If I Dont Have You

chapter 8

Wasssup my punkin smunkins 😄

This chapter is really short but I wanted to get it out to you asap so...

Its dedicated to my besttttiie  @lee_pillay09 , she'll know why 😘

Enjoooyyyyyyy!!

xx hannerrr
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Taraji stared into her cup, her eyes trained on the smooth brown ripples her spoon made as she absentmindedly stirred.

For the past two days Malik dominated her thoughts, consuming all her energy, she was exhausted and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't switch her thoughts off.

Their argument was petty.

Yet it loomed over her head like a dark cloud and usually she wouldn't allow something so small to affect her so much but it did, and it drove her crazy.

"Ah-hem," a voice cleared. Her eyes shot up.

"Jay!!!" She yelled, rushing herself out of the booth.

Jay stepped back and smirked "you look like a damn fool with that big ole ugly hat." She chuckled pointing to the hat on Tarajis head.

"I have to be low key."

"Yeah and that ugly hat is real low key." Jay muttered sarcastically, she shook her head and hugged her best friend.

Taraji scrunched her nose up, "Damn I missed yo stupid ass," she cooed, smooshing Jays cheeks together; she grinned before pulling her in for another hug.

Jay chuckled.

"Sorry I'm late, I had to drop them kids off at their fathers," she trailed off, rolling her eyes. She removed her coat and slid in opposite Taraji.

"Girl, why you gotta apologize, I got you," Taraji winked.

Jay smiled.

"How are my little devils anyway?" Taraji asked resting her elbows on the table and her chin on her entwined fingers.

Jay huffed "crazy."

"Yeah?"

Jay nodded, rolling her eyes with a sigh "Kayla just sent out her UNI applications, which means she never stops stressing and Kari... Kari is good, going through her moods again, but you know," she trailed off, chuckling dryly.

Taraji smiled, "and Kyle?"

Jay sighed, shaking her head.

"He's having trouble at school again, those kids won't stop making fun of his stutter," she explained heavily.

"I love his stutter," Taraji moaned, Jay nodded "me too,"

"Besides he's like what, 8?"

Jay nodded.

"So he'll grow out of it."

Jay shrugged and bit her lip uneasily, averting her eyes away from Taraji.

"Damn, kids can be mean, beating up on my god baby like that, I mean I have half a mind to go down there and I'll, I'll -- tuhh..."

Jay leaned back in her seat, amused.

"You'll what? Go Cookie on 'em?" She suggested smugly.

Taraji rolled her eyes, "girl tuhh, you know I hate that bitch." She muttered sipping her coffee.

Jay rolled her eyes and sucked in her cheeks to keep her from laughing.

"But yes - if that's what I have to do, then I will go 'Cookie' on their asses,"

Jay grinned triumphantly, "annndd... You need to get that broom out... The one Hakeem keeps seeing." She nodded smugly, clearly pleased with her idea.

Taraji looked up from her coffee and caught Jays eye, they burst out laughing.

They laughed so hard their stomaches started to ache and so did their cheeks.

They stopped, or tried to when a timid waitress approached the table.

She placed a latte and a slice of carrot cake in front of Jay and a massive slice of triple chocolate fudge cake in front of Taraji.

Jay looked at Tarajis plate, shook her head and grinned in amusement.

"Shut up." Taraji muttered.

"I ain't even say nothi-"

"Shut yo' ass up."

"Mm okay..." Jay mumbled, trying hopelessly to conceal her grin.

Taraji glared at her best friend, daring her to continue.

"How's work?" Jay eventually asked.

"Good, I'm flying out to Japan in a minute to do some presswork for the show and I'm hoping to get my Christmas shopping done there," she murmured, licking icing off her fork.

Jay nodded, impressed "Malik going with you?" She asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Taraji rolled her eyes and put down her fork "I haven't told him yet." She mumbled.

"Really?"

Taraji nodded and bit her lip, "I haven't spoken to Malik for a couple of days now, I'm not sure that I want to either." She muttered, rolling her eyes.

Jay frowned "everything okay?" She asked, concerned.

Taraji licked her lips "I don't know."

"What happened?"

Taraji closed her eyes and sighed "its petty, don't worry about it."

Jay frowned "Taraji, tell me what happened." She coaxed.

Taraji glanced around "he's mad at me," she muttered rolling her eyes "Marcell was coming over and he didn't understand why he couldn't be there when he got there."

"Did you try explaining it to him?"

Taraji frowned "I didn't think I'd need to, besides I don't need that kind of drama in my life." She shrugged "he be getting mad for shit."

Jay finished off her coffee "I don't think he's mad, I think he's hurt." She murmured licking her lips.

Taraji narrowed her eyes,"Oh you taking his side now?" She challenged.

Jay huffed "no, I'm just saying, men like that don't come around all to often, y'all got something good, if it were me, I wouldn't give up on him so easily."