Edited:

Published: Sunday, September 27th 2015 12:39 am

Jafar:

          "I can't believe you just up and leave, make a new plan and forget to add me in on it! You had me asking around the country of your whereabouts, Jafar! What the hell are you doing?!"

          Is what awaited me as I opened the door to my apartment. Allen. My dear, sweet manager Allen. I never got around to firing him yet after everything else that's been going on in my life, but I haven't forgotten. No. I just need to find the right time.

          "Do come in," I rolled my eyes as he pushed past me and straight for the fridge. "Now, why are you here, Dennis?"

          He lifted his head from being buried in the fridge and scoffed.

          "You're my client and friend, so I'm here for support and help."

          "The only thing you're helping with is cleaning out my fridge. Seriously, why are you here?"

          He came back up with a lemonade, pickle and half of my very good sandwich. With his hands full of food, Allen proceeded to take off his jacket, plop it on my table before reaching for the remote.

          I sat down to watch him devour my food. All of this reminds me of college. Those days when we were too broke to buy any food, so we would find a friend and raid his fridge. Karma...

          "I need to know what's up with you, man. Is it Ayah or something else? Talk!"

          "Well," I sighed and leaned back on my couch, trying to find a way to tell him. "I want to fire you," That works, too.

          Allen stopped midway through eating my sandwich to stare at me in disbelief. He gently put his meal down and cleared his throat. "Excuse me?"

          "Yeah. Your methods aren't how I want my career to go, but we can still be friends!"

          "Are you firing me or breaking up with me?" He asked in amusement. I glared at him.

          "Did you even hear me?"

          "Yeah," He nodded and picked up his sandwich again. "I just don't get why."

          I shrugged. "I'm trying something new--getting my career and life in the right track, y'know?"

"And I'm just booted from 'Team Jafar?' I thought we had a good thing going."

I let out a humorless laugh. Oh, how little he knows about my life and career. If it wasn't for the way he managed me, I would have been home with my family, with Ayah. The whole start of my career was such a rush. Concerts every other week, cd signings and tours. Crazy fans, meet and greets, the whole nine yards. I loved the fame, I still do, but there comes a time where it gets too much. Like now.

          "After everything I helped you with, this is how you repay me?!"

          I rolled my eyes at his dramatics. He's always thinking about himself.

          "This is complete bull--"

          "Hey!" I cut him off with narrowed eyes. "Not everything is about you. You think you helped me--you didn't! Sure, you booked me gigs here and there, but you never thought of me, just you!"

          I got up to walk over to the calendar on my wall. Call me crazy, but I took a note of how long I was away, what happened while I was here and all my restrictions I was under. Whether it be Allen's or the labels, I had them. And I don't like them.

I waved him over. "Come take a look."

Reluctantly, Allen stood up from his place on my couch and stood next to me, an irritated scowl on his face.

"What? Is it your birthday or something?"

"It's actually in a couple of weeks thanks for caring," I smirked, then pointed to the first week of my career. "Do you remember what happened this day?"

Allen rolled his eyes with a huff. And he wonders why I'm firing him.

"No, but I bet you're going to tell me."

"You and the label decided that I shouldn't tell the crazies about Ayah. And since I was under contract, and you both thought that it was best for my career, so I went along with it."

          "Wasn't it?" He stupidly asked. I swear he makes me want to slap him right across his face.

          "Obviously not!" I exclaimed. "That was one of the things that messed up my marriage."

          "But if we didn't do that, your career would be messed up. Only half the girls will like you if you're married."

         I shook my head and skipped to a month later.

          Allen put a hand on his hip like a freaking diva and smirked at me.

          "And what exactly was wrong with this one? I remember this was a good month."

          "For you," I pointed out. "I was too busy being attacked by my fans at those meet and greets."

          "Who wouldn't love that?!"

         I kept going until I got to the start of Ayah and I's hiatus.

         "Here I was too busy with my hectic schedule to even contact my wife; Another major thing that messed us up. We didn't speak for over a month."

          By now Allen is majorly stressed out, his hand on his head. Well, this is only half of what I feel, buddy.

         "And then when we did talk again, you acted like a complete idiot on the phone."

         "Would you like me to hit on her?"

         "No, I wouldn't, but manners aren't forbidden, Allen. And last but not least, you tried to stop me from coming here, and when you couldn't, you came to Riverside to blackmail me into coming back. Oh, and by the way, I investigated your theory about being back to record," I started. Allen visibly paled, but kept his poker face on.

"Turns out that you lied, and I found out certain things about the company."

He went back to his usual arrogant self, smirking and scowling all at once.

"And I'm going to expose them."

"You'll need my help."

This time I smirked. "I already have help."

"Whoever the person is that's helping you, they don't know what I do about this label; things that will bury them."

"So...you're blackmailing me...again?"

Allen let out a evil laugh and went to finish his sandwich.

"I'm trying to help you. You may not be my client anymore, but we're still friends."

I went over to sit by him and crossed my arms. What could he possibly do now?

"I do owe you, right?" He pointed out. "Let me repay my debt."

-*-
Ayah:
August 23rd

I don't know why I didn't learn my lesson before about talking with Jamila, but I guess I needed to know what happened. And after I talked to her, Zahrah and Tehreem, it's worse than I thought. Apparently one of the boys already bought a ring and planned on asking for her hand.

Like that will ever happen, I thought. Abu Jamila would never let that happen. She really got it though. When Jamila told me in confidence about her issues, she didn't explain everything and how deep she is in. It's like she's a different person. A person that wants to hide all of her wrongdoings because she's in too deep. She's a teenager, I thought.

I thought we had a good relationship. That was until I heard the story from her sisters. She doesn't sound like the same Jamila, which scares me. I was worrying about this whole situation for so long that I completely forgot about Lee's cousin coming today. She went to get her about fifteen minutes ago, and I'm not even close to setting up the apartment. Dinner is almost done, so that's one less thing I have to worry about.

And right when I was about to put out the lemonade, someone knocked.

"Isabella, you're early."

"Don't look so suprised. I was just in the neighborhood and thought I should stop by early for tonight.

"Of course," I smiled. "Come in."

She smiled at me and walked inside, put her purse on the table and sat down. After a couple of awkward glances at each other, she spoke.

"What's for dinner?"

"Butter chicken and cinnamon rolls."

"Ooh," She said, then came in the kitchen where I was preparing the cinnamon rolls. "That sounds and looks good. I'm going to be fat by the time I leave here."

"I hope so. It's good to know people enjoy my cooking."

"Believe me, Lee was basically fantasizing about that pasta."

I smiled and continued putting the icing on, Isabella went to the fridge. Suddenly, she pulled something out that didn't sit too well with my stomach. I put a hand over my mouth, clutched my stomach and ran to the bathroom to throw the contents of my stomach up. Isabella followed behind me to hold my hair back.

          "Are you okay?" She asked in a panic after I finished. I nodded and got up to rinse my mouth out.

          "It must of been the smell of what you pulled out of the fridge."

         She looked at me in confusion. "I took out some leftover lemon cake. Why would that mess your stomach up?"

          "I don't know," I said a little louder than a whisper and went back into the front room to sit down. "That's never happened before."

          "That happened to Carlee, too, but I doubt your situation is like hers."

          "What was her situation."

          Isabella put a big smile on her face like she was replaying a fond memory. "She was pregnant."

-*-

          Tonight's dinner party is going according to plan, everyone loved the food and now we're just talking in the front room. Izzah and Carlee are just like Lee and Isabella; nice and chatty. The stories they have to tell are especially unique, but what happened earlier is still stuck on my mind. Throwing up because of the smell of cake has never happened before. It really suprised me.

          But when Isabella told me her friend Carlee had the same symptoms during her pregnancy, it scared me...a lot. I couldn't be pregnant, not now. It's not the right timing. Sure I want a family, but when all the drama is done and we can actually act civil without complications, we can talk family.

          "What about you, Ayah?" Iffah smiled from her position on the couch. "Any crazy stories to tell us?"

          "No," I shook my head. "I'm pretty much a plain Jane."

          "A couple of days with Lee will make you legendary," Carlee commented with a smile. Lee glared at her.

          "I don't see you complaining."

          Carlee raised her hands in defense. "I'm not."

          "What do you think of the school now?"

         I lifted up a little on the couch to answer Iffah.

          "I like it. It's my first real job, but it's a job I see myself having for now."

          "And then what?" Carlee chimed in.

          I shrugged. "I don't know yet."

          After Carlee left, Lee went to catch up with Iffah while Isabella helped me wash dishes. But from her quietness, I could tell something was on her mind.

          "What's on your mind?" I asked her after a while.

          Isabella sighed and picked up one of the dishes to dry.

          "Is there any truth to what I said earlier?"

          "About me throwing up and Carlee's condition?"

          She nodded. "Yeah...that."

          "I don't know," I whispered. "But the thought terrifies me."

          "I hope this doesn't offend you or anything, but you're married right?"

          I let out a low chuckle and nodded. "Yes, I am."

          "I bet he's going to be happy."

          "I don't even know if I am yet!" I exclaimed and she shrugged.

          "He would still be happy, right?"

        I thought for a minute before shrugging. I honestly don't know.

-*-

Should I do pics for all my characters?

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