"Jaelen you hungry?" Ximora asked coming into his room with an egg sandwich and fruit.

He nodded and sat up "Preciate it mama"

"You're welcomeee" she smiled.

"What you doing today?" She asked sitting on the bed.

"Gotta handle sum shit, then imma prolly go visit my mama" he told her.

She nodded "Oh okay, I'm going into the salon. I have a lot of prom hair to do"

"When y'all prom?" He asked.

"Next weekend, I'm not going" she told him.

He turned up his face "Why not?"

"Becauseeee I'm just not feeling it with everything going on, plus I don't have a dress"

"Oh okay," He nodded.

She got up from the bed and slid her Gucci slides on.

"Where you going?" He asked grabbing her hand.

"To the shop, my first appointment is in a hour" she told him.

He nodded and pulled her closer to him.

"I love you." He pecked her lips.

"I love you too" she smiled deepening the kiss.

____________

"Girlllll thank you so much for squeezing me in" her client said as Ximora crimped her hair.

"You're welcome" Ximora smiled.

"I got this emerald green dress, this hair gon go so good with it"

She showed Ximora the dress and smiled.

"It's really pretty" Ximora fake smiled, seeing all these people get ready for their prom kind of made her feel sad. She never was able to be a kid.

"Have a good day" the girl smiled as she left.

Ximora did six more heads, then transitioned into prepping wigs for more clients.

"Hey" Ty said as she worked at the wash bowl.

"Heyy" she smiled.

"You hungry? I didn't see you take a break all day"

She thought about it and nodded "Yea, I forgot I didn't eat"

"Okay you want that Jamaican place around the corner?"

She smiled "Yea lemme get my bag"

Once they got in his car, it only took five minutes to get to the restaurant.

"Hi, can I get a plate of brown stew chicken with cabbage and plantain. Then a vita malt?" She stepped back to let Ty order.

She sat down with her food and started eating.

"It's good?" Ty asked as he sat across from her.

"Mhm this my favorite," she smiled "My daddy is actually Jamaican"

Ty smiled "Both my parents are too"

"I never really got to connect with that side, he's been in prison since I was five." She told him.

👅

You eat today? i ain see you have breakfast

yea, me & ty eating rn.

lol

She rolled her eyes and closed her phone.

"You straight?" He asked finishing his plate.

She nodded "Mhm, you ready?"

After the headed back to the shop, Ximora finished her last wig for the day and left.

____________

"You really got me fucked up" Jaelen said.

"How?" Ximora shook her head.

"Cause you constantly dealing wit that nigga after I told you I ain like him. I understand y'all gotta be around each other for work, but you doing extra shit wit him. If you was hungry I woulda brought sum"

Ximora rolled her eyes.

"You don't even know why you don't like him" she said.

He scoffed "So I just communicated sum that ion like, and you brushing that shit off"

"I can't have friends Jae?"

"Not wit niggas who want you.."

"But I don't want him... you don't trust me?"

"It's not a matter of trust-"

"Yes it is" she said cutting him off.

He scrunched up his face "What I tell you bout cutting me off?"

"I don't have time for this, my mama letting me see KJ I gotta go" she said putting her shoes on.

"So you wasn't gon tell me or invite me" he shook his head.

"That's why I came over here, and you started wit this Ty bs" she shrugged.

He chuckled "Ight Mora gon bout ya day"

"And will" she huffed and slammed his door shut.

___________

"Hi mamas" Ximora smiled pulling KJ into a tight and long hug.

"Hi Mora" KJ smiled.

"You can let gooo" KJ giggled.

They sat down and Ximora ordered their drinks.

"How is it going? Are you okay?" Ximora questioned.

"Mmm it's okay, mommy and her boyfriend be using bad words at me" KJ told her.

Ximora scoffed.

"Well a few more days and we'll be going back to court" Ximora said.

"Okay, where's Jae?" She asked.

Ximora rolled her eyes "He had to handle something, but he said he'll call you tonight"

KJ nodded "I want chicken tenders"

"Okay, the waiter coming now" Ximora told her.

👅

Call me so I can speak to her

ok, we're about to eat, so ill call in a few

"I don't wanna go back Mora" KJ huffed as the waiter placed their plates down.

"I know mamas, I don't want you to go back. But I promise I'm going to get you back" Ximora said giving her a small smile.

KJ just nodded.