𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 ⭢ 𝖬𝖩

❦ nine.

: you may not like it, but you better learn how 'cuz it's your turn now :
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☁️ Michael ☁️

It was some time after eight o'clock, almost goin' on nine and I had gotten a pretty good start on the day. Surprisingly, I went to bed early last night and Loyalty called me at like two because she couldn't go to sleep, so I held a conversation until she eventually got tired about an hour later. After, I took my ass right back to sleep until she called again telling me that she was ready to head out. I didn't thinks she'd wanna be out as early as we were, but with a parent like her mom I understand completely. That woman is a whole menace. We decided to eat at iHop that morning, since Loyalty was in the mood for pancakes and she's also very picky about where and what she eats. Waffle House was an option, but she said their food is soggy which made me laugh 'cuz it was true.

My eyes fixated on her as she shuffled the eggs that was also on her plate around, occasionally taking very little bites as if she didn't want it.

"Loyalty, love, eat ya breakfast." I told her and that's when her eyes shifted upward at me from her plate, with her head still slightly tilting downward. Gently dropping the fork onto the plate, Loyalty scoffed.

"I am. See?" she replied, gesturing towards the half eaten pancakes, and the last two pieces of bacon out of the three that were ordered. "The eggs ain't that good."

"Aww," I falsely sympathized, and she rolled her eyes while trying to fight a smile. "Well who's fault is it fa' orderin' 'em?"

"Aww," Loyalty mocked me, "Look at me laughin'." she said before pointing to her face which was deadpan, causing me to lightly chuckle before I took a sip of my water. She started to eat again, but she was takin' her sweet time and I wasn't surprised. If there's one thing Loyalty gon' do, it's take a million years to eat.

"Are you not hungry?" I asked out of both genuineness and from the fact that I know she's likely to skip meals—but mainly out of genuineness. Her eyes meeting mine again, Loyalty inaudibly huffed before she broke the brief eye contact and just eyed her food.

"I mean yeah, but I can't like... process it."

Hearin' her say that, I frowned. "Watchu' mean?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, "Obviously I try to, but it's not as appealing or appetizing, y'know? And I always feel hella nauseous afterwards."

"I mean shit, we ain't gotta stay if you don't want to." I tell her, and she then shakes her head with her eyebrows drawn together.

"I didn't come to waste your money, Michael," Loyalty told me, before she picked up her fork again and took some eggs onto it before eating it. Bringing her eyes back to me she perked her eyebrows before she spoke again, "Look at me managing 'nd shit."

"You too much," I shake my head at her, and she just let out a little giggle. She's been real quiet this morning for the most part—although it's honestly nothing new—but when I picked her up she seemed real frustrated. I ain't wanna intrude on nothin' that ain't my business, but I know her mama be goin' in on her. It's hard dealin' wit' toxicity from the people thas' supposed to love and raise you. Can't even lie, that shit be hurtin' like hell. Her smile faded just as quickly as it came across her face, and just seconds later she was poking at her food again like she got lost in her thoughts.