SECRETS

1

Kiari Jones
6:35pm

"What is going on?" I mumble as I stare the the 6pm traffic. Trying to distract myself from this painfully slow drive, I blast "Stay Ready" by Jhené Aiko. I quietly sing the lyrics while on the road watching the backed up traffic.

"Come to me, come, come to me
Look at what you've done to me
You put a gun to me , then you you brought the sun
to-"

My singing gets cut up by a phone call, It's sage , my one and only best friend in the world. I look down at my phone and press answer with a smile on my face.

" Hey k!" sage yells into the phone.

I laugh and respond, " Hey sage!" With the same excitement

Are you still coming over today?"She asked. I remember we made those plans today.

"Yea I'm still coming but I'm gonna be a little late , all this traffic."I said.

She laughs "Okay, I'm gonna set up call me so I can let you into the gate."

"Okay"I said then hang up, finishing the rest of my playlist.

Sage and I met our junior year of High school, ever since then we have been attached at the hip. And we got even closer when her father died in the middle of senior year. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for her and vice versa. Currently Sage and I are in our junior year of college only one more year to go and we will be off into the real world.

It doesn't take me long to get to sages house, I pull up to the gate and press her houses personalized code to get in. Once the gate opens I pull into the houses driveway and turn off the car.

" Hi K, I've missed you so much!"

I hear sage say, her words laced with nothing but excitement. A smile creeps onto my face. " Hey sage" matching her level of
enthusiasm. We hug then we both walk into her house. Dim lights and very quiet, almost like no one lives there, not even her.

The thing about sages home life is that ever since her dad died, her, her mother, and her older brother have been living together because her brother thought it would be "safer", her words not mine. When I hang out with sage it's usually quiet and feels like it's no one else but us.

But I know someone else is here. Sages mom is usually working at the hospital and doesn't come home til the early morning. But her older brother, I always feel his presence. Like he's there, watching us from his room. Believe me I know it's creepy but the feeling usually goes away and I push the thought of it to the back of my head.

" Hello, is anyone home?" Sage says snapping her fingers in my face to get me out of my trance.

"Sorry what were you saying?" I say Bringing all my attention back onto her.

" I was saying that I think I know what I want to do for my birthday next month" she says with a very excited look.

"Yeah? What do you plan on doing this year, I don't think anything could top what you did for your 20th Birthday" I say with all seriousness. Last year Sage invited all of her friends to go on a trip, quite literally flew us all out, and it was partying non- stop, from Sunday to Friday it was all clubs and some days for rest.

"Well this time I wanna do a big party inviting everyone I know, A ball sort of thing." She says. " I know my family always hosts stuff like that but this time, it'll be all about me." Sage says. One thing about sage is " the bigger the better" or at least that's what's in her books. That's what I love about her, she always has the courage to do things I would never do, bring me out of my shell 24/7.

" Okay, let me know when everything is finalized and I'll be sure to help out with whatever". I say.

" okay thanks, but let's change the topic , any boys?". She says with a smirk. Sage never had a problem with guys, sometimes it felt like they threw themselves at her. Me on the other hand not so much. I think I actually try to avoid them as much as possible, I've just come to the conclusion that I don't need them in my life and I'll just wait till marriage, like my mother says.

" Sage you already know about this stuff" I say turning my head to avoid the embarrassment.

" you seriously have to put yourself out there, you never want to go to any of the kickbacks or any of the sorority parties" she says. I had no response I just shook my head because sage already knew me and how I was. Or how my mother was.

" we are going to find you one I swear it! In the mean time let me tell you what this guy said to me on our date" Sage then goes on about her date and how cute he was and all other things. I start to get lost in the conversation because I see a figure run past her room door and down stairs. I feel like they lingered, wanting someone to see them. Or see him.

Sage noticed I turned my head. " Ignore that It's probably my brother and his Idiot friends, they are so annoying". She says getting up to slam the door and send a message to them.

" so anyway he responds with...." Sage continues and I listen intently while scrolling on my phone.

After a while me and sage just talk, eat, talk about what we plan on doing in the future. I check my phone and see the time is 10pm, I almost jump up at how late it is especially since I have a busy schedule tomorrow. Tomorrow I have to accompany my mother and father to a brunch event , specifically so I can pose as the "perfect daughter" and find a potential husband. My mother and father aren't top celebrities but they are well known within the country they have businesses here and have done many collaborations.

Im not very Informed on what my parents do, I never truly cared to ask. I'm only worried about one thing, my future.

I had to beg my mother just to go to college, while my dad just sat in the back with his mouth shut. That's how it always is, my mother scolding on how to look in public as my father sits and smokes his cigar in the background. I always have dreams where I would escape and live freely. It's insane to still be told what to do at 19 years old, but that's how I grew up.

I want to dance. It's been my dream for forever. I imagine dancing on stage, dancing to the rhythm. That seems to be the only thing my mother is proud of, my ballet skills.

" Hey sage I have to go, see you tomorrow?" I say a little ashamed. She sighs knowing my life and my family. She walks me to the the door, we hug and she waits for my to pull out of the driveway before going back inside.

Before I pull off into the rode I see a tall figure on the balcony, I know for a fact it's her brother. He stands there smoking his cigarette with one hand in his pocket looking down on what feels like the world.

I get snapped back into reality, and pull off to make my way home.

HIIIIII , HOW DO WE FEEL? I wanted to keep it a little short for the first one.

Thoughts on kiari , Sage , and mystery man???

THANKS FOR READING DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT AND VOTE PLEASE!!!🙂