—— ❛ yo, yo, yo. what’s good in the hood ?! ( i can’t believe i really said that. ) i’m DEIJA or DEI, but only close friends and family call me that, i go by JAJA instead. i’m a SPIRITUAL SHOP OWNER, so yes, yes, patience, meditation, finding your inner peace, ( all that good shit most of y’all will probably need. ) i’m always open to being a shoulder to cry on or an ear when you need to rant. i try to be the best person i can be,( but if you cross me the wrong way, i will shit on you. ) friendships, connections, plots, all that good stuff is needed !! now excuse me, i’m finna go ( roll up ) find my inner peace.
[JATAVIA slowly walked past the crow of people being sure not to bump anyone, her eyes gazed across everyone before spotting her best friend, she didn’t know either to smile or giving her the ‘ stank ‘ look] this bitch better not start shit. [she mumbled to herself as she walked over to the female, tapping her shoulder] dei, where have you been? @jajaxbean
DEIJA was caught off-guard when the other grabbed her, in a panic, she snatched her arm back. She played off the mini panic attack she had, " nothing's gotten up with me, tavi... i'm telling you, you can turn this around on me all you want, but it's something with you. yourself. tavi. because, im not one to shy away from telling you anything, and you know that. if i were to go m.i.a, i would at least tell you something. you know i wouldn't do that because the last thing I'd want is for you to worry or stress the fuck out." she sighed heavily, a hand going down her face, "look, i get it that you're busy with work, classes, and things like that. but i don't get it that you're busy with everyone, but me. i don't know what it is. maybe you haven't changed , but things between us clearly have." she scoffed, "i don't do shit but work at my shop and be at home so how could i have gone m.i.a. with that much time on my hands?? make it fucking make sense tavi." the females tone was a little louder than before her last statement, but she was frustrated and really felt hopeless about the conversation getting them anywhere.
[JATAVIA slowly walked past the crow of people being sure not to bump anyone, her eyes gazed across everyone before spotting her best friend, she didn’t know either to smile or giving her the ‘ stank ‘ look] this bitch better not start shit. [she mumbled to herself as she walked over to the female, tapping her shoulder] dei, where have you been? @jajaxbean
she scoffed, " oh yeah , sure. tell me that when you stop taking like four hours to respond my texts and purposefully declining my calls. you really are on some bullshit, tavi. you've changed and i don't fucking like it. especially ever since you've been talking to who ever it is. and that's something else that's got my fucking blood boiling, you don't tell me shit. i gotta fucking reach to get answers from you, even when it comes to just your well-being! if you're gonna randomly switch up on me, at least be fucking real about it. " she spat through a strained lowered tone and gritted teeth, she inhaled, her breath quivering. "don't worry 'bout it... it's all cool. i don't care anymore." she did, but she was getting emotional and the last thing she wanted was for it to show. she nonchalantly shrugged, "it's whatever. fuck it..." she looked around the room, "i'm going home." she stated before starting to head towards the nearest exit.
[JATAVIA slowly walked past the crow of people being sure not to bump anyone, her eyes gazed across everyone before spotting her best friend, she didn’t know either to smile or giving her the ‘ stank ‘ look] this bitch better not start shit. [she mumbled to herself as she walked over to the female, tapping her shoulder] dei, where have you been? @jajaxbean
DEIJA turned around when she felt the tap, she smiled, but it quickly faded once she realized who it was. With a roll of the eyes she stated, " Oh, it's you... Finally noticed that other people exist, huh? " She looked around, pulling at her ear — a nervous habit — before looking back at JATAVIA , " Let's be real, TAVI , you don't give a fuck about me... or us and you made that obvious. I'm not gonna stand here and hold a conversation with you like everything's alright and cool between us when it's not." She frowns, her arms crossing over her chest.
❝ you'd never understand what it's like, ma. he wasn't just my twin brother, he was half of who i was .. every day i walk around feeling like i forgot something at home or left something behind somewhere or something's missing but i can't put my finger on it, because i lost him, my bestfriend, my partner in crime, the person i loved more than myself. i can't say that i'm me — DEIJA REED — because i don't have the other half of who i was .. MALAKI. ❞
DEIJA sighed heavily as she walked into her home, tossing her keys onto the coffee table, her dress already halfway off before she got to her bedroom to change into her bed clothes. her body felt numb, making her mood dull, she felt good going to the art showing, the socializing and getting out of her home did her good — but after the energy from going and doing it all — she could feel herself slowly coming down from it, feeling more sad and depressed than before she left. DEIJA declared her social meter was full enough to last a few months without interacting with REAL LIFE, FACE-TO-FACE people. she crawled into bed, putting her phone on DO NOT DISTURB, and getting underneath the covers.
if malaki was here, he would've loved to see the art. although his thing was sculpture, fine arts was DEIJA's, MALAKI still appreciated any form of art. her mind thought about what the event would go like with him, to the art project they've done, art conversations they've had, to him wanting to make a career out of making sculptures, to all that being cut short, to his life being taken from him.
DEIJA had warm tears streaming down her face, sniffing and constantly wiping them. but after snapping back to reality, realizing what she was emotionally feeling, she gave into it and sobbed loudly, hugging onto one of the many pillows on her bed. she cried and cried, to the point she could barely catch her breath as she calmed. as she became more settled, her eyelids growing heavy, eventually drifting to a hard sleep.
although DEIJA seems to have everything together, running a successful shop, lifting others, spreading positivity, DEIJA's fragile ... like the china your great grandma passed down to your grandmother. the littlest thing's could have her ready to cry, not because she was weak, but because she felt like something she did was wrong or she didn't do enough. she felt like it was an obligation to keep good energy and keep others happy before herself. after all, at a young age of twenty, she lost the only thing that kept her from her biggest enemy — herself — and gave her some sense of comfort, sanity, and serenity.
JAJABEAN: so ... i was doing some laundry for my mom ...
JAJABEAN: ... moving the clothes from the washer to the dryer
JAJABEAN: and a pocket sized vibrator fell from the pile.
JAJABEAN: when asked, she replies, ' just because you old as hell now and out the house doesn't mean im gonna be some little ol' lady knitting shit and making meatloaf the older i get. im living the life now baby '
JAJABEAN: I should've never engaged about it ... cardi's wap is probably to blame
—— ❛ DEIJA was sitting at the register — of ETHEREAL ZING — near the front of the shop. Her phone was propped up, some crime drama show playing from it’s speakers. When JAJA heard the front door’s sensors chime to let her know someone walked into her shop, she simply chirped, ❝ hey, hey, if you need any help or anything, don’t be afraid to ask me or one of the employee’s … ❞ it was so natural and easy for her to flow around her shop, loving the different characters that came through her door, enjoying the small conversations she has with them even more. JAJA overheard the person speaking to one of her handful of employee’s, when they called for her assistance, she worked to pull her attention away from the screen of her phone, ❝ okay, okay, i’m coming … ❞ after finally being able to pry her eyes away, she walked to the aisle the customer and employee were on, ❝ what’s up ?? ❞ she smiled brightly, looking between the two.
JAJA's smile grew even wider when she saw GOLDIE, ❝ hey !! girl , no , i'mma need a real hug. ❞ she laughed brightly as she turned to give her close friend a firm hug, ❝ well , you did tell me after all you just needed anything before you popped off at work. ❞ the female made a slight yikes face , remembering the first time the other came into the shop and how frazzled she looked. ❝ now i can give you brand alternatives. there's no difference compared to the higher priced brands except for the potency. ❞ she turned to walk towards another aisle next to the one they were previously standing on, ❝ so with these , you gotta guesstimate with the amount of drops you put in there. you put not enough , it's gonna be weak as hell , but you put too much ... it'll be too strong. ❞
[entering the museum jatavia swiftly made her way towards the contemporary jewelry section, looking around she stopped in her tracks at the ‘ dew drop ‘ necklace piece to admire it] imagine rockin’ a whole ass flower on your neck. you can’t tell me that ain’t no creative shit right there. [speaking to the person beside her as she continued looking at other things surrounding it]
—— ❛ she wasn't surprised by how the other responded, but she certainly wasn't expecting her to respond like that. she inhaled deeply, two digits swiping at the paint streak that went from the tail of her eyebrow to the end of her sideburns. ❝ how dare you !! i'm so gonna beat. your. ass.❞ her words breaking with each swing of her purse aimed at TAVI's body. the two were like sisters, but DEIJA wasn't afraid to throw down with the other as if they were brothers. after hitting the other with her purse multiple times, she did her best to slap TAVI as hard as possible on a bare part of her arm , ❝ you're an fucking asshole AND you know i have sensitive skin. so God help me if i end up with a fucking outbreak your wigs are paying for it. ❞ sh
[entering the museum jatavia swiftly made her way towards the contemporary jewelry section, looking around she stopped in her tracks at the ‘ dew drop ‘ necklace piece to admire it] imagine rockin’ a whole ass flower on your neck. you can’t tell me that ain’t no creative shit right there. [speaking to the person beside her as she continued looking at other things surrounding it]
—— ❛ she sarcastically hummed as if she was actually considering what the other was saying, ❝ mmm , look , i’m not being rude. it isn’t rude if it’s the truth, TAVI. and you know what , i will !! people just don’t take the time or patience to learn , if they did , you’d know how many professionals and experts we’d have ?? a whole hella of a lot more than now !! ❞ she sighed heavily, a hand running down her face, ❝ hey , hey , hey.. no need to be throwing discrimination at me , okay ?? not all of us was blessed with having a growth spurt at 17 fucking years old and damn monkey ass limbs. you and i both know you be putting shit on the top shelves on purpose. ❞ she frowned at TAVI when she passed , ❝ i hope you fall flat on your face ... ❞ she muttered underneath her breath, feeling a bit pressed and spiteful, she didn’t even bother to break a sweat to catch up with her friend. ❝ THAT’S ALRIGHT TAVI , NEXT TIME YOU ASK ME TO POP ALL THEM PIMPLES ON YOUR BACK, I WON’T DO SHIT. ❞ she looked around to see if anyone noticed what she said, a couple people turning to them, slightly making faces at the statement.
( SAKI stared at the work of art in front of her with narrowed eyes and glanced at the person beside her. ) is contemporary art really art, or a bunch of nonsense that we’re supposed to force a meaning out of? let’s wake up that discussion.
—— ❛ JAJA looked between SAKI and then the piece of art she was observing, visibly amused with how intensely the other was trying to make something out of the piece. ❝ uhm, well ... ❞ JAJA inhaled, thinking carefully about her answer to the though provoking question, ❝ art is defined as the expression of human imagination and creativity , well , when you paraphrase it. so, it is , quite interestingly enough , considered art. but, art is sort of like an ... open answered question that you get on a state test. they give you a prompt with a couple of other things, and it’s your job to write your own piece of writing. either you get carried away with the writing and can easily fill the prompt and it’s requirements ... or you start off with what you initially want to write, but it’s not long enough so you bullshit your way with the rest of it to make it look like it’s enough. anyways , you can either let the art provoke you to open your imagination, spark something in you to interpret it in your own way., open a whole ❛ nother way of thinking about it ... or you just judge it on being beautiful or not, or if it makes sense or not. ❞
[entering the museum jatavia swiftly made her way towards the contemporary jewelry section, looking around she stopped in her tracks at the ‘ dew drop ‘ necklace piece to admire it] imagine rockin’ a whole ass flower on your neck. you can’t tell me that ain’t no creative shit right there. [speaking to the person beside her as she continued looking at other things surrounding it]
—— ❛ JAJA made a slight face, she didn’t want to seem rude, so she looked around to make sure no one noticed her expression. it really wasn’t pleasant to the eye ... at least HER eyes. ❝ i dunno TAVI , you know me. i like minimalism, a shiny pebble from the bottom of a lake ?? now that’s actual beauty for a piece of jewelry. nothing more wild than making something fashionable from something purely from Earth. ❞ she deadpanned her bestfriend, ❝ something made by man ?? that’s not creative in my eyes , stop bullshitting. if i saw this made out of like cow shit, or like, the spike’s on a hedgehog , then you’d catch me thinking it was creative. anyone can make that. ❞ she waved her off before walking ahead of her. ❝ you got the legs of a gazelle, i don’t know why you can’t keep up. ❞