Times Three (X3)

CHAPTER 36 - Prison

Previously On Triplets Apart:
Jada and Mariyah stays home for the day as school is out because of reasons. Jada receives the information from Tyrell on her sisters along with photos of them. She breaks down as this time, Mariyah's shoulder is here to cry on. Mariyah shares her amazing art skills with Jada as she reveals a portrait of the 4 sisters.

***

While Mariyah and I are seated around our parents dinner table, across from each other, I watch her raise her eye brows and smile in delight. She occasionally tilts her head from side to side as her taste buds tingle at each bite she takes of the garlic butter steak, Jamaican rice and peas and potato salad.

"Oh.. my.. God. Who taught you how to cook? Charlotte?" She wipes the sides of her mouth with a napkin.

I glance at her and smile then shifting my eyeballs back at my food to take another bite of the steak.

"The internet taught me. I mean, Charlotte gives a few tips and tricks but remember my parents are hardly here.. so I basically taught myself." I shrug.

Mariyah places her knife and fork down and brushes her palms together. She interlocks her fingers, placing her elbows on the table and placing her chin on her hands, looking at me with curiosity. "That's why you're always watching those cooking videos. You love cooking."

"Yes."

"So mysterious." She smiles.

"I also just found out why you got so overprotective of me." She adds and I continue to eat without a response.

1 Week Later...

Per usual, Mariyah and I are seated in the noisy cafeteria for lunch.

"Hey gorgeous." Cody says hugging Mariyah around her neck from behind, kissing her cheek repeatedly.

She chuckles, placing a palm on his cheek.

All I can do is roll my eyes with a half smile at the annoying cuteness in front of me.

"Hey J, have you seen Tariq today?" He asks me.

"I barely saw Tariq all week." I say in both realization and curiosity.

"I saw him all week, just not today." Cody replies.

"Well uhh.. why don't you text him and see wassup?" Mariyah suggests.

Cody sends Tariq a text message in which he replies within a minute confirming that he's at school.

"He's here." Cody tells us.

Well that's weird. Normally Tariq normally comes and finds me anywhere. Is he busy? Is it the upcoming exams?

Someone's phone rings.

After saying yes and okay a few times, Mariyah cuts the call.

"Daddy wants us at the White House for the weekend." She furrows her eyebrows.

"Why?" I ask realizing it might be important.

"He doesn't say. You in?"

"Well yeah." I shrug.

***

Shortly after losing my appetite over my small worry about Tariq, the environment changes from the typical noisiness to inquisitive side eyes and whispering. My eyebrows furrow, looking to Mariyah and Cody for any form of answers. They stare not at me, but apparently behind me instead as Mariyah whispers an innocent curse word under her breath in awe as Cody rolls his eyes at her giving someone else the dreamy eyes.