ZOEY AKILA bennet !
sugarhill, her crib
featuring; @itszoeyb .

ZOEY'S GAZE REMAINED fixed on her reflection in the mirror, her eyes welling up with tears that threatened to spill over. her mom tenderly curled the ends of her silk pressed hair, a wave of sadness washed over her.

the weight of her emotions from the previous night's relentless crying weighed heavily on her heart, casting a shadow of doubt over her upcoming performance in the auditorium.

the night had been long and filled with tears, leaving zoey feeling emotionally drained and fragile. the thought of stepping into the auditorium and playing the flute, something she had been eagerly anticipating for the longest time, now felt like an insurmountable task.

the exhaustion from her sleepless night clung to her like a heavy cloak, making it difficult to summon the energy and enthusiasm she once had.

despite her mom's efforts to wake her up early and prepare her for the day ahead, zoey's spirit felt depleted. the prospect of attending a nail appointment and running errands no longer held the same excitement it once

"mami, i don't wanna go." zoey frowns as she felt her voice cracking, she desperately tried to suppress the tears welling up inside her, afraid that they would smudge her carefully applied makeup.

zoey had spent the whole entire night stressing out, everything was just messed up. she had picked up her phone to text dd happy birthday but she couldn't find his contact, he had blocked her.

that's when she started crying even more because even tho she was that close to dd it hurts to think she ruined a friendship just like that that, over something she could've avoided easily.

zoey didn't even pick up her phone after that, she felt like if she did she'll just make shit worse for her.

her mom frowned, dropping the curling iron on the vanity desk. she turned zoey's chair around to loo at her daughters face but when she saw it her heart stopped. never had she seen zoey this upset — and the worse part about it was that she wouldn't tell her why she was upset.

"zozo baby, why do you keep tearing up and cryin? you know when you crying it makes me wanna cry." her mom swipes a way a drop of tears that had unfortunately fell down zoey's cheek. zoey shook her head, not opening her mouth because it was obvious they didn't get her anywhere anymore.

zoey's mom frowns seeing as her usually sunshiny daughter had the biggest frown on the day she had been waiting for since the first day of school.

zoey didn't get upset that much and even if she did she would usually get over it quickly, but this time it was like she was stuck. she knew what she did was something you can't move away from or just forget it.

she just wishes that she could see ddot one more time to say something, even if it meant struggling to utter a single word through her uncontrollable sobs. she just wanted to see him one more time.

zoey's dad burst into her room, holding a camera, his face beaming with joy. but his expression quickly turned to concern as he witnessed zoey lifting her tear-stained face in response to the sudden noise.

"is everything okay?" he asked, tilting his head in confusion. sensing the fragility of the situation zoey's mom gently guided him away, protecting zoey's emotional state.

the darkskin girl in the chair filled her hair to her back, trying to calm her heavy breathing. she felt like she was gonna have a panic attack any minute and whenever she had those she would pass out—and she really didn't wanna pass out at this moment.

the older woman turned her face to place her attention on her disgusted who was trying to keep her clam but she just couldn't. zoey started to cry harder, her lips trembling in pain.

"oh mama, don't cry." zoey's mom wrapped her arms around the younger girl's neck, placing a soft kiss on her temple. at this point she had just assumed she was nervous and anxious but it jus didn't make sense now—she and been waiting to perform with her flute for a such a king time it wouldn't make sense for her to be scared for that.

zoey's head flooded with all the memories of her and ddot, it all felled like a fever dream now. he was one of the best things to happen to her, honestly. in the beginning he didn't like her but he became fond of her which made her wanna be around him more.

she doesn't why she always tries to be friends with everyone if it's obvious they want nothing to do with you. so when she tried to fix that it ends up with her being heartbroken and loosing all her friends.

it seems like everything is had went down the drain.

zoey sucked up her tears, running her hands though her hair as she felt her heart pound a little faster. zoey felt her mom run her hand up and down her back soothingly, something she used to do when zoey was a kid.

zoey's faces slightly lit up with a soft smile as she reflected on the support and unconditional love she received from her parents. they were her rock, her constant source of strength. no matter what she knew that deep down that her parents would always be by her side.

one thing she loves about her parents is that they never need context—especially her mom. she cry her heart out with no explanation and her mom would never ask what the reason is until she'd fully calmed down.

her mom wasn't exactly like her, she was more calm and laid back while zoey was the hyper one. that's why zoey knows how to comfort people so well—she knows when the time comes she had to calm down and be patient.

she was gonna learn to be appreciative of what she has because she knows some people would love to have either a mom or dad.

lost in her thoughts, zoey was abruptly pulled back to reality by the sound of her mom's phone alarm piercing through the air. the familiar ringtone echoed through the room, signaling the time she was supposed to leave the house.

zoey's heart skipped a beat as she realized what it meant.

today would be the day that she was gonna perform with her flute — something she had been waiting to do for the longest time.

and even if not everything is perfect she was gonna try to smile through it until the fake smile becomes real.

her mom let out a heartfelt sigh before she picked the phone off the vanity"mama, it's time to go." she gently whispered.

zoey simply nodded, mumbling a soft 'okay' under her breath as she rose from the plushness of her fluffy chair. her mom exited the room, her steps barely making a sound as she went to retrieve her purse and all the necessary items.

zoey carefully curated her outfit for the performance, her fingertips gently grazing the fabrics as she made her choices. she settled on a jean skirt with a light wash at the top, the denim cascading down her thighs with effortless elegance, she chose a black graphic top and completed the ensemble with a pair of sleek black boots.

the absence of vibrant colors was intentional, as she was instructed not to wear them for this particular event.

zoey didn't even bother picking her phone up since she'd be with her parents so their was really nobody else needing her.

as she walked down the stairs to the living room doubts and insecurities swirled in her mind, making her question her own abilities. the weight of her own vulnerability, it seemed as though tears were the only outlet for the overwhelming turmoil within her.

her mom came into view, shaking her head to her dad who held up the camera with a confused expression. "she don't want to dayvon, let's just go. zozo baby, let's go!" she softly yelled seeing zoey walk down the stairs.

her mom appeared, exchanging a glance with her dad who held up the camera — his expression filled with confusion. "she don't want to, dayvon. let's just go." her mom whispered, her voice tinged with concern.

spotting zoey descending the stairs, her mom called out, "zozo baby, let's go!" her words carried a soft urgency.

zoey gulped as she picked up her flute from the counter, holding it tightly in her hand as she felt her dad's wrap around her shoulder.

he started talking about random topics in a fast pace and it made zoey look up to him. she could tell that she got all the talking from him since when her dad's mouth opened it never stopped.

it made her smile a little, making her feel a bit better that again she had the best parents in the world.

"YO WHERE YOU going bro?" dd walked into the living room—seeing ddot hastily slipping his shoes back on. they were all gathered at marie's apartment, trying to distract dd for the surprise party they had meticulously planned for him.

ddot froze for a moment, caught off guard by dd's question. he quickly gathered his thoughts and came up with a plausible excuse. "my mom's package ended up on the neighbors porch, you know how she is, so i gotta get that shit."

in reality, ddot was lying about his intended destination. he wasn't going to either his house or dd's house to help with the party preparations. no, he had other plans brewing in his mind.

ddot would be the second person to leave, following notti's sudden departure claiming that someone had urgently called him. dd couldn't help but feel a twinge of suspicion, but he brushed it off, assuming it was just a coincidence.

i'm all now wary he had forgotten it was his birthday.

he felt like it wasn't his birthday, it was another day that he had especially remembered held a important event. but he just couldn't put his finger on it.

ddof kept zoey's actions to himself, not even divulging that jahzara or marie were privy to the information. he felt it was none of notti or dd's business, preferring to keep whatever was going on between him and zoey private.

despite his decision to keep things under wraps, ddot couldn't muster up any empathy for zoey. the emotional connection between them had long withered away, leaving him feeling indifferent towards her situation.

as ddot exited marie's apartment, he swiftly pulled up his ski mask and he practically sprinted out of the apartment complex, his mind focused on the next destination.

his destination? the school.

he had realized that since zoey felt like it was okay to steal something of his, something that he had been trying to find forever. he would do the same but just that she wouldn't get it back.

he had planned in doing some crazy shit he had a dream about the night before—it was stupid and petty but guess what? he was stupid and petty.

with the knowledge that the school day would be disrupted due to the performances, ddot saw a golden opportunity to execute his own plan without interference.

the boy walked to the emergency exit that didn't have any alarms attached to it, making sure it won't alert anyone that somebody was walking through it. he didn't want to leave any trace of his presence to alert the authorities or anyone else.

when he walked in he found himself standing in the vast expanse of the gym. the space was abuzz with energetic teenagers, diligently practicing their routines and perfecting their performances before gracing the stage.

it was a sight to behold, witnessing their passion and determination as they rehearsed their routines, it was disgusting to him. everybody was sweating in that room and smelled bad, well it was only guys who were in here so that made the most sense.

ddot decided to just walk out from the back door of the gym, he pushed through quickly—hoping no one noticed him in the room before wards.

the hallways were distinctly quiet, all you could really hear was muffled sounds of band kids. ddot began walking quickly through the hall—his eyes darting at every room until he found the band room zoey would usually emerge from.

firm time to time ddot would walk her to some of her classes, or before he even liked her she would force him to let her show him every class she was in. but he didn't really need to see it since ddot payed a lot of attention to the girl. more than a normal person does.

she was the first person he really payed attention to like that, he usually didn't care what niggas were doing with their life—it doesn't concern him that much.

but with zoey he watched her every move. to the point that he had her whole schedule memorized and he didn't even do it on purpose.

ddot's eyes darted across the hallway, seeing that he had reached the classroom that zoey would usually have band practice in. he just hopes that zoey wasn't in their but her flute was.

ddot wasted no time in pushing through the wide-open door, causing him to release the most exasperated sigh ever. to ensure his privacy, he swiftly locked the door behind him, firmly planting himself in that it. it felt like a justifiable action to him.

this whole plan was stupid as fuck but ddot knew he wasn't gonna stay in bed and he moody because a girl who he knew was weird in the beginning did some weird shit.

but zoey should've known that when someone's go low with him, ddot goes to hell.

luckily for ddot, it appeared that all the performers had already placed their instruments on the desks provided. ddot began to wander around the room, scanning for Zoey's distinctive tag that she had placed on the box containing her flute.

as he moved between the rows of desks, ddot's eyes darted from one box to another, searching for any sign of zoey's mark.

he carefully examined each box, his eyes scanning for any hint of the distinct sticker that zoey  had placed.

until he found zoey's, which made him smile a bit.

as ddot unclasped the box, his eyes were immediately drawn to the gleaming silver flute nestled inside. it's elegant curves and intricate details made it a true work of art. ddot couldn't help but feel a pettiness urge bubbling up within him, a desire to disrupt the ordinary and create a moment of chaos.

with a sly smile, ddot carefully lifted the flute from its resting place, feeling its weight in his hand. as he did, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, ready to record the aftermath of his impish act.

his eyes scanned the room, searching for the perfect spot to execute his plan. and then he saw it—the nearest window, adorned with white blinds that seemed to beckon him. ddot approached the window, knowing exactly what he was about to do.

with a swift motion he pulled the blinds up, revealing the world outside. the sunlight streamed in, casting a warm glow on the room.

ddot took a deep breath, and without hesitation he flung the flute out of the window, watching as it soared through the air, its melody silenced forever.

as the flute descended to the ground, ddot quickly aimed his phone, recording every part of it. with a resounding crash, the flute shattered into countless pieces, scattering across the ground like a jigsaw puzzle thrown into disarray.

ddot didn't feel anything, he just felt numb. this was probably how zoey did when he stole his chain—nothing because it felt good.

though the damage was minimal, at least he did some damage to the one thing she was looking forward to.

"shi tragic," ddot whispered to himself, shaking his head like he wand the one that did that. he was unable to fully comprehend the consequences of his impulsive actions because all he was thinking was ways of making zoey feel exactly how he had felt.

slipping his phone back into his pocket, he realized what he just did. but it didn't hit him like of regret — he realized what they're relationship had become.

it really did turn into ashes.

as he stood there, contemplating the situation, ddot knew he couldn't stay in the school any longer. the walls seemed to close in on him, suffocating him with the weight of his misdeed.
taking a deep breath, looking back a final glance back at the room, ddot propelled himself forward, his body soaring outside the room.

when he landed he didn't feel any type of regret either. he liked it better this way — he went out his way to make zoey feel as much as he did.

it was only fair.

and so, ddot walked away from the school—not thinking of now any of this shit would work out as he walked away.

as soon as ddot walked away from the school the door swung open, and a wave of students burst into the room, filling it with a mix of confusion and excitement.

the band teacher, taken aback by the unexpected locked doors, shook her head in disbelief. "i didn't even realize i had locked the door. that's my bad guys." she admitted, apologizing for the inconvenience caused.

among the students who entered the room was zoey, and she appeared to be quite anxious.

the fact that neither jahzara or marie was here was a bit disheartening for zoey, but she knew that in a way she deserved it — she deserved all of it.

but she was gonna do it anyway because she was performing solely for her parents, and their presence in the room meant the world to her.

"flute players, get your flutes—we're gonna do a tune check!" the band teacher's urgent voice echoed through the classroom, causing zoey's heart to race. she hurriedly made her way to where her flute was placed before they were taken to the other room for practice or entrance.

when zoey made it to her desk she opened up her flute box, just to find it empty? her heart dropped to the bottom of her soul because before they were even put in this room they all had to show their instruments to get in the gym so she knows she didn't loose it.

as zoey approached her desk, her hands trembled with anxiousness. she opened her flute box, only to be met with an empty void. a surge of panic shot through her veins, and her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach.

no, that doesn't make sense.

she vividly remembered showing her instrument to gain entry into the gym. she had taken great care of it, ensuring it was safely tucked away before they were brought to this room.

frantically, zoey's mind raced with questions. has someone accidentally taken her flute? or worse, had it been intentionally taken?

the thought of someone deliberately stealing her cherished instrument sent shivers down her spine. she couldn't bear the thought of being without her flute, especially on such an important day.

zoey couldn't even muster up the the courage to voice her concern to the band teacher. she felt like if she even opened her mouth today her voice would tremble and wobble.

as the minutes ticked by, the tension in the room grew thicker. she examined every corner every desk meticulously inspected. yet, there was no sign of zoey's beloved flute. the weight of disappointment and frustration settled heavily upon her shoulders, threatening to crush her spirit.

"bennet? Is everything alright? you looked stressed."  the band teacher called out, their voice filled with concern and urgency.

zoey heart skipped a beat as she felt the weight of everyone's gaze upon her. she bit her lip, trying to steady her nerves, before finally mustering the courage to speak up. "i can't find my flute," she confessed, her voice trembling with a mix of anxiety and nervousness.

the band teacher's eyes widened in surprise, realizing the gravity of the situation. "oh no, not again," they muttered under their breath, their tone filled with empathy. they swiftly made their way towards zoey, their footsteps echoing through the room.

a bunch of kids came up to her asking if she was okay, some of them telling her corny jokes to make her feel better since these were band kids.

as much as people would find the annoying zoey found the like the most coolest people in the world, they were all different with different interests which got her to make a lot of friends.

atleast she didn't have to worry about humiliating herself.

the band teacher's eyes scanned the room, searching for any signs of the missing flute. zoey's bandmates joined in the search, their expressions a mix of concern and determination. they checked every corner, every nook and cranny, hoping to uncover any trace of the instrument.

minutes turned into what felt like an eternity as the tension in the room grew thicker. Zoey's heart sank with each passing moment, her mind filled with worry about the fate of her flute. She couldn't bear the thought of someone intentionally taking it or worse, damaging it beyond repair.

fnally, the band teacher's voice broke the silence. "i'm afraid we haven't found your flute, bennet," they said, their tone laced with disappointment. "and we're going on stage in just a couple of minutes... i'm afraid you'll have to sit this one out."

if zoey thought her day couldn't get any worse, it just did.

with a heavy heart, zoey mustered up the strength to put on a brave face. she forced a smile and nodded, desperately trying to conceal the pain that was gnawing at her from inside of her.

as her friends began to leave the room one by one, zoey waved at them, trying to maintain a sense of normalcy.

but as the door finally closed shut, a wave of overwhelming emotions crashed over zoey like a tidal wave. the facade she had been holding onto for so long shattered, and she couldn't hold back the floodgates any longer.

tears streamed down her face at a rapid pace, each droplet carrying with it the weight of her disappointment, frustration, and heartache.

in that moment, it felt as though the world had become too much to bear. the room seemed to close in on her, suffocating her as she struggled to catch her breath. the tears flowed uncontrollably, blurring her vision and making it even harder to find solace.

zoey's shoulders shook with each sob, her body trembling under the weight of her emotions. it was the third time today that she had reached this breaking point, and it seemed as though the universe was testing her resilience.

she lost, she officially lost.

everything was ruined for her and at this point there was nothing they could save her. zoey believed that everything in her life had been irreparably damaged. it seemed as though there was no saving her from the depths of despair she had fallen into.

after a few minutes of desperately trying to regain control and compose herself, she managed to steady her racing heart and calm her trembling body.

now the girl faced the daunting task of walking back to the auditorium where her parents were waiting for her. the weight of disappointment hung heavy in the air as she prepared herself to face them, knowing that she would be joining the crowd as a spectator rather than being among the performers.

taking a deep breath, zoey mustered the courage to step out of the front office and make her way towards her parents. each step felt like a heavy burden, as if the weight of her shattered dreams was physically dragging her down.

the crowd around her seemed both distant and suffocating, a constant reminder of what could have been.

as zoey approached her parents, she couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. there was a sense of comfort in their presence, knowing that they would offer support and understanding during this difficult time.

at the same time, she couldn't shake off the feeling of disappointment and the realization that she wouldn't be standing on that stage, doing the only thing that she was gonna like to do for the whole week.

zoey dragged her feet, her steps heavy with disappointment, as she made her way towards the seats where her parents were anxiously waiting. with a heavy sigh, she plopped down next to her mom, seeking solace in her comforting presence. her mom's eyes widened in surprise and concern as she saw zoey sitting beside her instead of being on stage.

"but i thought she...?" her dad's voice trailed off, his confusion mirrored in his eyes. neither of them could comprehend what had transpired, leaving them both bewildered and searching for answers.

zoey's mom instinctively wrapped her arm around her daughter, pulling her close in a tight embrace. with a soft, soothing tone, she whispered, "you wanna talk about it, baby?"

zoey's eyes welled up with tears as she leaned into her mom's comforting embrace. "no." she shook her head slightly.

her mom mom nodded. "and that's okay, imma be with here with you. it's gonna be okay mama."

F SPEAKS 🌚🌝

NOT— BUN, KETCHUP, PICKLE, CHESSE, PUT THE PATTIE ON BETWEEN ITS BURGER WHAT WHAT ITS BURGER. uhmm thoughts?? ddots crazy asfc. anyways this gon be my last update for a while cause i'm leaving on sundayyyy! byee fia loves u byee 🫦🫦💋💋.