Dear Nobody,
Here's the bombshell.
We're moving again—
—and it bothers me.
The reason it bothers me more than it should've is that I'm leaving behind some of the most wonderful friends a girl could have ever made.
It's weird, isn't it? How someone can mean so much to you in such a short time.
I can't believe Malik and I are even cool for the slightest bit. He came off too strong—too blunt. Too everything. But that's the best part about him. He isn't afraid to speak his mind. To be himself. To be authentic.
Malik's gonna be okay at the end. I'm certain of that. He isn't his father's shadow. He's not a bad guy. I hope that he can realize that sooner than later.
Lola, the rainbow of the group. She's such a happy soul. Her free spirit always radiating off of her. Oh yeah, her laughter never ceases to amaze me. How can I forget that?
Hakeem, ahh that boy. He's become a brother to me. I'm gonna miss him the most.
Kat's nurturing attribute and dope creativity will take her far places. Who's gonna give me fashion tips that I don't care about?
Despite Bre's quietness, her observant self, and dramatic nature (which don't go well but Bre makes it work) I'm going to miss those about her.
I'm going to miss them all.
Even Raymond.
Shh. Promise you won't expose me Paper and Pen. Promise me th-
"Ready or not, here we come," A voice called, causing me to fumble with my pen.
The thought of being caught in such a vulnerable moment where I was able to express myself wholeheartedly made my heart pound.
I looked around for the closest place to hide my journal only to end up putting it under a lamp.
Not the best place, I know.
My brain kinda glitches under pressure.
That was the least of my problems. Right now, I was too concerned with my friends—I don't even know if they still considered me as their friend, seeing the way I disrespected them.
Anyways, too late. They were all already in my soon to be old room, making themselves comfortable. Malik reached into his pocket, taking out a brown paper bag. Inside that paper bag was a bottle of sunset rum. He then handed each of us mini red cups.
Malik filled everyone's cup with the rum except Kat's and Hakeem's. Instead, he poured them some water. A slight whiff of the drink was enough to make my head spin. I gulped it down with one shot, ignoring the startled looks I was getting from everyone. The harsh taste from the alcohol was shitty enough for me to shiver. No wonder I wasn't a fan of drinking. My chest burned and I felt dazy.
Already.
I pushed my cup into Malik's chest for a refill. He did so, this time diluting it with some ice, water, and some squeezed key lime.
"Don't look at me like that. We need a designated driver and Kat doesn't consume alcohol," Malik explained to an annoyed Hakeem. "Also, I want us to get wasted since it's our last night together, but at this rate Rayya's going i'm terrified."
"Smartass," Hakeem hissed. "How did you get that?"
Malik threw Hakeem a sly smirk. "I have my ways. Urgh, fine I didn't steal it if that's what your asking."
We then continued to drink, Bre already talking shit in our heads, and Lola dancing around my room. However, I was impatient. Someone needed to say something while I was still somewhat sober.
I think?
I wasn't seeing two of everything yet, so I guess that meant I was in the clear. I raised my hand close in front of my face, counting my fingers slowly. One, two, five, ten. Oh shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. "Shit is such an interesting word, y'all."
"Yup, three down," Malik stated matter of factly. I flipped him off to which he laughed at.
"When were you going to tell us?" Hakeem asked me.
To say that I was confused was an understatement, so I replied with a brief, "What are you talking about?" Still, I let out a breath I wasn't aware of holding in.
"You're leaving." Of course, leave it to Malik to never beat around the bush.
I patted the cushion with my chin held high. "Well, I just found out a few hours ago. How did you guys know?"
Bre sat on the arm of the couch, swinging her legs. "My boyfriend-"
I stopped her there. "Boyfriend?"
I was absent for a few days, and this girl had a whole relationship I didn't know about? Wow, they really did cut me off completely.
"She means your brother," Kat whispered to me. I laughed out loud. It was good to know that nothing changed. I needed at least one sense of familiarity in my life right now.
"I heard that! Anyyyy who, my boyfriend told Chris, who told Bubbles, who told us." Bre made sure to pronounce every letter in boyfriend.
"Bre, we get it," Lola snickered with a hiccup. "Oops," she giggled, covering her mouth. "You have a boyfriend...who isn't your boyfriend but is your boyfriend. Haha. Shhh, I think I'm almost wasted."
Scratching my head, I muttered, "News travels fast."
Hakeem got himself relaxed next to me, sloping his hand on Bre's leg. "It's a small world out there, my friend."
I smiled at his confirmation, unaware of the silence. When I acknowledged Bre was done talking, I looked up from my hands. My friends were eyeing me as if they were expecting something.
"What?"
"Aren't you gonna apologize?" Malik deadpanned.
Remorseful, I got up. The room was spinning around and around and around in a circle.
I felt my way to the window sill and sat down. I didn't need the salty air to calm my nerves, for the feeling of floating had already done that. With my back towards my friends, I began talking.
"I swear I didn't forget to. Guys, something occurred to me four months back. It left me traumatized. I assumed I had gotten over it when in reality I never accepted that what had happened..." I shrugged, "happened. I shoved it in the back of my head, but I shouldn't have."
I shifted slowly so that I can see their reactions. Hakeem was biting on his fingernails nervously. I could see Malik and Lola trying to put two and two together in their minds since they saw me break down before. But still, they couldn't figure out the 'what' nor 'why'.
Kat was stuck between anticipating my next words and not wanting to hear what I had to say.
"That still doesn't give you the golden pass to respond the way you did to your friends who were only attempting to help you," Bre lectured, her arms flimsily swinging around.
"Your right. I'm so very sorry to all of you from the bottom of my heart. Can you please forgive me? I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I'm sincerely sorry." It was probably a whack excuse of an apology, but it was the best I could give.
Bre wiped a fake sweat from her forehead. "Phew. You took so long. Guess what happened during your absence?"
"Before I do, the least I can do is tell you guys what happened."
"You don't have to if you're not ready to, Mitchell." Malik took a doubtful step towards me.
I shook my head, building up the courage. "No. I want to tell you."
Malik stepped back into his spot.
"Just before we moved here, I had a boyfriend." Telling them was a lot easier than I expected or was it the alcohol talking?
Hakeem squeezed my hands for comfort, already knowing that I would need it for what I was about to say next. I threw him a thankful glance before continuing. My sudden burst of confidence escalated.
"He...u-uh...he raped me."
With that, I broke down into Hakeem's shoulder for a good fifteen minutes. The girls formed a group hug around us and cried along with me. Malik stood on the sidelines watching us.
Unexpectedly, my tears converted into laughter.
The girls laughed along with me while the boys gave each other weird glances. I didn't blame them for I too didn't understand the reason for our random outburst of laughter at such a serious time.
"Women truly are fascinating," Hakeem incredulously uttered.
Malik grinned. "Blame it on the alcohol."
Kat rubbed my back. "We're here to give you emotional support even when you're wherever you're going. Wait! Where exactly are you going?"
I shrugged with a burp that made me giggle. "I didn't ask."
"Yeah! You'll overcome this, girlfriend," Lola sniffled with her bright smile.
I couldn't help but smile back as I accepted another group hug. Again, Malik watched from a distance.
"Boy, bring your ass here."
He rolled his eyes, but still joined us anyway.
"So what did I miss?" I slurred.
Bre jumped up in excitement to tell the story only to fall. Malik caught her just in time, but she shook him off. "Our boy Jayden passed at school the other day. We're sitting at our spot and he walks up to Kat. She slaps him. We all gasped. Then he goes down on one knee, pulls out a ring, and asks the magical question. 'Will you marry me?"
I gasped, "Yes. Oh, I mean proceed."
The others laughed at my reaction.
"Anyways, Kat jumped on him with her legs around his waist and kissed him. Right," she said with a clap. "After." There went another clap. "She." And another clap. "Slapped." A clap again. "Him." And a final clap.
With Bre's very dramatic description of Kat's engagement story, we all fell into a conversation about what Kat's wedding was going to look like and who was doing what.
I looked at them with a smile. I can't believe I spent my last day in my room getting drunk with my friends.
It was worth it.
A/N From KK: Wrote this July 4th 2020 and edited it on the 16th, and I've realized how plain this chapter was for a group of drunk teenagers. pssst. I can vividly remember the second time I got stupid hella drunk on an empty stpmach. (The first time was bad too) However, the 2nd time I talked my cousin ears off, danced with this woman's husband in front of her, peed on myself and laid in my own vomit.
Luckily, I was around the right group of people and they (my cousin and aunt) changed my clothing. Yooo! I don't even recall them changing my clothes. (See the danger?) From that day on alcohol and me became rivals.
SO DRINK RESPONSIBLY KIDZZZZZ (Yes, you older teenagers) AND ADULTS!!!!!!! I was 18 when it happened. (A legal age in my country)
Comment on this line some drunken story of yours. Let's all share a laughter or a lesson together.