Weak. (18+)

EIGHT.

MALIYAH TIJJANI
Friday Morning.

"Then the professor proceeded to say "hot girl summer meant being a confident woman, NOT sleeping with other people Athena" and I smooth told him "respectfully...why are you in a woman's business?"

"If he don't get the fuck." I said.

I was at Athena's, who was installing my frontal for tonight. She was the cosmetologist friend, and got her license a couple months ago.

She has her own mini salon set up in her apartment, and her business was thriving. It was only her side hustle and she was making bank.

I have been getting my hair and lashes done with her since high school, before her come up.

Nobody else.

Earlier in the week, I tried to talk Athena into coming with me tonight to the Jenson's event, and she said she'll think about it.

That meant she had no intention of coming. I needed her to come.

"TeeTee (Athena)... back to tonight, you can't even come to spend the night with me? I'll eat you out I promise" I asked

"Gay ass! And no bae. My plug coming to get me tonight" she said, bending over and kissing my forehead.

"What you mean "your plug coming to get you"

"It mean exactly what the fuck I just said. He's coming to get me."

"Coming to get you or get in the back seat?"

"Girl we finna chill. He been supplying with me free grams for the longest, and then about two weeks ago he's been attaching little romantic notes and shit to my baggies. He said he wanna spoil me tonight," she explained.

"So you're leaving me... for a nigga...yea I'm finna block you," I joked.

I was actually happy for Athena. She's been through a lot relationship-wise, and I just wanted her to be happy.

"You know you my girlfriend forever and always baby," she said.

"What am I going to do without you tonight. Faevi wasn't going to have time for me, she's literally the daughter of the hosts. I'm going to be alone" I whined.

"You there to follow Faevi around or are you there for you and your future?" she snapped.

I looked up at the mirror and saw her face was now serious, and she was concentrated as she flat ironed my wig.

She was right.

"You right bae,"

"Answer the question dumb ass, it wasn't rhetorical."

"I'm going there for me and my future" I dramatically rolled my eyes.

"Oh ok."

I was really hesitant, knowing I didn't click well with Faevi's friends. I didn't want to put Faevi in an uncomfortable position, nor did I MYSELF wanted to be in an uncomfortable position, so I was stuck.

I definitely did not want to share a hotel room with people whom I wasn't comfortable with.

People get killed like that.

I needed to stop being so pessimistic, before I speak something negative into existence.

Athena was right. I was there on a mission.

Find an opportunity. Expand my brand. Connect. Network. Grown-up shit.

"Have you heard from Jaden? He has a new girlfriend." she asked.