Just Like Me: Jordan Poole

3

"It looks really, really good." Valentino, the Clark family hair dresser, exclaimed. "It's long, healthy, and shiny. Some of my best work."

He didn't put any heat on her hair, just refreshed her natural curly hair. It cascaded down her back in loose coils, just like she'd wanted.

Destiny looked in the mirror, studying the curls he'd taken hours to refresh. They'd done a hair mask and an oil treatment and she didn't think it ever looked this good. "It's beautiful, Valentino. Thank you so much."

"We'll do one more of these a few days before you get married then you'll be set, boo."

"I appreciate you so much." She picked up her wallet. "How much do I owe you?"

Venti waved her off. "Please, chile. You know I won't charge you. I gotta go downstairs and your mothers hair. That women is picky. I'll probably be here all damn day."

"Trust me. You will." Destiny prepared, opening her wallet. "I'm gonna go ahead and tip you. She's extra high maintenance lately and I wanna pay you for your time."

"Lately?" The hairdresser scoffed. "Woman been high maintenance since I met her."

Destiny tugged a couple hundred dollar bills from her wallet, tucking them in the side of his purse. "I put the cash in your purse. I hope she doesn't give you too much trouble."

"I can handle her." Valentino picked his belongings up, prepared to walk downstairs. "What you got going on today?"

She rested her hands on her hips. "I have like wedding planning all week. Later on, we're putting together a menu tonight for the reception."

The big day was about a month and 2 and a half weeks away now, and Destiny barely had a moment to herself. Today was her most free day since all she didn't have anymore plans until tonight with menu selection.

After Valentino left her wing of the house, she plopped down on her bed and stared at the ceiling. She hardly ever had time to herself so when she had days free, she didn't know what to do to fill them.

Destiny hardly even knew what kind of stuff she enjoyed.

She sat up, starting to walk to Jalen's area of house but then remembered that he was outside playing basketball. He was out there with someone but the 20 year old didn't really care to find out who.

Her sister was, Ryan, was in town so she'd probably go bother her for a little while.

"Good game." Jalen said, doing a handshake with Jordan. "I think My Dad and sister coming to y'all last game. I'ma try to make it."

Jordan put the glasses onto his face before tucking the ball under his arm. "Sound dope."

"You hungry or anything?" Jalen asked as they wandered into the house. "Let's go out and grab some food."

He thought of something, patting his gym bag. "Uh, yeah. Can you show me where Destiny's room is?"

Before anything else is said about anything, on top of Jalen's unequivocal honesty all the time, he was the grand master of a thing called minding his business. He was the best at it. Jalen was so good at minding his business that the question of why he needed to see Destiny never crossed his mind.

Despite how protective he was over his younger sister, he knew Jordan. The media tried to say he was a trouble maker but he wasn't. Even then, he never cared to wonder what he was going to do up there.

"You gotta go up this far staircase then..." Jalen paused. "Let me show you. It's too much explaining and I gotta go to my room anyway."

This was Jordan's first time in the Clark's household and as he expected it was huge, everyone had their own area of the house. Even Jalen, who was mostly always away at college, had his own bedroom, bathroom, and kitchenette.