LOVE and SECRETS

⚠️🖤NON-CONSENSUAL🖤⚠️

(MAJOR TRIGGER WARNING! This chapter contains drug use and sexual assault.)

There was a knock on the door. The door was decorated with stars and hearts cut from construction paper. The names Periwinkle and Jo-Jo were in purple and green letters. 

"Our phones! Yay!" Joanna jumped up off the bed and bounded to the door.

"Hey, girls. Here you go. You have one hour. Make it count! And remember you are only to use the phone, not the internet. We find out you did you lose next Tuesday's privileges."

"Oh, but of course." Joanna shut the door. "Nurse Ratchet."

"You are so bad, Jo-Jo!" Perri said, throwing her pillow at her.

"Here. See if Romeo texted you, Juliet." She tossed Perri the phone.

She powered it up, and her texts started loading. She had three voicemails, one text from Holden, and four texts from Bodhizafa. 

Joanna sat down next to her. "Well, let's see what he had to say this week."

She played the voicemail first. Peri couldn't help but smile. 

"Tell me again. Why did you let him go?"

"He had a dream... and a contract. Even if he was here, it's not like I would have been able to be with him, especially since I had to be here extra time."

"Touche. We obviously have to make him another video. Hmm. Oh, let's do the dance we made up to Pornstar Dancing!"

"Are you out of your fucking mind! I am not sending him a video of that!"

She got up in a huff. "Fine. I'll pick a different one!" She sat down on her bed as Perri read his texts.

🔵Hey Periwinkle. I really want to talk to you. God, I miss you so much. All I think about is you. I think about the night we made love and the morning. I can't even look at another woman. You have ruined me for all other women. Every game I play, I play for you. I need to get my ass in the NBA and get back to you. PLEASE CALL ME, I NEED TO HEAR YOUR VOICE! I 💝😍🥰LOVE YOU!

🔵Music Speaks When Words Fail: Grenade- Bruno Mars

🔵Music Speaks When Words Fail: Say You Won't Let Go- James Arthur, I miss you so fucking much. I dreamt I married you last night. You looked beautiful. I was in my basketball shorts. Weird. I hope you are doing well. I want you to get out of there. I want to see you happy and healthy. Most of all, I see you. I love you, Periwinkle.

🔵Music Speaks When Words Fail: I Can't Help Falling In Love With You -Elvis Presley.  Every word is my truth. I love you.

Tears started to crawl down her cheeks. Joanna looked up. "Oh, Sis." She came over and pulled Perri into her arms. 

Perri buried her face into her neck. Joanna looked at the messages. "Wow, he's good. More songs for your playlist, I guess."

"We were only supposed to talk about my health and his job."

"Did he know that?" She asked, stroking her hair. "If you don't want him to keep doing this, you need to put your foot down. Two days a week, you end up crying over him. I am up for catharsis as much as the next person, but come on."

She sniffled. "I know. As much as it hurts me, I don't want him to stop. I like knowing that he still loves me and wants to be with me as much as I do him. I guess I might be leading him on with the videos, but I really want him back—now more than ever."

"You have to tell him, Sis."

"I know. I hope he can make it to graduation." She wiped her cheeks with the sleeve of her favorite sweatshirt.