FACADE

36| End of Summer

AUGUST 12th

PAECYN

Today mi free paper burn. It's not like it did fully free anyways, since all mi really do this summer is work and watch movies.

I'm supposed to go get my hair braided soon, but before that, I need to collect my signed hours of internship from Mrs.Hillon... or Terrence himself.

I've been dreading asking for it because we've become a little distant. Told him I needed time to think for myself. All my life it's been people thinking for me or influencing my thoughts and decisions one way or the other.

*Yep*

Of course him never like that. Mi nuh know wa'ah him problem with the distance, him a gwaan like a lef me lef him or supm.

Another thing I did for my peace is block Jacen, everywhere... and I mean everywhere. For the first time since I was eight or nine years old, I haven't seen him or seen pictures or videos of him... since that day.

Mi mek sure tell Kyan don't invite me anywhere him friends ago deh and I made it my duty to mute every single person associated with him, before removing him from my profile.

*If him wah watch me some other way, dat a feem business*

I needed that for me, because I think I might have fallen in love with him somewhere along our f*cked up situationship line.

*And mi hate dat fi me*

Leaning over to the mirror, I check my teeth for any leftovers of the donut I just had while watching my not so little cousin play ball.

*Teeth clean*

Then I adjust my hat, check the time to see if I'm on schedule for my appointment, before snapping my now famous mirror picture.

As soon as I snap it and bring the phone down, Bailey's name comes across my screen. Without hesitation I pick up, thinking she's about to tell me how excited she is about her transfer from UWI to Spelman for the millionth time.

"Girl stop worry nuh, whatever you learn a UWI ina your first year is enough. Them nahgo rescind none of your credits just stop overthink, and me just done my second year so I'll walk you through yours."

I wish she had done double units in sixth form with me so we could be in the same year right now but nooooo, she wah do it the right way and blah blah.

"Bailey?" I call, noticing she hasn't said a single word since I picked up... just hushed panting.

"Bee?" I try again.

"Cyn," her voice cracks, but then I hear slight shuffling as if she pulled the phone from her ears before she whispers, "soon call you back."

Wah? Wah that now?

My next instinct is to call Kyan. I shift my weight from my right leg to the left before bringing my pinky fingernail between my teeth.

*Mi nuh like how she did sound*

Kyan is usually the one to ring me out of nowhere and act like that, not Bailey.