𝟎𝟏𝟒, 𝖻𝖾 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗆𝖾
𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐈𝐍': 𝗂𝗇 𝖺 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽 𝗐𝖺𝗒 𝖻𝗒 faye webster

𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

The night had a funny way of stretching time, turning moments into dreading hours, and the silence starts to become some un-defeating noise we can't escape.

Leaving us alone with our thoughts, the ones we've pushed away all day but ones we can't escape when the darkness arrives. That's when it hits us — loneliness.

It starts to get you thinking because you've been fine the whole day so is it the darkness that makes you lonely or is simply just the absence of something — someone — we long for?

If we were being honest, nobody really knows or even cares because when we've cried it all way and had a good night sleep.

We're all fine again.

Or at least for the some us, but the feeling was eating Imani and Judea away. The unspoken feelings between the girls was starting to become too much to just push away for the day.

It roamed over them like a spirit but haunted them like ghosts but still they let days go by and nights stretch off settling off as just being friends.

Until one couldn't,
Judea.

It was Tuesday night, the most random night but Judea couldn't help but think. No matter how much had passed, how busy her day had been, the sun still went up disappearing off and the feelings of Imani started to surface.

She lied in her twin size bed that barely almost fit her but it did by an inch, staring up at the ceiling as her arms rested on stomach, her fingers intertwined with each other and her breath as even.

As the world slept outside, the memories of the girl flickered in her mind like the streetlights just outside her window. She tossed and turned in her bed trying to push them back closing her eyes to get a night sleep.

Then that's when it happened, she threw the thin sheets off her body letting her body have a mind of its own. The snatched her usc nike tech jacket that rested on her stationary chair draping it onto her long arms, hopping a bit pulling the black sweatpants up and then her shoes barely made it as she raced out the dorm door.

What was she doing?
Where she was going?

The air slapped her in her face as she made it outside making her tug her jacket a bit tighter to her body but still she took long strides her shoes scuffing on the pavement.

An heavy sigh escaped her lips as she felt more at peace but still was caged with her feelings. Stopping in the middle of the sidewalk pulling out her phone out her pockets letting her eyes scan the time.

2:30 am, it read in big bold black letters making her suck in a breath as her thumb tapped the phone icon and hovered over Imani name.

No, It's late and she's sleep I can't bother her. She tightened the grip on her phone before she turnt back around towards her dorm but she stopped again and clicked Imani contact name letting the phone ring.

The phone ringed twice before Juju heard a shuffle of noise, "Mani?", she asked. "Ju", Imani replied back. Judea searched for a bit of rasp or tiredness in her voice but it sounded firm like she hasn't had an ounce of sleep.

"Hey Ju", Imani spoke again snapping Ju out of her trance. Clearing her throat taking a look around the campus, "I'm sorry Mani... I...", Juju trialed off.

"You what?", Imani asked a bit worried. Judea was calling her at two in the morning meaning something had to be wrong and it wasn't like Imani was going to sleep anytime soon.

"I...", she spoke again this time taking a seat on the near by bench which stood grounded in the pavement right underneath a flickering street light. "I know this is random and maybe I should've uh... did this at a better time but", she let out a sigh.

Imani adjusted herself on her bed letting her back hit the cold white brick wall holding her phone to ears tightly not daring to let go as she listens to Juju speak pulling her legs up to her chest.

"It's just I have to tell you this because I'm losing my god damn mind Mani.", Juju pleaded as her throat start to feel itchy and her eyes bubbled up with tears.

This was all too real, this was all too much but if the girl held onto it any longer she wouldn't know what to do. It's like she was ready to snap and just spill it.

And she did.

"We've been friends since we were kids mani and that'll never ever change but... I've been having these feelings towards you for a while. Before I wasn't so sure what they meant or what they were but now I do and now it's all I think about or feel and it's eating me alive", She talked just letting her emotions spill.

She inhaled in a breath throwing her back onto the bench then exhaling, "Imani, I don't want to just be your damn friend... I want more than that... I-I wanna be the one... if that makes sense", Judea finished.

On the other side of the phone, Imani bit the inside of her cheeks letting the salty tears trail down her face as she rub her hand over her throat to ease the feeling.

The silence crept up on Judea making her regret it. Making her regret everything she said because of course Imani didn't feel the same way and the feelings were never mutual. "I-I'm sorry I... I called", Juju cried pulling the phone away from her ears hanging up the call.

Call back.

Imani voice yelled at her, call back call back call back but she couldn't seem to move or do anything as she stared at the wall ahead of her suppressed in her emotions.

She couldn't believe it, she didn't think it was real and maybe it was all a dream ... or a nightmare. These feelings she's been feeling for years hit her.

It hit her hard.

For the first time in seconds she let out a breath snapping into reality. She shuffled out the bed in a rush throwing her robe onto her body adjusting the bonnet on her head and running out of her dorm.

If you were a stranger walking by you couldn't help but notice the girl in distress or you've thought she was some crazy person.

The truth it she was, she was a crazy girl in love and the girl she's loved since she was kid she confessed her feelings for her and she ruined it.

"JUJU", Imani yelled staring off at the figure in the distance. The figured paused and turned around meeting eyes with Imani.

Ju.

"JUJU", she called out again going closer to her. Judea stood still with her hands deep in her pockets tears running down her cheeks.

"Mani?", she asked confused trying to wipe her tears before mani saw them.

"Be with me", Imani spoke.
"What?", Juju tilted her head.

Juju shook her head removing her hands from her pockets, "mani you don't have to do this. I understand if you don't feel the same way... it was stupid... I-i shouldn't have said anything", Juju rambled. "Judea", Mani said a stern voice. "Be with me because I want you to be the one.... I always have", Mani confessed.

A soft sad smile plastered on Juju face as she stared at Imani, she took a small step slightly kicking the rocks that held beneath her shoes.

"You'll be with me?", Imani pleaded a bit worried that she had messed it all up on the phone. Juju nodded her head as her smile grew wider.

"Yeah", she spoke her voice a little crack and rasped for her cries earlier. "I'll be with you Imani", she said pulling the girl into her arms.

Imani wrapped her arms around Judea tight snuggling her head into chest while Juju held her just as tighter rubbing her hand up and down her back.

The silence filled them as the girls held each other almost as if they were slipping away but they weren't... they both were right there... with each other.

As they've always been.

authors view
it's happeninggggg with my girlsss.