Superficial (DE)

Twenty-five.

"What about these?" Asante asked, walking over to where Cerise sat on a small plush sofa in the middle of Neiman's, a bunch of Louboutin boxes stacked upon eachother like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

"Eh," Cerise mumbled, wincing her face as she stared at the mule heel Asante plucked off a display stand. "I'm not really into the kitten heels,"

Asante stared at the heel for a moment before shrugging. "You're right— I'm not going to wear these," She said more so to herself as she walked them back over to their rightful place.

Cerise took a sip of her champagne, setting the glass down before slipping her feet into a pair of open toe Louboutins, twisting her foot side to side as she tried to decide if she liked the heel or not. "What do you think?" She asked, lifting her long leg into the air to show her bestfriend.

"Now those are sexy," Asante agreed, removing her cross body Louis as she took a seat next to Cerise and her boxes.

Cerise pulled out her phone, snapping a picture of the shoes and sending it off to Brandon receiving a reply not too soon after.

I wanna put your feet in my mouth- Brandon

Asante side eyed Cerise as she grinned at her phone like she were the only one in the room.

"Is that him?" Asante asked.

"Huh?"

"Brandon girl— are y'all back talking?"

Cerises high cheek bones took on a red hue as she locked and set the phone face down. "Yes, he apologized and we talked," She answered, taking another sip of her champagne as she scanned her best friends facial expression silently regretting ever telling her at all. Even though Asante said she didn't care, Cerise knew she felt a way.

"So what are y'all going to do Ree. How is this supposed to play out? He's going to have to do time and I think you know this,"

Cerise swallowed the saliva that collected in her mouth, shrugging meekly. "I'll wait— I'll wait for him,"

"You'll wait?" Asante repeated. "Ree— you barely know this man. Now you're talking about sitting through a bid with him?"

"I know him more than you think I do," Cerise defended, fighting the urge to tell her bestfriend just exactly how she truly felt— in love.

"I really just do not feel like this is a good idea Ree. He's a criminal for crying out loud,"

"He's not a criminal— he made a mistake, there's a difference," Cerise objected, starting to feel slightly offended. "You literally always tell me to do what makes me happy and now that I'm doing what makes me happy you're not being supportive and I don't like that,"

"And there's a difference between doing what makes you happy and making a stupid decision because you think it makes you happy Cerise," Asante countered.

Cerise clenched her jaw, flipping her long brown tresses over her shoulder.

"I don't want you to make a decision that will cost you. Your life and your career is on the line pursuing this man. You can become disbarred and I don't think you understand that," Asante stressed. "You could literally go to jail yourself,"

"Who's gunna know Asante— huh?" Cerise questioned. "Are you going to say something— are you going to tell?" She snapped.

Asante closed her mouth slowly, slightly taken aback. Cerise had never spoken to her in such a way, but Cerise was also not going to let anything come between her love— not Asante, her father, or her career.