Soft.

t w e n t y - f i v e | part 1

Excuse any mistakes!

TW: Police Brutality

Seattle, Washington
Saturday brunch

The traffic snaked up the hill, two lines of steel and tire, each capable of over two hundred kilometres per hour and each averaging about five in their stop-start fashion. Although they were bathed in their own putrid fumes, a hundred hands reached forwards in unison to turn their heat-flow to internal circulation only. It was getting close to winter and the weather showed it.

In each self contained world a radio told stories, sung or sold products to the citizens, some talked on cell phones or texted. In the upscale minivans the children gaped at movies barely noticing the scream of sirens from behind and the ambulance driving rapidly into the oncoming traffic which veered to the curb.

     It was just another day in the city. One person's misfortune became the inconvenience of the many in their hermetically sealed indifference.

Zeke was taking Naomi, Nia, and Messiah to lunch before they met with Amir later that day. Nia was in the backseat singing one of Princess Tiana's songs in Messiah's ear. He fought the urge of putting in his headphones, but decided against it. He actually enjoyed the tune.

       Naomi had years of practice of being able to tune Nia out. Her attention was in her phone, responding to a few emails, texts and phone calls. She was wearing all black. Black denims, black shirt, a black trench coat with a pair of leather black Chelsea boots. Her hair was in a sleek bun and she wore silver, big hoop earrings.

She and Nia were matching, from head to toe. All Nia had different was small hoop earrings instead of the dramatic ones. Zeke wasn't casual. He went into the office that morning and was still wearing his grey pinstripe Ashton Martin suit. He wore a blue trench coat over it with simple brown dress shoes. Messiah kept his usual Akoo jeans, red hoodie and the latest pair of Jordan's on his feet.

         Traffic was finally moving, and Naomi sighed in relief. Suddenly, her phone rung and she immediately rolled her eyes when Russell's name appeared on the screen. She'd been dodging his calls every since she had found out about Messiah. She knew eventually she would have to talk to him, but it wasn't going to be at that moment.

After getting out of the traffic, it didn't take Zeke that long to make it to the restaurant. It wasn't packed like it normally was, but Zeke didn't have a problem with it. This was another restaurant that his father co-owned.

     He parked the truck, shutting off the engine and sitting back. Naomi still hadn't looked up from her phone and it aggravating Zeke. She hadn't really talked to him in the car and he wanted some attention from her. He reached for her phone, but she moved and continued doing what she was doing.

"We're here." He said.

        "You and Messiah can go. Nia and I will be in there in a minute." Naomi responded, still not looking up from her phone.

"Nah, how about you put the phone up and come in with us now?" Zeke finally grabbed the phone out of her hands, placing it inside of his trench coat.

     An aggravated expression came over her face as she looked up at him. "Zeke, give me my phone."

"No. We're about to go eat breakfast." He leaned over, pecking her lips softly before getting out of the truck.