“ i wouldn’t ask questions people are too sensitive to hear. ”

pussy

“ yes, dia, i know you look good, which is exactly the problem. you tell her i didn’t know before you get to— ” the note carries as he selects an appropriate word. “ —anything else. no ‘ oh, sorry, i conveniently forgot ’, we clear ? ” very rarely is he vexed by genuine concern over what someone might think, but lies and secrets were scarce between him and his sister. for a moment longer, the grip around her wrist tightens, before he loosens his fingers. “ who said anything about blondes ? it’s a savoy party. italians are mostly brunettes right ? ”

“ vita... ” claudia could kick herself, she knew vita was here, the media just loved to talk about her and her new fiancée, natasha, or whatever it was. she let off an ear piercing whistle turning the heads of all three of the mwezi’s dogs, keeping them from wandering too far away. molly skidded to a stop next to her, kicking up sand, and she busied herself brushing off the sand off the dog rather than awkwardly stumbling her words. and still when she turned to the other woman, pushed her toes further into the sand, she couldn’t quite help what came out. “ i was sorry to hear about your brother. he was always kind to me. ”

“ i heard my favourite polish princess was in phuket and i brought our favourites ! ” claudia announced as soon as serafina swung her door open. it’d been a few years since they’d seen each other but she was positive they wouldn’t know the difference between 2014 and 2020. “ you’re my first visit in this place so you get to tell me who’s here, who to avoid. where to find anyone who actually has fun. ”

                “ so you told him i knew. ” she knows it’s futile to get so on edge over it, but she’s always scrambled for any sense of control she could get a hold of, and when that is ripped out of her hands, she finds it hard not to let her frustration show. she looks down at their hands, then back up at claudia. “ i don’t like that you’re lying to my little brother. i don’t like that you’re lying to me.” 

“ oh no. no, no, no. ” nothing good could ever proceed those words. absentmindedly, he adjusts the collar of his jacket, suddenly feeling a little stiff. and then she speaks. “ dia— ” he grasps her wrist, the one tasked at hydrating, and holds it just out of reach. “ put that fucking mask on, i’m serious. you’re not going in there, not dressed like that. she’ll have my head. ”

                “ jelani knew ? ” she raises a brow. it’s characteristic enough for claudia to show up on a whim, but for her brother to be in on it as well ? it doesn’t sit right with her. but anger doesn’t look good, least of all in a public setting, and he grits her teeth and sighs. “ i didn’t know what to do. last time we talked, you said you never wanted to speak to me again.” a pause. absolute silence for a second. then she reaches for claudia’s hand. “ i’m sorry. happy belated birthday.”

                her immediate reaction is to check around them; a quick glance towards the stalls ( all of which seem unoccupied ), and then another one in the direction of the door. “ you have some nerve, don’t you ? i thought you were coming to phuket. you should have told me you were gonna be … here. ”                 

              this, for claudia to show up, unannounced, is not part of imani’s plan. nor is her getting upset over some stupid dance. she’s equal parts embarrassed and seething over their last argument, still, and her gaze struggles to find a comfortable place to rest. “ what do you expect me to do – apologise ? what does it matter to you who i dance with ? ”

it was a calculated move, waiting until imani entered the bathroom, stepping up to the sink as she did. “ so, i don’t see you for three weeks and you get busy trying to slip back into omari’s bed. very cute. ”

“ so i told you a white lie. ” even that was a stretch of the truth. she took a sip from her drink as she continued her scan of the room, picking out the people she needed to avoid and perhaps a few she wouldn’t mind finding a quiet corner of the room with. “ mani doesn’t know i’m here. that i even planned to come. she booked me flights to go to thailand. ”

&&. is that ( joan smalls )?? no, it’s just ( claudia sanaa bàez-sibale ). she is a ( lady-in-waiting ) from ( tanzania ). she is ( thirty ) years old and her birthday is the ( thirtieth ) of ( july ) which makes her a ( leo ).  she is ( passionate & magnetic ) and ( sincere & spontaneous ) but, unfortunately, also ( arrogant & obstinate ). those traits just make her a ( gryffindor ) and in scientific terms an ( estp ). she is a ( lesbian ) and the plaza’s ( sybarite ).  her theme song is ( holy ) by ( king princess ). she practices ( catholicism ) and is a supporter of ( chama cha mapinduzi ). her favourite quote is ( “ i hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies instead of rational creatures. none of us want to be in calm waters all our lives. ” ) by ( jane austen ) because ( she has never lived her life the way expected of a lady, and certainly never wishes to ). last but not least she ( does not ) believe in true love.

tw: drug use, large age gap.