Previously
If she was willing to go to those kinds of lengths to be around me, who knows what she'll try next? Even if she "can't" be around me for real.
I was fine just having her kept away from me on campus but..I'm not so sure anymore.
Taniah comes from a wealthy family..so she has a shit ton of money to throw down the drain..and people would clearly do anything for it.
I sigh.
"..I don't think I can handle being on the same campus as her anymore." I mutter, looking out of the big window in the office.
Ir really didn't want it to come to this, I just wanted her out of my dorm..but this is far more serious than I originally thought it to be. She's dangerous.
"I didn't think so." Ms. Miller responds, "But, in all honesty, what she did warranted her for immediate expulsion."
"So.." I trail off, glancing at her.
"She's was escorted off campus with all her belongings around the time I emailed you." She says.
I lean back in my seat and my eyes find their way back to the window.
"Okay..so my dorm?" I ask, my eyes still glued in place.
"All yours." Ms. Miller responds.
"Okay...is..that all?" I continue and she nods.
"Yes," She says with a nod, "I'm so sorry you have to experience this bullshit. Excuse my French."
"Yeah..yeah me too.." I respond, pushing my chair back.
I gotta get out of here.
"Can I go now?" I ask, staring at my shoes.
Ms. Miller nods slowly and I stand up.
"Thank you." I mumble quietly.
"Zaylani-" I hear her call, but I'm out the door before she can say anything else.
I find my way back down to the first floor, still in a daze. I hear Yanira say something but I keep walking.
I just need to get away..
Zaylani's POV
I wander back to the dorm, hoping Kierra & Danielle wouldn't be home when I got there.
I pull a keycard that we had made out of my bag and unlock the door.
Okay, no one's home. Good.
I rush to my room and grab all my things, stuffing them in the suitcase I had for my stay.
I don't even wanna stay in my dorm right now..I'll go to that hotel.
>>
After checking into the hotel, I locate my room.
I look around, it's pretty nice actually.
I pull out my phone and text Kierra.
Hey bestie, everything's sorted out with Taniah but I'm staying at that hotel for a day or two, I just need to be alone for a while. Don't worry about me okay? I love youuuuuu🩶🩶🩶
With that, I turn my phone off, getting ready to take a hot shower. I open my laptop and turn on my chill playlist on shuffle before connecting my speaker and heading to the bathroom.
Break from Toronto ~PARTYNEXTDOOR comes on.
>
After my shower, I shut all the lights off and lay in bed, letting my busy mind lull me to sleep.
>>>
Two days later
After staying in that hotel for a bit and clearing my head, I finally decided it was time I get back to original programming.
I'm on my way back to my dorm with my suitcase, scrolling through Insta on my phone when I look up and see a familiar curly fro walking in front of me.
"Yanira?" I call out cautiously and she turns around with a confused look on her face.
She realizes it's me and her face softens, a smile replacing her confusion.
She's wearing an off black oversized sweatshirt with baggy green jeans and grey New Balances.
"Oh, hey Zaylani." She greets me with a wave and I trot a little to catch up to her.
"Heyy, how are you?" I ask, adjusting my top.
I'm wearing a real cropped beater with frayed ends that give it a ripped effect, some grey sweats that fall right below my waist, slightly showing my boxers. And of course, some crocs; my rainbow ones.
"I'm good, you?" She responds quietly, fiddling with the lanyard hanging out her pocket.
"Ehh, I'm livin." I answer with a small shrug.
"Uh..is everything alright?" She asks.
"Mmm..yes and no butttt, I digress." I say, rubbing my neck.
"Of course..what's with the suitcase?" Yanira asks, changing the subject.
I chuckle.
"Ohh, I was in a hotel for a couple days so..I'm on my trek back to reality right now." I half joke.
"Welcome back then." She jokes back.
"Yeah, where you headed?" I ask, we're now walking side by side.
"I'm about to go chill with a friend and she lives in this res hall." Yanira answers and I nod.
"Ohh okay, cool cool." I respond.
"Hey, don't take this the wrong way buttt, you think I could get your number? You seem like a really chill person." She says as we walk, "No funny business though I swear."
I laugh.
"Yeah def. You do too. Plus, I owe you after saving my ass from wandering that building like a dumbass." I joke and she laughs.
We exchange numbers and walk and chat until we're at my floor.
Surprisingly, she gets off the elevator on the same floor as me.
I'm searching through my bag for my keycard as I walk to my dorm when I glance up and see her at the door right next to mine.
We look at each other awkwardly.
..Is she friends with Nique?
"Umm..not to be weird or anything but...is your friend Nique by any chance?" I ask and Yanira gives me a look.
"Umm..definitely not.." She retorts, trailing off.
Hello?
If she's friends with someone in that dorm, it has to be Meera..and based on her reaction..that tracks.
Why me lord?
I suck in a breath through my teeth.
"Yikes." I mutter.
I decide to try and avoid any type of confrontation and get ready to unlock my door.
"Wait." I hear Yanira say, "you're that Zaylani?"
I give her a look.
"..I don't really know what that means...?" I respond, confused.
Like what?
"The female Nique cheated on Meera with." She says blankly.
I only look at her. Her whole shy demeanor towards me has morphed into passive aggression.
Huh?
"Wh-.....huh???" I say.
"What you mean? Meera told me that her and Nique were together and they broke up a few days ago because she cheated on her with a girl named Zaylani from a dorm next door." Yanira explains, "that's what I'm here for in the first place. She wanted to be away from her."
My jaw is on the floor.
What type of shit is this??
"You're Zaylani, are you not?" She questions with a bit of an attitude.
"Chill out.." I warn, "I am Zaylani, I mean obviously, shit..I clearly live next door..but none of that bullshit is true."
"So you're telling me she lied?" She says, crossing her arms.
Well no fucking shit.
"Right out her ass." I retort.
"Mmm..I'm gonna have to ask her about this.." Yanira says, clearly not believing me, "because lying about something like that is a bit psychotic and Meera isn't that."
I shrug and she knocks on their door.
Shit, if that's what floats her boat.
"You do that then." I say, unlocking my door.
I hear her scoff as I enter my dorm.
The universe just can't give a bitch a break, huh?
"Welp, that's one potential friendship down the drain," I mutter to myself, "better now than later though."
I push the previous events out my mind and breathe a sigh of relief, taking in my empty dorm.
I go to my room and quickly unpack my suitcase before plopping on my bed.
It feels amazing being able to walk in here knowing for a fact that Taniah won't ever be waiting here for me again.
I still have a lot of healing to do but now I can do that with no surprise pop ups from her.
However, I do have to go see Kierra to let her know I'm good, I know she's been losing her mind these passed few days trying not to spam my phone.
Hopefully Yanira and Meera left already.
I get off my bed and leave my room before exiting my dorm, texting a few people back from when I went MIA.
Of course, just my fucking luck, when I look up, Yanira, Meera and Nique are all standing outside their dorm. Nique looks irritated, Meera looks like she's about to get caught in a fucking lie, and Yanira just looks confused.
I wholeheartedly believe the universe is out to get me..because what?
Nique notices me and sizes me up not so subtly before licking her lips.
Good god.
She's wearing a black beater and black knee length sweat shorts that are a little big for her as they sag low on one side, revealing red Ethikas. Her hair is in a messy bun.
Literally no reason for her to look that good.
"Zaylani." I hear Nique call, snapping me out my thoughts. I look at her.
"Yes.." I respond, trailing off.
Nique's POV
<<
I'm sitting on the couch scrolling through TikTok when I hear a knock at the door.
Meera comes out her room, I'm guessing she's planning on going out.
She's been leaving me alone for the most part other than her staring me down 24/7.
Thank God.
She's wearing frayed denim jorts and a brown oversized graphic tee with birkenstocks and socks with a brown tote bag that has little flowers on it. Her hair is down, with some strands in her face.
She goes and opens the door.
"Hey babe!" She greets her friend I'm guessing.
"Hey..I gotta question before we go." The person on the other side of the door responds.
Aw shit?
"You weren't lying about the whole thing with your roommate right?" She asks and I immediately almost break my neck looking back.
The girl at the other side of the door glances at me before looking back at Meera. "..because I just met the girl from next door that you alleged she cheated with and she seemed shocked at that accusation.." She finishes.
What the fuck?
Girl next door??
Cheated???
"Meera???" I call and she doesn't look back.
I swear..
I stand up and walk over to the two of them.
"What's going on?" I ask Meera and she swallows.
"Um..nothing..?" She says, refusing to look at me.
I look over at the girl.
"Hi..um. What's your name?" I ask her.
"Yanira." She responds curtly, clearly under the guise of whatever lie Meera told her.
"Well Yanira..I have no idea what Meera told you and I don't think I want to but-" I start.
Just then, the door next to us opens. A second or two later, Zaylani steps out. She stands there for a second, doing something on her phone before looking up and directly at me.
I can't help but take her in as she looks at me with an unreadable expression.
She's so fuckin pretty.
"Zaylani." I call out to her.
"Yes.." She responds, her voice dwindling.
Seems like she knows what I'm about to mention.
"Do you know about any of this?" I ask, pointing between Meera and the girl I now know as Yanira.
"About how I'm apparently your secret love affair?" She jokes bitterly, evidently put off by the situation, "Yeah."
"So is it a lie or what??" Yanira asks Meera, obviously confused.
Poor girl doesn't know how crazy her ass is.
Meera doesn't say anything.
Zaylani smacks her teeth.
"Yo can you speak up please?? You're caught. It's over. Stop wasting everyone's time." She snaps at Meera.
She already seems to be on edge.
I wonder if everything's okay?
Meera sighs.
"Yes..it was a lie." Meera finally admits, staring at the ground.
Her friend looks taken aback.
"You're serious??" She says.
Meera nods slowly.
"So it was all a lie this whole time?" Yanira asks, clearly in disbelief.
"Well..we did fuck..we were just never together.." Meera says quietly, I look at Zaylani and see her shaking her head. "..She might've actually been with her."
Of course it circles back to that.
Yanira's eyebrows raise and she looks at Zaylani.
Zaylani scoffs.
"Nope. Were never together." She says blankly. I know conversation annoyed her, as it served as a reminder of what I did.
"Yo..that's weird as hell Meera..what the fuck?" Yanira says to Meera with a disgusted look on her face, the depth of the situation just now hitting her.
Meera goes back to being silent.
"I'm sorry Zaylani. I should've believed you." Yanira says to Zaylani, sincerity in her eyes.
"You're good. You had no reason to." Zaylani responds with a shrug.
She glances at me.
"I'm gonna go now though." She says.
"Alright..we cool though, right?" Yanira asks her.
"Yeah, yeah. No hard feelings." Zaylani answers, "I'll see you, aight?"
Yanira nods with a small smile and a look of relief on her face.
With that, Zaylani leaves. Not even sparing me a glance.
That hurt way more than it should have.
But I don't know what I expected..that was the first time I've seen her since I told her about Meera and I..which was only like a week and some change ago.
Yanira turns and gives me an awkward smile.
"Sorry about all this." She says shyly.
"No problem." I respond.
With that, she leaves as well, but not before giving Meera one last dirty look and shaking her head.
I look at Meera who's already staring at me with puppy dog eyes. I scoff and move past her, going back into the dorm.
What a fucking mess.
Zaylani's POV
I made sure to leave that situation as soon as possible, I simply do not have the energy to deal with anymore unnecessary conflict.
Also, I don't wanna talk to Nique. Not only because I'm still hurt about what she told me, but because I know speaking to her will make me miss her even more than I already do and I really don't need anymore on my plate. Shit's overflowing already.
I take the elevator to Kierra and Danielle's floor and walk to their dorm.
I knock.
"Coming!" I hear Kierra call out after a few seconds.
A few more seconds later, she opens the door.
As soon as she sees me, her eyes widen with a gasp and she pulls me into a deep hug that I automatically reciprocate.
"Zaylani! Oh my god!" She exclaims as she pulls away after hugging me.
"Are you okay? I was worried fuckin sick!" She questions me, searching my face.
I laugh.
"I missed your ass." I say.
Kierra only stares at me, clearly not amused.
I sigh.
"I'm sorry I just up and left like that." I apologize, "Can I come inside and explain?"
She nods and pulls me inside.
"Glad to see you're okay Zay." Danielle says, walking out of her and Kierra's room.
I smile at her.
We all sit on the couch and I explain everything that happened. They were both as shocked and angry as I was, immediately prompting them to understand why I took some time to myself.
The two of them made sure I knew they'd be here with me through thick and thin, making sure I was okay during every step of my journey.
I can't lie, tears were shed. Happy tears of course, knowing that the universe blessed me with such amazing friends.
But also, a hint of sadness because in all honesty, I still wish Nique could still be a part of my journey. She's helped me so much as is and I'll never forget that, regardless of where life takes us. But maybe..just maybe, she could join me later on.
I sigh after my conversation with Danielle and Kierra.
"I love you guys." I say to the both of them.
"And we love you more." Kierra says.
"For life, girl. We're here for you always." Danielle chimes in.
"Ugh." I groan, burying my face in my hands as I feel tears start stinging my eyes again.
The both of them laugh, teasing me and pulling me into a warm and loving group hug.
My babies.
What would I do without them?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Me writing that last lil scene🙁:
I love their friendship🩶🩶🩶🩶.
Zay & Nique after hearing wtf Meera was saying😹:
Meera acting like she can't move when she gets caught up LMFAOOOO:
Yanira after realizing that Meera really is psychotic😧:
Nah LMFAOAOAOA I'M DONE NOW😹😹😹
Anywhoooo, hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! We going up from here YESSSAAA we made itttt😜😜😜😜. Lmk how y'all feeling so far tho, fav character?🤔 I'm NOT asking y'all least favs bc y'all not finna have me in these comments tweaking out😹. All love tho! Love you gays smmm💋💋💋💋🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤!!!!
Also, I'm updating my characters which & I'm struggling like shit to find sb that fits Nique😹 so lmk if y'all got suggestions PLEASE. Toodles!
Published on 7/27/23