velvet paradise (ftm x fem)

Track 5

JAIRE

The conference room tumults with the clamor of chafing dishes. Caterers move with precision as they prepare to serve. The fragrance of cajun and creole food intensifies my appetite, causing my mouth to water. Alaia whispers to herself in Haitian Creole. The words exude an ethereal tone as they glide from her lips, trailed by a pleasing sigh.

Over the commotion, Harlem is sharing a conspiracy theory with everyone. This one is called AAA, or The Three A's. The A's stand for ass chips, aliens, and A.I. Somehow, they are all connected. As Harlem divulges the myth, Drizz hangs on to every word. I bet they're wondering, "Where the hell does this dude get this?" The answer is weird subreddits.

Elise looks five seconds away from telling Harlem to shut up. Her lips twitch as she tries not to say anything rude. Serenity shakes her head at every other word Harlem says and laughs in periods. Cassie has her eyes closed, probably meditating or second-guessing being our assistant. Can't say I didn't warn you.

Before Harlem can go into more detail, I announce Alaia and I's presence. The gang perks up and piles toward us. Serenity is the first to greet Alaia. She welcomes her to the band and apologizes for having to spend alone time with her "annoying little brother." Very cute. Alaia promises I wasn't too annoying. Oh, so they both have jokes?

Elise greets Alaia with a formal introduction, her tone polite but reserved. Alaia chucks the formalities out the door and compliments Elise's leather pants—which stick to her ass like cookies on an ungreased baking pan (Not that I'm looking). They engage in a battle of compliments. With each praise, their voices reach higher pitches as they try to one-up the last.

"B-tch! I love your belly ring!" Elise shouts. She pouts and brings her hands to her stomach. "I've been wanting one for so long!"

"Noooo. I was about to tell you how jealous I am of your nipple rings! I want to get mine pierced, but I'm a p-ssy."

Elise flicks her wrist and waves off Alaia. "Girl, it's nothing but a pinch." The tip of Elise's purple acrylic nail aims at Alaia. "You know what?! We can get pierced together. I'll get the belly ring. You'll get the nipples."

Alaia moves her head as if Elise has said nothing but a word. "Epi dassit!"

"I don't know what the hell that means, but period, b-tch!"

Alaia falls into a laughing fit. She doubles over and clutches her stomach. Elise's laughter has a hint of uncertainty as if she isn't sure what's so funny. "What did I—"

With a casual saunter, Drizz's Timberlands stomp on the wooden floor and draw everyone's attention. Can they not be smooth for one second? "Epi dassit is Kreyòl slang for 'period.'" Show off.

Nodding, Alaia tries to compose herself and wipes away tears of hilarity. "Yeah, it's like saying 'that's it,' 'I'm done talking,' or, of course, 'period.'"

"Ooo, epi dassit!" Serenity yells. For emphasis, she cuts across her neck with her hand. "I'm gonna start using that!"

My inborn urge to tease my sibling headbutts into the conversation. "You're always trying to appropriate somebody's culture. You're worse than Drake." Serenity delivers a blow to my shoulder before I can shut my mouth. A thumping pain shoots through my shoulder blade. Why do older siblings have super strength?

I massage my shoulder as Alaia giggles at my misfortune. "Learning an open language isn't appropriation if you're doing it with respect," Alaia says. Serenity's tongue darts out at me. How mature. "It's dope when folks want to learn Kreyòl. My neighborhood in NOLA has nothing but Haitians. My parents only speak English if it's dire. So, I've spoken my mother tongue more than English. I'll say something in Kreyòl, and faces go blank. I always forget not everyone knows the language, so it's cool when people pick up on it. Y'all will be fluent in no time."