Heaven.

FORTY-THREE

October 16, 2017

So far it's been the same old, same old back at home. The weekend just ended but that didn't stop them from hanging out without me. How rude! Yet, it's day 4 out of 10 of the cruise and I'm enjoying every second.

Tia peeks over her sunglasses. "So what he say now?" She's referring to ole boy from yesterday. "I ain't open it yet," I say laying back like I'm unbothered. BUT I'm lying. I been itching to see what Malik said.

nocapmal
ima keep it a buck
u look good today

don't gas me like that... unless u mean it 🫣

who said i was playin? where u at now?

OH. So that's what we on? "Yup, that boy tryna risk it all," Dee muttered like she was reading my mind. "Y'all gon make me blush," I said fanning myself but I already knew I was gonna reply.

top deck, lounging. not hard to find.

say less.

Dee and Tia just kept laughing and giggling like little school girls. Of courseee. Malik looks good, no doubt about that but I just met him. Plus "cruise baes" don't ever last, I know for a fact we might not because we won't barely see each other outside from this.

As we were all just talking about random stuff for like the next 10 minutes, Dee glanced and saw Malik trying to find us. "There go yo man girl!" Dee says smirking while Tia shakes her head. "I thought her man was back at home trying to find ways to beat Rico up." Cause Dee to bust out laughing.

"First of all, it ain't that funny. Second of all, I am a free woman, I don't have a man or in this case men. Just a free agent, doing free agent things" I inform them. They looked at each other, back at me, and laughed again.

They'd so get along with Zi and Lia, I could already see it now. In the midst of us talking, I heard a voice. "Should've known you'd be the one takin all the sun," Perfect timing Malik, get me away from these girls.

"Please. The sun comes to me," I reply sitting up just a little. I turn around to only find out Dee and Tia dipped on me. Wowww.

"You mind?" he asks, already making himself comfortable next to me. I raise an eyebrow but don't say no. "Long as you not blocking my light," I say, fake mugging.

"Oh nah, I'm tryna add to it." Boy, get outta here.

We sit there for a minute, just vibing. Small talk turns into "where you from," which turns into "how's the trip been," and somehow we're just... talking. And it's easy. Like real easy. Like I forgot I was even on a cruise.

He asked about my siblings, told me about his big ass family back home, and even made me laugh once or twice harder than I meant to. Then Dee called from across the deck, needing help with Tia's busted sandal or whatever.

I told him I'd be back, but as soon as I left? That's when the group chat started going off. I been off my phone for maybe two hours max... and apparently that was too much. My phone vibrating like it got beef with me.

Princesses 👑 & Frogs 🐸

Zizi Pooh 🧸
tf are you doing now??

Mylo 💚
she probably with her lil cruise man 👀

Lia Mammia 💃🏽
or ignoring us like we ain't raise her