Tash was dozing off in the couch, after leaving the bathroom she had dressed light for the hot weather. The remote slowly falling from her fingers that were losing the hold they had on it second by second, Rick and Morty continued playing on the flat screen watching her fall asleep.
Pep rushed down the steps fully dressed with keys in hand. "Tasheka. Come on, we're going on the road."
To Pep's surprise, her demand was met with light snores. She sighed before rolling her eyes and picking up Tash in her arms to carry her upstairs to their bedroom. She took her phone from her pocket to call Rayuga, they've become quite close over the past months she joined the group.
"Can you meet me at the mall, please?" Even though it sounded as if Pep posed a question, Rayuga knew it was an order.
"I have an appointment in 5 minutes," Rayuga sighed.
"Let me rephrase. Meet me at the mall." Pep's tone was final.
"Which one?" She sounded bothered but Rayuga was more than happy to ditch her appointment.
"Central." Pep disconnected the call.
Rayuga had become one of the most sought after women she had in her lineup. After Tash left, she got all of the attention and they especially loved that she was part Asian. She brought in a lot of money so it was nothing to tell her to skip an appointment.
Pep was loaded and she made sure it stayed that way. Even though she spent anything on Tash, she was a miser and hardly even wanted to buy groceries. She wanted status, she wanted power and even though she knew this would make her a target, she wanted the attention. Pep loved attention, the good and the bad. The attention she got from Tash was different, she didn't just loved it; she was obsessed with the way Tash needed her, it made her feel complete.
She kissed Tash's forehead before pulling the sheets over her knowing the room was going to get cold soon with the AC now running. Pep had one thing in mind today and somehow she felt better at the fact that Tash wasn't coming, she wanted to choose the item and she wanted Tash's response to be one of surprise.
Yuga was sitting on the bench at the entrance of the shopping mall, she had on a peach shorts and button down combo with white socks and white crocs on. Her custom airpods matched her gold Apple Watch, her diamond earrings and necklace glistened under the sun. Rayuga was beautiful , she caught many persons attention and she was the furthest thing from humble. Pep parked closer to the front of the store and made her way to Rayuga who was intently watching her from behind her aviator shades.
"What is this? A photoshoot?" Pep asked with an amused tone.
"Well, if you could do me the honor of taking a picture of me with your IPhone that would be nice." Rayuga's tone was smooth and seductive.
"This is not Tash." Pep laughed out.
"Nah, it's the infamous Pep." Rayuga tilted her head so that Pep could see her eyes behind her shades and winked before shooting a million dollar braces clad smile.
Instead of answering or admitting that she felt some type of way, Pep took out her IPhone 10X Max and snapped a few shots of Rayuga. She sent them through airdrop and walked off with Yuga trying to catch up.
"Why are we here?" Rayuga asked.
"I need to buy something and.." Pep trailed off, unsure of how to proceed. "I need your opinion."
Rayuga did a double take, wanting to make sure she heard the right thing she said, "I'm sorry, what?"
"I know you heard me." Pep was easily annoyed and whenever she had to show feelings, she felt unabashed annoyance.
"THE Pep, wants my opinion? Lil ol me?" Rayuga was a bit frightened but she was waiting for the day Pep recognized their friendship and she was oozing satisfaction.
"Can you.. tell me.. wh-" Pep cut her off, knowing exactly what she was going to ask.
"You'll know when we get there." Pep gritted her teeth regretting asking Rayuga to follow her.
Pep saw a lot of things she knew Tash would love, despite the fact that she had so much clothes already she kept on buying something new. Pep reduced the limit on Tash's credit card dramatically, fearing that she didn't know when to stop nor when to make a conscious decision. Rayuga tried turning into different stores but one look from Pep had her back on the beeline that Pep created for them.
"Llana's handcrafted jewelry.." Rayuga read out loud.
"Yes." Pep nodded once before stepping through the entrance.
"Aunty Llana," Pep greeted the woman behind the counter.
"Ooohh Taidan, it's so great to see you. How are you my sweet neice?" The older woman pulled Pep in for a tight hug placing random kisses on her cheeks.
Pep giggled and held the woman in a tight embrace. They held onto each other for a moment more before letting go and holding onto each other's hand.
"Have you heard about your mother?" Llana's tone was now sad and depressed.
"I don't want to talk about this, I'm here to look at your beautiful jewelry." Pep quickly shut the conversation down and pulled away from the older woman.
"Rayuga." Pep called her friend up to the front of the store.
"This is where I need your opinion," Pep started.
Instead of listening, Rayuga was watching the woman walk towards the back of the store with her fingers trying to catch her tears before they fall. Rayuga started to wonder, what exactly was wrong with Pep's mother? In the place of Llana, another woman walked out.
"Ahh, Pep!" The woman greeted Pep.
"I wondered who started up Llana but now I know." The smile on her face was forced and it was obvious that the two didn't like each other.
"I'm not here to bicker with you." For the first time ever, Rayuga heard Pep back away from a confrontation.
"Why are you here? I'm sure you've brought my wife and everyone else in this family some pain and heartbreak." Llana's wife continued.
"Didn't think I'd ever see your face around here again." She shook her head before leaning forward to rest on the glass display.
Pep stood still, as if this was one situation she couldn't conquer. Rayuga knew she had to step in but she also didn't want to be crossing any boundaries with Pep.
"Actually, we were just here to pick out a ring." Rayuga finally decided to step in, "a promise ring."
"For the both of you?" Llana's wife looked shocked and confused.
"It's mine, it's for my girlfriend." Rayuga brought the attention back to her.
"You? You don't look like the type to settle down." Llana's wife laughed heartily before wiping a stray tear from her aged face.
"Yeah, well I guess looks can be deceiving." Rayuga shot a side smile to the older woman and then turned her attention back to the rings.
"Well then, tell me what you're looking for." Llana's wife posed the question as if she still didn't believe that Rayuga was planning on settling down.
Rayuga thought about Tash for a minute and the VVS diamond necklace and tennis bracelet set that she was currently obsessed with. "I want something with white gold, maybe like multiple stones but not one big stone, not an engagement type stone but a simple everyday flex."
"After hearing that, I kind of believe that you plan on settling down." Her tone was suggestive and it irked Pep.
"She's special to me." Rayuga blushed missing the venom in the previous statement.
"She's a lucky girl but let me tell you something a wise man once said, 'only fools rush in.'"
"Excuse me?" Rayuga blinked twice.
"You're young, you're in love, you'd do anything for her but would she do the same for you? Take it slow, you can't rush the love process." Pep balled her fists and wondered what her aunt ever saw in this woman.
"I think I'm fine on my own without your opinion but thanks." Rayuga didn't even try to smile.
"How about this one?" Rayuga asked Pep.
Pep shook her head and pointed to another one two spaces beside it. It was a white gold band with small diamonds and carvings around the ring.
"This is beautiful." Rayuga was in awe.
"I'll take this one." She pulled out the business credit card and not her personal one from her wallet.
Pep chuckled and stepped back knowing fully well that even though she wasn't the one running the card, it would still be her money. Rayuga and Melody both had cards linked to the business account because they were the house coordinators. They managed the bills and maintenance to ensure everything was running smoothly, the four houses were split equally between them and they were enjoying having access to the company funds which was under micromanagement regardless so they had to account for whatever they spent at the end of each month.
After getting the ring, Pep didn't spare a second glance behind her. She loved her aunt and her family but they were also very judgmental, she couldn't deal with that kind of energy on most days. Pep took the ring box from Rayuga and dropped it into the inner pocket of her blazer.
They stopped to get food at the food court and sat down to eat.
"I need to ask you something," Pep started. "I know you're not as young as the other girls, where do you see yourself in 2 years?"
"Most persons give a 5 years gap?" Rayuga nervously chuckled then sighed, "I want to start a business."
"Have you been saving?" Pep was serious, she wanted to see her friends succeed and currently that friend was Rayuga.
"I have but it'll take me a couple more years before I have everything planned out and the capital to start." Rayuga never liked talking about her plans nor her sorrows because no one could ever seem to do anything about them.
"I don't want you to leave me but I also don't want you to be doing this forever until I get shut down and thrown into jail or maybe dead." Pep was serious, she had a plan for her girls; she always had a contingency plan.
"Damn, don't talk like that." Rayuga was a sensitive person, she couldn't stand the thought of Pep going to jail or dying.
"I'm serious, I want you guys to be set for life. Both you and Melody and obviously Tasheka. I'm good, I've come so far already and I'm actually really glad to have you guys with me now." Pep felt strangely emotional lately, as if she was predicting some bad future.
"What's really going on with you?" Rayuga pushed her limit, "what's wrong with your mom?" She watched Pep close up like a clamshell.
"As I said earlier, I don't want to talk about that." Pep quickly shut the question down knowing that she wasn't planning on answering regardless.
"Now, fill me in on what's been happening at your locations." Pep switched the topic to something she was more comfortable with.
Pep was a businesswoman and she will continue to run her business until she either ends up dead because of it or in jail. The thought scared her but she was prepared, she knew how this life, this path ended but she could only hope that she gets to spend as much time with her friend and her lover before it catches up to her.
She had to keep them safe and protected and for that they needed money and one thing Pep knew how to do was to make money. She'd do anything for them at this point, that was a promise.