𝘙𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘢 ...
𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘺𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘙𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘥
◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤
"today is the day!" desiree thought, smiling at herself in her mirror. she was getting out.. finally.
3 years, 6 months and 8 days...
"I c-c-an can do it." she lowly stuttered, shaking out the word.
she huffed, placing her hands on the small dresser below the mirror. anxiety rushed through her body at the thought of seeing actual people again. her uncle, cousins, and his wife.
a fresh start.
she was a new person now. she wasn't sure if it was for better or worse though.
her room door slowly unlocked, and the sound made her jump. she quickly corrected her stance standing straight up as she waited for the door to open and reveal who was behind it entirely.
"mrs. delani?" dr. micki smiled as she entered the room.
"h-hi," desiree said lowly, looking at the ground. she hated dr. micki, but her fear that accumulated over the years filled that void way more than any anger could.
"today is the big day are you excited?" dr. micki said, making her way closer to desiree. she squatted a little lowering her 5'8 height to desiree's 5'4 frame.
"y-yes, dr. m-micki." desiree said lowly, still not picking up her head. she felt nothing at this moment but fear, honestly. being so close in her proximity after only seeing her through a glass in the past three years was really taking a toll.
this was the first time she had ever been in experience with dr. micki in the flesh and on her last day. everyone knows it was no secret that at South Detain and Retrain Center, desiree was dr. micki's favorite.
she broke desiree or how they say it detained and retrained her. she wasn't desiree anymore she was delani here, only called by her middle name never her first.
"well delani I hope over the past three years you learned something. your 18 now and no longer of age to be here. don't think about reverting to your old habits tho that person you were is long dead and looking for the dead gets you killed. enjoy what little life you have left delani you better hope we never meet again." she said nonchalantly as she left the room.
a nurse holding a small white duffle bag entered with a mug on his face. "uhh delani?" he read from a piece of paper.
she looked up finally looking at the brownskin man who looked irritated.
"y-ye-yes sir" she choked out looking down at his shoes. he was wearing some standard non slip shoes that she's seen over a million times.
"can you come with me yo folks outside waiting I think." he said turning around slowly before walking out.
desiree walked behind him with her head down holding onto her pinky. she wished a wave of emotions were flowing through her but she felt nothing.
she was happy to see her family but just couldn't find a way to show it. she was just there happy in spirit.
"how long have you been here?" the man asked taking a glance behind him. he noticed she was three steps behind him to be exact. since he started walking she was always three steps behind.
he just started working at the facility today but he was thinking about quitting already. the vibe in the place wasn't what they advertised so he was thinking about bailing once he gets to the gates himself. this place was giving prison and he wasn't feeling it. he was too young to be working a job like this anyway.
"3 y-yea-ye-" she stammered but couldn't get the word out. ever since coming here her word count completely fell. she couldn't say anything without croaking or stuttering she hated speaking.
"I understand what your trying to say." he softly said opening the doors for her. he let her walk in first. she stepped to the side instantly after walking through the doors so he could continue leading.
he glanced at her quickly before leading her to the final doors. he was definitely leaving right behind her. if anything she was a lesson to get the fuck out now. he knew himself and knew that the shit they got going on in here would probably kill his soul.
"this is it your family is right through this door." he said looking down at her. she was too looking down fixating on her pinky.
"delani?" he softly said hoping to get her to look up. she looked broken but fine at the same time. he wanted to see her eyes. he could tell a lot about a person just by a glance he just wanted one. she was looking at him for a split second in her room but it wasn't enough and he wasn't paying attention then but he was now.
"m-my n-na-nam-e is de-s-ss- desiree." she stammered keeping her face down.
"desiree, well i'm not familiar with this place and this will be my last time being here can I ask one thing of you?" the boy said holding his hand out in front of hers.
desiree looked down at his hand, it looked soft and clean. she hasn't had any actually physical touch in years. she wasn't even sure if she was capable anymore.
"take my hand.. please?" he said.
she held her hand up hovering over his. was this against the rules? she had never touched any of the helpers before was this the same or different.. would she get punished for doing this?
before she could continue thinking his hand grasped hers softly. he bent down to her ear and calmly spoke in the softest tone he could muster.
"desiree don't let this place define you or bring down the person you wanna be. be better than who you are now, when you walk out those doors forget about delani you are desiree! create a new person that you can be proud of. if you don't think anyone is rooting for you trust that I am. even if we never meet again i'll tell you my name for a keepsake. Jaquil"
he stood to his complete length not waiting for her answer but he hoped she would take his words into deep consideration. he didn't know desiree from a can of paint but something really seemed wrong and he just wanted to help what little he could.
she paused looking at the palm of her hand his kind words replaying in her mind like some kind of melody. she smiled hearing the ringing of her own given name and not her middle name that legally isn't even hers. jaquil flowed through her mind like an endless river flourishing the drought of seas and thoughtless thinking she had been doing.
she finally looked up at his tall frame as he stood by the door looking out the small window. she walked up closer to him breaking the three step barrier she subconsciously set.
"t-th-thank you." she mumbled looking up at him. his frame turned from the window, shadowing a cloak above her. "your welcome desiree." he smiled finally stepping back an opening the exit. he walked out first holding the door for desiree.
she slowly walked out holding her hand to the sky in a means to block the sun. the sun... something she had rarely seen in these last years. maybe once or twice had she seen the sun.
it was hot, warm, beautiful.
"MOOKIE!!" a deep voice screamed instantly catching her attention. the voice wasn't familiar but the name seemed nostalgic. before she could even turn she felt herself being spun off the ground.
"mookie my baby!" he said aloud tears falling from his eyes as Sharmein held his niece tightly. she hugged him back laying her head on his shoulder.
physical touch.. what was this called again a hug? she thought.
after what felt like forever he placed her on the ground taking a look at her. she looked nothing like the little 16 year old he remembered. she still had her braces but other than that she was a whole new person.
standing at 5'4 desiree was a pretty girl. not completely clear but glossy caramel skin. she had low cat eyes with semi thin eyebrows. nice plump full pink lips as well. but her eyes the look in them, sharmein couldn't explain it her eyes looked devastating.
"are you uncle sharmein?" desiree signed catching him completely off guard. was he fluent in sigh language... yes because his best friend is deaf but why was desiree signing last he knew she could definitely speak.
"yes, are you okay why aren't you talking?" he sighed back. her eyes fell to the ground once again looking at his jordans she didn't know the name of them but she thinks they were 4's maybe. they were black and red very stylish.
"can we go now please?" she signed still not looking up. he let out a sorrowing sigh holding out his hand for her to take.
starring at his hand she started to think about jaquil. become a new person, was really echoing in her mind. she couldn't put it in words but she knew she would like to at least try an alternate her life.
she held her hand up to his placing it in his grasp. his hand was a little tougher than jaquil's but it was also soft. she internally smiled walking behind sharmein to his BMW. he opened the back door for her allowing her to hop in.
there was a small car pillow and blanket on the seat along with a bag of snacks too.
it was a three hour drive from the center to north carolina and he wanted her to be as comfortable as possible.
he knew that his niece wasn't going to be the same. he understood that and prayed about it every day for three years. he had been trying to see her for three years as well. he could never forgive Marnae for abandoning her daughter just because they weren't seeing eye to eye.
oh and his brother. ugh. tears brimmed his eyes just thinking about it. he couldn't cry right now though not in front of desiree.
"I did it Sinceree I got her back" he mumbled to himself as he revved up the engine. he sat for a second going on his phone to see what playlist he wanted to listen to while driving. his son Sameer made all his playlists because he thinks he knows his father soooo well (we does sharmein loves every single playlist)
after picking, he was about to drive off but saw someone walking towards the car. it was a brown-skin boy who looked well-kept and clean. couldn't be any more than 6'4. he had dreads that were styled in barrel twist, sharmein scratched his head just thinking about that god forsaken style. he himself had dreads long healthy ones at that, and he will never EVER in his life get barrel twist again.
he downed his window and looked at the boy, "hello sorry to bother you, i'm Jaquil I escorted mrs. desiree out of the facility but I forgot her bag. so here" he said holding it up to the window. it wasn't big nor full so he just held it up.
sharmein side eyed him just suspicious if this man was genuine about this job. for one he was young no more than 21 really. plus his uniform looked like it had been roughed up or undone.
"I know I look suspicious but I just quit this weak ass job. today was my first and last day in here. seeing yo kin look like that don't sit right in my soul." he expressed glancing towards the back seat even though the windows were tinted he knew desiree was back there.
"I understand young one, ion blame you. this place is an awful place to be. I wouldn't send my child 50 yards in this direction and i'm glad my niece is finally out. she gotta shake back from all the hell I know she's been through and you seem like a nice person. where all human and curiosity can get the best of us if you wanna know in the future how desiree is give me your number." sharmein said.
he always did things like this. when he saw a person with a good heart attempt to help someone else but knows they just might never see if they actually achieved anything he always asked for their number or way of contact. helping good people see that their actions have altered someone's life helps him sleep at night.
"you sure?" jaquil said hesitant. of course he wanted to know what desiree would be like when she finds herself but he didn't think it would be his place to actually see without you know the universe and shit.
"you can leave it up to destiny to see her again or me." he said looking at him.
jaquil blankly stared at him not really knowing if he should take this leap of faith or not...
"i'll give you my number" he says. sharmein smiled grabbing his phone. after exchanging numbers and securing the very light bag he hit the road.
𖨆♡𖨆
"oh my godddd meer she is hereeee!" Destiny jumped opening the front door to her parents home watching her father get out of the front seat. she ran up to him with meer right behind her.
"okay yall listen this ain't the same mookie y'all remember okay.. she's different and she might sign when she speaking." he said making both their facial expression drop.
it wasn't a bad drop more like a let's mellow down and not overrun her with our excitement drop. sharmein nodded to them and opened the back door.
desiree looked up grabbing all her trash and stuff that had accumulated over the last three hours. she was still wearing her hospital gown but luckily had on shorts so her booty wasn't out.
"oh mookie" meer cried looking at his cousin. he knew something was wrong with her he could tell. she was completely different from the mookie he grew up with. he felt a piece of his heart shatter when he looked at her smile. it was so fake.
"m-mookie" destiny said pushing meer out the way to look at her. her mouth dropped, placing her hand over her mouth tears fell from her eyes. her other half was finally back. her evil twin. even if she wasn't mookie anymore she was still everything to her.
jumping into the car to hug mookie destiny tackled her into a hug. tears falling from her face as she embraced her.
desiree was new to hugs but they were very simple. she wrapped her arms around her cousin lightly rubbing her back. she remembered both Sameer and Destiny they were her cousins and best friends. she hoped the love would still be there and she was over the moon to see that it was.
after destiny sniffles had calmed down and she was just lying in desiree's chest meer pushed her off making her fall onto the small floor of the car.
"c'mon out mookie." he helped taking her hand. she slowly stepped out of the car and looked up at him. tears stained his face as he looked into her eyes.
"my sweet sweet mookie." he sobbed hugging her. his 6'3 build overpowered her but she still hugged his stomach.
after more cries and sobs mookie spoke. not signed but spoke. she felt like they should know why she isn't talking.
"I-I- I uhhhh. I- me-mu-missed y-ya-y'all" she said looking between all of them. all of their hearts broke listening to her talk. it was like hearing a broken record. a sweet voice but a terrible stutter.
"now I know why she was signing." sharmein said wiping away some tears.
they four stared at each other for a while just all in their own worlds. "I am sleepy" she signed looking between all of them.
destiny and sameer were fluent in sigh language as well because their uncle is deaf (not rly they uncle but y'all know how black folk do)
"want me to show you your room?" meer said because he didn't see a point to sign if she wasn't deaf.
destiny and sharmein on the other hand were signing.
desiree held her hand up to meer. he looked down and took her hand. internally she was happy. she was a little scared he wasn't gonna take it.
holding hands to her is a big deal it's like securing a friendship and building trust in her mind. if she holds hands with you she automatically sets a level of friendship.
"we are gonna get you through this" sharmein said pulling desire, destiny, and meer into a hug. he loved all of them so much and only wished prosperity on each.
𖨆♡𖨆
this is the end of the first chapter 🦾.
my chapters will be on the longer side and this one is a bit lengthy ngl.
we got introduced to the main cast today some others are coming but our big three are Desiree, Destiny, and Sameer.
let me know your thoughts on the first chapter I really enjoy the criticism of writing.
bye byee 🫂
oh wait ima show there fc since I name dropped them.
Desiree Fc
Destiny Fc
Sameer Fc