It had been three years. Three long and fulfilling years since Jhene had left everything behind at that stupid party. She hadn't spoken to Isaiah or Desiree in this long time frame. However, she did realize how selfish it would be to leave them without even any reasoning. She did send letters about 5 months after her absence. She hoped they understood and received them well even if they didn't know the full truth behind her leaving.
Her dog, Lola, was given away. Jhene felt as though she deserved to be with someone who would give her the proper attention that she would need. It's not that Jhene didn't want her but she had other plans that would take her away from Lola. No attention would be on her. And that was unfair to her pooch. So, she gave Lola to Mama, and Mama a farewell hug. Even though Mama didn't exactly know it was a goodbye gesture. It was very hard for Jhene to let go of her favorite waitress but she knew she had to.
The night she left the party she listened to Andrea, who held her word about the money Jhene would receive. Jhene then had to get her affairs in order. She called her mom, making sure to fill her in on all the details, and giving her directions to follow.
The next day, Jhene, her mom, and Brian hopped on a flight, with new passports, new id's and new credit cards. All of which was sent to Jhene that morning. She had a whole new identity. It was like deja vu.
She somehow found herself always running. Running from people, to be exact. She was so tired of it, so while she sat on the plane on the way to Canada...yeah, Canada, she vowed something. She vowed that this would be the last time she ever ran. From anyone. From her father—Wren & Andrea, anyone. She was done running; done always searching for somewhere new go to. She was so sick of that shit. She had made a promise to herself that she would train like she did when her father was still around. She needed to be prepared in case he made a surprise visit. Because this time around, she wouldn't be running.
After moving to Canada she, Brian, and her mom stayed in a hotel for a while. They had to find their places, and considering it was a rush leave, they had only then to find somewhere to stay.
Two weeks in Brian and her mom found a cute little house even though they could've afforded something bigger. Jhene ended up getting a condo with high ceilings and a view of Toronto's beautiful city. She now understood why Drake was such a glazer of this place. The views of this city were beautiful. She was perched right in the middle of the city, so she could see outward of most of the city's landscape
Jhene knew she couldn't just live off the money Andrea gave her. I mean, she could. But it was too risky and unstable, especially if Jhene did see a future for herself. That would be financial suicide. So, she started something lucrative, a small investment firm (specializing in the stock market) that granted large revenue. It was good, she was making money while doing little to nothing after a few months.
Jhene ended up making a few friends. There was Quetsiya, a beautiful tanned-skin black girl, who had the cutest smile. She was so pretty, and her personality was pretty as well. She always had this laidback way about herself, but somehow she was the most caring person ever. Jhene and Quetsiya met at a bookstore when Jhene was trying to get some self-wellness books. Yeah, she was on her self-love shit, and Quetsiya happened to be on the same wave. It seemed like fate when Quetsiya asked to get coffee and they later ended up in her apartment sharing a thick wood.
And from Quetsiya, Jhene had met her second friend out here, Elena. Elena was a lot more aggressive than Quetsiya. She was always checking bitches when they talked out the side of her neck. She was really sweet if she felt like it. She wasn't a comforter but she was a fighter. She didn't do the cuddling to make you feel better. She was more of a let's get revenge type. Jhene often wondered if that was because of her past that she didn't like talking about.
Anyway, Jhene wasn't talking to any man. Regardless of male advances. She thought that maybe she was traumatized by Wren. Even though he honestly did nothing to hurt her. She just was head over heels, stupidly. He was something that was engraved in her mind even if she called herself being over him.
She thought about him, a lot. Did he get married? What is he doing right now?
She knew social media stalking him wasn't an option because he didn't have one. Obviously because of what he does for business. But there were still times where she wished he would just appear, and just talk to her. Though, if that ever did happen she would probably slap him; beat his ass for never telling her his plans to get married. These were worthless thoughts though. She was sure he was fine with his wife and couldn't care less about what she had going on.
That made her angry, but she took out most of that anger on her punching bag. And she had a lot of pent-up anger. She had isolated herself from the outside world besides her friends and parents during the time she spent training. She made it her business to go to the gun range for aim practice more than 3 times a week. She also was learning how to better perfect her knife-throwing skills. She had to be A1. She knew that her father would come for her eventually, it was just a matter of time. Nevertheless, if he did come, she would be ready for him.
This brings me back to today's schedule for her. She had trained herself a little earlier and had a meeting with possible assistant candidates for her. Now she was having a smoke sesh with her friends.
"Special Affair" by The internet played out of the speaker that was resting on the coffee table on the living room speaker. Jhene was swaying her body to the melody of the song, truly entrapping her mental into the music. She was in comfortable wear and heavily under the influence, with yet another blunt in hand. She could say her friends were turning her into a bum but that would be a lie. She loved doing absolutely nothing and getting blazed lately. It was the best past time.
Quetsiya was sitting on the couch upside down, her feet kicking in the air as her head bobbed. She only sat up straight to drink some of the red wine that was on the floor next to the couch. She was slightly cross-faded, and she was the only person out of the three of them that was. She insisted on just finishing the bottle because it was no use just sitting in the fridge. Her words, not mine.
Speaking of fridges, Elena was currently raiding Jhene's. She had the munchies bad, but all Jhene had was healthy shit since she was on a diet. No chips except some funky ass vegetable chips and God forbid that Jhene had cookies, she had those fiber cookies. And they gave Elena heartburn along with the shits.
"Ugh, Jhene, this shit is so trifling bro. Don't have shit in this motherfucker..." Elena groans, slamming Jhene's fridge and cabinets back. She had settled for a bottle of naked juice, which was an over-blended smoothie. She didn't want it but she was feigning for anything. Literally if Jhene had canned ass she'd probably eat it if it was even the slightest bit of sweet.
"Girl go sit your fat ass down. Damn, we can go to the store or something." Jhene yells, turning the volume down on her speaker so her words are heard clearly. Quetsiya just nods her head in agreement with Jhene. She could barely comprehend anything they were saying but she still nodded her head anyway. Fuck, she should've stopped drinking a while ago but no, finish the bottle is what her dumb brain thought. She might have a problem, she was definitely questioning it right now as she sat with her eyes closed and all the blood in her body rushing to her head.
"I don't even know why you're on this diet shit. Your body looks good as fuck already." Elena drags her feet to get to the living room. When she makes it there, she takes a lighter to burn an incense that is sitting on the coffee table then places it on the coffee table gently. Afterward, she inhales a sharp breath as she plops down on the couch to lay her head on a still upside-down Quetsiya's stomach.
"I'm doing it so I can live longer, or whatever that stupid ass book said..." Jhene found herself finding wellness books just so she could try to understand how to better herself. She desperately needed to do anything to take her mind away from the things that troubled her. When marijuana wasn't available, a nice book was a substitute to rid herself of her troubles. She truly needed some actual help but she was avoiding therapy. Which was so dumb in retrospect because that was the one thing that helped her after all her dad did to her.
"Girl—that's bullshit. You're gonna live how long you gonna live. You can't change that shit for real." Quetsiya retorts, finally deciding to sit up straight when she feels too much blood rush to her head. Her head feels like it's draining itself when she finally sits upright. She probably would've died the longer she sat like that, she mentally face palms herself for not being accurately able to control her body at present.
"Well, maybe I just want to believe in it."
Quetsiya sticks her hands up in defense and purses her lips. She chose not to tear down Jhene's internal idealogy. She knew that whatever happened in Jhene's past was what was making her go crazy with the wellness kick. And if it was helping her, she decided not to be an absolute cunt and make her feel bad about what she had put faith in.
Elena on the other hand, side-eyed Jhene, and she could not hold her tongue worth a damn.
"Girl, fuck that, I'm pretty sure that's not gonna make you live longer or whatever. You'll be as strong as Superman though. And hey, that's tea so." Elena quips, scrolling through the feed on her Instagram. Whenever she spoke, her thick Toronto accent popped out. And it was funny as fuck. It sounded like some sort of cartoon talking all the time. Jhene couldn't contain her laugh when she spoke. Even though Elena was talking shit, Jhene knew that it was just jokes. She wasn't actively trying to hurt her, she was just being herself. Quetsiya starts laughing too, which makes Elena roll her eyes playfully.
"Anyway y'all," Elena begins, going to change the song that was playing through the speaker.
"My parents are inviting me to a big event for their company get-together because they're merging firms with this Russian corporation. It's a big deal or whatever...blah blah blah. BUT, it is a place where we can get drunk, plus the roof of the building this is being held at is a great place to smoke. I just can't deal with all those fucking princesses that are going to be there. They act like they have no mind of their own." Elena was ranting. She was happy that her parents were rich as fuck, however, she hated these types of parties. They were all filled with the same type of people back to back. No one was ever original or had a mind of their own.
"Will it be some fine niggas there?" Jhene asked, blowing smoke through the corner of her lips.
"Probably but why do you care? You know damn well you have no interest in boys right now." Quetsiya argues, stretching her limbs. She heard a few cracks and pops. Some cracks almost sounded concerning. She needed to go to a chiropractor.
"True." Jhene agrees, dousing out the very end of the wood she was smoking in her joker ashtray that was on the coffee table.
"I don't know why though. What was ole' dude's name...Ryan, Rafe, William? I don't know but it's been forever. You need to catch some." Jhene rolls her eyes at Elena's retort.
They were always trying to pressure her to date. There were multiple contenders that she could talk to if we're being honest. There was Theo, the fine Hispanic man she saw on the elevator every morning who always flirted with her. He was cute but she felt no real attraction to the personality as much as she did the face. Eventually she started taking the stairs to avoid seeing him. Then, there was Jason, a fine dread head who was at the gun range every Thursday. Whom she did begin to gather a crush on. He was so sweet, but he was very dominant in everything he did. She was attracted to him in every way. She just wasn't ready to date currently. For no particular reason, at least that's what she told herself.
"I don't want none, that's the problem," Jhene exclaims, rubbing her temples. She had just gotten a sudden headache. Probably because she was talking about her dating life.
"Whatever...you guys' coming or not?" Elena asks, biting the corner of her nail. She needed her friends there. They would help her get through the anxieties of the night.
Jhene and Quetsiya fill the room with 'Yes' in response to their friend's question. That helped Elena smile widely. She was happy they would be there to support her. She really couldn't do another night of boring conversation and meaningless words.
"Y'all, let's go to the store now. Forget the healthy shit, I want some ice cream." Jhene says, clapping her hands together. Both Quetsiya and Elena scream in excitement. They wanted some food because they were high off their ass. Jhene had come to love them. She missed Isaiah and Desiree when she first got here. And she never thought she would find friends that even came close to them but here she was. God had blessed her with a second chance. But Isaiah and Desiree were still number one in her heart.
She stalked them on their socials all the time. Isaiah and Arina were married now, and they had been traveling a lot. It made Jhene happy to see. Desiree was dating Shawn now, I guess buddy with the dreads finally messed up and drove Desiree away for good. Desiree seemed happy too. Sometimes Jhene saw Desiree still posting photos with Jhene in them, and it somehow made her heart break even more. Isaiah often reposted them with the caption, "Missing her". Jhene wondered if they thought she was dead or something. Hopefully not if they got the letters. She still felt bad for leaving the way she did.
She was happy that they were happy though. That's what mattered.
Oh, and since we're on the topic of happiness, let's move on to someone who's forcing theirs.
Wren.
Now, Wren had been married for almost two years and a half. He had been married to Anastasia. She is very pretty. She had siren-like eyes and pouty lips. And although he had laid with her within the sheets. Which he did enjoy, he must admit. He found no real solace in her. No peace. She was simply a bed filler, and she was always there. Always in his bed—I mean. He wondered if she ever felt the distance he purposely created between them. He hoped she did to be fair. He kept a piece of him away from Anastasia, to keep a piece of him open to her.
His dreams, daydreams, or anytime he closed his eyes there was one woman who stayed prevalent in his mind. And that was not the woman or women whose panties he removed every night to rid himself of frustration. Jhene was like a chronic disease he couldn't escape. He tried therapy to get his mind off of her. But she haunted him. She would not let him free, in his vague dreams he saw her. In the black behind his eyelids, he created her. Piece by piece from memory. He would draw her, in the mindless sketches he made at business meetings.
But he was trying to force himself to forget her. Force himself to forget the slit-like eyes she had, the full heart-shaped lips that he enveloped in kisses, the wide hips that he had once wanted to bare his children.
Nonetheless, she seemed unforgettable.
Wren was currently sitting in his home office, eyes closed as he drew her face over and over in his mind. He often pictured Jhene as who he was lying down in his bed, ready for him, instead of the blonde woman who consumed his space. He ran his palms over his face trying to snap himself out of it. His hands find themselves in his hair, which he had cut short. He had done it because he had considered himself more mature than when he had grown out his hair. Plus the memories of Jhene's hands raking through his tresses were too much for him to handle at one point--too much for him to take in capacity.
A knock at his office's door has him fixing his flustered composure, as well as his pants. If you know, you know.
"Come in." His deep voice echoed through the room. Urging whoever was at the door to enter under his permission. There his wife was, prancing over to him in a thick sweater...no pants except if you wanna call the thin lacy pink underwear she wore, "pants".
"Hi baby." Her voice alluded to innocence and sweetness. But from how she acted in the bedroom, she was quite far from that. Wren knew it too. That's why his eyes made zero contact with her face and instead fixated on her bare legs that were on display. He watched them walk directly into his proper view.
"Hey." He voiced, looking into her eyes that were a familiar blue to his own. She was breathtakingly gorgeous he had to be truthful. They would make nice-looking children, ones that would capture the world's attention. Yet, if the woman of his dreams and he were to make children, they would gather the attention of the entire galaxy.
Anastasia comes behind his desk to plant a small but very sweet peck on his lips. Her lips were cold and chapped. Per usual. He didn't even have the heart to tell her she probably should use Vaseline. That was neither here nor there. It was likely that the way he felt about her lips were probably because his body rejected other women, and he knew it too. But he went against the response just so he could do anything to forget Jhene.
"So, you have that merger party tomorrow..." She speaks, a Russian accent very prevalent, as she sat her butt on his desk. Giving him an open view of everything under the sun. He catches a quick glimpse before looking back at her face.
"Yes, you won't be joining me, no?" She nods in agreement. She would be going back to Russia to see her family for a few weeks. Leaving him. He didn't mind at all. She could be a bitch sometimes. The sweet side of her was something that came to play peekaboo every once in a while. And although he didn't receive that bitchy treatment because she knew her place, he didn't care for how he treated those around her.
"Are you going to miss me?" She asks, biting her lips. He almost showed slight disgust, but he didn't. Out of some sort of respect for her. She was his wife after all.
"Yes, of course." Lie. He wouldn't miss her. At any point.
"Aww, I know." Did she know, though? That was the real question that needed answering. She hops off his desk and walks away. She left his office without another peep, switching her smaller hips. She was an enticing little treat. One he would be indulging, in a matter of seconds.
A/N
Hey, again, stay loyal to who you are. Be strong. Remain humble and don't forget where you come from. The world is literally your oyster.