Lotus

Houston Nights

Summary:

Beyoncé and Onika grew up together—but were.
separated.

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Beyoncé Giselle Knowles
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Onika Tanya Maraj

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Beyoncé watched the stone skip across the water while grinning. The wind blew her hair back slighty, making her dark colored curls a little messy. She didn't mind.

She looked up at the slightly grey sky, and smiled.

She heard footsteps behind her, she knew who it was.

"Hey Nika." She said turning around and looking at her only friend, Onika.

Onika looked a little confused, looking at her friend crouching down in gravel near the lake.

"Chris said there was a monster in there.." Onika said and Beyoncé rolled her eyes. "All he does is tell lies." Beyoncé said looking out toward the lake.

"Remember how he said you'd never get adopted?" Beyoncé asked and Onika nodded, "He still stands correct Yonce." Onika mumbled sitting next to her.

Beyoncé frowned at Onikas mood, she was usually like this.

Beyoncé was happy—care free. Onika was a little gloomy—she let her worries get to her.

"That's not true, someone's gonna adopt you someday. I just know it." Beyoncé said confidently.

Onika sighed pulling her knees to her chest.

They both listened to the rustling of the trees around them, the occasional sounds of the ducks in the lake. The body of water was near a forrest—one Onika and Beyoncé explored often.

Onika looked at the holes in her jeans, and her old scuffed converse. "No one wants a kid that looks like me." Onika mumbled and Beyoncé shook her head.

"Hey! That's a insult to me ya know. We dress the same." Beyoncé said nudging her with a grin. Onika smiled a bit.

They did dress the same, jeans—dirty sneakers—usually a flannel or a sweatshirt. Beyoncé didn't care what she wore—she thought Onika looked pretty in everything. With her black curls always in two loose pigtails, that reached the heart locket around her neck.

Beyoncé and Onika were 14, they've been together for awhile. They grew up in an orphanage that got shut down and lost its funding—they both moved to a foster home together.

"Adults never want the older kids. They always want the toddlers.." Onika said. She felt tears blur her vision as she looked down.

Beyoncé frowned looking at Onika.

"Yeah—but..that doesn't mean all hope is lost. What about your locket?" Beyoncé asked.

Onikas locket held a picture of her as a baby with her mother. It was her only belonging she cherished. She slept with it under her pillow and wore it everyday.

"Be real with me Bey—do you think she's coming back for me?" Onika asked turning to her. Beyonces eyes widened seeing the tears in her friends face.

She stayed silent—she didn't like lying to Onika.

"Y-Yeah I thought so.." Onika said and Beyoncé hugged her. She let her cry into her shoulder as she held her.

Onika hated crying—especially infront of other people. She saw it as a sign of weakness, Beyoncé saw it as her expressing her feelings in a healthy way.

"We're gonna be okay. You have me." Beyoncé whispered and Onika nodded into her shoulder.

"You'll always be here.." Onika said and Beyoncé cringed.

"You—you'll always be with me right?" Onika asked again pulling away when she didn't hear a response the first time.

Beyoncé looked off to the side and Onika was confused, the girl was usually talkative.

"I—I.." Beyoncé sighed and looked Onika in the eyes.

"Miss Nancy told me a woman wants to adopt me. And that everything's been planned out—and around my birthday is when I'll be moving in with her.." Beyoncé said and she watched Onikas eyes shift.

Like she couldn't decide which hazel eye to look into—she pulled away from Beyoncé.

"Oni.." Beyoncé said and Onika shook her head.

"D-Don't touch me.." Onika mumbled and Beyoncé sighed, "Oni it's not really my choice—but I'm happy. I'll have a family—I can visit you.." Beyoncé said and Onika stood up.

Beyoncé felt tears well up in her own hazel orbs.

Onika was turned away from her. Gripping onto her open flannel as she looked down, she was tearing so much that the tear went down to her sneaker.

Beyoncé heard a light erupt in the sky, she felt the light rain fall on her. She kept her eyes on Onika.

Onika took a deep breath, as the rain suddenly got heavier.

"I—I'm happy for you Beyonce." Onika managed to say and Beyoncé felt like her heart was breaking as she aggressively shook her head standing up.

"Y-You never call me by my full name Oni." Beyoncé said slighty panicked. She didn't care that the rain was seeping through her light clothes—she cared about the girl infront of her.

"I—I hope you and your new family—li-live happily ever after.." Onika said as her voice cracked and Beyoncé couldn't tell if she felt tears on her own face or the rain.

"Onika I'm—" Onika cut her off.

"Don't say your sorry—you—you shouldn't be! You'll have a loving family! And I—I'll still be here with my silly locket of a woman that left me!" Onika shouted and Beyoncé flinched.

"Onika I'm sorry! I really am! But it doesn't have to be like this you know—" Beyoncé tried getting closer to Onika and Onika backed up.

"She talked about you too! I overheard her! Miss Nancy said a man wanted to adopt you! I heard her—he has a son and everything." Beyoncé said truthfully—and Onika shook her head.

"R-Really?" Onika asked and Beyoncé nodded taking her hands softly. The rain was falling on the two of them but they both ignored it.

"Yeah, really. You'll have a loving family too. We can still be together." Beyoncé said and Onika and her touched foreheads.

Beyoncé held her face, admiring her dark eyes.

"I'm not sure who wouldn't want you Onika. They're crazy if they don't." Beyoncé said seriously and Onikas lip quivered.

"We'll still be together. I'll never leave you." Beyoncé said and Onika and her stood in the rain together, admiring each other.

Onika and Beyoncé both got adopted.

Beyoncé before Onika, their goodbye was heart wrenching. They promised to stay in touch—Beyonces knew mother said they'd get Onikas caretakers number—-

It never happened.

When Onika got adopted—and Beyoncé went back to try and get Onikas number or any information on her—

She couldn't.

Beyoncé was confused and scared.

Where was her Onika? Her Oni? Her shy best friend who was scared of water—read books ever-day—the girl she stole books for just to see her smile?

Where was she?

Beyoncés new mother tried her best to get information on Onika and they couldn't.

Beyoncé and Onika both got adopted—but there was a difference between the two.

Beyoncé got adopted into a loving home.

Onika didn't.

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This was a scrap of a book idea, thought I'd post it.