The Last Dance

07

Walking into the photography studio, Mariah was given glares from each one of her family members. Madison and Matthew rolled their eyes at her as her mother sent her a look. She smiled nonetheless, no one would pop her bubble today. That kiss had made everything about today brighten even more than the negatives could ever try to darken.

Mariah hugged her mother. "Hi mama."

The woman sent her yet another look before speaking. "Mariah Denise, we will be talking soon."

Melina Jones was not one to be played with. Especially when it came to God, her family and being on time. Still, she loved her children and made sure the golden path was laid out in front of them. Even when Mariah's dance career brought them to this over populated place. She was still down for everything and anything her children wanted her to do in order to help them pursue their dreams.

"Yes ma'am." She mumbled as she ran her fingers through her hair and jumped into the picture.

The man began instructing them on how to pose and after no more than a hour they found themselves looking at the photos they had taken. God had graced them with the skill of being photogenic. He was looking out for Mariah in the long run because if it had taken longer, she would have been chewed out even more than she was about to be.

"Where you been little girl?" Mariah's mom turned to her once they all had made it to the parking lot. "I know you know better than to be late on a day like this."

"I know mom, I'm sorry. My bad. I had overslept. Practice went over a couple hours yesterday and I was worn out." She didn't truly know how her mother would take what truly happened so she just didn't tell her. Mariah's last want right now was to fall out with her mother the day of her brothers graduation.

Her mom believed her. "Alright, fine I'll take it, but next time call someone and let them know beforehand please."

"Yes ma'am." Mariah replied before her brother pulled her over to him. She smiled at him. He was taller than her by a long shot but he was still her little brother. "You ready to graduate knuckle head?"

"Oh he better be." Maddy commented as she pushed him playfully. "Ain't come this far for nothing."

Matt rolled his eyes playfully. "I've never been more ready to do anything before in my life. What you got me today sister?"

"You can wait." Mariah mumbled to her brother.

"Nah, you think I can..." Matt trailed before continuing. "But I can't. Whatcha got me?"

Mariah chuckled as she pulled out her phone and went to the video. She smirked softly and instructed her brother. "Press play my dear brother."

They all stopped walking as he pressed play. Mariah's face popped on the screen and finally it moved to Janet's. Matthew's eyes widened when Janet told him congratulations.

"Yooo, you didn't Sis." Matt mumbled in disbelief.

"Yeah, so Janet Jackson not only said your name but told you to keep going. So I better get a text in a few years that says you're graduating from medical school."

He smiled brightly. "Alright. Alright. I'm airdropping this to myself."

Maddy frowned playfully. "That shits not fair. It's Janet Jackson, no present can surpass Janet freaking Jackson."

"Unless... you can get her to come to my graduation party." Mariah's brother threw in the loop as he made a suggestive face.

It caused the dancer to send him a look. "Don't push it."

The trio began walking to their cars while on the other side of town, Janet was being grilled by her two friends as she sat outside of her house on the patio.

"Somethings happening." Aisha disagreed with Janet's same answer of nothing was going on with her and Mariah.

"Nothings happening." Janet replied with the same words she'd been repeating for at least ten minutes now.

Gil stared at her expecting Janet to make a move that said something was, but Janet didn't move. Finally he mumbled. "Alright, maybe nothing is happening now but soon it will be."

"Mariah's gonna tell me."

Janet chuckled at Aisha. "Well, it's nothing to tell."

"Nu uh, I saw that look." Gil mumbled.

"What look?" Janet asked.

Aisha nodded as she agreed with Gil frantically. "I thought I was the only one who caught it! That damn look."

The singer got impatient and asked again. "What the hell are you two talking about?"

Her friends faced her as they shouted. "The look!"

"It's this damn look you give Dunk," Gil began to explain as he looked at his best friend. "This look right before you find who you want and decide in your head that they can only be yours. You two have sex and it's good for a few weeks. You get into your ways of it's either your way or the highway. Then we go through this long ass phase where you complain about all their negatives, and then you two break things off and we have to make the person sign a NDA."

Janet rolled her eyes. "Well, if I did give a look, you two misread it."

"J, we're friends. Sisters even. So just be careful. That's my baby, literally, she's the daughter I wish I could have had. Just don't hurt her, she's been through enough hurt to last her seven more lifetimes. Just try not to add on. I know you can't be perfect, but don't treat her as if she's a regular ole woman cause she isn't."

"I'm not going to hurt her." The woman knew exactly of the pattern they were speaking of but they had nothing to worry about, Janet could tell Mariah was different from the moment they'd met.

"So you did have a look? We knew it!" Gil pointed at the lady.

Janet mentally face palmed herself at the fact that they'd gotten her to admit that something was happening. Aisha sighed. "My daughters growing up. She's never even had a girlfriend before. I didn't even know she swung this way."

"I think people find themselves swinging differently when it comes to Janet Jackson and the look."

"Shut up." The singer hated when people spoke about her for too long. She didn't really like it. "I won't hurt her. You've got my word."

Aisha found herself squinting at her friend. It wasn't that she didn't believe Janet, it was just that Mariah held a soft spot in Aisha's heart. Everyone knew it, and she found herself simply praying that Janet stuck to her word because she'd hate to lose a friend in the end of all this.