Love Burst Asunder [Black Panther Fan-fiction / Prequel to Not My King]

Even My Friends Don't Believe Me

"What's the matter with you?"

Mira glared at one of her best friends with an annoyed huff. "It's early and, for some reason, your Mary Poppins ass is all happy and smiling. What the hell is that about?"

Kalandria grinned at Mira, shaking her shoulders in rhythm with the cool voice of Elle Mai. She stood from her chair, swinging her full hips with the beat, and picked up her empty champagne glass as she moved around the kitchen island. Mira shook her head and collapsed on top of her crossed arms, letting her heated face chill on the marble countertop.

"That's not an answer, Mimi." Kalandria argued, filling her glass with champagne and orange juice. "Again, from the top, what's wrong with you?"

"Your face?"

"Bitch!" Kalandria faked throwing her full glass at Mira before swishing around the island to sit down. "Seriously, Mi... tell me what's up. It's Sunday morning and you look like you just got jacked by Kodak Black and he left you on the side of the highway in an ACDC t-shirt with granny panties on."

Frowning, Mira shook her head. "That... was disgusting and oddly specific."

Kalandria laughed, but didn't reply to her comment. They sat in a comfortable silence, soaking in the music. Mira shifted in her seat, lifting her head off of the counter to right her hair wrap. "It was just a long night, Dria. That's it."

"Long how?" She asked, "I know you ain't get no dick and not tell me! Mimi doesn't do one-night stands!"

"Do you have to be so vulgar all the time?"

"Yes," Dria laughed, "that's what you love about me." She tapped her elbow against Mira's, knocking her arm off the counter. "Now stop changing the subject. What crawled up your ass and died?"

"It was a rough ni—"

"Now I know why neither one of my best friends is answering their phone!" Mira and Kalandria glanced towards the front door. Standing with her hands on her hips, Mira's other best friend, Maliyah, eyed them with a scowl. Dressed in a knee-length floral dress colored pastel blue, yellow and pink, Maliyah was the picture of a Sunday church girl from the deep South. "And you're drinking...? On the Lord's day?"

Rolling her eyes, Mira finally moved from her spot. "I know you did not come into my house dressed like that with condemnation on your voice?"

"You heifers could have come to church with me!" She wailed. "I needed the support!" Picking a magazine off the coffee table, Maliyah frantically fanned herself. "You know churches make me sweat and neither one of you heifers could bother to answer my call? I need new friends, better friends... "

"Okay," Dria stopped Maliyah's tirade, "so, you just expect us to ignore that Martha Stewart get-up you're wearing? And since when do you go to church, Maliyah Antoinetta Mae Johnson?"

"I went with Ford." Dipping in her purse, Maliyah yanked out her compact and opened it. She dabbed her cheeks, quickly closed it and tossed it back into her bag. Her shoes clicked rhythmically on the hardwood floors as she cleared the living room and entered the kitchen area to take Mira's spot. "He invited me to join in worship with his family. It was nice and you know I love a man that loves the Lord."

"Clifford? You mean you went to church with Clifford Hayes?" Maliyah frowned, but avoided Mira's question and her probing eyes. "I thought that was over? And while we're on the subject," Mira moved closer to Maliyah with her hand on her hip, "since when do you care about church?"

"Well..." Maliyah hedged and muttered something under her breath. Mira and Kalandria glanced at one another, happy to see that neither one of them understood what Maliyah said.