Watching Empire

"OH MY GOD!"

 I shrieked totally terrified, QT rushed into the blue tiled bathroom where I was with nothing on but a large towel wrapped around my chest to find out why I cried so. Holding my cheeks in my palms, I turned towards a curious looking QT who asked if I'd seen a ghost,

 "Qatari! Grey hair, I found two strands of grey hair on my stubble"


QT blinked his eyelids rapidly without a care, turning to leave the  bathroom with a hiss. I was really terrified at the discovery and my stomach lurched tightly in an upsurge of anger that engulfed me at how QT treated the case with such indifference, I picked up a pair of tiny scissors and tweaked them out.

Thirty minutes later, Jumping into the sofa besides QT after having my bath and had dressed up, I told Hamz about the grey hairs, he gave his opinion on the issue,

 "Well, you know what they say about writers and depression, you've been acting quite weird lately, moody, irritable and quite withdrawn so I think you need a break bro, you know, to clear your head, snap out of the writers' block and get creatively energized to trudge on"

 I shook my head disapprovingly, responding,

 "I don't think I need a break, I mean, it's not like am always posting on the Kuwda blog and I don't have a second blog am working on, so  i don't think that is the solution and you were stretching it by saying I've been quite withdrawn "

Hamz sat up on the sofa and looking straight at me said,

 "You have to know Maj, that being a creative person in whatever genre of art is really tasking, more so being a creative writer and the niche you chose is quite difficult. Writing on reality, the lives of a family, is one of the most difficult writing niches to choose, that's why autobiography takes time to get published, you should also know that one of the marks of a good writer is taking time before publishing posts. You could ramble on and  on on  your blog about how you fought with this aunty, and fought with that brother and it would look mediocre but you take your time to craft out your posts beautifully, bringing out an  intriguing story from our boring lives, sometimes I read your blog posts and see how you relate an incident or event I'm well aware of  and am in awe of how you spin it around full of intrigue and drama, it leaves me stunned, so don't compromise on quality, ok brother...oh and you do know that you might tweak the greys all you want but they would just keep coming back"

 I turned towards Hamz in a flash, spanking him on his thigh, upset at how he ended a beautifully inspiring talk with the last line of his statement,

 "Exactly what I needed Hamz, exactly what I needed"

 His body quivering as he laughed at my sarcasm. Karl bounced in holding up a flash drive, excitedly announcing he had downloaded the american series Empire, we aren't so big on movies but with the hype surrounding the series, we thought it would be nice to watch. So, all seated comfortably around the plasma screen, Karl inserted the flashdrive in the tv's usb port and we started watching. 

 PLAY>

 (PILOT EPISODE OPENING SONG) 

I would tell you that I love you tonight
But I know that I've got time on my side
Where you goin'? Why you leavin' so soon?
Is there somewhere else that's better for you?

What is love if you're not here with me?
What is love if it's not guaranteed?
What is love if it just ups and leaves?

 "Where's Karl in this show?"

 As the episodes progressed, Hamz sudden outburst slightly startled us out of our fixation with the sitcom,

"What do you mean by where is Karl in this show?"

 Karl asked while our faces swiveled towards Hamz, creased into an eager look waiting for a response, Hamz sighed and continued

 " Haven't you guys noticed how almost similar our lives are with the lyon guys? Andre is QT, both are always moody, first sons, ambitious, muscular and jealous of Maj just as Andre is of Jamal?  Maj is in the middle as like Jamal and both are quite effeminate and had a rather tortuous childhood dealing with the insecurity of their "soft" gestures, never bothers about winning but somehow, fate weaves success their way and me, the stubborn and rebellious last child is quite like Hakeem, workout enthusiasts, love our women *grins* and not exactly a looker facially"

 Our faces flash all around in a blend of surprise and amusement but I quickly cut in

 " But I'm not gay"

To which Hamz quickly quips,

"Quite close Maj, you escaped by the whiskers "

 Spurring me to throw the tv remote at him which pelted him on his collar bone sending him doubling over in agony, QT dipped out his tongue at Hamz, telling him it served him right for comparing him to a bipolar and selfish Andre,

 " I think Hamz was quite right there QT, you are quite selfish and sometimes act bipolar"

I blurted out, quickly standing up from my seat and finding the nearest exit point to dashing upstairs to my room but he just shot me a darting look while Karl did a "sealed lips" sign,

" I'm sure as the season progresses, Karl would come into the show when we would see a mixed son of luscious come to see his father, sending us a flashback of how he had impregnated a white chick while dating cookie"

 Hamz spewed which got  QT and I laughing but Karl didn't find it funny, he threw a throw pillow at him, springing up and in a flash, lunged at him, his eyes almost bulging out with rage as his cheeks goes a sprinkled red, he held Hamz by the throat asking him if he thought it was funny, QT dashed at him and pulled him back, surprised at his reaction, he told him Hamz was just joking and should take a chill pill, I stood still where I was, dumbfounded as Hamz choked on cough, his teary red eyes staring at Karl with disbelief.

QT, Hamz and I shared glances that said maybe Karl still finds his story and his emergence in our lives a sore point. When all was calm, we returned to watching empire and as the plot thickens, QT shakes his head and asks if we could have turned out this way were Dad alive and had an empire, Hamz and I smiled but it was Hamz who replied,

 " Don't be silly QT, this is a film, we couldn't go against each other this way and our parents certainly won't pitt us against each other"

 QT's face squeezed into a frown, warning Hamz to choose his words carefully,

 " How dare you tell me not to be silly, are you mad?"

I pleaded with QT not to be angry, we went on watching and it was quite a roller coaster watching what Jamal has had to endure and at the end of the first season, the baton of leadership handed to him to rule over the empire, it got my eyes teary which Hamz caught while I tried to quickly flick the tear away, he smiled and playfully shook me by the shoulders.

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