Perception of Trust

T E N

A few days passed since Amina was last here. She was mad at me for a day after our conversation, but then got over it.

Today I had a few pampering appointments. I decided to go get my nails, hair and brows done. I hadn't done anything to relax myself since last month before Kennedy's death. Lately I've been feeling paranoid, anxious and kinda stressed. The only thing keeping my head on right was Josephine's company, which is why I needed to take a day off for myself.

My brow appointment was set for eleven this morning, then I would get my nails done afterwards. I still had an entire hour and a half to spare before I had to be out to be on time. I took a long, deep srub shower before I got out and made myself some waffles.

"You feeding off of hot water or something Nick?" Josephine asks coming out of what use to be my room. We were sleeping in the same room for a day or two before switching rooms the other day.

"No, why? You're making me sound like I'm some sort of beast or something girl." I reply

"I took a shower a while ago and the mirror was fogging up cause of how cold the water was." She complains, coming around the corner over to me. "And I wan to wash my hands and that joint was dripping icicles!" She emphasizes, snatching both my waffles out of the toaster.

"Joseph, leggo my damn eggo lil boy." I whine reaching to grabbing her wrist so I could grab my waffles.

"Nah Nick, you used all the hot water in this whole building! Pay up." Josephine says smiling hard as she taunts me by raising her hand up higher and higher."

After failed attempts I decide to make s new batch for myself and Josephine starts laughing.

"Nick's little five foot and three and a half inch self thought she was gone snatch up my free food, Ha!" She says taking bites out of my waffles.

"Okay, you can stop calling me Nick now, ma'am. Let go back to our birth names." I announce, laughing at how annoying she was being.

We've been calling each other by the boy versions of our names since earlier this week when I called her Jospeh.

"Nah, I kinda like calling you Nick, Nick." She teased, still eating my waffles dry with no syrup.

"You wanna die?" I ask facing her confused.

"Well sheesh, alright then, Nickeya. Just call me Jay then and forget Josephine at this point cause-"

"I'm not talking about the names" I interrupt, laughing hard. She follows.

"Oh, the what are you talking about?" She asks slowly stopping to laugh.

"My waffle. You're eating it dry. I burned that one lowkey, so I know it's raking your throat." I laugh.

"That's just how a real bih eats her breakfast. Raw." She shrugs, walking over to the chair.

"Mmm, well that's your own problem so let me just mind mine." I reply grabbing my new waffles and hooking it up.

"Yeah, yeah. What are you finna be calling me now?" Josephine questions from her seat.

"Josephine, duh..." I reply, scrunching my face up.

"No!" She drags, "I said call me Jay."

"Okay." I reply before taking a bite of my waffles

"Alright, now say it." She replies.

"What?" I reply with a full mouth.

"Say my name."

"Destiny' Child?" I ask, trying to be funny. Josephine sucks her teeth, rolls her eyes and says I play to much.