~Ayah~

After leaving Zuri, the rest of the day was a blur. I spent the rest of the day doing shoots and we didn't see each  other again. I'm so tired that I can't even lift a finger right now, and what's even worse, I'm probably going to do it again tomorrow. Great. 

"Get up sunshine," Jaden says as he hands me my coat " I gotta make sure you get home okay"

"Are you also gonna make sure I'm tucked in bed, Dad?" I say jokingly.

Jaden retracts his hand right as I'm about to take it. "I love how cheerful you get after a hard day's work. let me remind you that it was you who wanted this gig" 

I slowly rise and follow him to the exit while stretching my arms and back. I was placed in very inhumane poses today in the name of 'art'. Oh, please. I'm pretty sure they just wanted to see how bendy I could get, two more years of this and I'll be in a wheelchair. "Yeah well, next time I beg you to find work for me how about you just punch me in the face, huh?"

"I'll try to remember that," Jaden says as we head towards my car. " Anyway, consider yourself lucky. since your wardrobe was cleaned out, your new one will be delivered in the morning so you'll spend arranging it. fun right?" I scrunch my face and open my mouth to say something but he raises his finger to my lips " And before you ask, nope I'm not helping you. That's your cross to carry" he hands me my keys and my bag then turns to leave

"Wait won't you at least drive me home?" I ask but he waves his hands and continues to walk away. "Great, just great," I mutter to myself as I start the car and drive away. 

As I reach my apartment I search for my keys but the doors open and a familiar voice greats me

" Welcome home honey. how was work?"I raise my face and stop rummaging in my bad. In front of me is my best friend Coco dressed in nothing but a long black shirt and wine in her hands. " I thought you'd never come home, it's past midnight you know" 

I head inside and close the door behind me. " and do you realize this isn't your place?" I ask as I place my bag in the entrance, take off my coat, and head to the kitchen. " I'm starting to rethink giving you my keys" I pour myself a glass and then join her in the living room. 

" Oh, come on, don't you even miss me. I've gone for a while and you can't even hug me. what kind of friend are you?"

" The kind that doesn't like to be disturbed in the wee hours of the night" she pouts and stretches her arms for a hug. I sigh and hug her. She's always been like this since forever and for context, Coco is a flight attendant. We've known each other from our days back in the orphanage. She's bubbly but has the mouth of a sailor. You'll see what I'm talking about in a minute. "anyway how have you been? the last time we were together you got me drunk the day before my big debut" I walk over to the TV station, connect my phone to the speakers, and search for a playlist from Spotify.

"You say that as if I wasn't also drunk and if I remember correctly I also had a flight a day later so let's not point fingers." satisfied with the playlist selection I lay the phone down and sit back down next to Coco. "Anyway, enough of that. I've been good, you?"

I'm shocked, to be honest. usually, there'd be someone to talk shit about. Probably a coworker or her boss or something and if not that then someone she's been under. It's Coco for god sake, there's never a day we meet that she doesn't have a flashy story to tell. Shocked as I am I lean back and take a glance out the Terrance, who knows maybe pigs are flying. " Wait, that's it? there's nothing else you wanna say, no story, no nothing?" I ask, still searching for the flying pigs.

"Please, don't act like you don't know me. of course, I do it's just that I'm being generous by making how you are first before I start my usual word vomit"

I exhale as I lean back. The world balance is restored. " phew! I almost called an ambulance I thought you were having a stroke or something" She clicks her tongue and then slaps my hands "Ow! Anyway. for once I do. I'm hitting on my boss" Coco almost spits her drink "What!, why didn't you lead with that you little shit. Yoh, I leave you for a week and you're fucking your boss. who, how, and when did this happen?"

" okay first of all I never said I slept with her and second of all don't make it sound as if I'm irresponsible I'm not you."  deciding one glass isn't enough for what I'm about to say, I walk to the kitchen and get another.

"Stop deflecting how did that even happen come on I need details," Coco demands as she follows behind me. I reach for the cabinet, grab the bottle, and open it but decide not to pour it into the glass but just drink straight from it. I sit on the kitchen island and explain everything to her and she just sits there and listens while occasionally throwing her opinions here and there.

"Okay, so let me get this straight, you think that this woman is the one, like the one you want to spend the rest of your life with?" she asks and at this point, my jaw's tired of moving so I just nod. " well it seems like she might feel the same cause if not you'd have been fired by now. so what's your game plan here?" 

I sit the glass down since I'm starting to feel the buzz." I don't know, I want her to fully grasp my affection for her but at the same time I don't want to overwhelm her." 

Coco nods her head in understanding "Fine, I get that and I have a plan. We might have to move to the TV. I need Notion for this" With that we head to the living room.