Loves Deception

Chapter 1

“Tell me you’re not working this Saturday, again!” Naomi croaked, her voice groggy from sleep as she rolled over and pulled her pillow over her head. Layla stood, stretched and walked over to the dresser to hit the off button on the blaring alarm. “Sorry girl, I didn’t mean to wake you. I thought you weren’t coming home. You got in pretty late last night.” She said covering a yawn. Naomi pulled the pillow down and smirked. “Yeah I almost didn’t make it. I was hella tipsy, but you know I don’t sleep in nobody bed but my own.” Her friend said sassily.  Layla’s lips twitched and she shook her head. Her best friend may be a party animal but she was responsible.

“I know you’ll tell me all about it tonight, but right now I have to run, gotta let in the weekend studies at the library at seven am.” She covered another yawn and eyed her roommate skeptically. “Speaking of that… Your name showed up on the list.” Here we go she thought as she braced herself for the outburst that was about to come. “What!” Naomi shrieked and leaped up. “Are you serious? I have been working my ass off this semester to avoid weekend studies! I refuse to spend my spring break in some, some library! Eww!” Naomi shuddered as if the word tasted disgusting. Layla sighed; she was in no mood to deal with her overly dramatic friend today.

“Look, you can talk with Professor Humphrey and try to smooth his ruffled feathers and just maybe he’ll let you boost your grade with extra credit work.” She lied trying to placate her. But they both knew that was never going to happen. Their Calculus professor was the spawn of Satan. If you got on his bad side Jesus himself couldn’t save you. Naomi sucked her teeth. “Fat chance of that happening! I may as well cancel all my damn plans for the spring fling. Damnnn!” she pouted. “Man, I was gonna spend my entire spring break at Atlanta Beach, now I’ll be stuck in that old dusty library.” Naomi fell back onto the bed and covered her face again.

“Hey! I work at that old dusty library, remember?” It won’t be so bad, just think of all the fine guys on campus that’ll be coming in trying to make up their grades too. Besides you don’t have to show up until you receive your summons.” Layla explained as she made her bed. “Yeah right.” Naomi sucked her teeth. “I’ll just pretend that I never received them. Then I can do a little crying, begging, and problem solved.” Naomi pressed the back of her hand to her forehead and pretended to faint. Layla sucked her teeth at her friend’s antics. She loved Naomi; they were as thick as thieves, and as close as sisters. But her friend was too carefree. She was the live for today let tomorrow take care of itself type. She was too lax on her studies as well.  Layla on the other hand was the worry wart. The “responsible, mother hen.” She knew something had to be said about her slacking, and now was the time. She walked over, sat down on her bed, and pulled the pillow out of her hands.

“Look Nae, this is our senior year. We both have come a long way and fought tooth and nail to make it to this point. This is our last year. The last one! So why the hell would you pick now to start fucking up!” Layla scolded her. Naomi’s jaw dropped in shock. Her friend rarely cursed and when she did it was either because she was pissed or provoked.

Layla Sinclair and Naomi Harris had known each other since the sixth grade. They were the best of friends and did all of their dirt together. They knew each other’s darkest secrets and would do anything to protect one another. They’d grown up together in the same crime ridden neighborhood where girls like them had few options. They got along so well because they seemed to want the same things out of life. They wanted more for themselves instead of a welfare check once a month. Tired of watching their parents live hand to mouth, barely surviving month to month, they made a pact that they would do whatever it took to never end up like them.  They took out their identical pink notebooks and came up with a plan that very day. They had planned everything down to the school they would attend, the scholarships they’d get, and the most important. They would never leave the other behind. Friends til’ the end.