To Caress My Day

After all the applause and celebratory toasts to another one of Neon Jungle’s accomplishments, the five girls were swooping in for the snack tray that Asami and Twigs had organized when Jess’s phone went off. With brows furrowed with nosiness, Twigs inquired. “Who is it? It’s not your team, I hope.”

“No, it’s not them.” Jess told her as soon as she checked the screen, soothing Twig’s apprehension that they’d have to depart so soon after they arrived. “It’s Simone.”

“Girl, what you waiting for? Answer it!” Amira directed while beckoning her to come back to their circle.

Jess accepted the call and put it on speakerphone while retreating back to her seat. “HEEEEEEY, GIRL!”

“HEEEEY!” Simone greeted back, sounding just as thrilled to hear from her too. “I heard you putting me on speakerphone. I’m guessing you're with the other girls too. Is Twigs also there?”

“I’m here!” Twigs signalled, raising a hand in the air even though there was no way Simone could see her.

“Sweet! Hey, everybody! How you doing?” Simone addressed the other four. “I got an announcement I wanted to share with you ladies. Lucky me I caught you all hanging out at the perfect time, huh?”

“One would think you’re psychic or something.” Amira wisecracked as she swiped up a chocolate biscuit.

“What’s the news?” Twigs asked her, her tone pleading to know what other breakthroughs she’s made in her career since they last spoke to each other.

“It’s official, my beautiful ones! You’re looking at an official member of GRL!” Simone squealed through the phone. What she couldn’t see on the other end were the confounded features of her friends sharing looks among each other. There weren’t any ovations, shrieks of excitement, or jumping around in celebration. They were utterly confused.

“Um, Simone…I thought you were already a member of GRL.” Asami tentatively cuts in, not wanting to be the one to dispatch Simone’s vibe by being a Debbie Downer. She had to ask though if not for herself then for everyone else in the room that were struck too speechless to even speak.

“What, no! I mean, at the time my soul KNEW that I was in the group, but technically it wasn’t OFFICIAL official.” Simone clarified quickly in hopes they’d get to celebrating her achievement now!

“It wasn’t official back then?!” Twigs repeated incredulously, recalling everything Simone had done to get to this point right here. She hadn’t even been a part of the band yet and had overturned her entire life in the UK to move to Los Angeles on a ‘you MIGHT be picked?’ wishful thinking? “I’d like to fucking think you were OFFICIAL considering the fact you move across the damn ocean to be in GRL!”

“Fuck yeah!” Amira coincided wholeheartedly. They had all been led to believe by Simone that she had already been recruited to be in GRL, but this entire time she was only a mere contestant!?

Hearing that her friends were feeling some time of way about her falsified words, Simone let out a long sigh before leaning back in her patio chair to expound further on what had really gone down behind the scenes. “Okay, look, the woman who is behind this whole GRL band is an entrepreneur who has worked in both the movies and music industry for years. She’s like the founder of a female group here in America that has gone global and has now formed GRL. At the time, I heard she was a bit wishy-washy when it came to her candidates. One minute the woman could love you and the next minute she could be kicking your ass out of the auditions without so much of an explanation!”

“She sounds like a major fucking bitch!” Jess remarked in dislike for the mystery woman.

“We can all agree on that. BUT…she’s a bitch that knows what she wants.” Simone affirmed with an undertone of worry.

“I still don’t like her.” Twigs commented with a disapproving shake of her head. Lowering her cookie back down to the tray, she shifted her eyes to glare at something else so no one would be able to translate just how much Simone’s move had disturbed her. “I don’t like everything she’s induced in your life since you’ve come onto her radar. Making you move all the way to Los Angeles, I just…”

“Tahliah, it’s okay, you hear me?” Simone assuage, hearing the resentment in her voice. “As my friends, your job is just to be happy for me right now, and the announcement I just made. Not upset.”

“No, girl, don’t get us wrong! We’re happy for you!” Amira swooped in to recover. “In fact, we’re so fucking happy for you, girl, that we’re about to go and buy ourselves a round of drinks at the pub to celebrate on your behalf!”

Simone could envision that scene, and it made her heart twinge in her chest. With a frown, she whispered. “Damn. I sure wish I could join you ladies tonight.”

“We do too.” Shereen bemoaned with her.

“So, what are you doing for Valentine’s Day, Simone?” Asami inquired, trying to change the subject because everything was becoming somber. “It’s coming up, you know?”

“I’m gonna spend the day with a guy I’ve recently met.” Simone informed them, finally letting the cat out the bag with a sly smirk.

Neon Jungle let out a unified gasp. Jess shrieked down her phone. “Girl, you have a man and you didn’t even tell us!?”

“Have you not told them yet, Twigs?” Simone inquired of her former roommate, surprised she hadn’t.

Overlooking the glares that aimed her way, Twigs stared at the phone in Jess’s hand. “I figured it was your news to tell. Not mine.”

“His name is Demarcus and he sometimes works at his family's cafe.” Simone told her friends.

“Is this love in the air I smell?” Asami teased her, wiggling her brows.

“No, we’re not there yet.” Simone rejected with a giggle. “I’m still focused on my career, remember?”

“More than finding a man?” Amira said, arching a brow. “Does he know you ain’t fully in then?”

“He should! I’ve been nothing but transparent with him.” Simone swore, praying he got her hints.

“Good, cause you don’t wanna lead him on some wild goose chase he ain’t ever had no business on in the first place!” Amira sighed with relief. “This ain’t no here duck season, Elmer Fudd.”

“So, what is Demarcus like?” Shereen queried Simone, intrigued with hearing more about him.

Simone listed his good qualities. “He’s nice, family-oriented, respectful, and is always there for me whenever I need him.”

“I approve!” Jess immediately proclaimed, making everyone laugh and concede with her. “What? That’s like all the qualities you want in a man, am I right?”

“Sure, Jess.” Simone agreed before moving on. “So what are you guys doing for Valentine’s Day?”

“Nothing, none of us have any plans.” Asami sighed overdramatically, rolling her brown eyes.

“Not even you, Twigs!?” Simone gasped, not expecting this from her steamy love life.

Twigs winced, not wanting to be reminded of her heartache. “Seth is too busy right now.”

“I believe it! The man is hard to get a hold of these days. He does check up on me every blue moon though, but still! We live in the same state now!” Simone said, comparing their situations.

“I appreciate that he checks on you.” Twigs sighed, still feeling pretty bad for herself.

“I’m sure he’s got something planned for you, girl. Just you wait and see!” Simone prayed for her.

Twigs didn’t think so, but didn’t want to bring her mood down even lower. “I hope you’re right.”