𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘

𝟐𝟑

❞𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧.❞
-
𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭
𝐎𝐦𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭

-

It's been three weeks since her grandma's practical declaration of peace and it could be said that everybody was more than surprised.

No mistreatment, no verbal attacks and no isolation. Nothing was the way it used to be. Zarene still didn't trust her, but that didn't mean she wasn't enjoying the sudden change in attitude.

Even in the mornings like today she could take the decision of going out without cooking and cleaning for the house, but of course she would never let that happen. So after making sure the house was squeaky clean she left, heading towards the McDonald's.

As she crossed the street her phone vibrated in her back pocket, notifying her that she had just gotten a text. So as soon as she reached the other side of the road she stopped and pulled out her phone. She had received a message from Cierra.

𝖢𝖾𝖼𝖾🧞‍♀️

𝖦𝗂𝗋𝗅, 𝗐𝗒𝖺?𝖸𝗈𝗎 𝗅𝖾𝖿𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗌𝖾 𝖺𝗅𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗒?

𝖸𝖾𝖺𝗁 𝖨'𝗆 𝖺𝗅𝗆𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾, 𝗐𝗁𝗒? 𝖲𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗐𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗀?

𝖭𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗆𝗂𝗇𝖽, 𝖨 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗀𝖾𝗍 𝗌𝗎𝗆 𝗍𝗈 𝖾𝖺𝗍, 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝖨 𝖽𝗂𝖽𝗇'𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗇𝖺 𝗀𝗈 𝖺𝗅𝗈𝗇𝖾.

𝖲𝗈 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖽𝗈 𝗎 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗇𝖺 𝖽𝗈 𝗇𝗈𝗐?

𝖨𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝗀𝖾𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗒𝖺 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗄𝗉𝗅𝖺𝖼𝖾. 𝖲𝖾𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾😘

𝖨 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗌 𝗐𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋

𝖠𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍'𝗌 𝖾𝗑𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗅𝗒 𝗐𝗁𝗒 𝖨'𝗆 𝗀𝖾𝗍𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖽𝖺𝗆𝗇 𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗌𝖾.
𝖬𝗒 𝗆𝗈𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝗂𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗆𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝖻𝖺𝖻𝗒𝗌𝗂𝗍 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗌𝖾 𝖿𝖾𝗍𝗎𝗌𝖾𝗌
𝖨 𝗋𝖾𝖿𝗎𝗌𝖾😤✋

𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝖼𝖺𝗇'𝗍 𝖻𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖻𝖺𝖽😂

𝖯𝗅𝗌🙄𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗍'𝗌 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒𝖻𝗈𝖽𝗒 𝗌𝖺𝗒 𝗎𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝗆𝖾𝖾𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗆
𝖨𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝖻𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝟣𝟧

𝖮𝗄. 𝖲𝖾𝖾 𝗎 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗇

She then continued to walk until she found herself into the parking lot. And after eventually reaching her destination she pushed the glass door open, entering the building.

There wasn't any customers yet, the only people that were there were some her co-workers she never spoke to. So instead of standing there she went into the staff rooms to drop her things. Since there was no need for her to change into the uniform, it took her less that a minute and soon after she tucked her phone in her front pocket, she left the room to get the cleaning supplies she was going to use.

After getting them, she walked to the toilets struggling and dragging the heavy bucket along her, with the intention to start cleaning. And unexpectedly as soon as she entered the toilets, her phone vibrated again alerting her of an incoming text.

𝖢𝖾𝖼𝖾🧞‍♀️

𝖭𝗏𝗆. 𝖬𝗒 𝗆𝗈𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝗐𝗈𝗇'𝗍 𝗅𝖾𝗍 𝗆𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝖽𝖺 𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗌𝖾😔
𝖥𝗋𝖾𝖾 𝗆𝖾😫⛓⛓

𝖧𝗈𝗉𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖺 𝗇𝗂𝖼𝖾 𝖽𝖺𝗒,𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗇

She texted before locking her phone and getting to work.

Twenty minutes later when she was done, she came out the toilets. Walking slowly trying her best to carry the heavy bucket with her one hand. For some reason today it felt heavier than the usual and her being tired didn't really help.
Her goal was to make it to the door, but as her steps got slower and slower it was evident that she wasn't going to make it.

But just as she was about to let the bucket win over her, a pale muscular hand grabbed it out of her hand just in time. Relieving her of the stress.

"I got you. Where do should I drop it at?" Levi asked taking control, looking at her as she held an astonished expression from his sudden appearance. He had seen her come out of the toilet dragging this heavy object and just as he thought that she might be able to carry it. Zarene was about to let it go directly on top of her feet. He just had to step in before she injured herself.

"The staff room is ok. Thank you" Zarene said quietly before leading the way to the room, holding onto each door for him so he could come in. After he had placed the heavy bucket on the floor, she thanked him and he walked away feeling happy.

"Why were you talking to him?" Samantha got up from her seat, questioning her after watching the two interact from afar.

'Why are these people always coming like this?' She asked herself, startled by yet another surprise apperance. Drift him now her.

"I was struggling with carrying the bucket and he came out of nowhere and just helped me" she explained while sitting at the table with her friend

"Out of nowhere? Him? That boy don't be helping nobody." Samantha said.

"Yeah. Is that weird?"

"Yeah, bitch. Every time I ask him to help me out with something he ignores me, but you didn't even ask and he helped you. He must like you"

"He just helped me" she said. There was no correlation in between liking someone and helping someone who is clearly struggling, to Zarene.

"Lemme find out something going on." Samantha breathed out feeling like she was being lied to.

"What?" Zarene asked since she had heard her say something.

"I said that when I finish working imma get drunk.You wanna come?" She lied, looking at her friend as she got comfortable in her seat.

"I don't drink"

"Oh. You should still come you know. You can still have fun." She said trying to convince her.

"I got work tomorrow, I can't be late" Zarene quietly replied, hoping that she won't force her to come.

"You always busy. Why don't loosen up and have fun? Why dont you, you know... dress up and look pretty for once?"

"Do I look bad?" Zarene pouted and looked down at herself, feeling all the insecure thoughts that she constantly pushed away, slowly arise to trouble her.

"You don't look bad. You know you really skinny and your hair would look so much better if it was done. Your nails too. But your skin on the good side is clear. You lucky"
She spoke as she looked around trying to find where she had kept her lip gloss.

"You seen my lip gloss?"
"Is in your chest pocket, right there" Zarene pointed it out

"Anyways. Its not that deep so dont worry, you still kinda pretty. And if you want I can help you gain weight. Thats the least I should do" she said while coating her lips with some lip gloss.

"How?"

"Imma give you something right now". She announced before getting up to go to find her bag. Then when she had found it she returned to the table and from it she fished out an orange box and took a pack of pills.

"Take this" She said taking a hold of Zarene's soft hand and gently slapping the pack onto it.

"What is this?" She asked bringing it closer to her eyes, observing it. To her it looked like a regular pack of white pills. Nothing special.

"Apetamin. Take one or two half an hour before you eat. It's gonna make you hungry so you eat and boom! You gain weight. It works like magic"

"I..I don't need it" She said putting it back on the table
"I'm not taking it back. Just give it a try. It's not gonna hurt you. Don't be scary"

"You sure?" She asked, mentally convincing herself to give it a try

"Yes. Girl, take it before someone comes in here thinking I'm trynna give you some drugs" She told Zarene, making her to immediately take it tuck it in her pocket.

"Imma take a nap. Wake me up if something happens"

"B..But we're working" she whispered

"So? They don't pay me enough for me to stressing. Ion care" she said while rolling her eyes.

"Ok...I'm going to see if there's something for me to do" Zarene announced before getting up. She wasn't feeling this and wanted to avoid getting in trouble.

"Bye girl" Samantha called out before resting her head on the table, slowly falling asleep, while Zarene walked out of the room looking for something to do.

But just as she walked out of that room a sudden body crashed into her, making her stumble back in a struggle to regain balance.

She had crashed into Levi.

"You good?" Levi asked

"Yeah. Sorry I wasn't looking" she said before nervously stepping away from him.

"Nah don't worry you fine. I was looking for you actually" he said catching her attention as she wondered why he wanted her.

"H..huh?"

"I said I was looking for you. You gotta cone with me. I need to teach you how to clean the grills. Our manager said to take you and teach you how to do it, now that custumers aren't here"

"Why?"

"His instructions, if you dont wanna do it you need to talk to him"

"No its fine, lets go" she said quietly, before leading the way to the cooking area as he followed behind her.

Unusually today, it was really empty and nobody in the kitchen area really paid attention to them. So it was as if they were in their own little world.

"I already brought what we need. Can you still do it since you're know..injured?"

"Yeah it's fine I can just wear the gloves on one hand do it with one hand" She replied quietly.

"Ok then. Imma show you how to do it. First on these two grills and you do it on the last one" he said taking a hold of the cleaning brush.

As he instructed her eyes fixated on him like a spell, not only paying attention to what was being said, but slowly being intrigued by him and his energy. However, after a while had passed and it was surely Zarene's time to try now.

"Ok go on. Remember the first step" Levi said coaching her. 'Its not that hard, c'mon'  she added, coaching herself as well.

Even though it was her first time she seemed to be doing well, infact at last the grill came out meticulously cleaneven cleaner that what he had done.

"I must be a good teacher, cause this is cleaner that I expected. Good job" he said enthusiastically swinging his arm on top of her shoulder, making her alert of his proximity.

"Yeah good job. Girl" Josiah hyped up as he suddenly interrupted them. Appearing all of a sudden

'Oh Lord. Hope he not thinking what I'm thinking' she thought catching onto the look he gave her

"Thank you" she said as her face held a tight lipped smile, she knew already what was in Josiah's mind it was evident.

"No problem. I guess I need to put these back so I'm leaving" he announced before taking the cleaning cloths, brushed and everything they had used with him him and disappering.

Immediately after he had left, Zarene faced him as the hot stare from Josiah burnt into her face.

"It better be not what I'm thinking or seeing. Girl" he said rolling his eyes waiting for an explanation.

"Y-" she was about to defend herself until the manager himself came in and interrupted her.

"Zarene. I've finally found you" he said stopping to look at her with an accomplished look. "Did Levi teach you how to clean the grills like I instructed him?"

"Yes" she replied
"Good. From now on I expect you to do at the start of the day, so be extra early " he said making her nod her head, before leaving.

"Like I was saying. I wouldn't do nothing to upset you. I didnt hug him. I dont even know what happened right now" she continued on

"I'm just saying cuz I personally don't like when people take shit that's not theirs. Thats all. Plus someone already told me, already that they seen you with him. I'm just here hoping you won't snake me. Nothing else" he said rolling his eyes at her. He had been wanting this boy for the longest time ever and she wasn't going to ruin it. This girl wasn't even as attractive as him in his mind, so how could it be?

"Yall betta not try shit. Whether it be friendship or romance between the two of yall. Ion care" he thought feeling jealous, he  acknowledged her good looks even though she seemed not to.

"Are you mad at me? If so im sorry" She apologised hoping there were no hard feelings between the two.

"Nahhh. Just be careful next time. Thats my nigga even if he dont know it. But you promise... you not gon try shit with him whether is friendship or romance"he said before walking away from her, wanting to be followed.

'You not mad at me, but you walking away with an attitude over nothing. Really?' She thought before following behind him

But as she followed him back to the staff room, his unusual silence said it all. There was no need for her to even stay in the room anymore it was evident since he was ignoring her and being quiet with her.

And just like that he had pushed her to stand up and continue working, taking no breaks through the remaining hours of her shift until it was finally time for her to go home. Just to avoid him.

She wanted no argument or issue with him and if he was going to ignore her over this small matter and keep on denying that he didn't have an issue. She was just going to avoid him till his attitude disappeared. Even as she got her things from the staff room, she spoke to nobody and literally walked out of there as quiet as a mouse.

D'avonte himself had just been scrolling through his phone already waiting for her in the parking lot, when he had received the message, glad that she would soon come back.

But whilst Zarene had been walking out of the building, her friend called out for her. Getting her attention.

"Girl. I havent seen you all day." Samantha commented, noticing the tired look on her face, but not saying nothing.

"Yeah i know i was busy. Just cleaning around and stuff." Zarene explained

"Anyways. Make sure you give it a try... you know" Samantha said. "Yeah im gonna try it out. I guess I should go now...bye" she said before walking away, only for her to end up slightly bumping into Samantha's boyfriend at the door.  Which after she had apologised for she ran off.

"Damn. She weird" he muttered as Samantha walked up to him to kiss and hug him. "You ready?" He spoke whilst one of his arm contorted around Samantha's waist. She nodded in response and just like that the two made their way to their car.

But unknown to them, as the couple walked of across the parking lot, two eyes followed their every move.

D'avonte who had been sitting in his car for over five minutes now, had been watching their every move ever since he had recognised Samantha. The same Samantha that had been in a relationship with his friend, hugged up with someone else. He had been curious about the person she was currently leaned up on and kissing. And he knew well Samantha was his friend's girl and they hadn't broke up as far as he knew, so she must have been cheating on him. Again.

Knock knock knock knock knock knock
Zarene relentlessly knocked, getting tired of standing outside. He had been so caught up, that the whole time Zarene had been knocking on the door he had not heard it. And by the time they had zoomed off in their car, realisation set in and the door was finally opened for her.

"Finally"
She said as she climbed into the car, shutting it close as soon as she was fully in, whilst his eyes rested on her checking if anything was wrong with her.

"You know the girl that just walked across the parking lot?" He asked her hoping to get any kind of information. "The girl wearing the uniform like me?" She asked

"Yeah, the one with the lightskin nigga. You know her?" He added

"Yeah, that's Samantha. Why?"

"Nun, Dont worry. How was your day? You good?"

"Im fine." She kept it short, of course she wasn't going to speak up since, she didn't really want yo bother him. Plus just like her he had been to work all day today, to her it would have been unfair for her to disturb him.

"Put your seatbealt on. Whatchu want to eat?"

"Can we get pizza?" she replied while putting her seatbealt on. After that he started the car heading to the local pizza spot, blasting music as they went.

When they had arrived, he parked his car and turned to face her wanting to her ask what she wanted.

"What do you want?"
"Can you get me the pepperoni pizza and a sprite. Please"

"Ok then. Don't be opening the door to anyone and stay here. Gonna be back in less that ten, don't go nowhere" He went on, delivering the same speech he always gave her, before leaving as she watched him leave and walk into the pizza spot. Leaving her alone in the car.

'Now or never' she thought. She had to give it a try.

So she lifted herself up from her seat and got the pills she had previously tucked in her back pocket. She needed to take it quickly.

And in less that a minute the pill had been  swallowed, leaving her to now wait for for it to kick in.

As time passed she occupied herself with her phone, slowly, but surely getting hungry wanting for him to come back with the food. And just as she won the game she had been playing, she noticed him walking back.

When, he had finally reached the car she leaned over and opened the door letting him in. As he slowly entered the car he distributed four large boxes, between the two and dropped the drinks in the cups holder, eventually making himself comfortable in the car and then shutting the door close.

"You got so much food." Zarene said noticing three, other boxes of pizza, apart from theirs that weren't supposed to be there.

"Got food for them too. They probably ain't eat the whole day, cause you not there. You know how they are" He said as his hand grabbed his drink out of the cup holder and drank out of it.

"You still bought way too much. Thats a lot. I can still cook food for them as soon as I get there. You should waste you're hard earned money " She added

"Nah. Dont bother. Bought this for a reason" He said resting one of the boxes on his lap and taking one piece out to eat.

"Then let get to the house so we can all eat together" She proposed

"You want to?" He asked making her nod her head in return.
He did as she has suggested and started the car, with the pizza box still sitting on his lap. 

Driving and eating. Even the endless scolding from Zarene couldn't stop his reckless driving, it wasn't that serious but she wanted him to entirely focus on the streets and not the food.

But, it could be said that his crazy driving came in handy as they had reached the house in a small amount of time and after his car had been parked, the both of them came out and walked to the house with D'avonte carrying most of the food and Zarene carrying the drinks with her free hand.

"You got the keys?" He asked, feeling too lazy to go on a search. She looked at him and answered "Yeah", Before getting them out and opening the door for the both, making him enter the house first and then locking the door behind them once fully in.

"Oh. Y'all back." Kendra stated noticing it was just them

"What you mean 'Oh'? And where everybody at?" He asked wondering why she had said it in such a tone.

"Nun. Everybody here minus Nana. Ion know where she at. You bought all of this? Can I get some?" She asked changing the topic.

"There's no food here?" He asked in return, ready to give Zarene the I told you look. And when Keandra confimed it, he turned around around and gave her the look since he had been right.

"Dont you see the power you got power in your hands. They nothing without you" he whispered to Zarene dapping her up, making her giggle.

"Whatchu laughing about? What was that about? It better not be me" Keandra asked ruining the mood.

She wanted to make sure Zarene wasn't laughing at her. But instead of replying Zarene cimpletely ignored her and walked away, towards the kitchen to get paper plates for everybody to eat.

After getting them she returned to the living room only to earn a nasty stare from Keandra. And as she did before Zarene ignored her until Keandra had finally stopped attacking her with her eyes.

"Go call everybody else" he commanded Keandra making her huff, evidently irritated. "Wow! You got this little girl seated while I do what she supposed to do" she muttered.

"Ay, You wanna eat or not?" He looked at her with a dead serious face.

"Never mind. I forgot this bitch always manipulates everybody" she said mumbled standing up to go call them.

"Zaria. Aria. Caleb. Get the fuck downstairs, yall. Food is here" she shouted standing at the bottom of the stairs, not even making the effort to walking up the stairs. Eventually walking back into the living room to sit at the table.

"Don't come back here if you ain't gonna apologise to her"

"I just want food. Vonte. You gonna let me starve to death if I dont? Wow" She placed her hand on her hip tired of being humiliated because of her.

"I just might" he said before biting in his pizza, looking directly at her. He wasn't playing.

"Vonte. It's fine." Zarene interrupted, feeling guilty for having them against each other. She just truly wanted to focus on the food, since the pill had really made her hungry.

"Well she said it herself. So bye. Stop trying to embarass me."  She said making him kiss his teeth. Of course she had totally missed the point "Since you don't want me here imma take this, this, this and this. Good bye yall" She spoke taking four pizza slices with her and heading upstairs to her room. Leaving them alone.

"You should have let her apologise. Can't be letting them walked over you like this" he mumbled before focusing on the pizza and his phone.

'I know' she thought. Completely agreeing with him.

Just as Keandra went upstairs everyone else came downstairs and started eating together, some watching the tv and some using their phone, all whilst Zarene stuffed her mouth with pizza. Unexpectedly filling full after her meal.

Not full but also tired, resulting in her going to bed.
____________________________________
End of this chapter.....
Hope you vote and comment. You guys might not understand this but you're gonna get it after.