Entangled Lives

Elana Monroe
April
Los Angeles, California

"This nigga." I mumbled as Zadi pulled up in a silver Bentley Continental GT blasting music. He hopped out and walked over to us.

"My bad for being late. I got a new dog and that nigga shitted all over the place." I scrunched up my face and Paris gagged.

"Well did you clean it up?" Paris asked as we walked to the trunk and watched him put our stuff in.

"Paris do I look like an idiot?? Why would I leave the shit in the house?" He said and I laughed, climbing into the front.

"No maam, Elana get out." Paris said as she put her hand on the door before I could close it.

"Paris, I'm already sitting down. I damn near have my seatbelt on." Zadi got into the driver side and watched us.

"Elana-"

"Excuse me sir, you can't-"

"Yea yea yea we got you. Paris get yo ass in the back before he come back over here." Paris smacked her lips and I laughed as she slammed the door. "Don't slam my door!!" Zadi fussed and I laughed harder.

"Y'all so annoying, I swear." Paris mumbled as she got into the car and closed the door.

"Quit all that whinin. You love us." Zadi said as he peeled away from LAX.

"Zadi, when you get this car?" I asked as I ran my hand across the door and dashboard.

"This shit so old."

"What year?"

"2023." Paris and I smacked our lips and looked at him. "What? It's 2024 now." I chuckled softly and leaned back into my seat.

"Niggas have two successful night clubs and now money ain't a thing. Talkin about this car old. It JUST became 2024." Paris said and I laughed.

"Awww look at you already speakin in existence that this club gon be successful." Zadi said.

"You know we're proud of you, Z."

"Yea baby brother. We always knew it would be you to own a night club." I snickered and he looked at me.

"First, i'm only a few months younger than Lana. Second, y'all ain't know shit." I laughed again and he thumped my neck. "Y'all hungry?"

"Yes!! I can only do so much with Biscoff cookies." Paris said and Zadi laughed.

"No cap."

Zadi, Paris and I met in undergrad and split up after graduation but we always kept in touch. Well, Paris and I kept in touch but Zadi rarely answered the groupchat messages or calls so we stopped communicating in there after a while.

Don't get me wrong, Paris and I are fully aware of the stress and chaos that comes with the nightclub, but Zadi is just a terrible communicator.

"I'm surprised you invited us. Shit I thought you forgot about us." Paris said and I side-eyed Zadi.

"I don't know why you thought that." He simply replied.

"Well...Zadi you rarely talk to us but I know it's because your low maintenance friend. Paris thinks you hate us."

"Correction, I know he does."

"Just because y'all talk to each other every got damn day don't mean I have to. I love y'all and we family. I just be busy and tired as hell."

"Mhmmm just take us to your bougie house so I can take a nap before the grand opening." Paris replied and I laughed. That's all I do when I'm with these two.