Suicide Sisters

42

ZEDADIAH

The anticipation for the Beyoncé concert was palpable, yet the excitement was marred by an unsettling absence.

"Stupid bitch fucking everything up" I mutter to myself standing a foot away from Kiya tucking a blunt behind my ear.

It was a situation that had turned what should have been a joyous countdown into a storm of anxiety. Kiya, with her heart tethered to Leilani's well-being, was less than enthusiastic about the concert. The thought of selling our tickets had even crossed her mind, a notion that made my stomach churn.

"Stop, Zeddie, I'm trying to do something" Kiya mumbled, swatting my hands away with a mix of frustration and affection. She pressed the call button under Leilani's number once more, hoping against hope that this time she would answer.

"You've called ha sixty times, Phat. Put the phone down. C'mere" I urged, my voice a blend of concern and determination.

Kiya frowned, her brow furrowing in that adorable way that made my heart ache.

"Promise you didn't do anything" she said, her eyes searching mine for the truth.

"On Nia, I ain't do shit. If I find her, you'll go dress shopping in Turkey for me? I keep seeing married women talk about Turkish dresses. They say it's beautiful; I want you in the best" I proposed, squatting in front of her, my hands gently cradling her face. "I love you."

Rolling her eyes, she leaned in and kissed me softly. "If she's okay, I'll go" Kiya replied, her voice warm and reassuring. "I love you, crazy."

"Crazy?" I echoed, feigning indignation.

"You are" she said, nodding with a light chuckle. "Terrifyingly crazy."

"You scared?" I asked, dropping my hands and kneeling on the floor, my frown deepening as I looked into her eyes. "You scared of me, Phat?"

"No, Baby" she said, tugging my hands from my sides and placing them back on her face, holding them there as if to anchor me. "I'm mostly concerned about you, but that's it. Your eyes do that jerking up and down thing a lot, and you choose those times to be silent. That's scary. I never know what to expect, even though I should already know you want to cuddle or be close to me."

"Vertical nystagmus; nervous system disorder" I muttered, the words spilling out as I stared over her face, slipping into a daze. "I can't help it. My vision gets blurry sometimes, and the movement causes headaches. It pisses me off too... I hate not being able to look at you."

"I love how I don't have to do anything to have your attention" Kiya said, her smile brightening the dim light of our living room. "I love having your eyes on me, which is crazy. There was a time I wanted you out of my face." She poked my chest playfully, her laughter ringing like music in the air.

"Mmh" I replied, my mind racing with thoughts of her and our future.

It was just Kiya and me, two souls entwined in a dance of love and uncertainty. But the reality of Leilani's absence loomed like a shadow, reminding us that life often throws us into turbulent waters, even when we're trying to navigate our own course.

"Let's think about this logically" I mumble suggested, voice steadying. "You can call the police, check hospitals, and reach out to y'all other friends. I'll do my own thing, ight?"

"But what if something happened to her? What if—"

"Stop" I interrupted gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Worrying won't help us find her. Check the hospital's first, then ask around y'all friend group. If I don't have anything then you can involve the police."