20-year-old Assyria Adina Stone yearned for peace but favored excitement. She was in a lane of her own. Discovering herself. Physically, she was on earth, but mentally, she was living through her own fantasy. She was a young woman and wanted to expl...
"You're late," Assyria said, nonchalantly as she lounged in the spinning stool, dressed in a denim set Ava released two weeks ago.
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"I'm ten minutes early," Ava glanced at the many clocks on the wall then at her baby sister, "Why are you sitting around? I thought I scheduled you for merchandise dis week?" she queried after waving to a few lurking customers.
"Giana's handling dat," Assyria stood and studied her sister for a moment but brushed off her assumptions; it no longer piqued her interest. "You heard about tha' half-way center, dad wants Lucky to build?"
Ava nodded, "Are you registering for classes this week?"
"Dropped out," she walked away.
Bewildered, Ava wanted to argue but knew this wasn't the place to do so. She knew just like Assyria knew, just how serious their parents were when it came to them getting an education. Hell, even if it was business.
"Sy?!" she whispered-yelled.
Dismissing her, Assyria headed toward the back.
Wanting to chase her down, Ava was stopped by an anxious customer who had been trying to get her attention from the moment she walked into the store. She would pick Assyria's brain later, but right now, she'd focus on what she came there to do.
***
"What are you doing back here?" Sydney asked Assyria as she searched through the winter section to restock the jeans and coats. It's been an hour since Ava's arrival and Assyria has been avoiding her at all costs.
"I know my sister finna get on my nerves, I ain't got tha' patience for it."
Sydney chuckled. She had only been working for Ava for six months but it didn't take her long to understand that Assyria had some kind of beef with her family. "Might I ask, what did you do?"
Assyria paused her gum chewing and cut her eyes to the pretty woman, "You nosy."
Sydney laughed, "If I know you how I think I do, I think it's safe to say that you lit a fire and ran, correct?"
Assyria rolled her eyes, "I see I'ma need to meditate an extra hour, dealing with you."
"Girl," Sydney waved her off, "If you say so," she placed the box onto the cart and left out the stockroom.
Leaning against the wall as she scrolled through her Instagram feed, Assyria popped her gum. She would admit that she changed after high school, but it didn't bother her. She was driven to it and in her defense, it had been a long time coming. She could see that it was bothering her family, but if she were being honest, she did not give a damn at all. She was young, rich, and enjoying her youth as much as she could.
But over the years, everyone seemed to find their passion, besides her.
Scratch that, she discovered herself in other ways than her family had. She enjoyed the isolation from the family and basked in the glory of not having to have anyone asking her questions twenty-four-seven or pretending to be concerned about her. She liked the freedom of being away from home. Judgment. And questions. College life was one hell of a ride for her, but she did make a few bad decisions but wasn't quite sure if she had any regrets. Maybe with one.
