when we were young (JEM#1)

2.

After graduating from law school as valedictorian Jamie started a paid internship at a flourishing law firm and had worked there ever since. She started as nobody but as the years went on she was soon known to be the best corporate lawyer at the Lincoln law firm.

Jamie was well-liked by everyone and quickly made friends. She even made herself a work best friend. Her work bestie Chance worked in a different department than her but they still always made time to see each other.

After 7 years of working at the law firm she had never been late and she wasn't going to start now. Rushing to her office with two minutes to spare.

"You barely made it on time where we're you?" chance questioned as he entered her office. He was a good-looking man with mocha-coloured melanin covering his skin. His face was covered with an array of piercings, he had two big diamonds hanging from each ear with an industrial piercing on his left one and a silver septum piercing. He was of average height at 6'0.

"I was getting seafood with Malaysia and Essence, I have leftovers, you want some?"  she held out the bag to him which he snatched from her hands. He made himself comfortable on the couch in her office as he dug Into the food.

"Jay, I need you to do me a favour," he asked with a mouth full of food. He's always asking her to do the most out-of-pocket shit but since she loved him she did almost everything. "I need you to go to my cousin's wedding with me."

"Why don't you just go with Serena I mean she is your girlfriend."  Serena  was a sweet brown girl from Atlanta.

" I would've, but she was out visiting her family."

Kissing her teeth Jamie decided to be nice and attend the wedding on Serena's behalf. "When is it?"

"On Saturday, the ceremony starts at 2:30 and the reception should start at around 3:30."

"And your only telling me this now, I need to get my hair done."

"What's wrong with your hair now."

The girl had her natural hair wrapped expertly in a scarf. Wash day was fast approaching and she was denying it up until now. She pulled out her phone to shot a text to her hairstylist and booked an appointment.

"Nothing, I just want it done." she rolled her eyes. Niggas just don't get it, when a girl gets her hair done her confidence automatically goes to a ten.

Once her hairstylist confirmed the appointment she was set to get her hair done the day before the wedding.

"Chance, I'll go to the wedding with you if you go do your damn work and leave me alone."

Chance took that as his cue to leave but he didn't leave without taking her food.

"Chance where do you think you're going with my food." Her words fell on deaf ears as he had already dashed out of her office.

"ARE YOU FUCKING STUPID, WHO SAID YOU COULD TAKE MY FUCKING FOOD!"

Instead of chasing Chance to get her food back she just sighed in defeat as she knew the food was no longer hers.

***
After a long day of work, Jamie had made it home and finally had time to relax. Stripping out of her work clothes, she turned on the shower before putting on her shower cap and stepping under the warm water.

As the warm water cascaded down her back Jamie took time to think about everything she had been through, her boyfriend cheating on her had been one of the moments that scarred her the most. He had made a slew of false promises and was only using her for her money.

2 years of her life were wasted on a piece of shit, and she was never going to let that happen again.
***
The day after the wedding Jamie is scheduled to appear in court to defend her client. The case itself is an open-and-shut situation but she always made sure to prep for it, just in case something didn't go her way. she wanted to ensure everyone knew she was just as hardworking as everyone else even though she was a woman of colour. As she started working on the case her phone started ringing , picking up the phone she realised her brother was calling.

" Hello?" She replied halfheartedly.

"Hey Jay, have you been?" Her second oldest brother Jerome questioned

Jamie was the youngest of three children. She had two older brothers Jerome and Jakai.

"What do you want Rome, I've got shit to do, which doesn't include you" Jamie and her brothers had a strange relationship, they despised each other but would be there for each other in a heartbeat no matter the circumstances.

"Damn okay, I just wanted to say that Amira misses you and requested your presence in the near future." Amira was Jerome's 5-year-old daughter. He had been the most anti-social of the three of them growing up but was married and had a kid before the first.

"I'll come sometime next week, 'cause I have a wedding to go to this weekend and a case the next day." Jamie really missed her niece

"Okay than Ill see you then, bye Jamie"

"Bye." hanging up the phone Jamie quickly got back to work.

Once she completed her work Jamie crawled into bed with her phone in hand. Alone with her thoughts, she let her mind travel to when things were simpler and she still had Kareem. The two of them hadn't spoken since about six months after Kareem's move to Illinois. Jamie couldn't only  blame him for their drifting apart because she was partly to blame. At some point, she realized it was terrible to have a crush on your own best friend especially since he was in a relationship, but the heart wants what it wants.

Opening her phone Jamie searched up Kareem's name. A few years prior she heard that he had been drafted into the NBA and played for the Brooklyn nets ever since. A slew of pictures showed up from his games and some taken by paparazzi.

His smooth Carmel coloured skin glistend in the light as the camera showed off his features. His shoulder length locs were styled in rope twists that reached just past his shoulders. His thick pink lips were surrounded by a mustache and a small goatee on his chin. His checks showcased his high cheekbone and deep dimples which made him look even more appealing.

Just by looking at his face and career she already felt inferior to him, but she couldn't help it, she was always used to being behind the rest.