peach light fading

one

Mom told me she was worried before she got on the plane. She didn't tell me this with her words but rather the way her calloused hands rubbed over my cheeks when she was saying goodbye. Her speckled russet brown skin was tight as her whole face contorted into a scowl. She, along with my sister, was never one for masking emotion. 

Mom had never been away from me for more than a week. Even in those cases I always stayed with family members, people with loud laughs and louder yells who she trusted. My sister, on the other hand, was allowed to journey from place to place. She trusted her on her own.

Mom kissed both of my cheeks before muttering her goodbyes. I had promised her I would wait in the airport until she texted me saying that she was taking off. I don't know if this was to comfort her or myself.

Rochelle didn't once look up from her phone as we sat waiting for our mother's message. I kept myself busy, refreshing varying apps on my own phone and watching as my number of unread emails hovered at the same 35. I didn't feel much like opening them, it was just nice to know they were there. In life, we don't choose what comforts us, but for all of my mom's children, it was consistency, a presence of something that stayed.

Rochelle cleared her throat after I had gone through the routine for the fourth time.

"Yalla, Sherry is downstairs," she said, twirling one of her honey blonde boxed braids her hand.

"Oh."

Sherry, among other titles, was Rochelle's best friend and the only one who had agreed to take both her and me in for the three weeks mom would be away on business. Her name was one that once engraved in your mind, could never escape you.

"You have everything you need right?" She asked while standing up.

"I guess. I just thought we would wait."

She stared at me and I was on my feet.

We walked to the baggage claim in silence. The cool air of the airport surrounded us, mixed with the familiar scent of cheesy pizza and fresh coffee. I kept headphones in that weren't playing music. Rather, they served as a guard, protecting me from the familiar silence between me and my sister.

The second we stepped outside onto the sidewalk, the wind hit us full force, icy currents that lashed at our skin

"For God's sake Kamaria, zip your jacket," Rochelle yelled, sending me a sharp look.

I did as I was told and watched Rochelle as she searched the crowd for her friend.

I soon spotted Sherry, my heartbeat beginning to accelerate. It had been a year since I had seen her but she still looked the same.

Sherry Ford was as pale as the phantom-like clouds of smoke that billowed from her mouth. She would've blended into the background had it not been for thick frizzy red hair that spiraled out from underneath her hat, dominating her frame.

Rochelle let out a high pitched scream and ran to embrace Sherry where she stood in front of the car that was assumedly hers.

"Ellie!" Sherry screamed as she buried her head in Rochelle's neck.

I smiled slightly at the nickname. When I was younger I thought my sister was a true master of adaptation. When the girls at her middle school offered her the name Ellie she snatched it off of the Swarovski crystal platter as fast as she could and wore it well.

After the two proclaimed how much they had missed each other, I made my way up to the car. The strap of my duffel bag was pressing into the cushion of my jacket and I was leaning to one side as I shuffled along.

Sherry's eyes were still kind when they shifted to look at me. I used to find comfort in the hazel brightness of them but now they seemed only cold and artificial.

"And how are you, Kamaria?" Sherry asked, enveloping me in a hug. She smelt like maple syrup and green tea but I pulled away just as fast as I had intended to.

"I'm good," I shrugged, feeling my body relax. "And you?"

"Fantastic! Completely fantastic! I'm glad you're well."

That girl was always sickly sweet. 

a/n: back at it again with the cringy fiction 

also!there's gonna be some arabic in this (in transliteration i didn't want to confuse any1 too much.) but if anyone wants to speak arabic w me or even correct something if u see its wrong, please feel free!! it's been only a couple years learning it and i'd love to get better.