Page 92 of Not My Type (Not My Type #1)

Nickoi is so sweet. I raise out of the bed and quickly do my morning routine. When I walk into the bedroom, Nickoi throws a pair of pants on the bed. “Hope yuh ass can fit inna that,” he says with a grin making me laugh.

The door knocks. “Janel?” Nickoi says, his tone low and irritated, his eyes narrowing as he glances at the door.

I hit him. “Meanie.”

“Can you help with my hair Zara?” Janel asks sweetly. How can I even tell her no?

“When I get dressed I will,” I promise.

“Ugh. Thank Goddd. Okay,” she says, walking away.

I get dressed in black jeans and a printed top with Gina on it.

Aden was right—she really was beautiful.

I put on my black and white LV sneakers, straighten my hair, and start doing my makeup.

After that, I have breakfast with Janel, helping her with her hair while we eat pancakes and grapes.

I’m already done, only a few grapes left on my plate. Ms. Craven.

Nickoi comes out of the room, and my mouth widens in surprise. I stare at him, the grape halfway in my mouth. Jeez, there’s something about Nickoi in all black that just does something to me. Wrong time miss a funeral mawning! My subconscious scolds.

I bite my lip. “Watch him,” I roll my eyes playfully as he walks over to us, and his sister smiles, giving me a knowing nod.

“You look fresh bro,” she smiles.

“Unuh a gwan so?” He grins, sliding into the chair at the island with that effortless swag.

Black jeans hug him just right, paired with black desert Clarks, and a printed shirt that only accentuates the build beneath it.

It’s a simple look, but damn, the way he moves?

Got me melting. His presence alone makes the room shift.

You ever see someone so fine it’s like the air gets thicker?

Yeah, that’s him. Every inch of him screams confidence, nahhh lie the bwoy look goodddd! With a ‘t’ at the end.

After a while of staring I look away. “Nickoi you want pancakes?”

“No, mi have salad already,” he says.

“Okay Mr. Healthy,” I say sarcastically.

When we get in the car, Nickoi looks at me as I put on my seatbelt. “A Flanka we deh enuh? Yuh see say it nuh that bad?” he asks, and I nod. Yea yea.

“Bro it doesn’t change the fact that it’s one of the most dangerous places in Jamaica... the Government lowkey warn tourist about here,” Janel chimes in.

“Yah but the place cool yah now right?” he drives off.

Nickoi’s house isn’t the only mansion here, but there are a few smaller houses that looks the way I imagined Flanka. When we get to the cemetery, we can hardly drive through because of the line of cars. There are vehicles on both sides of the road, blocking the middle, causing a major traffic jam.

Nickoi leans on the steering wheel, his jaw tight with impatience. Mi feel the same way! His phone starts ringing, and he connects it to the car. “Don yuh get through the traffic?” Gutta asks on the other end.

I’m convinced he’s the bodyguard enuh. Nickoi’s eyes ahead. “No enuh... like we affi go wait a likkle.”

Gutta hisses. “And the thing start... a wah do dem idiot people yah?”

“Everybody a try push through one time like idiot yes,” Nickoi breathes out.

“Ah, mi a go see wah mi can do,” he hangs up.

“We are gonna miss the ceremony,” Janel joins in. Her cheeks flushed.

I smile, noticing the cars start moving faster. Gutta, snd another guy who has a scar across his face, standing on the edge of the road, directing the traffic. “Wah see the man a bad up everybody,” Scar tells Nickoi and he chuckles.

Gutta is now at Nickoi’s window. “Dem need me,” he says, and we both laugh.

“Gutta the hero,” Janel says from the back. Gutta pokes his head in, at eye level.

“Wah’m Janel?” he bumps his fist with her. She just smiles. Gutta’s gaze lands on me. “Kno’ mi never a look. Good morning Zara,” his tone apologetic.

“That’s okay,” I laugh.

“Arite, park your car, G,” he says, moving away from the car. Nickoi drives off, parks, and we all get out.

Janel walks over to her mother, and as I walk, Nickoi holds my hand. The way how everybody a look pan you and everybody basically wearing the same thing... I guess it’s because of Nickoi.

Yuh look good too wah yuh mean? My subconscious ask.

Nickoi strides over to his Outlawz, his steps steady, eyes cold.

I catch their gazes, a quick nod, nothing more.

They return it, some smirks, here and there, others unreadable.

Silence hangs heavy. The pastor’s voice fades.

Nickoi and his crew sits on a high wall, ski masks pulled low, their presence sharp.

I stand between his legs, hand in his, feeling the weight of every eye.

“Zara,” it’s Juaqína, I just smile, looking back at the pastor. She slaps Nickoi’s leg and I move her hand.

“Mi nuh wah you beat him up,” my voice flat.

“Yo?” Nickoi’s gaze drops to us.

“Mi just a call to him Miss Zara,” Juaqína laughs and I hiss, turning around. If she never sure if mi nuh like her she sure now. She sure sure! Shen Yeng’s voice I hide my smile.

“Mi a go stand over there,” she says to Nickoi, her voice steady, before walking off. Nickoi mutters an ‘Ah’, barely looking up. I roll my eyes at him, watching her fade into the crowd.

Family members start speaking, each one sharing their memories of Gina, their voices breaking as they try to hold it together.

The crying gets louder, and I can feel the weight of it pressing on me.

I slip on my shades, hiding the tears I know are coming.

My tears start falling when her mother steps up to do the eulogy.

Rick was supposed to speak, but he tells Gina’s mother to take over.

She’s holding her belly, crying so hard it shakes her entire body.

“Mi cyaaaa do this!” Rick puts his arm around her as she folds over the casket.

He’s wearing a ski mask too. I glance over my shoulder, seeing Nickoi and the Outlawz—all stone-faced.

It’s like they’ve switched off, locked themselves out of the pain.

“Make she get some air,” the pastor says.

I turn my head, trying to shake off the tightness in my chest. The ceremony drags on, the sound of crying filling the air. People step up to pay their respects, some breaking down as they look at Gina. I notice Nickoi isn’t behind me anymore. He’s by the side, standing with Rick.

“Bredda mi a try enuh,” Rick says and his voice breaks. I stop. Him a guh probably feel a way if him know seh mi hear him a cry.

Nickoi puts his hand around his shoulder, walking away.

“Member when my woman did dead in a the accident mi never allow miself fi feel enuh and all now mi nuh shed a tear. Mi couldn’t even go to har funeral to how mi did feel and mi still nuh get no closure and it still haunt me,” he says and I look away. Damn..

Mi know him never know me yet but mi wonder if him love her more than me? The way how him talk bout har... How him mean him never love nobody? Zara if yuh nuh shut up..

“Cry if you want to bro and look at her because if you don’t look you will never find closure.

The last time you saw her she had blood all over her.

.. that a the last image of her yuh wah member?

Mi know seh seeing her dead nuh really better but you will get a chance to accept the situation.

She done gone just allow yourself to feel,” Nickoi says and a tear falls out of my eye.

I walk back to the wall, pretending I didn’t hear them.

Nickoi steps toward the casket, and Rick doesn’t move, he just stares, lost in it.

People glance at her and move, but he’s frozen.

I approach the casket, and there she is.

Still beautiful, like she’s just sleeping.

Most people change, but not her. Nickoi stands at the side, empty eyed.

I look at Rick, his tears falling silently.

I place my hand around him, offering what comfort I can.

He doesn’t speak, but I feel the weight of it all.

“I tried to save her enuh,” he cried and lean on the glass casket. “Maybe if mi did go earlier to the hospital she wouldn’t die.”

“Don’t blame yourself... wi did what we could,” Nickoi steps closer.

Rick glares at him. “Mi nah stop blame miself because mi should a just lef with her and nuh wait!” he shouts in Nickoi’s face. First smaddy a try dat!

“And get shot?!” Nickoi retorts matching his rage. I step forward and Gutta holds me.

“Lef dem... a best friend dem,” he coldly speaks, my eyes blurring.

“At least mi could a seh mi try but wi sit down and wait and then look wah happen!” He slams down his hand on the casket. Why dem nuh stop?

“Calm dung yuhself!” Nickoi warns him.

“Mi know if a Zara yuh wouldn’t calm so why yah tell me that bredda?!” He pushes Nickoi and I move forward. Gutta grabs me again. There’s a lot of confusion because everyone is trying to stop them.

Nickoi shoves him harder. “Bill yuhself... wah fighting me a guh do?” I didn’t know this would happen… honestly.

“Better if a me did dead, yow!” His voice breaks, and Nickoi pulls him into a hug. He cries against him, his body shaking with every sob. The crowd falls silent, taken aback. Who said thugs don’t have emotions too?

“And a nuh you so just be there fi yuh youth... when certain thing gwaan doh question it, everything happ’m fi a reason bruh,” Nickoi’s voice is firm, almost aggressive, but his actions speak of nothing but love.

“Right,” Gina’s mom steps closer to Rick. “I know you’re hurting Rick... mi feel like mi a go dead too but just listen.” He looks at Gina again and walk away.

I touch Nickoi. “You okay baby?”

“Mi Gov’ man,” he lies.

As they lower her into the ground, muffled sobs break out. The pastor says his final words, and it’s time to cover the grave. Rick steps in, Nickoi at the edge with the Outlawz. Rick stares at her, fingers twitching, hesitation heavy in the air.