Taste of Ms. Alexander

SIXTEEN

POV: AMANDA "ASIA" ALEXANDER

Thursday was spent deep cleaning the apartment from top to bottom. A filthy house? Could never be me. Ah dor kno how some gyal could siddown comfortably inna dutty house like dem blind to di mess. Yuh ever clean yuh house, cook up a big pot, cock up yuh foot, and nyam? Best Feeling. The satisfaction of seeing the floors glisten, the scent of bleach and lavender Fabuloso swirling in the air, your pillows fluffed and sheets crisp. It was like therapy.

I went all in, scrubbing the tiles until my knees ached, shaking out the rugs, reorganizing the kitchen cupboards, and even wiping down the walls. By the time I was finished, exhaustion weighed heavy on my limbs, but the house was spotless. I flopped onto the couch, sighing in satisfaction then something caught my eye. My phone. Under the damn television stand.

I stared at it for a second, confused. How it reach dey? The last time I remembered having it was... actually, mi nah even know! With a groan, I stretched forward and yanked it out, shaking my head. Either I was losing my mind, or some ghost in di house had jokes.

When I powered it on, I somewhat expected a flood of missed calls and messages. Maybe even one from him. However, to my disappointment, the only notification was from Anisha, checking to see if I was okay. I was about to toss the phone aside when it vibrated to signal a notification.

SHADAE | 3:43 PM I forget fi message u yesterday. Indica say wi meeting up fi roun 11. Jus meet wi dey since Junior ah drop we.

I sucked my teeth and let out a dry laugh. Right after I sent her a quick confirmation message, tossed my phone on the bed, and within minutes, sleep swallowed me whole.

7 HOURS LATER...

A sharp jolt of awareness ripped me from sleep. I gasped, hand flying to my chest, then scrambled for my phone. What time it was? The screen glowed back at me, 11:13 PM. Shit, but then I exhaled, shaking my head with a knowing smirk. Dem gyal dey eva late. If there was one thing certain in life, it was that they could never reach on time. Even if time had stopped just to wait for them. Funny thing was, mi always end up being di first one dey, even when mi purposely late. How?

It was almost like a joke at this point. I could take my sweet time, scroll through Instagram, even contemplate not going, and yet, I'd still pull up before them. I stretched lazily, rolling my shoulders as excitement crept in. It was time to get ready, and I truly needed a fucking distraction tonight.

I already knew exactly what I was wearing. The dress? Light cyan, mesh and screamed very sinful. The off-the-shoulder sleeves draped just right, with three scandalous cutouts running from my breasts straight down to my belly button, teasing just enough skin. The material? So thin it practically whispered, "Look but don't you dare touch." It clung to my body like a second skin, teasing every curve, every dip, and every inch that shouldn't be seen. A dress designed for sin and stitched with temptation. Shoes? Silver stilettos. High, sleek, and extremely dangerous. Accessories? Minimal, but intentional. Diamond studs and a dainty anklet. Plus, a spritz of my sexiest perfume, the kind that lingered long after I left the room. I took one last look in the mirror, running a hand over my hip, admiring the way the dress hugged every curve. Tonight, it was pressure.

I took my time with my makeup, blending every contour and highlight to perfection. Soft glam, but deadly. My lashes fanned out just right and my lips glossed to a perfect sheen. I secured my blonde wig into a messy high ponytail, letting a few strands frame my face. It was effortless but still giving bad bitch energy.

By the time I was dressed and ready, the clock read 12:00 AM. As if right on cue, Shadae texted to say they were finally leaving. I rolled my eyes. Yeah, right. I decided to wait at least another half hour before even thinking about leaving. If dem tink I was going to dey waiting like ah poppy show, dem tell ah damn lie! As expected, Shadae rang my phone, six times in a row. I watched the screen light up while I just smirked to myself. The messages that followed were pure threats.