Jayda Edwards is the typical young black girl growing up in Atlanta, Georgia which is considered to be the spot of black excellence and wealth. Jayda is living a good life with great friends, an extraordinary grade point average, beauty and enjoying...
Trigger Warnings: Mention of abuse, n-word and other cursing
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8:37am
Jayda
"Damn, girl, you're later than usual," Mikaela remarked as she saw Jayda rush into the classroom. Her eyes quickly flicked to the newly arranged desks, which were no longer in rows but grouped together. Mrs. Stanley clearly had group projects planned for today.
I'm not mentally prepared for this, Jayda thought, especially not for dealing with him. She sighed inwardly before making her way to the table in the corner where Mikaela was already seated, scrolling through her phone.
Jayda plopped down with a huff, her Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Speedy bag swinging from one arm, while her large pink notebook was tucked under the other. She had been running late this morning—thanks to her younger sister Grace, who insisted on taking her sweet time getting ready.
Normally, Jayda would have pieced together a chic outfit, but today she settled for comfort. She'd thrown on a pink Juicy Couture tracksuit, hastily tied her silk-pressed hair into a ponytail, and topped off the look with silver hoop earrings and Ugg fur slides.
"Grace wanted to take her sweet time this morning," Jayda complained, already feeling the weight of the day pressing down on her.
"You should've left her," Mikaela said, still texting, her smile broadening. Jayda noticed the unusually happy expression on her friend's face—Mikaela wasn't exactly the type to be openly giddy.
Mikaela, as usual, looked effortlessly cool in her outfit: a plain black midi skirt paired with a Led Zeppelin graphic tee that she'd cropped herself. A silver and black cross necklace hung around her neck, adding an edgy touch to the look. She finished it off with black Rick Owens sneakers, her signature style.
Jayda squinted, curious. "What's got you smiling like that?" she asked. Mikaela leaned in close, lowering her voice as the classroom was still mostly empty. She clearly didn't want anyone overhearing her business.
"Remember that guy we met at the carnival last month? He was with Namjoon and Rosé?" Mikaela asked, her eyes twinkling with excitement.
Jayda nodded, trying to recall. "Oh, you mean Hoseok—the dancer from Blairwood Academy?"
Mikaela nodded eagerly. "Yeah, that's him! Well, he texted me out of the blue yesterday, and we've been talking ever since." She grinned, unable to hide her excitement, and Jayda couldn't help but smile back.
Mikaela had ended her toxic relationship with Seth Lanier only two months ago. Seth, a senior and the star quarterback, had always seemed like the perfect catch—rich, popular, and admired by everyone. But behind closed doors, he was verbally abusive, constantly putting Mikaela down. His parents were no better, looking down on her for not fitting into their narrow idea of who Seth should be dating. Mikaela, with her mellow vibe, tattoos, and love for all things black, wasn't the preppy, cookie-cutter girl they had in mind for their son.
