Devil

-24-

-Goddess-

"Ass fat, yea I know it," I mumbled, boredly staring out the window. "Girl," Nico smacked her lips. "Whaaa, I'm bored," I complained, stomping a little as I laid across the window sill. "When are yo guys gonna stop observing the people and let them people get they money?"

"In an hour," Nico said for the fortieth time.

"And why did we both have to be present?" I whined.

"Because sometimes it helps to be apart of the work you do," Nico said in what seemed like a more gentle voice. I shrugged, and continued boredly staring at my best friend.

"I feel like you're not Goddess anymore, but you are at the same time. What happened today? You had been doing fine, and then I wake up to a call that you're driving recklessly."

"You act like you're somebody's daddy," I rolled my eyes. "Ain't that what you want?" She stepped towards me, looking me up and down with a scowl; her body language screaming dominance. I swallowed my spit and ignored my fast beating heart. I turned my head away from her and rubbed the back of my neck. It was supposed to be an indication that I was done speaking to her, but she turned me around quickly.

"Ain't that what you want?" she repeated.

"I don't know what I want, and let's not do this here," I told her coldly in a low voice. Nobody was in the lobby with us, but I needed to maintain appearances.

I had a name that people shivered at even though I was from a place that possessed no cold- maybe coal.

"I'm tired of playing games with you," Nico stepped closer up to me. We were almost chest to chest, her light breath tickling my lip. It was childish, but in that moment I hoped a booger wouldn't fly down. I smirked, trying to cover up my laugh and Nicotine took that as disrespect to her.

"You're my best friend, but you can be a real butthole sometimes," she told me darkly, backing away like she was done with me. "I don't mean to be," I told her quietly. "Nahh, nahh, don't play innocent with me. You allow yourself to be- you don't hold back at all." Her back was to me as she leaned against the large window framing the building wall.

"You're always mad at me like I chose this life."

Silence.

"I've been trying to become a better person, to become Goddess, but you have no idea the small setbacks I've had."

Silence.

"I'm just trying to be little Goddess again, before the playground...before Antonio was so foreign to me. You don't think I miss my brother off somewhere- with who know's who. You don't think I cry at night sometimes. I know I'm human...this just, helps."

Silence.

"I might not actually be the Devil, as you tell me too damn much, but I can show you the Devil."

"You're a human, Goddess. It's all in your head!" my best friend exploded.

"I know, but what if I wanna stay in my head and fucking have my own perfect fairytale life?" I argued back, tears rolling down my face. Nico's face softened but I was already swiping at my wet face and heading for the door we came in. I didn't know how I would get home, but I was leaving. I was so tired of people judging me when I knew that I was trying to become a better person. Trying to do better.

I was tired of being misjudged!

"Goddess, I'm sorry," Nico wrapped her arms around me from the back, pulling me in and turning me against her chest. We clutched each other in the doorway, our breathing and the clang of cars going over potholes the only noise. "I'm sorry too," I whispered back.

"I care about you a lot, you just get me all emotional," Nico attempted a grin. We pulled apart from one another and she glanced back in the building. "Wanna come back inside?"

"I suppose," I rolled my eyes, letting her lead me back into the air conditioning as the door clanged behind us.