"Don't you think you're going a tad overboard." Alyssa stood at the kitchen island with her hands on her waist. Her eyes canvassed the shopping totes she just finished helping Lela unpack from the car. Then she wasn't counting, glad to get in some cardio early in the morning but now since she had to help unload them from the tan fabric sacks she noted the immensity of objects before her. "You are aware Panera delivers, now."

Lela stopped mid-stride with a skillet in hand, "Panera. Are you for real?" She resumed her journey to the stove setting the frying pan on the aisle. "There's going to be enough tension simmering around this table. I need good food to keep the conversation light and easy, which reminds me, I forget to make a playlist for tonight. Can you do it, please?"

"Cool." Alyssa shrugged nonchalantly. "It's better than chopping." She strutted out the kitchen on her bare feet, having unlaced and kicked her shoes off as soon as the last bag was inside. "I think you're overreacting a little bit." Her voice made it's way back before she did. "Sylvan and her husband are mature, well-rounded people. They're not going to start an argument with a child." She pulled out the bar chair at the island and took a seat.

Lela glance over her shoulder as she stood at the sink washing an onion and bell pepper, "You and Trey are the same age. If he's a child than what are you?"

"I'm more mature for my age." She slyly grins as her hands froze over the laptop's keyboard. "Is your password still CiTYgurl763?"

"Yes." Lela tapped the faucet off with her wrist then shook the water off the vegetables before joining Alyssa at the island. She sat them on the cutting board with her eyes on the bag and muttered, "I need to clear this stuff before I start."

Alyssa nodded as she typed in the password. "I still think Kevin Garnett is better."

"You're entitled to your wrong opinion." Lela pulled spices, herbs and the other ingredients that were going into her dinner from later that evening. "But Allen Iverson is hands-down better. The Crossover. The braids and let's not forget the swagger."

Alyssa chuckled as she opened up Apple Music still logged into Trevor's account. "Swagger. What you know about swagger. You're engaged to Trevor Voss." She uttered his name with a flare of preppiness that earned her a roll of Lela's eyes. "I mean let's be honest Daniel has more swagger than Trey."

"Whatever, Lyssa." Lela finished stacking all the contents of the bag on a vacant countertop that was out of the way in an organized fashion. "My baby has swag and he can dance too."

Alyssa nodded clicking on Bryson Tiller's 'Something Tells Me'. "But that's because he did nothing but party at that fancy prep school he went to." Music flowed through the speaker as Lela grabbed a knife and she decided to change the topic. "What type of vibe are you trying to set."

"Mellow." Lela sidled by the island chopping the bell pepper. "Smooth R&B."

"Got it."

Words ceased as they both went to work on their task. Alyssa scouring through the hits from D'Angelo to Musiq Soulchild. While Lela had chopped and prepped everything storing them in glass bowls like a famous television cook preparing for a show.

Just as the sliced red onions and green bell peppers started to fry in the hot olive oil Lela's voice cut through the music humming in the atmosphere, "I heard a rumor that you're thinking of visiting Jacob." She plucked a wooden spoon from the gray ceramic cup it sat in by the stove. "Please, tell me that's not so."

"It's not a rumor and I'm going to pummel Quinn." Alyssa sat back in the chair letting her hands fall to her lap. She didn't want her friends to such delicate information because she didn't feel like getting the concern 'I'm worried about you' look Lela was now giving her. "I'm of sound mind and doing this of my own accord."

"Why?" Lela's shuffled the vegetables around in the skillet with the spoon. "Why do you need to do this? Didn't you get closure at the courthouse?"

"I did." She refocused on the laptop, skimming her eyes across the twenty-one songs she hand-picked. "I just want to see him in orange."

"Humm." Lela hummed peeking over at the stockpot to see if the water was boiling.

Alyssa knew what she was doing. She was about to start psychoanalyzing her. Using her years of going to a therapist and being around them, Lela had gotten skilled at the art. "It's not deep, Lee. I just want to see if jail is working."

Lela turned away from the stove. "Is the criminal justice system really an organization for reformation."

"It claims to be." Alyssa shrugged. "So, I want to see. Is my rapist still a chauvinistic, privilege pig? Or is living in a nine by twelve cell really backing him learn from the error of his ways."

Lela's eyebrows furrowed as she folded her arms in that 'I'm not following you but I don't want to be harsh' way. "If it'll help you move on with your life then....sure."

"It will." Alyssa stared at the computer screen. Her eyes faraway as her mind drifted back to freshman year. "Even though he shattered by life, there's still a part of me that remembers him as my friend." Her misty eyes set on Lela.

"Aw, babe." Lela's hand gripped her chest remember the boy that use to be a fixture in their dorms. Alyssa's study buddy before she met Quinn. "I know you use to love him but...being a rapist isn't a mental disorder. It's a choice."

"And I hope it's a choice that he learns he can't make anymore."

"Learn from the error of his ways." Lela nodded. "That's plausible."

"It is." Alyssa nodded, the mist drying from her eyes.

"But what if he didn't?'

Alyssa pondered on the thought, her eyes growing sober. "Then he can actually rot in hell."

Lela chortled at the swiftness of which her friend could turn stone cold. "When are you going."

"Tomorrow."

"Do you want me to come with you."

"No. Quinn'll be there."

Lela smirked, "Good 'ole Quinn. You two are becoming a steady little pair these days."

"Nah." Alyssa shook her head. "Don't start that. I still don't want to be touch. So, nothing happening there."

Lela gave her an understanding nod. "So, do you want to stay for dinner. I'm making enough for a—"

"I'll take a plate to go," Alyssa interjected.

"Alright. Be that way." Lela dumped the gnocchi in the boiling water as the chicken sausage sizzled in the skillet of vegetables.

Alyssa laughed at her friend's guise of an attitude then hopped out of the chair finished with her task. "You said this was going to be spicy." She joined Lela at the stove. "How spicy?"

"Just cayenne."

"Just the way I like it." Alyssa smiled before stealing a piece of sausage out of the skillet on tossing it into her mouth. She savored the distinct cajun flavors grateful that her life was much different than it was last year.

How do you think Jacob will be? Reformed or bitter?

Will Alyssa's aversion to being touched by an issue in her relationship with Quinn?