🎵You remind me of my jeep.. I want to ride it. Something like my sound, I want to pump. Girl you look just like my cars, I want to wax it. And something like my bank accounts, I want to wax it baby.🎵
I thought I was dreaming but I was pretty sure that was R. Kelly's loud music playing in the background. Instantly I shot up from the soft set of pillows I lay on and groaned, not today I thought as I rubbed my temples. I was in excruciating pain, my head felt like someone had poured the contents into a blender and turned it to the highest level.
"Man, can you not get up like that, you literally just shot back on my chest Jess," a familiar voice moaned. I turned back to see Charlene's semi exposed chest in her robe and blushed. So that's what those pillows were.
"Sorry," I yawned, I had forgotten that I even slept over, yesterday was a blur to me after our crying session. I felt good this morning though, minus the headache; like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. There was still a dull ache near my heart and I guess it would always be there, I'd always feel incomplete with my best friend gone. "These aren't mine." I realised I was in a rainbow spotted white gown and not Layla's clothes I had come in. Immediately I looked to the inside of my arms hoping the cuts on them had healed, if Charlene had seen them last night she would ask me a million questions. I sighed in relief when I only saw a few faded scratches.
"Do you think I'd let you put your outside clothes on my bed?" Charlene sounded amused. "And why the fuck is this stupid bwoy playing music this loud inna the bludclart morning?"
I slid out of bed putting on her pink fluffy slippers because I was not ready to lose more of my hearing due to her yelling. My arms lifted to the heavens as my body automatically did it's final stretch which included wagging my butt a little. I heard a small giggle from behind me but chose to ignore it. Instead, my eyes wandered around the room appreciating the soft orange and red decor. There was so much expensive furniture in here which separated it from the rest of the house, it reminded me of the way my house was set up. Plush couch chairs that had fluffy pillows on top with intricate patterns took up two corners of the room while a huge flat screen tv stood boldly on the wall opposite Charlene's queen size bed. I nodded in approval. For once I slept peacefully without the sheets Layla had bought me and maybe that was because of Charlene's gold and red satin sheets reminiscent of a queen's attire on her coronation. They were so soft, I just wanted to wrap myself around it and lay in it forever. Or maybe it's because I lay on the bosom of the one closest to my mother which kept me at ease. As she held me to her heart, I felt close to the memories of mum she kept there. And for some reason those demons who tormented me each time I closed my eyes couldn't get to me yesterday. Their grim sharp claws clutched on to the gates of a barrier they were trapped behind, rattling it's chains and spitting their poisonous venom in my direction. I wasn't scared, I could look directly into their nefarious eyes and size up the manifestation of my fears without cowering. I knew I was protected for good this time and as they chanted the poems of death and hades my spirit did not shake or fumble because I had finally accepted the truth. After my silent victory, my body began to float further and further away, travelling deeper into the white nothingness that seemed to have no ending. I was in peace.
"Tell him to turn down that noise," Charlene complained putting the quilt over her head.
"Yes Aunty," my eyes quickly skimmed the room for the time, it was 2pm. I had overslept, it was so unlike me to wake up so late but right now I couldn't care. I needed to pop some pain meds at least before I entered the lion's den.
Skipping down the stairs I noticed jermaine's room door was slightly ajar but I couldn't see him in it. That was strange, his bed was in view and of course the quilt was messed up, that guy still had Charlene cleaning up his room. I guess she was taking his child benefits and money from him dad as a way to pay herself for the extra work she didn't sign up for. I laughed to myself, now that was evil Jessica. After pouring myself some cold tap water, I dived head first into the water to alleviate some of the pain I was feeling around my forehead and rubbed my temples at the same time. I wiped my face with my night gown and sighed. That felt good. I looked in the cabinet for paracetamol and after searching through all of jermaine's fatty snacks found some ibriprofen. I popped two in my mouth, downed it with the small water that remained in my glass, took two walkers crisps and headed back upstairs.
