Jahseh
My phone lights up from an incoming notification for the hundredth time this past hour.
You got a new match 😍😍😍
Reading the notification with the greatest amount of disinterest, I toss my phone on the bed. My attention drifts to my laptop again, running a hand through my dreadlocks.
It's 11:32 P.M. — which means I've spent the past four hours trying to finish the song.
All I know for now is that it's called Look At Me. I've got the first verse drafted, but for some reason it's lacking something.
Maybe it's because I've been feeling numb.
My phone buzzes once again, but this time it's from an incoming call. It's Ski. I immediately slide my finger across the screen.
"Yo, Jahsehhhhh!" he slurs, stretching out my name like chewing gum. He's definitely high.
"Ski, man, wassup?"
"Wanna chill?"
"As long as you don't wake up my mom and Aiden," I say, fiddling with my dreads by pulling them in front of my face.
"Fuck... I haven't seen Cleo in ages, man," Ski says, his euphoric state making him chuckle.
"All due respect but," I wipe my lip with the pad of my thumb. "After the whole prison thing I don't think she wants you to come over."
"Damn. Does she not know you was the crazy ass with the idea?"
I let out a laugh that's almost too loud.
"I'm pulling your leg, vro. She motherfuckin' loves you."
"You got me, vro." Ski laughs on the other end, making me shake my head with a grin.
"Hurry up, though," I insist, looking at the time again. It's 12 A.M. now.
"Okay. I'll hit you up when I get there," Ski says before ending the call.
Around fifteen minutes later a light beams through my window from an incoming car. In fact. Ski's Range Rover has been parked in the driveway, which would probably piss the shit out of my mom if she saw it.
My phone buzzes and it's a message from Ski saying he's downstairs. I make my way down to the front door as silently as possible before swinging it open.
"Vroo!" Ski's words are slurred, but I force him to stay quiet by pressing my hand against his mouth. Ski nods, understanding that even if he's baked as fuck, he can't wake everyone up. Leading him to my room, I make sure my door is locked before letting out an exhale.
The truth is, we've been sneaking each other into our rooms since we were fourteen years old. It's not like it's a secret that we hang out and bun all the time, but I still feel like my mom shouldn't know the details.
"Remember, no yelling and shit," I say barely above a whisper.
"Okay," he murmurs, eyeing my room. He's been here hundreds of times, which makes me wonder what he's looking at. His eyes set on my laptop which is on my desk. "Have you been working on that song you told me about?"
"Yeah. It's not done yet, but it's something."
"Can I hear it?" Ski asks, making me nod.
Passing the laptop to Ski, I throw myself on the bed with a grunt. For some reason, my bed still feels somewhat foreign since I got back from prison.
"This is dope, man."
"You like it?"
"It's punchy. The distorted backtrack works well, cuz." Ski bops his head in the beat of the song, fully engrossed in the lyric pad next to him.
"Thanks, vro. I gotta piss, I'll be back."
"Imma keep listening."
"Anyway, what you doin' dressed like you about to go out?" I ask, taking in his outfit. He's wearing one of those oversized Supreme tees that every dude is obsessed with now.
"I got a date," he answers much to my surprise.
"With who?"
"Some chick from college," Ski says, his eyes suddenly wandering to my phone. "Your phone keeps blowing up. You should stop ignoring people."
"What time's your date?"
"Fifteen min. We was supposed to have dinner but now she saying she wants to drink out."
"Sounds chill." I limit my answer because I have no idea what else to say to him. I'm not the best at this whole relationship shit. I scare people which means I only attract psychos — like Arya.
"Anyway, I need to get going," Ski says, getting up from my desk chair. He swings his arms around, his eyelids partly closed from smoking.
"Ight, safe. Imma walk you out," I say, jumping up.
Giving Ski a bro hug at the door, I watch him step into the night before quietly rushing to my room.
Rubbing my temples, I leave my phone on my bed before pulling my laptop towards me. I should watch something before falling asleep, since I'm nowhere near tired. Shit, I just remembered I didn't finish that Atlanta episode.
I scroll down my Netflix shows before hitting resume, my phone buzzing again. Glaring at the screen, I let out a sigh when I realise I got a message on Tinder.
Nora sent you a new message
I open the app, scrolling through a dozen women who've messaged me in the past hour until I find Nora's name at the top of the list. I curse under my breath when I tap on her profile, realising it's the Nora — Ski's drunken neighbour.
I'm surprised she even matched with me. On top of that, she initiated the convo.
Nora: Wasn't expecting you on here. Was prison too hard?
Letting out an arrogant snort under my breath, I feel a strange irritation building up. Is this chick for real?
X: Apparently easier than going to an Ivy League College.
I let out a laugh when she doesn't reply back. She's irritating, for real. Her nice ass house probably means she's got a massive ego.
I must have scared her off real good because I don't get a notification the whole night.
xxx
Nora
By the time I head to college, there's a crowd of people standing outside the main building in a queue. Shit, it's 'Free Coffee Thursday' already?
I make my way towards my first class, wishing I could have stayed at home instead. My mom finally told me what she wanted to talk to me about — my habit of skipping classes for the sake of curing a hangover.
She's grounded me for the next three days and made me swear I'd never skip class again. Well, unless I get sick. It's the first time she's spoken to me in the past couple of days, which makes me wonder why she suddenly cares about my attendance.
Since my dad was sent to prison, she hasn't cared much about life except her profession.
I bump into Tay and Chris outside our Stats class, immediately catching both of their attention when I approach them.
"Hey sis!" Tay greets me, wrapping me into a tight hug. "God, when was the last time I saw you?"
"Uh... Monday?" I ask, unsure of the answer myself. "Chris!" I exclaim, giving the petite brunette a tight hug.
"Hey! We missed you, girl. Paintball isn't the same without you,"
"You know I don't like paintball," I say, pursing my lips. The truth is, after a past trauma related to gun violence, I can never look at a gun again. Nobody knows about it, so I prefer to keep it that way.
"It's pretty fun when you play against hot guys though," Chris beams, going on her phone. She shows me a few pictures of them with the paintball guns looking like real badasses.
"You guys look hot with guns," I chuckle, the girls joining me.
"It's a bad bitch thing. Anyway, did you manage to do the exercises? 'Cause I literally could not be assed."
"Did them, but they're probably all wrong anyway."
"That's my girl," Tay elbows me. That's when I notice Eliyah behind her, walking up to us with his backpack strung to his shoulder.
"Hey, y'all," Eliyah says, giving us a grin.
"Yah! Oh, my God. Haven't seen you in forever."
"Yeah 'cause y'all decided to take a holiday to Orlando," Yah laughs, winking at them. In fact, I was supposed to go with them but a few days before the trip, my mom had said she needed me at home. She never actually did, but I didn't care enough about the trip to Orlando.
"It was so much fun, like for real. What have you two been up to?"
"We should probably go inside. Class is about to start," I say, entering the room. The last thing I want right now is the girls bringing up the party drama. I still can't believe my drink was spiked by that asshole in the kitchen.
"What's wrong with her?" I hear Chris whisper, but I'm already a couple of steps ahead of them. I find a seat for the four of us at the back, claiming it as our own by putting my backpack on one of the seats.
The rest join me a few seconds later, none of them exchanging a word as they scroll through their Instagram feeds until our professor arrives.
The hall is full of students by now, the room split into two uneven halves: towards the front, the dedicated and enthusiastic students are typing away on their laptops what's written on the chalkboard — the other half, the students who still haven't woken up.
The lecture starts, but this morning I'm disinterested in statistics, for some reason. I open the Tinder app to see if X has replied and I raise a brow when I open his message.
X: Apparently easier than going to an Ivy League College.
Who does this guy think he is?
I stare at the message for a few seconds before sending a witty reply.
Nora: Shouldn't you be looking for a job? Not some pussy.
Smirking to myself from the text, I look towards the board before letting out a sigh.
By the time the lesson ends, I realise there isn't much time before my next class. My phone vibrates in my purse, making me reach for it as I tag along with Chris and Tay towards our next class.
Ski: You in today?
me: Yeah. You should be, too ;)
For a second, I regret sending the winking emoji, because when I look up, I realise Eliyah is walking beside me. His jet-black hair is parted in a messy quiff, which somehow seems to accentuate his deep brown eyes.
"Hey," he says, but he senses the discomfort in my stance. "We haven't spoken since the party, and I know that's so not us."
"Yeah, I'm sorry. I've been so busy these past few days," I answer, chewing my inner cheek. The truth is, I've been avoiding him somewhat. I shouldn't, since he was the one that looked after me at the party, but I'm too embarrassed to admit I fucked up that night.
"Don't worry, I get it." I glance at him, unsure if he means what he says. Yah chuckles nervously. "With your mom working all the time and all that."
"Oh. Yeah, she's been really busy with some patients," I answer, shaking my head. "I'm sorry for bothering you with that stuff."
"You don't have to apologise for that," he says, followed by a pause. We're walking past the cafeteria, just a few steps behind the girls. The lunch hall is full of students, desperate to grab a bite before their next class. The environment seems surreal sometimes—I always saw it akin to a jungle.
Ski: Haha dw imma be in next class.
Ski: See u there
X: ouch. that mf hurt. what a shame you're texting me in class,huh? you seem to be looking for that kinda stuff too
I furrow my brows at X's message, annoyed by his persistent ego. He thinks I'm a slut.
Nora: yea well, at least i don't show up in random girls' bedrooms like a creep
X: aw come on, dont be acting like u didn't like that
Locking my phone, I let out a deep sigh before following Eliyah down the stairs. I almost let out a gasp when I crash into someone's back on the way down, my cheeks reddening when I notice who it is.