Afterglow ❃ l.m.j

• chapter twenty seven •

"Mami, okay. I will, I'll call you later, I'm still home... I can't help you google something right now, I'm busy. Mami, okay, ma— I'm hanging up, okay? I love you, bye." V put her phone down, looking at Stef and I. "My mom is so dramatic. She called me panicking because she got some food stuck to my dad's favorite castor iron and she can't remember how to soak it off."

"Aw," I crooned, passing Rosé her set of cards. Stef rolled a kernel or two of popcorn in her hand before popping it into her mouth. "Your mom is so cute."

"She is, but she also has crazy separation anxiety." The brunette rolled her eyes. "Ever since I left home, I need to call her at least once a day or she swears something happened to me. One time I fell asleep before I could call and I literally had a dream of her screaming my name from a mile away and chasing me down the street. I'm not kidding."

Stef looked over incredulously. "That's fucking crazy. But also kinda sad."

Rosé nodded in agreement. "It is. But I do check in on her a lot. Plus I'm happier here. Ecuador isn't doing so great right now, and I wanted better for me. Growing up in a house full of only brothers and one parent is not as fun as people think it is."

"Yeah. And they fucking smell." The black woman beside us added. We both giggled. I threw a red card on top of the Uno stack.

After a hectic week, we all decided to get together and have a sleepover after work. We were a little tired but Rosé wanted to play Uno and Stef was hell bent on spectating. The low of hum of music played behind us. I let out a low yawn.

"This week has been exhausting." I droned. The two women nodded. Rosé plopped down a yellow card.

"Yeah, what the fuck was that yesterday?" The oven beeped, causing the black woman to get up mid sentence. It was done preheating. Valencia looked over at me with reassuring eyes. "Cherry walked in cursing up a storm. Her little ass swears she runs the place."

Stefanie prodded at the chicken in the pan, filling the bottom with chicken broth so it didn't dry out. Then she put it in the oven to cook.

"Yeah." My voice came out husky so I cleared my throat. "She's been pissing me off lately."

She snorted. "Join the club. What did she do now?"

I fiddled with the cards in my hand. When I failed to answer, she turned to me with a look of seriousness.

"What's wrong?" She asked again, her voice stronger. Her face was blank, eyes inquisitive.

"Nothing. I just— well, okay, a lot has been going on that I haven't been talking about."

Stefanie put the fork in her hands down, coming to sit next to me. "Okay... What's been up?"

I took a deep breath, looking at Rosé. She gave a soft nod as if to physically say, 'go on'.

From the top, I explained everything. Cherry keying my car, me finding out, her trying to out me and antagonizing me over and over again. All throughout the story, I watched the brunette's facial expression change several times, but it was all different phases of anger. When I finished, she hunched forward.

"Please tell me you're fucking lying."

I shook my head. "I wouldn't go this far for a lie."