Devotion

three ﾒ you've gotta be kidding me

ANGELICA

After the interaction I had with Bertarelli (or Luca), I started to feel insecure about my work ethic. I mean, why would he say that? I have never failed a damn exam, so why in the hell would he try to push my buttons?

I sigh at the thought in the back of my head. My education was the only thing that was mine, and he's making me feel terrible. Then my head perks at a thought. "Why am I tripping off of what he's saying if it's not true?" I ask myself.

My head hits my pillow as I stare at the ceiling. Leilani walks in with her silk pajama set on, a pink top, and shorts. She looked like a Victoria's Secret model.

She sets a charcuterie board down on my nightstand before plopping next to me, her body dipping into the bed. "Why so down, A?"

I look at her with my green eyes, just like my brother's. "I don't wanna fail my economics exam," I say in a sad tone, and she immediately scoffs, sitting up so that I can see all of her.

"No, no! We aren't doing this. Luca is a load of shit. He's getting to your head, and you're falling into his big bear trap!" She takes a piece of cheese from the board. "You're super smart. We're super smart, A."

"You're only saying that because you're my best friend." I look at her.

Lei fixes her position on the bed and smiles. "I'm also saying that because I love you, and it's true. I don't speak bullshit. I know smart when I see it," she says. "Now, sit up! I hate seeing you sad."

I sit up against my headboard with a pout still apparent on my lips before eating a piece of cheese off of the board. My braids fall down my back as I adjust myself on my bed. The two of us sit in silence for a moment, just staring at my huge bedroom.

Everything was pink, my favorite color. I loved Barbie and old 2000s movies, and I had every magazine from back then since I collected them as a kid. One of my favorite eras was when Lindsay Lohan told the magazines about who she slept with.

At first glance, if you were to stand inside my bedroom, there would be a bunch of pink, 2000s stuff, and clothes. My mom lent me a bunch of clothes she had worn when she was a teenage girl in the 90s, back when luxury was actually luxury and not a brand slapped with a name.

"We should prep for the exam just one more time," I say, sliding off of my bed and into my closet. I rummage through my bags and find my economics notebook and my study materials.

Leilani groans into the bed before moving to the center of the bed. "Fine, but afterward, we should go to dinner." I instantly shook my head.

"We have to study!" I exclaimed, spreading the index cards all over my bed. She stops my spread.

"Girl, we've done it more than enough times. I think we memorized every damn unit of economics." She stares at me with intimidating brown eyes.

I look at her as if it were a challenge and move her hand out of the way to continue spreading. "Study for ten minutes, and then we can go to dinner like you want."

Lei moves her hand back. "Fine."

For the next ten minutes, we recall all of the necessary topics of the unit in economics. By the time the timer goes off, Leilani rolls onto the bed with a loud and dramatic sigh. "Longest ten minutes ever."

"Don't be dramatic," I say as I collect all of the flashcards and my notebook, putting them back where they belonged in the first place. Leilani bounces up from the bed and takes out her makeup, all stuffed into her Versace handbag.

I turn on the light on my vanity and set it up so the both of us can get ready. Her makeup sits on the left and mine on the right. Blushes, concealers, foundations, etc., all lay over the desk as we get ready.