Kirkland Academy- Interracial Fiction

Kirkland Academy- Chapter 16

"I'm glad that I'm getting to spend my birthday with you guys," Tia said as she looked to her friends, Kalinda and Brittany on either side of her. They were all decked out in crisp white robes emblazoned with the Alexandra Hotel crest on the lapel as they sat together awaiting their pedicures while Janet had gone off to have a hot stone massage.

"I know things have been hard for you and Jack, but I am so happy to see you smile," Brittany said giving Tia's hand a reassuring squeeze.

Tia's bright smile dimmed a bit at the mention of his name, but she tried not to let it show.

"How's he doing? Is he back with Erica yet?" Tia asked, keeping an even temperament as she spoke. Tia had been thinking of Jack non-stop, but she did not bend to her heart's desire to speak with him.

"He's been miserable. He just stares at your picture moping and cursing about Erica being a crazy liar. Actually, she stopped by the house a few days ago and whatever he said to her was enough to make her leave the house in tears," Brittany said. Her words hit Tia's heart, and she could not keep her phony smile on her face. Maybe Jack was telling the truth. Maybe the truth was not everything. She missed him and from what Brittany told her, he missed her as well. They both seemed to be suffering from the separation.

"It's Tia's birthday! Let's not make her cry," Kalinda chimed in, noticing the far-off look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry. It's just hard to watch two people that I care about be so unhappy without each other," Brittany said sincerely.

"Maybe we weren't meant to be together," Tia said with a sad shrug, "Maybe in time, we can be friends again, but right now, it just really sucks to see him all the time and not know what to say to him."

"That massage was amazing," Janet said materializing from seemingly nowhere. Her face was covered in a strange cloth mask. When the girls saw her, they all began to laugh at the strange wrap over her face.

"What's so funny?" Janet asked confused as to what made her step daughter laugh so heartily.

"You look like a mummy!" Tia said laughing at her stepmother.

"I am a mommy!" said Janet, taking a seat next to Kalinda.

"You're face, mom! You look like a mummy I hardly recognized you under all this gauze,"Tia explained.

"I got a pore shrinking anti-aging facial wrap," Janet said gesturing to her face, "my friend Monica swears by them."

"You look pretty funny, mom," Tia had began to refer to Fish and Janet as 'Mom and Dad', and it was still new, but it touched their hearts to hear those words from her. Janet and Tia had bonded just as if she'd raised her from childhood. Janet's warmth and understanding made Tia feel like she was a part of a real family.

"Just wait until I get this mask off. I'm going to look as young and cute as all of you do," Janet boasted, crossing her arms and dramatically raising her nose in the air. The girls laughed again at her silliness.

"This hotel is amazing," Tia said as she snapped a photo of the intricately detailed ceiling above the pedicure area, "I wonder if they would get some photos from the roof before the restaurant opens for service."

"You can't!" Janet answered quickly, Tia gave Janet a puzzled look, and she elaborated, "We won't have any time. I thought we'd get our hair and make up done before dinner."

"You were just talking about how you wanted to change your hair. Besides, you can take pictures tonight or before we leave tomorrow morning," Kalinda added practically, covering for Janet's suspicious outburst. Janet and Kalinda exchanged a meaningful look secretly, hoping they weren't questioned further.