𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚝! 𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚖
𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐯
𝚓𝚞𝚗𝚎 𝟺, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟶

we've been stuck in the same parking spot for thirty minutes, a truck is blocking my way out, kie let me drive her car for the day. just getting out of the supermarket with our snacks, and breakfast, lunch & dinner.

"come on! this is really cutting in on our girl time" max exasperated states from the back.

"yes but it's great lighting," sarah is taking a selfie. she continues "let's take a few photos before we leave the spot, i have the perfect on the car poses"

kie races out the car ready to take sarah's expertise, i jump in on the memory making. the car stereo blasting bryson tiller.

max is the last of us to join in on the great photo op happening. we get great ig shots. great solo shots too.

running on e by brent faiyaz starts to play, i am singing along as the truck pulls away. cheers erupt from the girls all i do is cheer and laugh.

max of letting us stay at her place for this weekend, ultimate sleepover/girls day. we pamper tonight into tomorrow morning.

"i'll send each of your all the photos we take from the weekend tomorrow" sarah says.

"ok" kie said, "that's fine with me" i said smiling,
"perfect! in time for scheduling monday posts" max smiles while on her phone.

"are you sure? your mom isn't going to be home this weekend max" i ask as i tap my fingers on the steering wheel.

"i promise sloan she isn't home, she's with my dad on a retreat for the week actually. my sister is doing something tonight"

"oh so we have the house to ourselves tonight plus in the morning. I'll be the cook, sarah the photographer, kie is our dj and max your our stylist for the weekend. is that fine girls?"

"perfect"

"all right with me"

"let's switch up the music" kie goes through her playlist and starts playing bryson tiller his new album that really speaks to you.

we are jamming down the highway towards max's house when this pounding headache starts. i pull over to catch my breathe because the pain is unbearable. "sloan, are you okay?"

"sloan..." everything i hear is going in and out the music, the girls trying to get my attention. unlocking the door, i step out the car stumbling onto the patch of grass.

i can't —

∎∎∎

my eyes open to see max's ceiling, the room dark as  a whistle. a cold compress on my forehead which is really soothing. i stir and look at the clock it's 6:15 i slept that long omg.

i hop in max's bathroom i am wearing pjs, i wash my face before heading downstairs. "you're finally awake" max says.

"i was scared half to death when you fainted. but we knew not to take you to the hospital" kie said smiling at me.

i heard their laughter before coming down i guess they paused the movie. sarah came to bring me to the couch "we callled my brother because we had to know if this happens a lot. rafe said not to take you to the hospital and let you sleep it off. you had a small fever" concern written all over her face.

max looks as if she's a scared/shaken up. i pull the girls i call friends into a big group hug. "i love you guys, truly, thank you for always watching over me. for bringing me into the circle with open arms. i love y'all"

the girls all smile at me, "we love you too sloan"

∎∎∎

i am cooking dinner while dancing to bobby valentino - slow down r&b is the vibes for tonight.

♪ 𝑆𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝐷𝑜𝑤𝑛
𝐼 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑎 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑦𝑜𝑢
𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛 𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑
...
𝑆𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛
𝑁𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑦
𝑁𝑜𝑤 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛 𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑
𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑚𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑦, 𝑐𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑒 ♪

we got dressed in themes i'm y2k, kie is 90s girl group, max is winona ryder paparazzi fits (at least one of them), sarah is in a cruel intentions (1999) inspired look. that's the movie we are watching tonight.

sarah poses us in the kitchen, i sit on the island, max is to my left, kie to my right, and sarah jumps in the middle crouched a bit as we wait for self timer.

we have most of the instagram posts, formulated and just needing execution. from pjs to masks & robes, to coordinated fits, some unplanned like our food shopping photos.

after the impromptu photo shoot, i head to continue my cooking, Mary J. Blige comes on. i am singing my heart out when i get a facetime call.

"hello?"

"bayybeee whatcha doing?"

I almost roll my eyes at the screen, "i'm cooking love, what are you doing?"

"thinking of you. trying to plan my day tomorrow, i got a surprise for you"

"for moi? oh what is it tell me" i am arranging the plates for dinner, setting up the island as rafe smiles saying "why do you look so sexy right now"

"this outfit. it's 2000s inspired so low rise jeans baggy of course, and a funky graphic crop top that shows a bit too much cleavage"

"i just want to take it off you.."

i give him wide eyes because i have a feeling the girls are eavesdropping, i give him the shh finger.

"heyyy rafe"

"broooo, wassup?"

"rafe, my good sir"

all the girls come running into the kitchen, taking their spots at the table. rafe acknowledges everyone before saying see ya to me as we wink at each other. mouthing 'i love you'.

my call ends as i place the last dish on the table.

∎∎∎

it's almost 2AM i'm the last person going to shower and put on the cutest pjs.

kie is brushing her teeth when sarah comes in "guys i need advice"

max runs over with her towel in her hair sarah continues "topper has been — sorta — pressuring me to have sex with him but i'm just not ready"

"if — your — not ready — don't — do it!" kie shouts through brushes.

"i personally think do it when your ready, if a boy is trying to pressure you just don't give it to him. make him suffer" max says.

"topper isn't worthy of you, if i'm honest. he's too in your face, shows you off like a trophy which is something unworthy of sex" i spew out before going to grab my towel and pajamas.

sarah face contorts as she takes in my word, a phone is dialing. all shocked we look to see max calling topper *67. "hello?" his voice clear as day not raspy from sleep. it is when dusk becomes dawn almost, the hues in the sky still navy like slacks but why is he up still.

"you better watch your back, fool. there's some people conspiring against you. *beep, beep, beep*" max hangs up and fixes her voice back to its normal range "that was easy, he was scared"

the laugh that comes out of me goes on for so long I stop breathing. sarah and kie are giggling, too.

"why'd you do that?" kie asks

"too scare topper, make him think people are after him so he doesn't think about pushing up on sarah so often" max retorts.

"that may work..." sarah says.

"buttttt it's a stretch!" i said with my hands signaling how far it goes.

kie laughs as if she had the sun in her face, a beam of extra light hitting her skin. I swindle my way into the bathroom to decompress.

i fall asleep by 2:30.

i'm up at 7:00 am making the breakfast when my ringtone for Rafe comes on. i slide to the phone picking up quick, "good morning" i whisper.

"why are we whispering?" he brows furrowed i smile explaining that everyone's still asleep, "making breakfast as quietly as possible"

"whatcha making?"

"waffles, pancakes, a smoothie once they wake up," i turn the camera to show him, "egg whites and turkey bacon"

"looks delicious" he's practically drooling. "how was your morning, bayybee" i say sing-songy.

"pretty good, i missed you in my bed though, my surprise is actually here so once you finish your girls weekend i'll show it to you"

i make a pouty face as my eggs begin cooking, my bacon pan is starting to sizzle so i cover it.

"i want to know, now. can i get a hint?" i give my best puppy dog eyes.

"something you said you wanted, plus an extra hint NY"

"ohh that's not much to go on but i'll wait" i practically ache from the inside out with curiosity beyond belief. sunset without color is how my thoughts feel trying to imagine rafe's surprise.

i am startled by max's hands around my waist, "it's just me sloan deep breath for me"

i tend to stop breathing sometimes when i get scared, weird ass habit i know.

"where's everyone else?" i ask turning my attention to max.

"kie is still asleep, sarah is in the shower"

rafe says hi to max, then asks me to take him somewhere private. i make sure everything is done and on low heat before heading to the porch. i seat down and wait.

cotton balls are filling my mouth & throat as oceans of salt water are covering my eyes because rafe already knew.

"hey, hey, sly. look at me. i know yesterday was scary we will go to the doctors if you think it's related" i can't help but lightly laugh as i wipe my tears quietly knowing for sure something has got to be wrong. one; fever. two; i fucking fainted. three; i've just been evidently expecting something.

"babeee, promise me you'll enjoy the rest of your weekend. don't fixate on what happened. it was scary but we'll figure it it together. i love you"

i wipe all my tears away as fast as i could groggy starting, as i clear the sahara that is my throat "i love you, too i promise" placing my pinky out. whenever it's serious we pinky promise, with pure intentions. i laugh as rafe makes one of his funny faces, then tells me a corny joke about rick and morty.

my giggles and laugh can't stop, he's cheering me up.

"that's what i like to see your rosy cheeks and smile it's as bright as the moon" he chimes in as my laughing subsided.

∎∎∎

after breakfast we have a spa day planned ah ah ah by dream doll ft fivio foreign is playing as sarah is setting up the hookah, max is making the drinking, I made the appetizers and cheese platter. kie is playing music but setting up our make shift spa.

we have masks, nail polish, the nail stickers, movies to decide from, tv shows to decide from, the menu of drinks & snacks + food.

i am passing out the robes, we have lingerie esc outfits on with pj bottoms.

"when did you learn how to cook?" kie asks me as she takes her first pull. i grab my tip for the hookah.

"i was in New York with my parents before i moved in with my brother so while with my mom"

"please thank her, and thank you for this delicious weekend"

"welcome and i'll tell her"

"come on girls we gotta pose for the final girls weekend photos" sarah chimes over the afro beat of MAGA - IZO.

kie's dancing as we get into our poses.

sarah takes the film camera and her iphone and snaps away, then sets up timer on the tripod so she can get it.

the last photo is us with masks on, putting our heads together smiling down at the phone.

"photos done!"

we cheer and whoop! then start scheduling out posts before settling into our spa day. turning off phones, we spend the rest of the day talking and watching euphoria and sex in the city.

it's around seven when max's doorbell rings. i look through the curtain really quickly "shit! it's him"

"who?" max says.

"topper" i mouth at max and kie before we decided to tell sarah.

"sarah, toppers outside" max said softy.

her eyes went wide, as if she got a little shock.

opening the door she heads out to talk to him. then we hear faint arguing. then more arguing. kie goes to peak, "their kissing guys!" her whisper shout makes me choke on my white wine.

"but they were just arguing" max says as sarah comes back into the house.

"so..." was all i could spit out.

"he was upset about me not answering his texts today. aggravated about his mysterious phone call last night"

i almost burst into tears of laughter, all our laughs harmonize for a few moments before it dies down the background sound is all of us by labyrinth ft zendaya.

the energy lifts again we end the night with a dance party.

as we all are trying to fall a sleep i speak with soft tone yet loud for them to hear me.

"i want to let you three know i love you guys so much, you guys have made my life happier, healthier and most of all whole. never forget that"

∎∎∎

𝙸 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍. 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜, 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚍𝚍𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚜. 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝.

𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎, 𝚂𝚞𝚗𝙹𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚕