The Other Side Of Paradise

IV

Sometimes Onikas days are dizzy.

They usually do after another fight with her sister, a night with Lauren, or a night where she spent too much time by herself.

Onika was never truly stable.

Like she is now.

Onika Tanya Maraj
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Onika woke up, gasping for air. She touched her chest—her forehead—she even pinched her arm to remind herself that she was there.

She looked at her messy room, and the bag of snickers bars she brought the previous night.

She never liked waking up like this—waking up like she didn't remember the night before. She got out of bed she tried recollecting it all.

"Argued with ming—stormed out.." She trailed off and then looked directly out her window. She saw the house—that flashed in her memory. With the tall girl with the glasses and the cute smile.

"Brought snicker bars with Beyoncé." She said.

She fell back onto her bed, resting her fingers in her hair.

She walked to the bathroom that was connected to her room, and brushed her teeth right afterwards checking out her face.

"Jeez I look like shit." Onika said. Of course she did—who looks great as asoon as they wake up? She had crust on the corner of her eyes, and she had a slight headache.

She sighed exiting her bathroom, she looked for her phone which wasn't on her dresser plugged up as it should have been.

She checked her bed, wasn't there either. "Where?" She mumbled. She heard a door creek and silently cursed under her breath turning toward her sister who—as she suspected—had her phone leaning on the doorway.

"Give me my shit Ming." Onika demanded looking at her sister.

"You fucking with Lauren again?" Ming asked dodging her command and Onika shook her head. "No. Why would I?" Onika asked chuckling.

She was lying her ass off.

"Nothing just—all these messages say other—fucking wise Onika!" Ming yelled and Onika groaned. "How the hell do you know my passcode?" Onika asked snatching the phone from her hand and walking pass her.

"I know your fucking birthday Onika I'm your fucking older sister!" Ming yelled as Onika stomped through the house.

"Why the hell are you always meddling in my life? Like why can't you leave me the fuck alone?" Onika asked swiftly turning around to meet her sisters eyes.

"Because I fucking care about you which is why It's so hard watching you be so—" Ming was stuck on what to say.

"So what? Say it!" Onika yelled. Ming groaned.

"Stupid! Fucking stupid! Its so hard watching you be so stupid! Lauren isn't good for you Onika." Ming groaned. Onika balled her hand into a fist.

"Lauren cares about me." Onika mumbled. Ming gave a bitter laugh to that clear lie.

"1. No the hell she doesn't. 2. I care about you way more than she does!"Ming stated and Onika tried to ignore her.

"Onika all you do is fuck around with her—like some whore—" Ming immediately shut her mouth and Onika froze up.

Ming's anger subsided for a second and she sighed. "Onika I'm—" And Onika cut her off. "Don't talk to me—don't look through my phone again—and stop fucking up the only thing keeping me sane right now!" Onika yelled before storming down the steps.

"Onika! Heads up! You're a fucking delusional idiot who needs to stop living in this day dream! You're gonna kill yourself if you keep doing what you're doing!" Ming yelled as Onika scrambled to put her sneakers on.

Onika turned to her squinting. "I hate you." Onika said and Ming's face turned from anger—to softness—to hurt.

Onika didn't mean what she said, she had issues. Several—that caused her to act like this. One of her issues—and one of her addictions—being Lauren.

She slammed the door behind her, leaving her house with a uncharged phone, her hoodie and stinging eyes.

She picked up her phone, about to call Lauren till she heard a familiar cheery voice.

"Hey! Onika! Morning!" She looked up—sniffling—to see Beyoncé. She was waving and Onika immediately starting wiping her tears.

"Morning!" Onika yelled—her voice cracked. Beyoncé looked on both sides of the road before jogging over to Onika.

"You alright? You seemed off since like-last night." Beyoncé said and Onika laughed a little.

"You've known me for like 3 total days. You don't even know what I'm like normally." Onika said looking up at the taller girl.

She was right—Beyonce didn't know what she was like normally. But she did know that if normal her—was her smiling and winking—and being carefree—

She really liked normal her.

"I know but—you still seemed pissed. Did you just wake up?" Beyoncé asked and Onika nodded.

"Where were you headed off to? You look like you serve white rich old men." Onika joked. Till she realized the symbol on her shirt.

"Oh my god you do serve rich white old men." Onika mumbled. Beyoncé nodded laughing a bit at the shorter girls reaction.

"Yeah I do." Beyoncé shrugged. "I save old rich white men! I'm the life guard there." Onika said smiling looking up at Beyonce.

"Yeah I'm pretty sure I saw you. Speaking of that—are you going in for work today?" Beyoncé asked—she wasn't the best at small tall but she's never wanted to talk to someone as much as she did Onika. She felt a pull towards her.

"Yeah I'm supposed to.." Onika mumbled remembering her belongings for work were back in the house. Onika was stubborn—and after that argument they just had there was no way in well she was going back in.

"I forgot my keys." She mumbled and Beyoncé jingled hers. "I can drive you—we—us?" Beyoncé stammered and Onika smiled a bit.

"Yeah. Thanks—I'd appreciate it." Onika mumbled and Beyoncé grinned before Onika followed her to her car.

She unlocked the doors and Onika hopped in. "I shouldn't be hopping in strangers cars—promise you won't murder me?" Onika asked with a Cheshire cat grin holding out her pinky.

Beyoncé was eyed her acrylic pink tips before linking her pinkie with hers.

"I uh—I promise." Beyoncé stammered. "You didn't sound so sure. I better not end up in a Netflix documentary~" Onika sang a little looking at the window.

Whenever she felt stressed or lost she loved looking at Malibus sky's or the sun. And rolling down the window so her hair could flow.

Beyoncé noticed her quiet she was for most of the car ride, staring out the window, subconsciously picking at her thigh. Beyoncé noticed it looked a little bruised.

Beyoncé quickly looked away realizing how short her shorts were.

When they parked there Beyoncé noticed Onika was still looking out the window. "Onika? We're uh—we're here." Beyoncé said and Onika propped up and looked around.

Beyoncé laughed a little. "Were you dozing off?" Beyoncé asked and Onika shook her head. "Me? Nah. Sleeping is for losers." Onika said turning to Beyoncé with a smile.

"I guess i'm a loser than." Beyoncé said as Onika got out the car. Onika closed the door before leaning on the window.

"Mega loser. But I think I kinda like it." Onika said grinning a bit. Beyoncé liked how she joked—how she teased—and how she grinned while doing all of it.

She watched her hips sway as she walked toward the entrance of the club house.