The Choppa Effect

Thirty-Four

"Hey, what's up?" Alexia speaks as soon as she answers the phone.

It's been a few days since I've last seen Tego now but we talk on the phone all the time. Today I decided to see Alexia because the last time I spoke with her she wasn't necessarily in the best headspace.

I shrug. "I'm bored."

She chuckles. "Me too. We should take a flight."

I roll my eyes even though I know she could very well be serious about taking a flight just because we don't have anything to do.

"Next time." She laughs at my response.

"Okay, okay." She gives up. "We could just go to Starbucks for now, then."

"Alright, that sounds good." I confirm.

"Okay, I'll pick you up in about an hour."

I use the time to just do some regular tidying in my space and then get ready to be picked up.

Before I know it, I'm all ready and Alexia is blowing the horn of her SUV in my driveway.

I tell my parents 'bye' before going to Alexia's car. "Hi." I breathe as soon as I close the door.

I accidentally slam it instead because I'm nervous.

I haven't see. Alexia in a hot minute and the last time I saw her she was informing me of an abortion she had with our mutual friend who also tried forcing her to get another abortion.

I guess you could understand why I was so nervous.

She's not fazed by my actions and instead she keeps bobbing her head to the music playing in her background.

Short Skirt

"I feel like I haven't seen you in forever." She says but her mind seems to be more focused on the music as she immediately returns to humming the song and bobbing her head to the rhythm.

Yeah, the last time you saw me you were having a breakdown and trashed your party.

"Suh e guh sometimes." I shrug in response and she nods understandingly.

"You're right." She shrugs. "I'm over that era. I'm a brand new girl."

I decide not to respond.

"I really am." She presses as she starts driving out of the driveway.

"I did some self care and realized that whatever his name is just a piece of shit and I'm glad he's not in my life anymore."

I nod slowly. "So how are you and Chino?"

My question immediately causes a slow, shy, smile to make its way onto her face to meet her eyes before she shrugs shyly.

"We're good." She nods and quickly takes her eyes off the road to glance at me.

"Oh, that's great." I return her smile which just causes hers to widen even more.

"He's the main reason why my self care was so good, if y'know what I mean." She winks at me.

"Ugh." I fake groan but she just laughs loudly.

"Whatever, Jade! I'm sure I couldn't last a second hearing about you and Tego cause you guys are lover birds too:"

I roll my eyes playfully. "Fine, you got me."

"But I wanna hear!" She exclaims and accidentally grips the steering wheel from excitement. "You guys are so cute."

I sink back in my shell for a minute and then clear my throat to respond. "We're good. He's been very good to me recently." I smile which she returns.

"Very good? Him haffi be good and you haffi be good fi him big hood!" She exclaims and laughs at her own joke as she finally pulls into the Starbucks parking lot.

"A lie?" She nudges me with one more fit of laughter.

"Neva lie."

We both exit the car and make our way inside to place our orders which of course Alexia doesn't hesitate to pay.

Once we get our drinks and food, we go to the outdoor seating and make ourselves comfortable.

"Y'know one of the biggest things I realized while I was taking care of myself?" Alexia says to me after a while of us sitting in pure silence and enjoying what was purchased.

"What?" I ask after taking a sip of my drink.

"It doesn't matter like how things turn out if it's still all about feelings."

"Huh?" She lost me and I'm sure she would lose anyone else too.

She rolls her eyes before taking a deep breath to continue.

"Like, I loved that nigga- with my whole heart. I really did. He wasted my time and was a shitty person so I never got what I wanted but I don't care about him now and that's the good part. If I still loved him as much as I did back then, I would be devastated that things are going this way." She takes a deep breath.

"I have the most amazing boyfriend ever right now and he means the absolute world to me so I'm enjoying it now because of how I feel."

I nod slowly. "You're right. That actually kinda makes sense." I giggle at her.

She giggles in return. "I'm glad that you're in a happy situation too. I'm happy for you."

As soon as she says that, I get a notification on my phone.

Tego.