The Black Panther (Discontinued)

The end & beginning ( New Chapter)

Please listen to music linked with chapter

Stay tuned for authors note @ the end.
——

Hello ? ", my voice rasps into the phone.

" Harper ? I mean- my Your Highness ", she stuttered probably surprised I called her.

" You can call me Harper. It's okay ", I chuckled. Her end stayed silent probably wondering what I was doing.

" Do you need help with something ? ", she spoke quietly. I smiled into the phone and closed my eyes.

" Nakia can I tell you something ? ", I sigh.

" Sure ", she said.

" I know that in the beginning you didn't like me or didn't fully approve of me. Truthfully I didn't even approve of myself....I just wanted to call you and say that....after a long talk with T'Challa I realized something. Despite our friction I actually really admire you. I do ", I confess.  She still didn't speak.

" You may not like my as a person but as a women I respect who you are and I respect what you stand for. All those people you look out for, all those people you liberate. I wanted to do that but I couldn't. I hope...whatever you're looking for. I hope you find it Nakia ", I was nervous and my voice shook but I didn't have anything to hide. If I was scared I could be scared. If I was nervous I had the right to be nervous. This was a voice call so thankfully the bead didn't project my face like it usually did. Otherwise she'd see me sweating. I was always the type of child that didn't like conflict. I was still growing as a woman. I was becoming more complacent in things not working out but I had to be honest in this situation. I needed her to know that whatever issue she had with me was one sided. Though I felt tinges of jealously here and there I truly didn't not want heat between us.

" Wow....Harper ", she sighed seemingly at a loss for words. She paused for a few moments.

" That's a lot...coming from you. I honestly have to say that my hesitance wasn't because of you. There were a lot of inner feelings I was dealing with that I projected onto you. You are such a sweet heart & knew that from when I first met you. T'Challa and I would have never worked out and I knew that. I guess the transition was just strange. T'Challa and I had some issues we hadn't addressed yet but when you came he kind of just laid everything to rest and it shell shocked me. He did the right thing of course but I guess my ego was just a little bruised. I didn't always prioritize him when we were together. That's something I had to live with and move on from. It was never you Harper ", she spoke passionately into the phone.

" I understand ", I said.

" I knew about his arranged married for years now. I've moved on since then but I guess I took it hard because I felt like I'd be losing a friend too ", she muttered. She paused and then added onto her words.

" I think I just regret not being a BETTER friend to him. T'Challa is SUCH a good man Harper. He loves you sooo MUCH ", her voice shook with emotion. There was yet another pause and I noticed her getting choked up and so did I. T'Challa had that affect on people. If you knew him then you knew he was worth the tears. He just wanted to everyone around him to be okay. He had more humility and empathy than most.

" He deserved better...and he got it. Who am I to stand in his way if he's happy. You're a sweet girl Harper, you really are. It should have been like this from the start ", said Nakia. I looked over at his slumped body. His arm was right in my lap, fingers out stretched waiting for me to hold them even in his sleep.

" I know ", I sniffled. Her end fell silent again.

" You and T'Challa deserve a friendship together. Don't let me stop you from that ", I encourage.