AMIL's ANECDOTE

AA38

Christmas—damn, it's already here again? Amil thought to herself while taking a sip of her spiked egg nog. In the midst of doing so, she looked up at the beautiful green tree that adorned its annual corner spot in her grandmother's living room. Every year, Laura changed the colors of her ornaments with different reasons behind the duo of colors that she chose. This year's theme was gold and black for the Saints, who were of course her favorite football team. With the holiday being a week away, Laura was doing her best to keep the tree lit every night. Being that her grandmother did a good job of tying everything together, Amil eyed the tree every night in adoration as if she hadn't seen it before.

After snapping out of her daze, Amil sat her glassware on the table, trading it for the plethora of scotch tape pieces that she had lined up against the edge of the table for easy access as she wrapped the gold wrapping paper around one of the gifts that she bought for her younger sister earlier today. Christmas was different this year for Amil, considering she finally had the funds to splurge on her family for the occasion. Amil didn't have to go the cheap route, searching stores like five below for things that her family probably didn't want, but she knew they would be grateful for, like socks and other random miscellaneous items that fell under a twenty dollar price tag.

With the joyful realization that things were different this year, her mind couldn't resist highlighting how different they were in a somewhat sad light as well. Amil recalled this time last year being the peak of her relationship with Zion. Things between them were so good, just for everything to crumble less than 2 months later. Having said that Amil was slowly on a path of getting over Zion, she was sure that this was something she'd never forget. The emotional turmoil that followed Zion's betrayal was unlike anything she'd ever experienced in a relationship. Amil couldn't comprehend the highs and lows that she underwent oh so swiftly.

At this point in her healing process, Amil was at the step where she was done being angry, she was now at a point of acceptance. As hard as it was, Amil accepted the fact that she and Zion's relationship was a thing of the past and there was no restoring it. This realization was paired with her mentally destroying all of the plans that they made for their future—they were never going to happen. Amil reminded herself every time she caught herself daydreaming about the fictional world that they'd piece together after nights of making love to each other, followed by him holding her tight. Frustration always followed during these daydreams, as Amil remembered that while she was spilling her heart out to him, he was holding back and holding onto what was essentially the demise of them.

A burning sensation filled the tip of Amil's throat as her eyes began to swell with tears. As an attempt to combat her emotions, she began to clear her throat before softly gulping, hoping to swallow the melancholy feeling with her saliva. Shortly, the gift wrapping was complete, ending Amil's business in the living room. She got up from her place on the floor and trailed into her room, where she found her phone lighting up with a call, adding light to the pitch black room.

"Yeah." Amil answered, sticking the phone up to her ear. "What you doing?" Mar questioned.

"Nothing—finna lay down for a lil' bit then eat what my granny made." Amil answered while laying down in her bed. TV wasn't in her plans, but she still turned the monitor on to lighten up her room. "What she make?" Mar asked.

"Catfish and red beans." Amil answered, making her stomach growl at the mention of the foods that she would soon be indulging in. "Bet—I'm finna come over there after I get my hair cut." Mar replied, causing Amil's eyebrows to furrow together as she pulled away to briefly look at the phone before moving it away from her ear.

"Haircut...by who?" Amil quizzed with a slight joking attitude, resulting in a series of laugh to come through her phone. "Ain't nobody laughing with you, Omari—who cutting yo' hair?" She asked.