Prohibited

Chapter One.

It was the second month of 1954 in America, when the separation of black and white people was nothing but something that regulated life; what was correct and what wasn't.

Why do I feel this way
Why do I feel the need to repair something that according to people, can't or doesn't need to be fixed.

Wouldn't it be selfish to feel this way just because of her?

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I wake up at 5:00 A.M just like any other day, my body hops out of bed, but my mind is nowhere to be ready to leave the comfort im surrounded by  - "who's waiting for me anyways"

-  I fix myself a cup of coffe while I open the fridge to see if there's actually something edible to eat.

Expired

Expired

Expired

I give myself a pep talk for considering taking a hold of the food and it not being just to throw it away when realization hits me.

Today is the job interview

I make my lazy steps to the bathroom, it's 5:37 and nothing's making me rush more than what's necessary.
I turn on the water and wait until it gets to a bearable temperature while I look at my reflection in the mirror

What is this

I push the thought of wanting to get a full facial reconstruction to the back of my head and start showering

6:00 A.M
I get out the shower, feeling refreshed, almost like a new person and head to my bedroom, where I start to look for clothes to wear

Do I want to impress everyone?
Do I want to look sexy?
Do I want security to help me find my way out of the building?
Do I want to call attention?

I laugh at the last thought, call attention? As if being one of the few black girls to attend to the interview wasn't enough entertainment for everyone.
after some serious consideration of simply staying at home, I'm finally satisfied with what I've decided to wear;

a black knee-length dress that hugs every curve that's in my body to offer and dark blue high-heels that show how well kept my legs are
I pray for God to give me the strength to go look at myself once again in the mirror

Actually, nothing that can't be fixed

I curl my hair and let it fall over my shoulders and attempt to do my make up, which ends up not being perfect but, who has the time? because I don't.

I think I'm ready to go

I get out of my condo and as soon as I step on concrete, Joseph waves at me to get my attention and offers me a ride

Joseph is your regular cool neighbour, the one that never got married or even engaged but somehow finds the nerve to ask "Where's the man and the kids at" whenever he sees you

"Well good morning young lady" - Joseph greets as I get in the car

"Morning Joseph, is your wife ok with the fact that you have another woman riding shotgun in your car?"

"I don't know Normani, are you ok with that?" - He asks and I can't help myself but laugh at the bad joke

Joseph and I haven't been neighbors for a long time but somehow he knows exactly what to say to make me smile, people that have seen us together think that we're in some type of free relationship but it's really nothing like that At least not to me.

I give him the details of what I'd be doing today before he drops me at my destination, not without wishing me luck.

And there I was

JM Enterprises

As soon as I entered the building my eyes started wondering to the magnificent glass walls, the highest water fountains I had ever seen, lights that could blind anyone who kept staring at them for more than 10 seconds

beautiful people

White people

I was too busy blurring my sight with all those magnificent things that I failed to notice that everyone was looking at me

Staring.

I compose myself and start walking towards an elevator since I know exactly where I should be heading to.

Apparently I'm too busy with my own thoughts to get to the right elevator

Black people's elevators

As soon as I get in the elevator, everyone that was in it steps out, not really hiding how annoyed they were at my stupidity.

Perfect, Normani.

The elevator stops indicating that I've arrived to the 20th floor
I step out, drying my sweaty hands in my dress as I see my surroundings.

Where's everyone

Am I the only one applying to the job?

Then again, realization hits me. Today is black people's day, and what kind of idiot besides me would apply to a job in a place like this one.

But it's time

- "Normani Kordei?" A tall, blonde, beautiful woman approaches me and tries her best to offer a smile, which she fails miserably.

"That'd be me ma'am"

-" Ms. Jauregui is more than ready to meet you, come on in "

I did my best not to stumble and embarrass myself in my way in, just to stay frozen at the sight of the Lauren Jauregui.