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toni braxton — fit. ⤴
I was here at the mall with... Janet. There, I didn't completely forget her name.
She'd been looking around two stores and I could kind of tell she was nervous. I don't know if she knows, but her anxiety is so noticeable. Her hand kept tapping against her thigh and she was scratching her palm.
Clear symptoms. But I told myself I'd stop diagnosing her.
Right now, we were in the good will at the mall. Now I have nothing against second hands but I wouldn't go school shopping here. I guess it all depends on your style though. I was mostly just following her around and watching what she got. Which is what I think is making her her nervous.
"Yo' Janet, you want me to leave? I'on wanna make you uncomfortable." I spoke up, I was starting to feel bad for her now. She quickly turned around and stared at me wide eyed.
"What? No! You're not—making me uncomfortable." She rushed out. I frowned my eyebrows and nodded my head suspiciously.
"Right. Whatever." I mumbled while following her around. I even decided to pick up a few things for myself. I seen a few cute oversized shirts and cargo pants I could wear.
After a few more trips to Gucci and stuff like that, I told Janet I needed to go to apple. I might as well update my phone while I'm here.
Once we got in, I went up to the front desk and Janet started looking at all the new stuff Apple dropped. I was hoping and praying she got a MacBook or something because the little Chromebook she had wasn't going to do her much good.
The guy said it would take a minute for them to actually get my phone ready. So, I started to look around. In all honesty, I was due for a new mac book too. I sort of got distracted because by the time I came back to I heard Janet struggling to talk. I only knew it was her in this busy store because of how much she stutters.
At first it bothered me but now I just accept it. I guess I've grown some form of tolerance for it. I guess if I want to be a therapist I should work on my tolerance for people or something like that. My professor did an entire lecture on it recently and I felt personally attacked by it.
I looked over towards her and watched as some big man talked to her. She was looking up at him with a nervous smile. I couldn't really see his face because he was turned away from me but I could see Janet. She said something about just moving here and the dude did a deep chuckle. Like okay Santa clause.
She keep looking around, for me most likely. I just watched for a little, trying to see if she was going to cheat on Ciara's slow behind. I wouldn't even snitch, from the things Janet blurts out I'd suspect Cee is using her. But, that ain't my business.
Once she started to look like she was in real distress I walked over to her. The tall dude turned around and smiled at me. Of course it was DeMarcus bald self. He's grills flashed at me and I automatically knew I'd have to pretend Janet was my girl.
Which, I really didn't want to do but D was persistent. And unless I claimed her as my own he'd most likely get her number. Not because Janet wanted to give it but because I already know she has a hard time saying no. I was messing with her one day and asked if she'd sleep on the back porch because I had a friend coming over.
She was really going to do it. It made me feel horrible but I had to see if she had any limits, and that day made it clear that she didn't. Not the point though.
I walked closer to Janet and put my arm over her shoulder, bringing her body closer to mine. I felt her tense up and just ignored it, I'd apologize later.
"Why you all in my girl face, ashy?" I asked Demarcus, looking up at his tall self. He sucked his teeth and licked his lips.
"Since when you had a girl, Toni?" He giggled.
"Since I'm telling you nigga? Why you in her face?" I fired back. He knew Janet wasn't my girl. I had very few people I chatted with and one of them was D. If anybody knew I hated relationships, it was his patchy beard behind.
"I didn't know she was yours. You always had good taste. But a fem? Thought you'd like a little girl boy." He said, forgetting the name of a stud. If it was anybody else I'd assume it was him being homophobic. But, he was just slow like that. Rolling my eyes I slid my hand into Janet's and pulled her behind me defensively. He was still eyeing her.
"You mean a stud fool? No I can't stand studs. All they do is cheat, just like my cousin." I huffed. I heard Janet gasped behind me. Ciara was my only gay cousin and she was a stud. That was my way of telling her she was getting cheated on. I had no proof, but it's Ciara, so it wouldn't be too hard to get some if Janet grew the balls to ask later on.
"Yeah a stud. I remember us talking about that. I ain't mean no disrespect trying to put the riz on your shawty though T." He apologized and I nodded, saying he was alright.
"I'm only letting it slide this one time. And please make it your last time you every say anything close to a riz." I joked pushing his shoulder gently. I then brushed past him, still laughing and pulled Janet along with me to the front desk. The people called my name saying my phone was ready.
"It's a New York thing!" DeMarcus shouted from behind me. I waved him off with my free hand and started talking to the guy up front.
If puttin' the riz on a shawty was New York slang, they needed to broaden their vocabulary by a long shot. Once I noticed D had left, I let go of Janet's hand and paid the dude the light fifty dollars for my upgrade.
Janet hadn't said anything about the whole situation until we got back into the car. And by that time I was completely over. Shoot, I forgot it even happened for real.
"uh—thanks for saving me back there. I wasn't going to cheat—but he was kind of scary.." Janet rambled while we waited at a red light. I looked over at her briefly and just nodded.
"Don't worry about it, I know how he is."
"You're not gonna tell C—"
"I am not worried about my bald headed cousin." I cut her off. I really couldn't stand that girl. So I don't even know why I'm doing such a huge favor for her.
"She isn't bald..." I heard Janet mumbled while sinking into her seat.
So basically, she doesn't know anything about her girl?
"Yes she is. Those are not real locs, love." I scoffed while making my turn at the now green light. Janet gasped again and her head snapped towards me with eyes of shock.
"They're not?!" She shouted. Then immediately sunk back into the passenger seat. I can tell she was a bit embarrassed by her own reaction. I figured I wouldn't mention it and worsen her embarrassment, so I just answered the question.
"She's not getting 'em re-twisted, she's getting them reinstalled." I chuckled.
