sank in her seat with relief.

She stayed there a while, watching the kids rush out to go cause chaos somewhere else.

Most times, Laken liked this part of the day—the quiet after dismissal. But now, it just gave her more time to think.

That's not what she wanted, so she grabbed her phone, pitching ideas to everyone she actually wanted to be around.

shit day. do you think you can leave early? tacos and tequila.

wes: If you bring it here? Yes. Otherwise, no.

She didn't want to go to his job. She switched tactics:

i'm so close to adopting one of my students. can y'all talk me out of it while we drink?

trey: It's Tuesday

look at the fucking scholar! so smart omfg.

kels: 😭

kels: get some food baby. i'm feeling like oxtails.

in this economy? best i can do is pork chops.

noah: I'll get the oxtails please do it

trey: Fat hungry bitch. Where we doing it?

Laken hesitated:

my apartment.

trey: I'm not coming in that nigga shit

OUR

noah: We can do it at mine

kels: or mine? evb just show up don't worry about the food.

Laken was annoyed.

Not because Trey made the comment, but the immediate offering by Kelsey and Noah to have it at their place—like they'd had this conversation before.

She'd never invite them somewhere she felt they weren't welcome.

either do it at mine or don't worry ab it tf? why y'all being weird?

trey: 🫪

kels: my bad gangsta. i'll bring some wine.

Laken rolled her eyes, but the irritation eased.

come at like 6.

They continued to text, but she stopped checking her phone, gathering her things before heading out of the door.

• • •

In the grocery store parking lot, Laken decided she was going with her original plan.

Tacos. Takeout. Tequila.

She made it look nice, at least. Beef, chicken and shrimp were on the table, alongside every topping she saw on the menu.

Drinks and chasers were in the middle—that was the star of the show, so it was only right.

A little after six, her doorbell rang. She didn't move from her seat at the table, "It's open!"

"Oh, you definitely feeling yourself." Kelsey rounded the corner, "First, you cursed us out, now you won't even open the door?"

Laken bit into a taco, "It was unlocked."

She watched Noah and Trey enter right after Kelsey, and laughed to herself before saying, "Not y'all rode together. Y'all was in there talking about me, huh?"

"Bitch think the world revolve around her."

"I ain't come over here to be attacked." Trey interrupted, "You already got tacos when we asked for oxtails— Just chill 'fore it get ugly."

Noah choked back a laugh, "Now me personally, I love tacos."

"Here he go kissing ass. Wasn't you just begging for oxtails?"

"That ain't the only tail he want." Trey laughed at his own joke, before catching himself and looking around, "I'm decoying. Is bro home?"

Laken rolled her eyes, "I would've told you, time you came in. You talk too much shit."

Eventually, they made it to the topic Laken wanted to talk about: Brielle.

"Her mama talked to her like a fucking dog."

For all the trouble Bri got into, Laken never had to interact with her mom. She'd heard about what her mom was like, but even the secondhand accounts weren't as bad as hearing it for herself.

She could've been tired of getting calls from the school; Laken still didn't think that warranted being called 'stupid motherfuckers'.

"I mean..." Noah trailed off, "Maybe that's how they talk?"

Trey nodded, "You'll hate to hear the shit my mama used to tell me."

"No offense, Trey, but you hate your mom."

"True enough. She ain't abuse me, though."

"Verbal abuse is still abuse." Kelsey reached for the bottle. "But I don't think that's necessarily enough to get people involved." 

Laken pursed her lips.

She wouldn't say she expected them to agree with her, but they seemed so... nonchalant.

While the adoption part was a joke, she considered whether she should get someone involved— just to make sure the verbal shit was where it ended.

"You live in a fairy tale." Trey put sour cream on his tortilla, "Niggas don't be fucked up 'bout that shit in real life."

"Since it's 'normal', I'm supposed to not care?"

"Who said that? Do what you can, but you come home to a penthouse, lil girl probably go home to a fuckin' one bed with five people in that hoe, and you acting like you gotta call CPS 'cause her mama called her stupid."

The table was quiet.

Laken waited for someone to take her side.

Kelsey and Noah stayed silent.

"Fuck y'all."

Noah laughed, "I can't relate to shit y'all talking about. I'll just stay out of it."

"I can relate." Kelsey acknowledged, "Not personally, but I've seen it. Either way, I think you wait until she asks for help."

Trey was nodding, "That's all I'm saying. You might fuck her life up for no reason."

Laken sighed loudly, "So, I invited y'all over here for nothing?"

"Did we make you feel better?" Noah asked.

"No. I like when my friends agree with everything I say— A cult, if you will."

"Your friends came over last minute 'cause you were sad." Kelsey tilted her head, "I think that's good friends."

"On a Tuesday." Trey emphasized, "I got a long ass week coming up and I still slid."

Laken raised her glass, "This nigga wants an award for working. All I got for you is a shot."

Her head was tilted back when the door opened, and she nearly choked bringing it back down.

"Damn." Kelsey snickered, "Just vibe."

She blamed the tacos for the way her stomach flipped, knowing that Wes probably noticed the shoes that were by the door, and knew they had guests.

Maybe she should've warned him.

To keep it from feeling awkward when he came in, Laken searched for a conversation topic. She was overthinking it; she knew she was, and nothing came to mind.

Kelsey saved her, "Did I tell you I got approved for TEFAF?"

"Are you fucking serious? You know you didn't tell me!"

"Well, I planned on telling y'all over dinner or something. But since we're all here, why not now?"

"Why is everybody so calm? Do y'all not know what it is?"

Noah side-eyed her, "She told us on the way over here."

"Kels, you should've told me that earlier— oh my God I'm about to die." Laken was nearly jumping out of her seat, "What do you need from me? What can I do? Did you tell my mom?"

"I went over there earlier." Kelsey's smile widened, "She's going with me to New York."

Laken screamed.

While Noah and Trey winced, Wes laughed as he set his laptop down, "I don't think I've ever seen you this excited."

"Did you hear what she said? Can we go?"

"It's in March next year, right?" Wes moved closer, "More than enough time to move stuff around."

Kelsey screamed.

"Bro, please." Noah rubbed his head, "Let's calm the fuck down."

"What's up, Wes?" Trey left his seat next to Laken, moving beside Noah instead, "Sorry you came home to tacos; we ain't ask for this."

Wes sat down easily, glancing at the table, "She said something about tacos earlier, it's all good."

"And tequila." Laken extended a glass towards him, "Take a shot."

He hesitated, "I'll be dead ass tired tomorrow."

"Trey has to work, I have to work." Laken pushed it closer, "No excuses."

Kelsey snorted, "So, do I just not have a job?"

"You and Noah are unemployed. Y'all have hobbies."

"She must ain't seen the new contract?" Trey grinned.

"Couldn't have."

Laken lowered the glass, looking toward them, "You signed another one? I thought they picked up your old one?"

"Earlier today." Noah shrugged, "It's light."

"What the fuck? Why are y'all not telling me anything?"

"Lake, when you come in there cursing at us, and talking about adopting kids, we don't know when the right time is to tell good news."

"At any point during the day—I don't care just tell me."

"Celebratory shots!" Kelsey shouted, "Wes, you can just take one."

He accepted the glass finally, blowing a breath through his nose when Laken filled it to the rim.

Everything flowed after that. Conversation, cold tacos, more drinks.

Laken was happy; happy that everyone was in the same room and it wasn't awkward at all. Her earlier hesitance seemed misplaced.

Kelsey talked more about her art exhibition, Trey spoke about the project he was leading, Noah only offered that his agent was instrumental in getting him a contract extension.

She still thought about Brielle, but with so much to celebrate she let herself leave it alone for the night.

Nothing felt forced.

Nothing felt different.

By the time Laken checked the time, they'd been sitting there almost three hours.

Kelsey yawned, "Can I sleep over here?"

"Duh. But I leave early in the morning-- you think you'll be up?"

"For sure."

Noah and Trey took their cue, passing out hugs and telling Wes bye before heading out. Kelsey helped Laken clean off the table, then followed her down the hall to the guest room.

"I think that went well," she whispered, closing the door behind her.

"Did you tell him we were coming?"

"No, but like, did I have to? It's my house too."

"Nobody wants to be blindsided, Lake."

Laken saw Kelsey sway lightly, and decided the conversation could wait until the morning, "I'll be right back. Let me grab you some clothes so you can shower."

She intended to be gone maybe a minute or two, but when she walked into her bedroom, Wes was leaning against the wall like he was waiting on her.

"What's wrong?"

"When I said I didn't want you to go to his house, I didn't think I needed to specify that I didn't want him in ours."

Laken was genuinely surprised.

She sat on the edge of the bed, trying to pinpoint what went wrong.

Nothing did.

"I'm... confused?"

"Don't be. I don't care for the friendship. It's obvious you're not willing to let it go, and I'm willing to work around it." Wes pushed off the wall, kneeling down to be eye level with Laken, "I don't want him in our house."

"Do you understand that we're a group? So, do I just invite Trey and Kels?"

"Have you fucked Trey and Kelsey?"

Laken leaned back, "Did he do something? Did I do something?"

"I would love to see how you would react to me bringing my ex in here while we eat and fuckin' stare at each other all night."

"I barely looked at him!" Laken yelled before she remembered that Kelsey was down the hall, "Why would I invite him over here and do that, Wes? Please use common sense."

"If I was using common sense, we wouldn't still be engaged."

Laken stared, waiting for him to take it back.

He didn't, instead continuing, "You're making me feel crazy for not being comfortable that you're so close with somebody you used to be in love with."

"Wesley, I don't know if that shot went to your head, but I don't wanna listen to this shit. You're making a big deal about-"

"It is a big deal, Laken! Ask anybody—that shit isn't normal!"

"Would the person I ask have the full story?"

Wes ran his hand across his face, muffling a laugh, "Good night. I don't want him in our house, I don't want you there. No compromising, no bullshit where you act like you 'ended up over there'. That's my boundary."

"It's not a boundary. You're telling me where I'm allowed to go."

"Call it whatever the fuck you want. This is the second time I've argued with you about him." He shook his head, "It won't be a third."

Laken inhaled slowly, "I told Kels I'd be back in a few minutes with her clothes."

Wes stepped aside while Laken gathered an armful of things. She left the room without another word.

• • •