Fragments of Us.

Part 4

I sat at the vanity, absently dabbing my foundation brush against my skin, zoning out as my thoughts drifted back to everything that had happened. Brandon and I never reached out to each other. That dead. A slight ache settled in my chest, but I shrugged it off. It's been a month—maybe two.

Instead of dwelling on it, I've been living my best life. Going out more, getting closer to the girls, and honestly? Mi love girlhood! Well, genuine girlhood. The kind where we lift each other up, not tear each other down.

Today, it's Feria's birthday, and we've been in Portland since Thursday, soaking up the vibes. The house we're staying at, perched by the coast, was lively from the start. The waves crashed in the distance, and the sea breeze whispered through the open windows. Tonight, we're throwing a party for her, a proper house party, and the energy is electric.

Bare fuckry from Thursday's boat ride, mi cyaan lie. All of us were tipsy, dancing, and laughing like there was no tomorrow. The music was loud, the sun was golden as it set over the ocean, and we were free.

"People start come. Ready fi go down?" Ddra's voice snapped me out of my daydreams.

I glanced at her through the mirror, giving a small nod. "Yeah, mi basically done." I applied the last touch of gloss, letting the faint shimmer highlight my lips.

She stepped closer, resting her hand on my shoulder, her eyes soft with concern. "Yuh alright?" she asked, the question deeper than it sounded. I knew what she meant. Brandon.

Baby, dat dead, mi told myself again, trying to reinforce it. "Mi nuh carry feelings," I said with a confident shrug, pretending the wound didn't sting.

Ddra's face twisted slightly in disbelief, but she knew better than to push. She patted my shoulder once before moving away, respecting the unspoken boundary.

I glanced at my reflection, the glow from the overhead lights highlighting my perfectly blended contour and bold eyeshadow. My outfit clung in all the right places. I looked damn good. Fi real. The soft hum of soca music wafted from downstairs, mixing with the faint sound of laughter and conversation below. The party was starting to heat up.

Before heading out, I snapped a quick mirror pic, catching the curve of my waist and the way the fabric hugged my body.

"Gyal, yuh front fat enuh," Ddra said, eyeing me up and down with an exaggerated grab at my hips. "Surprise mi every damn time."

I slapped her hand away, laughing. "My girl, ya fish?"

"Only fi you, baby," she teased, blowing me a kiss.

I pretended to catch it, laughing along with her. The energy between us was light, playful, a much-needed distraction from everything else. With that, we linked arms and made our way downstairs, ready to dive into the party and lose ourselves in the night's chaos.

The decorations were stunning, a kaleidoscope of colors that lit up the room, reflecting the vibrancy of the party. Loud dancehall music pumped through the speakers, filling the air with a pulse that made you want to move. Thank God it was a private space because the energy was electric.

"Make we find dem," Ddra said, her grip tight on my hand as she led me through the throngs of people. I subconsciously pulled the ends of my jumpsuit down, feeling exposed and awkward.

Me feel like a slave in front of all dem white people ya. Must get outta dis to rawse.

We finally spotted Layla and Feria, who immediately dragged me into the spotlight for photos. We struck goofy poses, laughter spilling out as we sang along to the infectious beats the DJ was spinning.