𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒

HT19.

YURI WHITE
DALLAS, TX

DECEMBER 3, 2021

YURI slid the fabric under the sewing machine, observing the needle effortlessly stitching the material. She felt like she was being less productive with her work these days so here she was bringing one of her creations to life.

A knock echoed on Yuri's door, she eased her foot up off the pedal. She rose from her workstation, heading to the front door. Standing on her tiptoes, she peeked through the peephole and saw Brooklyn and Rhylee waiting outside.

Rhylee's loud voice echoed, causing Yuri to frown. She opened the door and Brooklyn and Rhylee entered the apartment.  "You can't answer your phone?" Brooklyn asked, and Yuri just shrugged.

"I didn't want to be bothered." Yuri replied, walking away from them. They followed her into her room."What's wrong Ri?" Rhylee asked, Yuri sat down on her bed pulling at the sleeves of her shirt.

"Yuri what's wrong?" Brooklyn asked, "Me and Kashton kissed." Yuri confessed, which brought smiles from her friends, but Yuri herself wasn't smiling.

"Why you not happy? Why you not celebrating? Isn't this what you been waiting for?" Rhylee asked, puzzled, as she and Brooklyn sat on the bed. "It felt right, but I don't know. It's too fast for me. I don't think we should take it that far. We're good friends, and I don't want to ruin that," Yuri explained.

After the kiss with Kash, it confirmed that she liked him, but she felt guilty for some reason. It all felt too sudden for her. They had just met, and Kash was doing everything right for her. It scared her.

"How are you ruining that? Friends turn into lovers all the time, Ri." Rhylee said and Yuri shrugged.  "Okay Rhylee that wouldn't be a problem if I didn't just get out of a relationship but I did so." Yuri said making Rhylee scrunch her face up.

"It's been two months since you and Mazi broke up get over that nigga." Brooklyn said. Yuri licked her lips as she stared at her nails. She was definitely over Mazi, and she felt something with Kash. She felt everything with Kash. But she didn't want to get hurt again.

"I'm just not trying to get hurt again so I'm playing it safe." Yuri told them and the girls sucked their teeth simultaneously. "Okay Ri we understand that but if I'm being honest you should've seen the red flags in Mazi from the beginning." Brooklyn said, with Rhylee nodding in agreement.

Yuri eyebrows furrowed confusion etched over her face, "For one, y'all was in a talking stage for a year. He didn't even speak to your mother when he came to her house, and his instagram following is filled with bitches." Brooklyn listed out, and Rhylee nodded in agreement.

Yuri frowned, "And fuck Mazi! He was a bold ass nigga, thinking he slick like baby oil. I told you, you should've searched that phone." Rhylee said and Brooklyn nodded her head.

"But we get it though you scared to get hurt again.Yes it's "fast " that you feel this way about him but that's how a good nigga make you feel Ri. Speaking from experience with Dee on and off ass, I was so scared about O'Shea but he really showed me different." Rhylee told her and Yuri sighed.

"Kash shows me different too. Kash actually makes time for me no matter what he's doing." Yuri said a small smile going on her face thinking of Kashton she then frowned.

"He's probably mad at me right now." Yuri said. "Why?" Rhylee asked, "After we kissed he came back here and he was supposed to stay over but my energy shifted he asked if I was good and I lied and told him yeah."

"But I was still acting off, I guess he felt like he did something wrong so he left. He kept calling me for the past two days but I didn't answer." Yuri explained and Rhylee shook her head popping her gum.