Opalgrillz

Thursday June 24th 2016 10:15 pm Angel Motors

CRASH

The sound of a metal control arm hitting concrete echoed through Angel Motors.

"Fuck!"

Juno didn't even bother looking up, curled up on the worn out beige leather couch in Quinn's office. Her thumb kept lazily scrolling through Instagram, completely unfazed by Connie's latest outburst.

By now, it was just background noise.

Outside the office door, Rae Sremmurd's "this could be us" rattled through the large black garage speakers, the overhead fan squeaked every ten seconds. This was another Thursday routine before a Friday night race.

Connie cursed underneath Juno's suspended Silvia, frustrated with the alignment that Juno somehow fuckd up in her last race.

"What the fuck was that?"

Quinn's voice cut clean through the music. She was mid chew of her BBQ brisket from buc-ee's when she hear the crash, followed by Connie's outburst

A chorus of voices rang out answering immediately.

"Nothing."

Quinn narrowed her eyes towards the open office door.

"Uh huh."

She wiped her bbq-stained hands on a napkin before getting up to stand at the door way.

"Don't break my shit."

"...Bad-ass gremlins."

Juno snorted from her seat at the comment.

Quinn looked over.

"Whatchu laughin' at?" Quinn asked arching a brow. "Ain't you supposed to be in there helpin' 'em fix your car for tomorrow?"

"Mmcht." Juno smacks her teeth waving her off

"They'll be aight, it ain't nothing but a little alignment."

"I'm on Marco's page trying to see who I'm racing tomorrow"

"I don't know why you trying to scope. you know ci already know who you racing" Quinn rolls her eyes walking towards the girl

The girls argument cuts in from the background

"Brenley that's the wrong fucking wrench! Dumbass" Connie screams at brenley from under Juno's baby blue Silvia

"Well they all look the same"

"I asked you first a box end how the fuck you gon hand me a socket" Connie huffs at the girl in the bedazzled pink cheetah print tracksuit

Brenley looks down at her black acrylics "you ain't say that the first time"

Juno laughs while shrugging her shoulders at her friends argument before answering Quinn "I know that but I still like find out for myself"

Quinn reached over to snatch the phone from Juno's hands

"What the fuck?!"

"Yea well..." Quinn sets the phone down on her desk

"not on my watch, you fucked up yo own car now take ya lil ass in there and help em fix it"

Juno paused huffing as she stood. her skin peeling from the leather couch.

"Yea tell her get her ass in here, she ain't do nothing all night" Hartley shouts from the garage bay

"Mind yours! You ain't even helping dammit" Juno turns yelling towards the door

"Exactly just useless" baby voice cuts in from the passenger side of her Toyota

"Shut up baby!" Hartley and Connie shout in unison ————-

"Aye, aye, aye ficticia don't take your frustration out on my toolbox burra" Connie screech's at Juno from her chair

"I'm sorry I'm not trying to" Juno mumbles sliding the tools back towards the craft table

The girls were spread out across the garage. Autumns in the office looking at tomorrow's race routes, Hartley is on her laptop posting instagram stories, brenley and baby are on the carpet in the corner painting over baby's toes.

"What's up your ass anyway ?" Connie questions pushing her chair backwards to roll towards Juno until her wheels bump against her boots.

"Bro... we racin' Blackline tomorrow . I ain't in the mood for reap's annoying ass today." Juno finally confessed sitting back in her chair

Connie groans in agreement understanding her cousins frustration "Girl who you telling I can't stand that fucking kid!"

"He's always trying to tell me, ME! How to work a motherfuckin engine. Like that weak ass GT-R can hold up against my mods"

"I mean... it does—"

Connie slowly turns to Juno with a look threatening her to finish her sentence.

Juno cleared her throat

"...It doesn't."

Connie stares for a moment grumbling out a quiet "bitch" before rolling away

"You can't get mad at me for being honest" Juno guffaws

"Yea well honesty hurts, that's why I called you a bitch"

"Okayyyy rudeness" Juno drags out standing up to follow Connie around the car

"Look I'm only being honest because we put three bands up on this race, that's Three bands from each crew. Plus Marco got sponsors, side bets, and crowd commission. Seventeen stacks total. that's seventeen stacks on the line!" Juno sighs tugging on her cousins shirt to get the girl to look at her

"that's enough to get us out of this lil hole we're in. We can pay rent on the house, put some back for our books this upcoming semester, AND give some to Quinn to put back into the shop without having to tap into our actual work checks. Plus last time we raced them we got embarrassed cause baby lost to mirage's slow ass"

"Hey I heard that" baby pouts from her corner of the garage waving off brenley restless hands fanning at her toes

"Good" Brenley quips "wasted my cute ass outfit for that bum ass race, you know how long it took me to customize that fashion nova two piece"

"Man his ass cheated" baby rolls her eyes at Brenleys rant

"He ain't cheat. You wasn't focused." autumn finally speaks up standing in the office doorway Arms folded across her chest

Baby looks up at her offended by the comment

"If you actually studied the route I sent you, you would've know that median was there!" she continues pushing herself off the frame coming over to rest against Juno's Silvia.

"You're not Juno baby so stop trying to race like her and learn the routes"

Juno winces at autumns jab, choosing to ignore the hidden compliment in her words.

Connie looks over at baby solemnly in agreement

"Alright, alright ease up on baby ok? She ain't raced in weeks it was her first run back. Who knew mirages ass would actually be good for once."

Autumn sighs taking a moment to think before speaking "maybe we give her a few low rank races before we put her back in S rank money races for now"

"What?! No-" baby yells standing up but gets cuts off by Brenleys hand pulling on her arm

"Relax speedy Gonzalez, autumns not trying to pulling you out the rank, what she's trying to say is we need to get you some more practice" Brenley reasons

Baby turns towards the girls "Be foreal yall know I smoke who ever I go against in E rank races"

"WE know that! we're just saying blackline aren't E rank racers and YOU know that!" Connie speaks up

Baby turns to look at Juno waiting for her to say something to make the girls reconsider

Juno looked between Autumn and Baby biting at her thumbnail.

"Autumn ain't wrong." She sighs

Baby's face fell, the hurt visible in her expression.

"BUT" she puts her hands up in defense "...neither are you, baby we know you can drive."

"I know you blow smoke on the asphalt."

Baby perks up at Juno's praise shoulders slightly relaxing

"But autumns right. E rank races are good ways to stack easy money AND get you more comfortable behind a wheel"

Juno taps the hood of her Silvia.

"Speed don't mean shit if you don't know where you're going."

The girls nod in silent agreement

"Cool? Good. Now let's finish fixing my baby so we can whoop Reap's ass." Juno laughs turning to pick up the grubby red toolbox

—————

Thursday June 24th 2016 11:56 pm Velocity Motors

Tools gleamed beneath the blue fluorescent lights lining the garage wall. The concrete floor was clean enough to reflect the underglow of the cars parked inside.

Yoongi sat at his craft table surrounded by engine blueprints, Jungkook's GT-R owner manual opened beside a notebook filled with measurements and handwritten calculations. He erased another line before sketching it again.

The garage door rattled open.

"Yo scar you in here?" He hears being shouted followed by the sound of feet shuffling

"No"

"Well" Jungkook come up beside him before leaning on the table "looks different to me"

Yoongi sighs before looking up to see jungkook and Taehyung crowd around his work table

"What do you want reap? I'm working"

"I can see that" jungkook grumbles looking over Yoongis shoulder while spinning his car keys around his finger

"We came to see if you needed us to do anything, slicks on the phone with Marco right now to get the entry word."

Yoongi pushed him away and reached blindly to his left. Taehyung placed the eraser he'd been searching for directly into his hand.

Across the garage, Hoseok slid out from underneath his Supra on a creeper, grease streaked across one forearm."Heard we racing' halo tomorrow" Taehyung rolls his eyes leaning across the table "I hate racing their asses"

"Man quit faking I know you wanna to see ciphers fine ass" jungkook laughs now tossing his keys in the air

"And?" Taehyung shrugs reaching for a fiber towel

"They all fine doesn't stop them from being annoying" he walks towards Hoseok Supra

"last time I beat babys' crying ass and I swear them bitches tried jumping me in the parking lot"

Hoseok points a ratchet at him "Aye watch out with that bitch word"

"and baby ain't a crybaby, you know how new racers be" he finishes shrugging

"New racers what?" Namjoon asks walking in from the office entryway looking down at his phone

he's soon followed by a smiling jimin walking with a slight skip in his step

"Nothing." Yoongi waves him off

"What you smiling for?" He questions jimin with a raise of his brow

Jimin points to himself "I just got off the phone with Marco"

"Got the entry word for tomorrow night. and I'm told it's a seventeen K kinda race night" he smirks dragging out the last part of his sentence

The boys pause what they're doing to look up at him

"Only seventeen?" Namjoon frowns looking up from his screen

Jimin smile drops

"Marco doesn't lower prize pools for no reason"

"True" yoongi nods

Namjoon leans on the table looking over at Jimin

"Either turn outs weak or somebody big pulled"

Jungkook opens his mouth before Jimin cuts him off with a hand to his chest

"Mmcht, I kinda guessed that BUT!" Jimin Claps

" That ain't the focus, if somebody did pull out last minute that means it's still four racers tomorrow. WE just going to vibe check, win a few races, and dip"

Yoongi scoffs leaning back in his chair "you say that every car link and somehow we always end up in some bullshit"

"But Joons right, three grand don't just disappear if somebody big did pull that's 3k we're missing out on, I don't know about yall but a extra 3k never hurt my pockets"

"Shid who you telling! I need some new mods on the whip" Jungkook agrees sliding into the stool next to yoongi

"Bruh your mods be free the fuck are you talking about?" Jimin quips at jungkook

"And? Scar may do the mods but the materials he use ain't cheap"

"I already ordered the metallic wrap but now that I think about it I'm about to start charging yall for em'." Yoongi speaks

"Yea yea yea whatever look im tryna make sure we go and have a good time tomorrow is that to much to ask?" Jimin points out

Hoseok and Taehyung look at each other before bursting into laughter hitting each other in the process

"No YOU tryna go trick on brenleys mean ass" Taehyung jokes leaning onto Hoseok

"And then come home and whine about how she curves your ass again, better leave that girl alone before she slash your tires again" Hoseok finishes leaning back on the stool

"... no for real fool gon end with a fatass knot on his head next time" Jungkook chuckles

"Man whatever"Jimin flips them off

"LOOK we going tomorrow strictly for racing! Yall getting to comfortable sitting on the sidelines"Namjoon cuts in focusing the conversation back on topic

"The summer just started and I seen some XF007's that would look good as hell on my whip"

"We got Mr. Business over here n' shit" Taehyung rolls his eyes pushing off of Hoseok to walk towards his car

Yoongi chuckles under his breath re-sketching over the engine layout "when's the last time you hit something man? You be so stuck up when you ain't get nun it a min'."

"What? Man I get play! I'm just focused right now" Namjoon questions walking to sit on the leather couch along the wall

"On what? We ain't got shit to do new semester don't start for two months ain't nun to do but race and chase the whole summer" Jungkook points out

"Aye he got a point, I know I'm good I paid rent 4 months in advance due to that last race" jimin perks up while walking over to the vending machine in the corner

"Yea well some of us like to stack money instead of spending it" Namjoon huffs flipping through the magazine in his hand

"Says the fool with a 4,000 dollar chain on and just said something about some XF's" hoseok smirks while pointing and Namjoon

"...whatever"

"Man I hate this damn thing" jimin grumbles hitting the vending machine "...mothafucka took my last quarters"

"Bruh you got the key just open it and grabs the drink instead of being stupid" jungkook rolls his eyes at Jimin

"Now that yall got ya lil jokes out can we get back on track" Namjoon quips harshly

Hoseok clears his throat "so uh... who's racing tomorrow?"

"I am" Jungkook says now on his phone with out looking up

"No, ya not I am" Namjoon shoots

Yoongi and jimin share a glance

Jungkook looks up "and why the fuck not?!"

"Because I said so, but if you must know it's supposed to be some new cats on the scene tomorrow and I'm trying to make sure we win"

"Sooo you saying I don't win races" Jungkook questions with a quirk of his brow now offended

"I ain't say that" Namjoon replies

"Yea but you implied it"

"No. I didn't "

"Then what's the problem?" Jungkook huffs vexed at what Namjoon was getting at

"You race whoever's in front of you."

"I race everybody."

Taehyung sighs now polishing the hood of Hoseoks car

"Here they go again with this shit" jimin groans finally grabbing his chips out the machine

"Don't put words in my fucking mouth reap, I'm just saying everytime we race halo you be to focused on beating them to pay attention to other drivers" Namjoon curses

"I'm trying to see what crew made somebody nervous enough to pull out of a race last minute"

"That ain't got shit to do with me honestly but we'll see...".Jungkook adds before storming off

"Pops need to talk to his hard headed ass... he so damn stubborn" Hoseok quips sliding back under his car ————— Friday June 25th 2016 12:30AM Underground west district

Burnt rubber clung to the humid night air. Bass from three different stereos bled together until every parking row had its own soundtrack. Neon underglow rippled across puddles left over from yesterday's rain while vendors shouted over revving engines, selling burgers, tacos, and Styrofoam cups full of Hennessy.

This is where car people came to enjoy themselves some more so than others...

"runway! My favorite twin Carter" jimin smirks strolling through the crowd of people over to brenleys parked pink RX-7 leaving yoongi to stand by their cars awkwardly sipping the ciroc of from his cup scrolling through his phone

Brenley currently reapplying a new fresh layers of lipgloss let's out an exasperated groan the moment she recognized the consistently annoying voice that likes to terrorize her almost every Friday night

Closing her eyes she recline in her seat mentally preparing herself for whatever little game he was about to spit

Jimin finally comes to a stop at her door leaning down against the driver's window, peeking inside."when are you gonna let me trick on you mama"

"As soon as you put 6 bands in my hand slick" brenley replies staring down trying to look uninterested while holding out her fresh black acrylic manicured nails

"Shid say less baby" he laughs using his left hand to reach into his back pocket while caressing hers

"Slick get the fuck away from my car before I hit you with it" she says snatching her hand away

"Aw you ain't gotta be mean mama don't treat daddy like that" he pouts counting through the stack he pulled out

Yoongi watched the interaction from where he leaned against his car, shaking his head at Jimin's persistence.

"She ain't neva gon say yes man let it go" he shouts

"Man shut up I don't ask for a yes I asked for a opportunity" jimin rolls his eyes at yoongi

"Same thing" yoongi and brenley say in unison causing jimin to huff now focusing his full attention on brenley

Brenley scoffs reaching for her phone to text the group chat SOS "slick get the fuck on somewhere you do this every weekend, you don't get tired of me telling you no?"

"NOPE! Wanna know why?" He asks

"Nah not really"

"It's ok I know you do I know you gon give in eventually but that's for another time.... here" he says handing her the money

She takes it counting through the bills "2k? What's this for?"

"To make sure you show up looking pretty for me everytime" he laughs walking backwards

"You 4k short! TRICK!" She shouts from her window causing a few heads to turn in their direction

"It's ok I'm only a trick for you baby!" He laughs turning around to catch up with yoongi

"Still ain't get no date!" She throws a final insult happily adding the money into her purse excited to tell her friends about the extra cash she came up on later

Across the lot, Namjoon and Jungkook sat in their respective cars, parked side by side but saying nothing. The tension between them had Blackline on edge, especially after Jungkook's outburst and Namjoon's nonstop muttering about ignorant childish drivers.

Namjoon's thoughts had been running in circles since they arrived. Somewhere in the crowd was the crew that made another team pull out of a seventeen-thousand dollar race. Out of the corner of his eye, Jungkook kept fiddling with his lip ring.

Namjoon knew he should be the one racing tonight. He'd see things Jungkook wouldn't. That didn't stop him from worrying about his younger brother anyway.

Namjoon rolled down his window, ready to say something, but stopped at the sight of a golden sun belly ring and colorful waist beads wrapped around sunkissed dark brown skin.

Juno leaned down until her face came into view.

"Yo" Juno leans down to Joons eye level

"Well hello riot to what do I owe the pleasure" he smirks

"Can I hop in... we need to talk" she asks folding her arms in place

"Yea sure doors unlocked" he nods to the passenger door

Juno walks across the front of his car finally allowing him the chance to look at Jungkook who's already staring at him with a questionable raised bro as if to say "really?"

Joon shrugs turning his head in Juno's direction as she gets in

He rolls his window up "what's up Juno?" Question her

Juno watches as people walk around joking and laughing at nonsense around them

"There's a new crew racing tonight" she finally answers

"I know..." Namjoon nods his head slowly confused at where she's going with this

"Ci got a name" she sighs

"Who?" Namjoon sits up slightly at the new information

"Some crew from L.A. Crew leader Calls himself Fabio."

Namjoon frowns "Fabio?"

"That's what Ci said."

"Never heard of em"

"Neither had ci... until she started digging"

Namjoon stares at her before chuckling "And? That ain't enough to make you walk over here."

"Namjoon you didn't let me finish"

"A few... a few of their races ended up with a few bodies" she finishes

The laughter outside suddenly sounded farther away. A Camaro revved somewhere across the lot. Neither of them looked.

Namjoon rested both hands on the steering wheel.

"So? You know as well as I do this shit's dangerous. What makes them any different?"

"People wasn't dying 'cause they missed turns. They were fucking with other crews' cars."

Namjoon sighed leaning his head against his head rest looking at jungkooks now empty spot

"I knew there was a reason I ain't let his ass race tonight" he mumbles

"What? Reaps not racing" Juno questions

He wasn't supposed to be. Now that I know about this shit, I damn sure ain't letting him."

"...Namjoon did you look at Marcos pool?" Juno whispers

"Nah I already put money up for my crew, why?"

Juno pulls out her phone to view the group text that was sent out to show Namjoon

"Because jungkooks name is on the board"

Namjoon was already out of the driver's seat before Juno finished lowering her phone. His eyes swept across rows of cars.

Vendors, Crowds, Burnouts, until they landed on Hoseok standing beside a food truck with a tray of nachos.

Juno shoves open the passenger door rushing after him

Jungkook didn't mind sharing.

he's been doing it his whole life.

Bedrooms, Bathrooms, Clothes, Food, Hotel rooms, Vans, Attention.

He'd gone from squeezing seven growing teenagers into a tiny dorm room to spending half of his adulthood knocking on hotel doors asking which hyung had his charger. Privacy had always been something of a luxury, and Jungkook had learned young that there were very few things that ever truly belonged to him.

He was fine with that.

Content, even.

At least, he had been before he met you.

Jungkook had been lucky enough to stumble into your presence on a drunken night in Miami.

His solo rollout had been going better than anyone could’ve hoped, and a few of his friends had decided that apparently warranted dragging him through half the city in celebration.

By the time they landed at the strip club labeled GOLD RUSH in black bold letters, Jungkook had already had more than enough.

A few shots and a handful of foreign bills tossed toward dancers later, he was slumped comfortably into the leather booth, nursing the melting ice in his glass and contemplating how rude it would be if he simply disappeared.

“I’m gonna gone head and head back to the hotel.”

His obviously drunken friend Min-jun immediately shook his head.

“No, you’re not.”

Jungkook stared at him before letting out a chuckle in disblief.

“Yes, I am.”

“Not yet.”

“I’m tiredddd.”

“One more dancer.”

Jungkook groaned, letting his head fall against the booth.

“You said that two dancers ago.”

“This one is different.”

“Sure.”

“I’m serious.” Min-jun leaned closer, practically yelling over the music. “Best dancer in here.”

“Congrats to her then.”

“And I booked you a private dance after her set.”

Jungkook’s head snapped toward him.

“You did what?”

Min-jun only grinned.

Jungkook considered getting up, cussing out hi friend in drunken anger, before leaving.

atleast he would have but he froze at the sudden dim of lights

The music faded into something quieter as conversations around the club shifted with it. Men who had barely looked up from their drinks suddenly turned toward the stage.

Then the DJ’s voice came through the speakers.

“look man Y’all boys already know what time it is.”

The reaction was immediate.

"Get ready for one of the baddest to ever grace the stage in this building"

Whistles. Shouts. A few men already reaching into their pockets.

“Miami, make some noise for my favorite bad girl Cherry Starr.”

The first notes of Beyoncé’s Partition spilled through the speakers.

And Jungkook forgot he wanted to leave.

Because there you were.

Saffron-red crystals caught underneath the stage lights as you stepped through the curtain, scattering tiny flecks of red across your skin. Oil and glitter made your brown legs gleam underneath them, the jeweled fishnet-ed two-piece hugging your figure like somebody had designed it specifically with you in mind.

Jungkook’s gaze started at your heels.

Then your legs.

Higher.

His eyes caught on the tiny double-cherry tattoo sitting low near your hip.

Cute.

Unexpectedly cute.

Then came the silver Hello Kitty charm dangling from your belly-button piercing.

Even cuter.

His mouth twitched. He liked hello kitty too.

His attention traveled higher before he finally reached your face.

Curls surrounded it in a wild halo. Large silver hoops brushed your neck when you moved, another smaller hoop sitting perfectly against your nose.

Beautiful.

That was his first coherent thought.

His second came when he reached your eyes.

Oh.

Something was missing.

Jungkook sat forward.

Around him, the entire club seemed to come alive as you reached the center of the stage.

But Jungkook barely heard them.

Because he knew that look.

He’d worn it before.

Hundreds of times, probably.

The expression you wore wasn’t empty exactly. Nobody else would've even noticed the difference. Your lips curved at all the right moments. Your eyes dragged lazily across the crowd. Your shoulders were relaxed, movements unhurried, confidence dripping from every calculated step.

Cherry Starr had arrived.

But whoever you were underneath her had gone somewhere else.

Jungkook knew how to do that too.

He knew how to hear a cue and become Jung Kook.

How to straighten his shoulders when exhaustion made them ache.

How to smile when cameras turned toward him.

How to laugh through the same question he'd answered fifteen times that week.

How to take whatever he was feeling, fold it into something tiny, shove it somewhere behind his ribs and perform.

Watching you do it made something uncomfortable twist inside his chest.

Then you grabbed the pole.

And Jungkook’s dancer brain betrayed him.

His eyes immediately dropped to your feet.

Pivot.

Plant.

Turn.

Your right foot shifted barely half an inch before your left leg wrapped around the pole, giving you enough momentum to carry yourself effortlessly into the next transition.

Jungkook blinked.

“Whoa.”

Min-jun laughed beside him.

“Told you.”

But that wasn’t what Jungkook meant.

He leaned forward, elbows settling onto his knees.

You were trained.

Maybe not traditionally, but definitely trained.

There was too much control for you not to be.

The crowd reacted whenever you gave them something obvious, a drop, a turn, a look tossed over your shoulder.

Jungkook noticed everything between those moments.

The flex of your ankle before you shifted your weight.

The way you used your shoulder to control your descent instead of letting gravity do the work.

The tiny adjustment of your grip before a transition.

The fact that you seemed to favor your left side.

Hoseok would've noticed it too.

The thought came automatically.

Jungkook almost smiled imagining his hyung sitting beside him analyzing your technique instead of behaving like a normal person.

Then someone near the stage yelled your name.

“CHXRRY BABY!”

Your head turned.

That practiced smile immediately appeared. Deep soulfully dimples gracing the middle of your cheeks

Jungkook’s smile disappeared.

The man waved a stack of bills at you.

You approached him because, of course, you did.

It was your job.

You crawled near the edge of the stage, Hips saying effortlessly giving him exactly enough attention to make him feel special before he slid the stack between your oiled breast.

Something hot and unfamiliar crawled underneath Jungkook’s skin.

He frowned.

The feeling made absolutely no sense.

He didn't know you.

Didn't even know your real name.

Yet every time somebody called for Chxrry and your attention shifted toward them, irritation settled heavier in his stomach.

They were looking at you.

Of course they were looking at you.

He was looking at you.

That realization should've embarrassed him.

Instead, Jungkook found himself wondering what your real smile looked like.

Not Chxrry Starr’s.

Yours.

He wanted to know what your eyes looked like when nobody was paying you to look interested.

That thought unsettled him more than his attraction did.

Because wanting your body was easy.

Everybody in this room wanted that.

Jungkook wanted something none of them seemed interested in looking for.

You.

The song began approaching its end.

Jungkook glanced toward Min-jun.

His friend was already grinning.

“What?”

Min-jun laughed. “Nothing.”

Jungkook narrowed his eyes.

“You've been staring at her like she personally offended you for the last four minutes.”

“I haven't.”

“You haven't blinked.”

“I blinked.”

“Name one time.”

“Shut up.”

Min-jun laughed harder.

The final beat hit.

You held your position for half a second before the room erupted drowning you in miscellaneous bills.

Jungkook watched the transformation happen in reverse.

You smiled.

You waved.

You gathered what had been thrown across the stage.

Chxrry. Chxrry. Chxrry.

Your stage name bounced around the room.

Then you disappeared behind the curtain.

Jungkook stared after you.

Min-jun slapped his thigh.

“Well.”

Jungkook looked over.

“Your private dance is in fifteen.”

His stomach dropped.

Right.

He'd forgotten about that.

“I don't think I want it.”

Min-jun's eyebrows shot up. “Bullshit.”

Jungkook looked back toward the curtain.

He wanted to see you again.

That was precisely the problem.

Because he already knew what would happen.

You'd walk into that room.

You'd smile at him.

You'd flirt with him.

Maybe laugh at whatever stupid thing he managed to say.

And Jungkook wouldn't know if any of it belonged to him or if he'd simply purchased fifteen minutes of Chxrry Starr.

For reasons he couldn't explain, that bothered him.

Still

Fifteen minutes later, Jungkook was sitting alone in a private room.

Waiting.

The door opened.

His head lifted.

You stepped inside.

And there she was again.

Chxrry Starr.

That same slow smile.

Those same bedroom eyes.

That same carefully manufactured interest.

“ooo Hi, handsome.”

Jungkook stared at you.

You tilted your head.

"you do speak English right baby?'

Jungkook slowly nodded before his eyes dropped briefly to the little cherries tattooed near your hip before returning to your face.

''can I have a name orrr should I give you a lil nickname?"

Jungkook ears twitched at the southern drawl in your accent.

he suddenly realized you were standing there waiting for a response from him.

he cleared his throat.

"i-it's J-J-ungkook"

Your smile widened.

"aww you nervous baby?"

He couldn't think clearly. you were making him hella nervous. He couldn't tell which way was up.

"it's alright, you don't have to answer"

he watched your slow descent down the small cluster of stairs before there you stood in front of him.

"can I touch you baby?"

Jungkook nodded nervously before speaking

"Y-Yea you can!"

He winced at the volume in his voice he needed to get it together

PARTYNEXTDOOR"S "Break from Toronto" slowly leaked through the speakers and you took that as your cue to straddled Jungkook's full thighs.

"Wait, wait, wait." Jungkook's hands gripped your waistcausing you to pause.

"what's wrong?"

He faltered at the pout in your lips.

"I don't want a dance"

"Huh? oh hell no if you're expecting me to fuck you, YOU got me fucked up" you immediately jumped from his lap

"Who the fuck do you think I am? i'm not like these other three dolla hoes in here! matta of fact you can get the fuck up outta here!" you gestured towards the door

"hold on! wait! that's not what I meant! I don't want sex either just sit down please!"

You paused at the pleading tone in his voice, the slight foreign accent curling around his words tugging at your heartstrings. Still, you kept your guard up. Pretty face or not, you’d dealt with enough men in this club to know better than to let one pair of big brown eyes make you stupid.

You eyed him carefully, arms folding over your chest.

"alright then what? you don't wanna fuck and you don't want a dance so what?"

Jungkook sighs already knowing he was about to sound like an idiot.

“Can we just... talk?”

you paused eyeing him confusion, Baffled at the thought of simply just talking.

“Talk?”

“Yeah.”

“You paid seven hundred dollars to talk to me?”

“...I paid seven hundred dollars?” Jungkook retorts in bewilderment

"...Jes-"

this caused you to laugh at his realization and there he heard it that beautiful nasally laugh that had him look up at you in admiration

he clears his throat "look I know this is different for you probably... I don't know but I just want to talk..." he pauses waiting for you to respond with your name

"Chxrry"

"no. what's your real name?"

"I don't give out my real name to customers"

"what about friends?"

"we ain't friends"

"we could be"

you raised your brow at him as if to say "really?"

"I'm just trying to get to know you "Chxrry" nothing weird. honest" he raised his hands in innocence

you sigh before unfolding your arms to sit beside him

"Y/N"

"huh?" he looks up in confusion

"Y/N. my real name is Y/N"

he smiles at that

"Beautiful. just like you."

"mhm thanks"

he leans back wipping the sweat from his palms on his jeans

“This your only job?”

“Why? You hiring?”

Jungkook laughed. “I'm serious.”

“Unfortunately.”

“Why unfortunately?”

"Because this isn't my dream but you know how the story goes, I'm only doing this to get through school"

"oh school huh? what are you going for?"

"psychology."

“Psychology?” His eyebrows lifted. “So you can read minds?”

You stared at him.

“Yeah. I'm reading yours right now.”

Jungkook immediately straightened.

You snorted. “Boy, I'm fucking with you.”

“Oh.”

"what about you? what do you do?"

"...music"

"music? like what soundcloud?'

he chuckles at that

"yea something like that"

“So you sing or you rap?”

“Both.”

you give him a look.

“Oh, you one of them.”

“One of what?”

“Everybody come to Miami and suddenly they a rapper.”

“I’m not rapper!”

you laugh again.

“Okay, SoundCloud. Relax.”

"You any good?”

Jungkook bit back a smile.

“I think so.”

“Everybody think they good.”

“People tell me I'm good.”

“Your mama don't count.”

He laughed. “Not my mom.”

“Lemme hear something then.”

His eyebrows rose.

“Now?”

“You the musician.”

"How about I get your number ...and I send you some of my work?"

"Mcht you ain't slick"

"what I can only try right?"

you rolled your eyes

"you lucky you cute, wheres your phone?"

Jungkook smiled before reaching into his pocket. He was over the moon. smiling so hard his cheeks hurt as he dug into his pocket.

He handed you his phone.

You typed your number in, completely unaware that somewhere between Y/N and SoundCloud, Jeon Jungkook had already decided he wanted to see you again.

Maybe that should've been the first warning.

Jungkook had never been particularly greedy.

He'd never needed to be.

—————-

“What the fuck!”

Tae shoots up from his desk at the sound of namjoons voice carrying through the house.

He pushed his chair back and wandered toward the kitchen, only to find Namjoon standing by the island with his phone in one hand and a water bottle in the other.

“Damn” Tae says leaning against the island

“What the water do to you?” Tae asked approaching a seemingly frustrated Namjoon

“It ain’t the water” Namjoon turned the phone towards him showing a series of instagram stories

“it’s Seyvn! Kaylia got her outside showing her ass, literally!”

“Imma fuck this girl up I swear bro!” He huffs slamming the bottle down

Taehyung snatched the phone before Namjoon could accidentally crack the screen.

“Kaylia too?”

“Yea she broke up with her dude now they at a party losing their damn minds” Namjoon ran a frustrated hand down his face

Taehyung swiped through the Instagram stories .

“Wait, they ain’t together no more..?” Tae tried to conceal the slight concern in his tone

He watched intently as the video showcased Kaylia on a table in the middle of a split.

Taehyung couldn’t help the small smile tugging at his lips.

“Yea I forgot to mention it to you earlier, you were studying and I ain’t want to bother you”

“ we’re so drunk right now this bitch tryna backflip off the couch” kaylia slurred voice is heard coming from namjoons phone as tae continues through the stories

“You think they okay?” Tae questioned in amusement before his smile dropped

clicking the next story he pauses seeing Kaylia shaking ass on a random guy.

“…nah fuck that.”

“We pulling up or what?” Tae questioned, shutting off the phone.

Namjoon was already patting down his hoodie pockets.

“I don’t even know where her hardheaded ass at…”

He found his keys on the kitchen island and snatched them up.

“…but I’m finna find out.”

Tae pushed himself off the counter, following close behind.

“It’s a Tuesday.”

He slipped on his shoes with a sigh.

“Ain’t much happening tonight.”

Namjoon opened the front door.

“there is now.”

——

The July air had finally cooled.

Not enough to chase away the heat gathered beneath Seyvn’s skin, but enough that standing on the front porch felt better than staying inside the overcrowded house.

Music pulsed through the walls behind them.

Somebody laughed too loud.

A bottle shattered somewhere down the street before another chorus of cheers erupted.

Howard parties.

Always somebody acting a fool.

Kaylia leaned against the porch railing, taking another drag before passing the blunt toward Seyvn.

“You know…” she exhaled slowly.

“I really thought he was gonna marry me.”

Seyvn’s smile disappeared.

She accepted the blunt without smoking it immediately.

“…I know.”

“I feel stupid.”

“You not stupid.”

“I ignored so much.”

She laughed, but there wasn’t anything funny about it.

“I kept telling myself, ‘Nah… that’s just Keon.’”

Another pause.

“I think I loved the version of him I made up.”

Seyvn finally took a hit before looking over.

“You wanna know something?”

“What?”

“I think everybody does that.”

Kaylia frowned.

“You think so?”

“I think…” Seyvn shrugged.

“…people fall in love with potential.”

Kaylia stared ahead.

“…Damn.”

“You don’t stop loving somebody overnight.”

“No.”

“But eventually…”

Seyvn nudged her shoulder.

“…you get tired of mourning somebody who’s still alive.”

Silence.

The music inside shifted into another Drake song.

Neither of them moved.

Kaylia laughed.

“…Girl.”

“What?”

“You always sound like you writing one of them damn Tumblr posts.”

Seyvn gasped.

“I do not.”

“You absolutely do.”

“‘People mourn the living every day…’”

Kaylia mimicked dramatically.

“’Seyvn, 2016.’”

“Bitch.”

“I’m just saying.”

They both burst into laughter

“…Seyvn”

“Hmm?”

“Don’t that car look real familiar” Kaylia whispered squinting

“What? Where?”

“That black one, right there.” She pointed.

“Doesn’t that look like Namjoon car rolling down the street” Kaylia adds turning Seyvns head in said direction

A matte black Nissan GT-R crawled slowly down the street, headlights washing over the line of cars parked bumper-to-bumper outside the house.

“It does but that ain’t him he said he was chilling tonight” Seyvn brushes her off before pulling from the blunt taking out her phone

“Nahh bitch, that look like Namjoon” Kaylia nods

“His ass can’t be crazy enough to pull up….right?” She questioned

Seyvn laughed

“Girl its Namjoon he ain’t that damn crazy”

The car pulled closer towards the yard, the passenger window rolling down.

Kaylia squinted through the darkness, eyes registering Tae sitting in the passenger seat.

“Oh shit that is them!” She laughed slapping seyvns shoulder.

The car swerved into the front yard

“Ayo, Kay!” Tae yelled from out the window towards them, unbuckling his seat belt.

“Bitch run!” She stumbled looking back to see Seyvn had already left

Namjoon steps out slamming his card door with force

“Seyvn getcho lil ass back here!” He yelled after her seeing her disappear into the house

“Girl fuck you!” Kaylia yelled rushing after her.

The two rushed into the crowd in the living room, hoping the packed area could conceal them.

“Don’t cuss at me bitch i had the sense to get up soon as that mothafucka hit the grass” Seyvn calls back pushing bodies out of the way

“What you think they gon do when they find us?” Kaylia questions sheepishly

“I don’t know bitch but keep moving I ain’t trying to find out” Seyvn responds by squeezing through the crowd

“Excuse me!”

“My bad!”

“Move!”

Seyvn grabbed Kaylia’s wrist, dragging her toward the kitchen.

“I think we lost ’em.”

Kaylia bent over laughing.

“Bitch, you left me!”

“I was surviving!”

“You ain’t shit!”

“I’ll apologize later!”

“You better!”

Seyvn peeked over her shoulder.

“…See?”

“I told you.”

“They ain’t even…”

She turned back around.

And walked directly into somebody’s chest.

“…”

“…Oh.”

Slowly…

Seyvn looks up to see Namjoon sporting grey joggers and a black band shirt

“H-Hey joonieeee”

Seyvn laughs nervously brushing her hair back

“Fancy seeing you here?”

Kaylia backed up slowly trying to escape before bumping into a sturdy chest. Looking over her shoulder she sees tae with a mug on his face.

Shock is evident on her face before an innocent smile spreads across her cheeks.

“Whaaat, hey Tae”

“Car.” He points over his shoulder

“Uh uh don’t talk to her like that” seyvn turns pointing at tae

“Worry about yo self, you got me fucked up in about twenty different ways right now” Namjoon says grabbing a hold of her upper arm

“Same go for you Joon!” Kaylia butted in

“Kay get yo ass in the car before I snap, matter of fact where ya lil dude you was dancing with at?” Tae questions looking around

“Oh nah don’t be messy! How you see that…” she squints forgetting about her earlier stories

“Dumbass over here posting shit like she iCarly”

Namjoon emphasized jerking Seyvn towards him

“Bitch I should punch you for real” kaylia deadpans

“What? I’m tryna be a influencer” Seyvn pouts

“And is.” Kaylia mugged towards him

“Like I said.”

He rested a hand lightly against the small of Kaylia’s back.

“The car.”

“Now.”

He utters pushering her out the crowd and towards the door.

Kaylia had a smug smile on her face as they exited the house. She’d be lying if she said Tae being stern with her wasn’t hot as hell.

“Easy bitch” Seyvn pokes at kaylia receiving a smack on her shoulder in retaliation

“Watch yo mouth” Namjoon pinches seyvns back

“Oh what the fuck?”

“Watch. Yo. Mouth. I ain’t gon say it again now get in the car”

“I’m only getting in the car cause I want too not because you told me too” seyvn mumbles reaching for the passenger door

“I wish you motha fucking would open that door” Namjoon pulls her back before reaching to open it

“How the fuck yall find us? That’s what I’m tryna figure out” Kaylia questioned from the backseat as Tae buckled in her seatbelt from beside her.

“We already told you, ass was better going live they way yo friend was posting shit” tae says shutting the car door after himself

“You seem a lil feisty.” She mentioned slyly smiling towards him

“I likey.”

“Down. You fucking fein”

Seyvn turns around in her seat reaching to thump kaylia in the forehead

“Mind yours!” She says swatting away her hand

“You got about three seconds to turn around so I can buckle you in before I embarrass you” Namjoon mutters facing forward towards the windshield

“I say do it. YOLO!” Kaylia added. It was now taes turn to thump her, he received a glare in response.

Seyvn looks back “and if I fucking don’t?” She questions offended

“…3”

The girls laughed

“…2”

Seyvn turns fast enough to give her self whiplash

“Mhm, talking bout me.” Kaylia chimed from the back.

“Shut up” seyvn mumbles lifting her arms to let Namjoon fasten her seatbelt he pats her stomach satisfied with his handy work before starting the car

“Where we going? Swimming next?” Kay smiled, in her eyes the night was long from over

“Real as fuck I wanna go to the pool” Seyvn chimes in from the front

“To the crib. Yo ass aint going nowhere else.” Tae responded as Namjoon pulled out the yard.

“Nah we finna go swimminggggg” Seyvn says looking back cheesing at kaylia

“I know that’s right!” Kaylia cheered high fiving Seyvn excitedly

Namjoon locks eye with tae before turning up the radio

“Be quiet and ride until we get home”

“Homeeeee?” Seyvn yells turning the radio down

“Nigga that’s yo house I wanna go to the pool!”

Namjoon pops her thigh

“Stop touching shit! Sit back and hush before you piss me off more”

Seyvn huffs crossing her arms to sit back in her seat

—————————

The car pulls into the driveway, beams lighting up the front of the house as Namjoon placed the car in park, leaving it to idle.

Kaylia was in the backseat slumped over the window.

Assuming Namjoon and Seyvn were gonna be a while, Tae gets out, walking over to Kaylia and slowly opening the door.

“Ahh!” Kaylia yelped, waking up once she felt as though she was falling out of the car.

“Dramatic ass.” Tae mumbled and helped her to her feet.

“You’re the one who caused me to fall.” She muttered

“Inside the house.” He pointed.

She rolled her eyes, “Nah imma go down the street.”

“Y’all sure do know how to crash a party”

Stumbling towards the front with Tae steadying her from behind she turned to flip off Namjoon still in the driver seat.

“I know it was you Namjoon! Imma get you.”

Namjoon rolls his eyes in annoyance before noticing Seyvn trying to get out of the car

“Don’t open that door. Sit yo fast ass down we need to talk” Namjoon reaches over to close the door locking it behind her

“What is there to talk about Namjoon? I was enjoying myself tonight and you just came and embarrassed me and my friend infront of half the campus mind you” Seyvn rambles in frustration

Namjoon sits quietly allowing her to vent her anger

“I did not embarrass you I came and got you from out of harms way” he finishes turning towards her fully

“What harm Namjoon? You act like it was D-boys ready to snatch me up in that bitch! What’s your problem for real?”

“You want to know my problem?”

“Yes what the fuck is wrong with you?”

Namjoon pauses looking her in the eyes before responding

“My problem is you told me you weren’t going anywhere. You lied. Not only that you got on these little ass clothes. You’re drunk as fuck right now anything could’ve happened to you and kaylia tonight”

Seyvn pauses staring at him in confusion

“Little ass clothes?” She blinked.

“So that’s what this really about?” Namjoon sighed.

“That is NOT what I- ”

“So my shorts?”

“No.”

“My top?”

“No.”

“My-”

“Seyvn!”

“I’m just trying to see what’s up joon?” Namjoon exhales.

Namjoon looked away, rubbing at his bottom lip.

“Because I care about you.”

Seyvn smile disappears

“More than I should.”

“And watching you tonight…” He shakes his head. “…That shit scared me.”

An awkward silence settled between them.

“Man watching them stories…”

He let out a quiet laugh.

“Every time another one popped up…”

He shook his head.

“I kept thinking…”

“Man please let this girl be okay.”

“… joonie” Seyvn swallows before sighing

“I get it okay, I understand where you’re coming from and i genuinely appreciate you for that, but Namjoon I’ve been looking out for myself since I was fourteen” she stares at him tears peek from her eyeliner

“Im not used to this whole overprotective thing ok? When my mom left and my dad got locked up I had to step up and take care of my siblings and I guess…” she lets out a shaky breath

“… I guess i developed this certain nobody got me but me kind of mentally, look I’m sorry for scaring you I’m not used to people looking out for me”

Namjoon reaches over to wipe away the tear she didn’t realize had fallen.

She freezes.

“Well pretty, now you do” he smiles before continuing

“If you’ll let me… I’d like to be one of the people that looks out for you.”

“And whether you like it or not…”

“…your big-head ass stuck with me.”

Seyvn chuckles letting a few more tears fall

“I am aren’t I? I knew I shouldn’t have let yo ass stay the night”

They both burst into light laughter before it died down Seyvn sighs resting back against her seat

The silence falls between them Seyvn picks at her bracelet

Namjoon stares at her smiling to himself “c’mere”

Seyvn looked at him for a second.

She rolled her eyes.

“…You lucky you cute.”

She unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed across the center console until she settled in his lap.

He reaches his hand for her face, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs

“But seriously I’m sorry pretty girl. I’m sorry for embarrassing you and making you feel like you had to apologize that was not my motive i promise”

————

Tae stepped ahead, reaching to unlock the door so they can enter the home.

He takes a small step back once both locks are open, allowing Kaylia to go in ahead of him.

Bad mistake.

“So where’s the pool?” She questioned a bright smile on her face as she ran off down the hallway.

“Kaylia get yo ass back here!” He yelled rushing after her

She was in the kitchen struggling to open the back door once he caught up to her.

“How the hell you just wake up full of energy?” Pulling her over to the island, she pouts annoyed at the locked door.

Tae opens the refrigerator grabbing a water bottle. He opens it and slides it over to Kaylia who begins chugging it, pumping her fist in the air as she does so.

“Now imagine if that was some liquor.” She says wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, a burp escaping her.

“Excuse mwah.”

Tae couldn’t conceal his laugh as he watched her. “Unbelievable.” He muttered shaking his head.

“You know you got class in the morning right?”

“Ah fuck… I start my internship tomorrow.” Kaylia deadpanned as she came to the realization

“The hell made yall wanna party on a Tuesday in the first place?” He questioned sliding into the seat beside her.

Kaylia stiffened next to him. She was already annoyed at the thought of why she needed a night out.

Crossing her arms, she looked off to the side, mumbling a small “Ion wanna talk about it.”

Tae nodded watching her for a second before standing back up.

“You really wanna go out in the pool?” He questioned.

He hated seeing her feel down in any way, and if the pool would boost her mood, then the pool it is.

Kaylia immediately smiled rushing out the bar stool, she misplaced her foot causing her to fall directly onto the floor.

“I’m good, im good!” She rushed as she stood up, pretending it never happened.

“Mhm thats what you get, rushing places.” Tae laughs as Kaylia flipped him off

He unlocked the door, opening it as Kaylia strutted out, her boots clicking against the pavement.

“How the hell you gonna go swimming in this in the first place?”

“Imma get naked duh,” she shrugged looking back at his shocked face.

“Just kiddinggg! As much as you’d love that, I don’t mind getting my clothes wet.”she smiled as she sat down on one of the lounge chairs.

Tae shook his head, sliding his shoes off and eventually pulling off his shirt.

His abs reflected through the pool light, Kaylia as drunk as ever couldn’t even hide her face as she checked him out.

He wasn’t too buff but had enough muscle to make anyone stare. Her eyes trailed down, his happy trail showing briefly before escaping into his dark green shorts.

She bit her lip as her mind wandered thinking about what Seyvn said earlier, she applied it to Taehyung.

Is it heavy?

“Eyes up here Lia..” Tae mumbled lowly as he watched her.

Her cheeks flushed, causing her to turn around in an attempt to hide her smile. Of course she got caught.

She could hear him laugh behind her as she slipped off her boots and socks.

She used the hair tie on her right wrist to tie up her braids in a messy bun before standing and walking towards the pool stairs.

Tae was down in the deep end, treading water as he waited for her to come in.

“Jump, you won’t.” He dared her.

“Taehyung. I am so drunk right now imma do whatever.” She laughed as she ran over to the opposite side of the pool.

“Ready?” She questioned to which he nodded his head, ushering a hand for her to go.

Plugging her nose she cannonballed in yelling as she descended down, “To freedom!”

Tae watched from a few feet away a slight smile on his face

She arose, wiping a hand down her face. “What was that bout I won’t?” She smiled

“Yeah, you got that.” He smiled back defeatedly. The eyeliner on her eyes was now smudged, leaving a dark smear on the sides of her face.

“Here let me get this.” He swam closer to her, lifting his hands to clean the smudged liner.

Instead he places his hands on top of her shoulder, submerging her down into the pool yet again

Kaylia swats his arms with her hands, kicking her feet to resurface.

“Oooh you a bitch!” She says splashing him repeatedly

Tae laughs trying to dodge the water being thrown towards him “Okay chill I’m sorry”

Kaylia continues to splash him not letting up despite his plea

“Nahh you wanna play games right?”

Tae shook his head. She wasn’t gonna let up was she?

“Alright then let’s play.”

Kaylia paused, squinting towards him. Right as she was about to say something Tae begins hurling water towards her.

“Wait!!” Kaylia yells trying to get away

Tae continues his attack on her, following her throughout the pool.

Her small splashes had nothing against his much larger ones.

She circled around with tae trailing right behind her. Her hands were posted in front of her face trying to shield herself from the water.

“Okay wait for real, one second.” Tae paused his movements waiting for whatever she was about to say

“Sikee!” She yelled launching towards him, it was now her turn to dunk him in the water except that she never pulled back off him.

She used her body to try and hold him down as long as she could.

Tae flipped himself over onto his back and scooped kaylia up in his arms. She screams as she she is raised into the air, Tae now above the water preparing to dunk her in

“Wait!!” She yelled as she was raised higher

“Nah ain’t no more wait.” He then pushed his feet from the ground, giving him enough strength to toss her higher.

Her legs flare around as she kicks them in all sorts of places before gravity pulls her back into the pool. She grabs onto Taehyung neck before falling backwards causing him to fall with her in the process

The splash was huge, sending water everywhere around them.

Kayla lets out a deep belly laugh once they finally surface, Taes arms had wrapped around her throughout the process.

“Yeah gotcho ass!” She exclaims excitedly

Her hair was now out of its original bun, the brown braids were sprawled out behind her floating on top of the water

Tae shook his head laughing along with her.

Kaylia lets the laughter dim in her chest before staring at tae.

She studies his face dragging over every porcelain crafted inch starting from his chin and working her way up. his boxy smile catching her attention before she meets his eyes already staring back at her.

The silence between them was comforting. Neither wanted to break the moment by saying anything, all that could be heard was the water lapping against the edges of the pool.

Taes arms remained wrapped around her, the two slowly drifting into the deep end.

For the first moment tonight Kaylia felt peaceful, her drunken state from earlier now calmed as she stared ahead at Tae.

Taes eyes lingered on Kaylia’s his gaze contemplated, before dropping to the view of her lips soft and plump he licked his own without realizing slowly leaning in to press his against hers

Kaylia leaned forward before rearing her head back letting out a fearful screech before slapping him on the nose

Taehyung groans grabbing at his face “Kaylia what the actual fuck bruh?!”

“Omg Tae I am so so so sorry! But did you not see that big ass mosquito fly across your face?” She yells reaching for him to examine the damage

“Kaylia quit playing with me.” He mumbled, releasing her from his grasp.

“I’m not, I'm being so for real right now.” She tried to convince him, following him out the pool.

“It’s cool, chill out here I’ll bring out some towels.”

“Okay…I’m sorry okay.” She said lowly as as sat down by her discarded shoes

Seyvn sits at her desk typing away at her MacBook writing a new article for her tumblr blog. The fairy lights strung around the rooms created a nice vibe to catch the specific mood she’s in.

Feeling like one of those indie sleaze grey space tumblr post she plays lorde’s “pure heroine” album from Kaylia’s speaker she so graciously borrowed .

Remembering to copy and save this particular article just in case she can use it in her journalism class this upcoming semester.

As she starts her fifth paragraph, Ariana Grande's The Way spills from her phone speakers. Without looking up, she reaches for it, already knowing who's calling.

“Thank you for calling sugar baby catering, if you have a need there is a doll indeed. This is Bernice speaking, how can I help you?” She singsongs, placing the phone between her ear and shoulder as she continues typing

She hears shuffling on the other end of the line before a familiar voice she's come to enjoy follows.

"Lucky, what the hell?" Namjoon laughs. "You practice that before answering?"

She feigns a pout “What? You don’t like it?”

“I hope that’s not how you answer the phone for everybody” he says now leaning back against his headboard

“No, everybody gets their own introduction. I knew it was you, so that’s yours.” She shrugs her eyes never leaving her computer screen

“Uh-huh” Even through the phone, she can picture one eyebrow lifting.

“We’ll discuss why that’s my intro later”

"What are you up to, pretty girl?"

"Just working on an article. Why?"

There's a brief pause.

"Get dressed."

Seyvn's fingers freeze above the keyboard.

"Excuse me?" She questions starting to pull at the strings of the grey thrifted hoodie she’s wearing

"I'm coming to get you."

She blinks at her screen.

"You can't just say something like that and expect me not to ask questions." She jokes with fake annoyance in her voice

He lets out a sigh so dramatic she almost laughs, before he repeats his previous statement

"And if I don't?" She challenges.

Namjoon chuckles.

"Then you're showing up exactly like that."

"Jo—

Namjoon rolls his eyes before sighing. "I'm serious. In an hour, be ready. Whether you're excited about it or not, you're coming with me."

"...Okay. An hour. Heard," she finally replies.

"Good." She can practically hear the smile in his voice. "I'll see you in a bit, pretty girl."

“K bye” she chuckles nervously

“Bye” he replies a flirtatious tilt to his voice

There’s a pause neither of them rushing to disconnect the call

“Bye” she finally says

“Bye” he responds with a laugh waiting for the call to end

“Hang up the phone namjoon” she huffs

“You hang up, I don’t wanna feel rude”

“Fine.” She says closing the call letting out a squeal slip from her out of nervousness and excitement

Her phone vibrates from a notification, she looks down to see it’s from namjoon

Namjoonie🩻🧍🏻‍♂️🩵:

Wow rudeness that hurt my feelings:(

Lucky7👩🏾‍🦰🫆🧡: you’ll be aight I gotta get ready

Namjoonie🩻🧍🏻‍♂️🩵: Ohk get pretty for me;)

Rolling her eyes she takes a moment to let the butterflies in her stomach settle

Seyvn tosses her phone onto the bed beside her.

The message sits on her screen, glowing far brighter than it has any right to.

"Boy, please," she mutters, even as a smile tugs at the corner of her mouth.

She presses her lips together, trying to stop the warmth spreading across her cheeks. It was ridiculous. A text message shouldn't have her acting like this.

Dropping her head into her hands, she lets out a muffled groan.

"This man…"

A laugh escapes her before she can stop it.

An hour. How the hell was she supposed to get ready in an hour?

Pushing herself away from her desk, she glances around the room. Fairy lights cast a warm amber glow across the walls while coffee by Miguel starts bleeding through the speaker, singing softly seyvn stared at her half-finished article

"Sorry tumblr," she says, snapping the computer shut. "I've gotta shower."

Namjoon wanted her ready.

And if there was one thing Seyvn refused to do, was show up looking a mess

Grabbing her phone from the mattress she queues her COLEWORLD🛸playlist before her shower

An hour later, Seyvn stood in front of her full-length mirror giving herself one final look. After her near death experience in her “everything” shower she felt like she looked amazing

A champagne-gold top draped over her body in soft shimmering folds, slipping off one shoulder and cascading asymmetrically past her hip. The fabric caught the light from her fairy lights, making her look as though she'd wrapped herself in liquid gold.

Dark low-rise shorts hugged her hips, the lace-up sides exposing flashes of skin while delicate gold chains draped across her waist. Every movement sent the chains swaying against the denim with a soft metallic shimmer. She liked that every time she sounded like a wind chime.

Her curls had been pulled half-up, half-down, glossy copper ringlets spilling around her shoulders while two carefully styled tendrils framed her face. Gold jewelry adorned her neck and ears, complemented by chunky amber-toned bangles stacked along her wrist.

Her makeup was soft but intentional. Fluttering cat eye lashes framed warm brown eyes while bronzed skin glowed beneath a dusting of highlighter. A glossy nude lip completed the look, making her appear effortlessly put together.

Turning from side to side, she examined herself in the mirror.

"Okay," she admitted quietly. "Maybe Namjoon can tell me to get pretty more often."

Immediately she rolled her eyes at herself.

"Girl, stand up. You bad 35/8 let’s not tweak"

Grabbing her brown handbag she double checked to make sure she had everything

The knock on her dorm room door came seconds later causing her to pause her actions

“One sec” she called double checking to make sure she look presentable before rushing to the door

Pulling it open, she found Namjoon mid-knock.

"I said I was coming,lol" she laughed.

Namjoon lowered his hand slowly.

“Did you just say ‘lol’ in real life?” He questions eyes trailing over every inch of her body

Seyvn rolled her eyes hand now resting on her hip

"Did you just come all the way over here to hate?"

"I did, actually."

His grin was quick.

Then it disappeared.

His eyes traveled over her outfit.

The gold draping fabric hanging half way above her waist showing of the bronze glow of her skin

The chains hanging low on her waist high lifting the gold butterfly shard belly button piercing

Her copper curls framing her face he noticed how her lashes amplified the shape of her eyes, her bottom spiked lashes causing him to feel a way .

The glossy nude lip combo she’s wearing.

The freckles dusting across her cheeks.

For a second he just stared.

"...Damn."

Heat immediately flooded Seyvn's face.

"What?"

"Damn."

"Namjoon."

"No, seriously." He ran a hand through his hair. "I had something funny to say when you opened the door."

"You forgot?"

"I absolutely forgot."

A laugh burst from Seyvn's chest.

"You are so dramatic."

"I'm being dead serious."

His gaze dropped for a moment before finding hers again.

"You look beautiful, Lucky. You look good everyday but wow just…" he lets out a drawn out whistle

The teasing was gone.

Just sincerity.

The compliment hit harder than she expected.

"Thank you," she murmured, dimples appearing despite her best efforts.

A smile tugged at Namjoon's lips his own dimples marching hers.

"You're welcome."

She looked him over,Only then did Seyvn really take him in.

Namjoon looked unfair.

An oversized cream knit sweater hung effortlessly from his broad frame, the sleeves falling just past his wrists. The soft fabric allude to his broad chest and buff frame, Loose beige trousers sat low on his hips.

Silver chains rested against his collarbone, catching the evening light whenever he moved.

His ash-brown hair was slightly tousled, styled just enough to look effortless

"You look handsome," Seyvn admitted.

Namjoon smirked.

"Just handsome?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Fine. You look like the lead singer of an indie band that writes songs about emotionally unavailable women."

A laugh escaped him.

"That's... oddly specific."

"What can I say? I’m a visionary." She shrugs

The neutral colors should've been boring.

Instead, they made him look effortless.

Like he'd rolled out of bed looking better than everybody else on campus.

It was annoying.

Very annoying.

And judging by the smug look growing on his face, he knew it.

He stepped aside, offering her his arm.

"C'mon, pretty girl."

Seyvn slipped past him, fighting the smile threatening to split her face.

She had no idea where they were going.

But suddenly she didn't care

———

“Sooooo… where are we going?” She finally questions eyeing namjoon as he weaves through traffic comfortably

“It’s a surprise” he says smiling to himself

“I don’t like surprises, especially not when I’m in heels” she says looking down at her reshot manicured French tips

“You’ll be aight, it’s gonna be a fun day” he chuckled reaching to interlace their fingers

“Will I? Becaus- no way I love this song!” She cuts herself off from excitement reaching to turn up the volume

Elle Varner’s “only wanna give it to you” starts pouring through namjoon stereo system

He glances at her before refocusing on the road

“Lies! This is one of my favorites” he pokes at her

“Boy please! This is my shit” she laughs

“Thought you were just another Romeo

The shoe you pass by in the store window

But soon as I got home I wish I'd bought you instead

I got it bad, I'll take the black, take the navy and red”

She sings each line with precision poking at namjoons cheeks causing him to smile over at her

He admires her playfulness her allowing him to see a softer side of her

He appreciates the beauty sitting in his passenger seat

He soon joins in on her antics maximizing the volume

——

"The Smithsonian?!" Seyvn gasped, practically pressing herself against the passenger-side window.

Namjoon couldn't help but laugh.

"I hoped you'd like it."

"Like it?" She whipped around to face him. "I love museums. Are you kidding?"

The excitement on her face made something warm settle in his chest.

He shrugged, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed.

"I didn't know that."

Her eyebrows shot up quirking one in amusement

"You didn't?"

"Nah." He shifted the car into park. "I like museums, so I figured I'd take a chance."

"A chance?"

"Yeah." He scratches the back of his head in nervousness

"What if I hated museums?"

Namjoon glanced over at her.

"Then I would've spent the next three hours pretending I wasn't devastated."

A loud laugh burst from Seyvn's chest.

"You are such a loser bro."

"That's not even the worst part." He chuckled

"Oh, there's more?"

He nodded seriously.

"I had a backup plan."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Please do tell?"

"A second museum."

For a moment she just stared at him.

Then she laughed so hard she nearly doubled over.

"Oh my Gosh there’s no fucking way."

"What?"

"You really are old as fuck."

"I prefer intellectually curious."

"You're an old ass man."

"I'm twenty-two."

"With the hobbies of a retired librarian."

Namjoon placed a hand over his heart.

"You so damn mean, Lucky."

She smiled so wide her dimples appeared.

"Good."

For a second neither of them moved to get out of the car.

The afternoon sun filtered through the windshield, bathing the interior in gold.

Namjoon's eyes caught on her for a moment longer than they should have.

"You ready?"

Seyvn smiled.

“Yea let’s go.”

——————

The ride back to campus was comfortable.

The kind of comfortable that only came after spending hours with somebody.

Music hummed softly through the speakers while the city lights blurred past the windows.

Seyvn sat curled slightly toward the passenger door, scrolling through pictures she'd taken throughout the day.

A smile kept finding its way back onto her face.

Today had been good.

Her date with namjoon had the butterflies from earlier calmly swirling in her stomach from they joy he brought her today

Her phone suddenly vibrated

Seeing kaylia’s contact info pop up had her cheesing in excitement. Ready to tell her friend about the date she had

“Yes honey bun?” She answered cheerfully

“Seyvn.. I’m boutta blow this bitch up.” Kaylia said, trying to remain calm

Seyvns smile dropped hearing the hurt in kaylias voice

“Wait what happened? Are you ok? What’s wrong?” Seyvn sat up in concern afraid to hear the worst

“Keon or tae?” She questions

“Keon bro! Like I actually don’t get him. I can’t even say his fucking name.”

“He’s out at a party right now!” Kaylia immediately begins ranting, pacing around their small dorm, her phone discarded on her desk with Seyvn on speaker phone.

“With another bitch!” She booms smacking her hands together.

“Wait what the fuck? Are you serious? After that bullshit he pulled on you the other day about us being out partying” seyvn questions anger now rising in defence of her friend

Namjoon looks over in concern and intrigued, trying to pick up on the conversation so he can store the information later to relate to his best friend

“Yess.” She drags, her voice breaking

“I’m telling you, he got one thing coming. I promise you that.”

“No for real the fuck he think this is?” Seyvn agrees

“Do you know who ole girl is” she says after a pause

“Right and another thing, it’s his fucking ex!” Kaylia was angry, rightfully so. She poured so much into their relationship and for it to be over now was heartbreaking.

At this point she’s sure other residents would be knocking on the door soon.

She was lashing out and I’m sure the paper thin walls didn’t help to conceal the noise.

“I need to beat a bitch up. Like actually and right now.”

“Ew he’s so weird for that…”

“so are you guys actually broken up or what?” Seyvn finally ask while signaling for namjoon to pay attention to the road

His attention now fully on her and Kaylias conversation at hand

“Oh that’s done. No if ands or buts. I don’t play that shit and he know itttt.”

“Ugh seyvn!” Kaylia was now slumped over in the chair, her phone on speaker next to her head that was forehead down on the desk.

“Like I’m genuinely so hurt over this shit I cannot believe him.” She mumbles.

“It’s ok I’m on the way home and we can debrief and cry together” Seyvn sympathizes

Kaylia sits up, waving a dismissive hand in the air.

“No ain’t no way imma sit here and cry over him.”

“I need to one, Smoke.”

She begins shuffling items around on the desk.

“And two, i don’t know.. anything other than sit and mope around..” she finished. She was now sliding on her slippers, stepping outside to take a smoke break.

“We’ll figure it out once I get home ok?”

“You cool with being by yourself for like 30 mins until I get there?” Seyvn asks

“Damn where the hell you at?” Kaylia asks on the other end of the phone. She had thought she was somewhere around campus.

“I’m with somebody right now” Seyvn says side eyeing namjoon not wanting to mention him until her and Kaylia are alone so she can gush about her date

“Mmm..well I’m chilling, about to go smoke now.”

“Ok I’ll be there in a bit with a gift”

“Thank you, I think I just needed to let out some steam.” She sighs, a door in the background closing. “See you later, byee.”

“That’s understandable boo, I’ll see you in a bit… love ya bye” Seyvn says ending the call

Sighing, she turned off her phone and rested her head against the headrest, eyes closed in slight frustration.

"What was that about?" Namjoon asked, glancing over at her.

"Kaylia's boyfriend cheated on her. At least...I think he did. I don't know." She rubbed her forehead. "Can you swing me by a liquor store?"

"Liquor store?" His eyebrows shot up.

"Yes, liquor store. We finna have a girls night."

"A girls night, huh?" He side-eyed her. "And what exactly are y'all finna be doing that requires liquor?"

"Damn, Inspector Gadget." Seyvn laughed.

"But we're just staying in and drinking the pain away."

"What pain? We had a good day."

"Nah, Captain Obvious. Obviously her."

"Yeah, whatever." He shook his head. "All I know is your ass better stay in tonight if I take you to get this."

Seyvn immediately sat up.

"Who you talking to first of all?"

"I'm serious, Lucky."

"So am I."

"No, you're not."

A laugh escaped her.

Namjoon pointed at her without taking his eyes off the road.

"See? That's exactly what I'm talking about."

"What are you talking about?"

"You got that look."

"What look?"

"That look you get right before you do something you know you ain't got no business doing."

Seyvn gasped dramatically.

"I am a grown woman."

"And I'm a grown man that can tell when somebody lying."

"I'm not lying!"

"Uh-huh."

"I'm not."

"Sure."

She folded her arms.

"You're annoying."

"And you're bad at being sneaky."

Seyvn rolled her eyes toward the ceiling.

"Nobody asked for all this."

"Well somebody gotta look out for you."

The words slipped out before he could stop them.

For a moment the car went quiet.

Seyvn blinked.

Namjoon cleared his throat and looked back toward the road.

"I'm just saying."

A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"You worried about me, Joonie?"

"No."

"That was fast."

"I'm worried about somebody ending up on the evening news because somebody decided to do dumb shit after I dropped her off."

"Mhm."

"That's all."

"Sure."

He groaned.

"You like a badass child I swear."

"And yet..." Seyvn smiled, reaching over to poke his cheek.

"You keep hanging around."

Namjoon's lips twitched despite himself.

"Unfortunately.”

It's okay, joonie. I promise I won't do nothing stupid." Seyvn sat up straight, placing a hand dramatically across her chest.

"Scout's honor."

Namjoon barked out a laugh.

"You weren't no damn Girl Scout."

Seyvn rolled her eyes.

"That doesn't matter. I'm making a declaration."

"Yeah, declaration my ass." He shook his head. "Don't play with me tonight. We had a good day."

The words came out quieter than before.

"I'd hate for something to happen to you."

Seyvn's teasing expression softened for half a second before she realized what his words actually meant.

"Aww." She cooed

"Don't do that."

"Awwww!" She emphasized her words

"Stop."

She grinned.

"You worried about little old me?"

"No."

"Liar."

Namjoon sucked his teeth.

"You got a smart mouth."

"And you like hearing it."

His hand tightened slightly around the steering wheel.

"Uh-huh."

"Uh-huh what?"

"Keep talking." He remarked

Seyvn pointed at him dramatically.

"There you go. Acting like you wear the pants in this situation."

Namjoon laughed.

"Acting?"

"Yes, acting."

"Lucky…"

"No, seriously. You got me fucked up three ways till Sunday, if you think you're the boss of anything over here."

"Oh, is that right?"

"Very right."

He glanced over at her.

One eyebrow raised.

That stupid smirk on his face.

"That's cute."

Seyvn gasped.

"'Cuteeee?'"

"Real cute."

"See, now you're pissing me off."

"You'll survive."

"Oh my gosh."

She threw her head back against the seat dramatically.

"I cannot stand you."

"Yet you spent all day with me."

"Unfortunately."

"Exactly."

—-

Kaylia walks back in the dorm, eyes now low and mood controlled.

Seyvn had shot her a text a couple minutes earlier, alerting her that she was nearby.

Throwing herself on her bed she groaned loudly.

She pulls out her phone, hesitating as she opened the photos app.

She clicked an album titled ‘lover 💚’

Staring at the contents, her heart felt as though it was being squeezed.

There were so many memories stored away in this album. ‘How could he just throw all this away.’ She thought as her eyes began to water the more she scrolled.

Some photos showed them at Kaylias 20th birthday, smiles bright and innocent.

“Who would’ve thought..” A tear finally managed its way out, trickling down her check.

She brought a hand up to wipe it away, sniffling as she stared as a video of them bowling.

Even though she only had 20 points halfway through the game Keon was still in the background cheering her on.

‘What happened to this man?’ The one who supported and stood by her side no matter what.

Even if she was losing by 48 in bowling.

Other photos showed them some at their countless sleepovers, others of the Thursday date nights they had every 2 weeks.

She told herself she wouldn’t cry, that she’d care as little as he did but no matter what, that just wasn’t her character.

She felt betrayed, used.

Everytime she thought about it her heart felt heavy.

It was a gut wrenching feeling knowing that she had to stay true to her morals.

She couldn’t allow herself to even think to put herself back in that situation.

One thing she never played about was cheating.

To Kaylia, once you look back, stay back.

Seyvn finally arrives announcing her presence

“I know you’re trying not to think about Keon tonight soooo, I brought rumple and Luna!” Seyvn sing songs to Kaylia as she pulls the bottles out of the bag she brought from the store

Kaylia turns to hide her face as she wiped the remaining tears, she couldn't let anyone see her like this. She’s supposed to be big dawg.

“Yess!” Kaylia drags rushing over, she picks up the bottle of Luna admiring the clear liquid through her teary eyes.

“Fuck I needed this so bad. Tryna take a shot now” She questions, raising an eyebrow towards Seyvn

“Hold on wait let me change real quick! I need to be comfortable” Seyvn laughs kicking off her heels

“Ugh I’m trying to get fucked up. Like for real.” Kaylia emphasizes. This was not the night to be chill, she needed anything but that at the moment.

“I saw this party on insta….if you down.” She suggests handing Seyvn the now filled shot glass.

“I kinda told Namjoon I wasn’t going anywhere tonight it was the only way I could convince him to take me by the liquor store” Seyvn exclaims shyly rubbing at the back of her neck

Kaylia stares blankly at the orange haired girl. “What..did you like pinky promise him also?” She questions taken aback

“Girl come on and take this shot so we can get ready. What he gone do come get you?”

“You know what… you right my girl need me right now he’ll be aight!” Seyvn agrees taking the shot

“Thank ya.” Kaylia nods curtly, laughing at seyvns reaction to the shot.

“Ew bitch what is this Luna?” She questions eyeing the shot glass in disgust

“And is.” Kaylia cheered, smiling as she smoothly took her shot. “This shit is good.”

“Girl no I brought the rumple for me! I hate Luna” Seyvn says scrunching her nose

“Oops.” Kaylia smiles shyly, walking to her bed so she can charge her phone.

“And when he had time to time to bring you to the store? That’s sum else to talk about.”

“Oh uh, he took me on a date today it was cute, real fun” Seyvn explains reaching to pour her shot of rumple into the glass

“Yea that’s tea for me.” Kaylia exclaimed, turning around pointedly.

“I need to hear every detail!”

“Debrief while we get ready?” She brings her fists under her chin, smiling brightly.

“You sure? I don’t want to ruin your mood with my date ya know?” Seyvn questions

“Girl, I need my mind off that…”

“And you and Namjoon? I love yall I could hear about this anytime.” She gushed assuring her friend

“Ok in that caseee, girl he called me randomly earlier today talking bout some get dressed I’m on the way”

“Oh I know that’s right.” Kaylia listened eagerly as Seyvn immediately dives into the date details, rummaging through her dresser for a different top

——-

The girls had spent the last 40 minutes getting ready, kaylia more so than Seyvn since she was already put together from her date earlier

A page on instagram called HowardParties4U was advertising this party for a couple days now, it was a buzz around campus.

Kaylia was immediately in. She wasn’t gonna allow herself to be upset so she was ready for something exciting and fun. And for tonight, it was a drunk night out.

The girls were blasting old 90s r&b songs, the music setting the vibe for the night.

“Oh I’m getting overly fucked up. Or fucked overall” Kaylia admits jokingly smirking as she stared at her reflection.

Her and Seyvn were about 3 shots in at this point. The liquor creeping up slowly.

She was wearing a black plain tube top, a gold drop necklace being the eye catcher. Her push up bra was doing its job.

She paired it with black leather shorts along with her knee high black boots.

“All black fit typa night.” She mumbles admiring herself.

Her makeup was flawless, done by Seyvn. She had a red glossed lip, the highlight of her face.

She kept it light on her base, with concealer lashes, highlighter, and bronzer.

It gave off a clean, sultry look.

Her eyes were masked in black eyeliner, the wings thick and the inner corner sharp.

“Bitch I look the fuck good.” She applauded Seyvn.

Her nails were done, as always. This time they were a mix between hot pink and light pink polka dots painted on a sharp stiletto nail bed.

“Right? I did the damn thing eyebrows on fleek” Seyvn says admiring her handy work

“Sis you eating as well though.” Kaylia points out, turning to face Seyvn as she snapped her fingers.

Seyvn was dressed in dark wash denim low rise mini shorts trimmed with faux fur.

Paired with them was a fitted tan cropped tank, that dipped exposing her neckline and cleavage.

Layered gold necklaces rested against her chest.

“No seriously! We fine fine!” Seyvn squeals reaching for her phone to snag a few photos

“Should we pregame some more or no?” She asks going through her camera to save her favorite photos she took

“Baby let’s pregame till there ain’t a pregame no more.” Kaylia walked over, grabbing both their shot glasses.

“This nasty ass shit.” She mumbles, grabbing seyvns rumple and placing it between her arm.

“Oh girl fuck you! Hand me my bottle!” Seyvn laughs offended that her friend doesn’t appreciate her taste in liquor

Laughing as she walked over to where Sevyn was by the mirror Kaylia passed her the short glass and bottle.

“What should we toast to?” Kaylia asks glancing at Seyvn

“Being #single no shade” Seyvn raises her now full glass poking out her tongue

“Now I can toast to that.” She agrees, clinking their glasses.

“Cheers bitch!” seyvn screams earning them a bang on the wall from their next door dorm mates

Kaylia cheers along with her, the two of them laughing at the reaction from the room next to them.

“Okay, you ready?” She asks collecting all her clothes she threw around.

“Yes let’s go shake ass for this tuition!”

——-

The bass hit before they even reached the porch.

It pulsed through the old off-campus house, rattling the loose screen door and vibrating beneath their sneakers.

Somebody had abandoned a shopping cart in the front yard, now overflowing with empty beer cans and crushed Solo cups.

Students spilled across the lawn in clusters, smoke curling into the humid D.C. night while laughter floated over Drake’s voice pouring from inside.

The girls were approaching the house, “Alright bitch we came to have fun and get lit no extra shit” seyvn turn towards kaylia

“Yea yea bitch let’s go I need a drink” kaylia brushes her off walking in

As they walked in heat flashed over them, the smell of cologne, perfume, and weed was prominent in the thick air.

“Oh yeah they lit in here, this my kind of party.” Kaylia cheers as they enter.

Seyvn agreed, leading them to the packed living room.

‘Controlla’ by Drake was currently playing, the atmosphere in the room was through the roof.

Everyone was singing along, dancing to the music.

“Right! Let’s go find the liquor then we socialize” she joked pulling Kaylia through the crowd before being stopped

“Aye hold on”

A voice cut in before they could move

Seyvn turned

A guy wearing a green bomber jacket stood behind them one hand shoved inside his pocket.

“you go to school round here?”

Seyvn eyes him up and down unimpressed

“yea, why?”

He smiles at seyvns abrasiveness

“‘Cause I ain’t never seen you before.”

“So what? Cause you ain’t seen me before I can’t be here” she questions quirking a brow

“Look I’m just tryna see if we can be friends” he smirks eyeing her cleavage

Kaylia snorted before Seyvn could answer.

“She already got enough.”

Without breaking stride, she grabbed Seyvn by the wrist and kept walking.

The guy laughed behind them.

“Damn. I ain’t even get my name out.”

“You’ll survive!” Seyvn called over her shoulder.

The girls burst into laughter walking into the kitchen approaching the island lined with liquor

“Girl no way he tried to pull that shit” Seyvn laughs reaching for the ciroc bottle

“No like actually” Kaylia laughed sliding her cup towards Seyvn

“Can’t believe he thought that lame shit would work, “iM JuSt TrYnA sEe If wE cOuLD Be fRieNdS” seyvn mocks

“Anywhooo what we doing? We just sipping or we turning this bitch up?” Seyvn asks putting some into Kaylias cup

“I’m already drunk not gonna lieee….” She drags smiling brightly.

“I’m cool with sipping.”

As Seyvn poured more in her own cup Kaylia took the chance to look around.

“Mmm I like what I see.” She nodded glancing at the group of guys to the right of them.

There was a mix of darkskins and lightskins. Heads of curly hair, locs, and even waves.

Seyvn looks in the direction kaylia was hinting at “eh they aight or whatever” she shrugs

“Aight?” Kaylia repeats, whipping her head towards Seyvn.

“Oh right you got yo lil man.” She says as she sticks her tongue out playfully.

“Girl he ain’t my man… yet more like a sneaky link that i occasionally go on dates with and also haven’t hit yet” Seyvn rolls her eyes

“I was finna say…sneaky link??”

“Yes for now, I’m single until I’m asked to be a girlfriend” Seyvn repeats siping from her cup

“Period.”

“You think it’s heavy?” She adds in a moment later

“Girl you just KNOW it’s heavy.”

“Right! He walk like it hurt! Like let me carry it for you sir” Seyvn leans in snickering almost falling over

Kaylia clasps a hand over her face dramatically trying to mask her laugh “No I actually cannot think about this right now.”

“You can’t but I CAN!”

“Yea you do that…I’m going to the dance floor.” She says smiling as she shimmied away

“Bitch what dance floor we’re in a house! But wait for me, I wanna dance too!” Seyvn yells finishing off her drink

“The floor people dance on…nah the fucking duh.” She shouts as they enter back into the living room. Somehow the music seemed louder making it hard to hear clearly.

“I’m gonna throw the JC’s” Seyvn laughs before dropping into a light squat to twerk

“The fuck is a JC?”

“These juicy checks.” Seyvn smiles as she glances over her shoulder to kaylia

“Yuhh!” Her friend hyped her up, slapping her ass.

Pulling out her phone she quickly opens her camera roll recording Seyvn.

“She got them juicy cheeks!” She yelled before turning the phone towards her. She sung the lyrics to the song currently playing, screaming loudly.

“Yeaaaa ‘ass fat yes I know!! You throwing cash?? Throw sum moe!’ Ahh” seyvn and kaylia screams along to the song lyrics liquor now taking its course

“Should we go over there?” Kaylia proposed as she pointed to the circle forming in the middle of the room

“Oh absolutely” Seyvn agrees standing up to walk over

The girls pushed forwards muttering small ‘excuse me’ as they tried to find their way through the crowd

Once they reached the now fully formed circle they cheered as the guys in the middle stood behind women currently bent over throwing ass.

“You got any dance moves hidden away? Im finna jump in.”

Not even a second later Kaylia slid in the circle, she looked over noticing a coffee table with red solo cups and card games scattered over it.

The drinks tonight was flowing and whatever she was sipping gave her enough confidence to step up onto it.

She used her feet to clear the table of its contents.

“Who said lil booties don’t matter!?” She yelled, a few heads turning at the action.

She slightly bent down, placing her hands on her knees…before showing out.

“Bitch there’s no way you kicked these people shit off the table” Seyvn burst into laughter pulling out her phone to record

“Throw the lil JCs” she screams doing a little twerk while recording

“Girl fuck they shit and come join me!” She stops briefly to pull up Seyvn.

The twerk at first was subtle, a lil throw in a circle action before kaylia realized people were actually watching.

“Oh I gotta show out.” She lifted her leg into the air, twerking some more before dropping into a split. The cord erupted in cheers at the action

“Oh yall ain’t think I can do that huh?” She laughed continuing to do her thing

‘Red Nose’ by Sage the Gemini began playing.

“You ain’t gottta tell me twice” Seyvn squeals trying to jump on the table she stumbles before finding her footing

“Oop” they both laugh before she lowers herself into a split to to twerk

Kaylia stepped down to get a better video.

“Yesss Seyvn!!”

Once Seyvn stepped down Kaylia high fived her proudly. “You popped yo shit sis” she said clapping

“I’m finna post this.”

“Bitch I’m tired! I can’t get down how I used to” Sevyn laughs

Kaylia laughed, pulling out her phone to open Instagram.

She sent the video to her story before focusing back on the crowd.

“Excuse me” a voice cuts in

They turn in unison to see the guy from earlier, this time with a friend

“We ain’t never finish talking earlier” he says looking at Sevyn

His friend was eyeing Kaylia intently

“I guess we didn’t huh? Whatchu want?” Seyvn says placing her hand on her hip phone in hand

“Here he gooo..” Kaylia mumbles, her eyes switching between the two.

“I told you I wanted to be friends but now I wanna dance too” he laughs

“Ion know about friends but I don’t mind a lil dance”

She says pulling him to the floor

His friend approaches Kaylia offering a hand out towards her, “Wassup I’m Nate.” He introduces

“Kaylia.” She responds, shaking his hand firmly.

The young man was a cute little fella. He seemed about a foot taller than Kaylia with tanned skin and green eyes.

His hair was long, blonde and tucked behind his ears. He was dressed in baggy blue jeans, a beige sweatshirt lingering over his frame with gold jewelry to match

“You not hot in that?” The packed house caused an intense heat to flood the room, how he was wearing a sweatshirt in that Kaylia had no idea

“I meannn,” He shrugged

“Kinda but I'm chilling.”

He nodded his head towards the dance floor as ‘No Hands’ By Waka Flocka started playing, Seyvn can be seen in the middle opening up a large circle.

“Tryna go hop in that?” He asked, peering over at her, his hand now outstretched.

Saturday 6:32pm

Kaylia was back in the dorm now after having spent most of the afternoon with Tae in the music hall.

While he practiced, she'd finalized the last details for her book club's introduction meeting, but now that she was back in the room, all productivity had gone out the window.

She was currently blasting Beyonce’s Lemonade album through the purple speaker on her desk. A yellow blanket draped over her shoulders as she swung around an empty rolled up poster board like a baseball bat.

“What’s worse looking jealous or crazy?” She whisper-yelled as dramatically, pointing the tube at her reflection in the camera she was recording herself on.

She spun around just as the dorm room door flew open.

Seyvn suddenly enters, dropping her bag by the door and marched past Kaylia to land face first into her bed, letting out a muffled scream.

Kaylia hurriedly scoots back as Sevyn beelines for the bed.

“Ahhh! Shut uppp! What happened!” She spewed rushing over to her, shaking her shoulders excitedly

She turns the speaker volume down as she removes the camera off the desk beside them, ending the video currently recording.

“Seyvnnn!” She drags “Spill!!”

Seyvn rolls onto her back to stare at the ceiling

“ oh my gosh I don’t know” she says running her hands through her curls

“Seyvnnnnn” Kaylia stretches out the name hoping it would make her friend crack

“He just…” She started then groaned

“and I just…” she buries her face into her hands

“Girl?” Kaylia questions, excitement getting the best of her

“Ugh ahhhhh I don’t knowww. girl my stomach is in knots right now”

Kaylie paused at the response

“Okay…”

“first of all, good knots or bad knots?” She asks brows now scrunched in curiosity

Seyvn dropped her hands onto her chest.

"Both honestly."

Kaylia immediately sat up straighter.

"Oh?"

"Like..." Seyvn sighed."He either gonna be the best thing that happened to me this year..." She stared at the ceiling.

"...or he's gonna ruin my damn life bro."

“Ooh. Hold onnn” Kaylia rushes to get comfy on her bed, reaching for her hot fries tucked on her desk.

“Tell me everythinggg, from when yall pulled off to noww.”

“Ok so after we left, we went to smoke and…”

Seyvn glances away already smiling at the little memory

“…we kissed it was cute at first”

“At first?” Kayli’s repeated immediately.

“Then we started making out for like 20 minutes until I realized how late it was, so he drove me home.”

A blush appears across seyvn’s face

“Mind you we held hands the whole way back, and he walked me to the door and kissed me goodnight,” she rushes out her words blending together

Kaylia stares in silence with a smile stuck on her face.

“Shut uppp!!” She excitedly yells, throwing pillows toward her bed

“That is so cute like actuallyy, I’m leaning towards the ‘best thing that’s happened toward you’ option.”

She was now sitting on her knees, her face buried in her hand.

“Y’all are too cute, like actually!”

“No for real I’m scared and nervous , he makes me so nervous on the guys” Seyvn laughs

“I just don’t have time to fall for somebody and get played all over again, I think imma text him and tell him to delete my number” she thinks out loud

Kaylia laughs, “No, terrible idea! But why not just have fun? Who says you gotta commit to anything?” She smirks

“I’m not the kind of person to mess around unless provoked, ya know? Like I fall in love too hard and too easy” Seyvn says solemnly

“It would make this so much easier if I knew what his intentions were…” she drifts off

“Yeah I get that..but what iff….” She dramatically pauses before grabbing a paper from a stack on her desk.

“What if I invite him to my introduction meeting tomorrow and find out?” She smirks wiggling her eyebrows

“I won’t be obvious! Imma be like,” she stands up and walks away creating distance between them

“Sooo..Sevyn told me bout yall lil kiss—” She begins as she starts walking towards her, bursting into a fit of laughter as she was interrupted

“Noooo you can not tell him I told you! Matter of fact don’t say anything at all ! Oh my gosh I would be embarrassed as hell he gon think I care too much” Seyvn squeals into the air

“Girl! The whole point is to care!” She laughs plopping down next to Sevyn

“Imagine him blushing thinking bout y’all’s kiss. I can see it already.” She dramatically adds, separating her hands in the air imaginatively.

“Nah he too “cool” for that oh whatever he try to be,” Seyvn laughs rolling her eyes

Seyvn pulled the sleeve of her hoodie over her hands.

"You think he's talking to Tae about it right now?"

Seyvn groans, before dropping backward against the pillows.

“Girl, they messy asses probably are.”

“You think she want me fr?” Kaylia mimics in a deep voice

“No for real whole time tae ass probably over there gushing about you “oh Kaylia this,” “oh Kaylia that” with stars in his damn eyes” Seyvn cackles

“Stopp!” Kaylia playfully hits her, their laughs echoing through the room.

“Ugh it’s so wrong of me to find him attractive…but girl… that man?” She pauses dramatically, never finishing her sentence.

“HELL NAH!” Seyvn yells “ that man is fine as fuck! If I wasn’t into namjoon chile” she jokes fanning herself

“Ughhh” Kaylia pulls at her braids, rolling over onto her stomach.

“You really think he thinking bout me?” She questions, smiling brightly as she bit her nail and kicked her feet,

“Ewww not you kicking your feet he got you gone! What about ole dude?” Seyvn laughs

Kaylia sighs loudly, it was now her turn to facepalm into the bed.

“He’s so annoying!” She begins, sitting up as she ranted

“Like why are you so in your feelings? he don’t chase after me no more, and I loveeee a man that chases, it’s pissing me off.”

“He hasn’t even tried texting me after our call this morning like you’re so lamee.” She sighs loudly again

“Oh girl I feel you, dudes act like after yall get into a relationship they don’t have to keep acting like they want you! Like no dumbass I still want to feel wanted” Seyvn agrees

“And he also hella weird for the whole no contact thing? Does he think he’s punishing you with the silent treatment or something?” She continues

“Exactly! But I don’t give no fucks, I am the queen of pettiness so we can go there every timeee.”

Changing the topic, she diverts her attention back to the boys.

“I can totally see Namjoon stressing on if you actually like him or hate his ass.” She laughs thinking of all their bickering moments

“ you think so? Like i can not tell with his fine ass,” Seyvn groans

“like he is dominant and gentle at the same time it confuses the hell out of me, I am not used to it ya know? I can usually just walk all over somebody” she finishes

“I don’t know girl.” Kaylia laughs “From what I see you be right there with him. Hell sometimes you be having him stuck.”

“Hell I be trying to keep up with him” she giggles

-———————

Across campus Taehyung and Namjoon were currently positioned in the lounges by the pool, a half lit blunt being shared between them.

“And then we smoked on the way back to hers. I had Kook come pick me up.”

“I think I’m highkey feeling her, she been having me cheesing like a clown when we together I can’t lie.” Tae laughs

“But I don’t know man, she keeps me actually interested and I have this urge to like protect her—“

“DAMN!” Namjoons laughs, cutting tae off mid-sentence

“baby has a dude and you’re THIS down bad for her?!” He questions blunt hanging from his lips

“Man, I’m not worried about him.” Tae waves him off

“Besides, I feel like I get that vibe sometimes that…I don’t know man pass the blunt.”

“Yea whatever until he pops up and whoop your ass about her” namjoon says handing him the blunt

“And I’ll handle that. You should be worried about yo boy Justin and what him and Sevyn got going on.” Taking the blunt tae ignored his friends glare

“They look real friendly to me.” He smirks, leaning back as he inhaled.

Namjoon scoffs “friendly how?”

“Didn’t she get up on her knees to hug him?” Tae laughs

Namjoon sucked his teeth “and if I beat your ass right now then what?” He finished before deciding to add insult to injury

“You got speculations going on but your girl got a boyfriend”

“Hey, you wanna bring up dudes first. I’m talking bout Kaylia. Not kaylia and her ‘dude’” tae replied, using air quotations

“There ain’t no “dude” he’s actually her boyfriend” namjoon laughs mocking his quotations “What’s not clicking Steven?”

“Plus I’m not even sure Seyvn likes me for real” he says now deterred

“What happened earlier when yall went out? I saw you was at a parking lot near that abandoned k-mart.” He nudges him playfully, taking a couple hits before passing it.

“No one around…privacy…quiet…intimate.” He smirked

“ how did you even see that? We were like 20 minutes away from campus” Namjoon questioned

“Bruh… ive had your location for the past like 6 months.” Tae laughs

“I be checking.” He adds

“Damn stalker, but yea we chilled and smoked may have kissed for a lil bit nothing too crazy” namjoon replies

“Oh shittt. Fuck Justin!”

“Exactly! The fuck would I be worried about him for?” Namjoon laughs

“You like her?” He questions

“I’m not gonna lie… I think so yea, she kinda brings something out of me lowkey.

“like I know I hoe around a lot but I could see myself with her for real” namjoon answers before taking a pull from the blunt

“Nah I like what yall got going on, but you need to be serious about it, Sevyn look like she don’t play.” Tae laughs

“I don’t think she do either,” Namjoon jokes “she seems like she fight in real life”

“Oh most definitely.” Tae replies

“Shit crazy, we just met last night.”

“No for real she got me excited as hell for these upcoming semester’s” namjoon adds sounding star struck

“Nah high key though, they funny as fuck so I’m down with whatever.”

“You smiling hard as hell right now." Tae laughs

"Man, shut up."

"Nah, look at you. You got that stupid ass look people get when they start liking somebody."

Namjoon shook his head, trying and failing to hide his grin.

"She just different, bro."

"Different how?"

"I don't know."

He paused.

"When I'm around her I don't feel like I gotta perform all the time."

——————-

Monday 8:19 am

Kaylia groans as her alarm rings off, it’s already been snoozed the previous 2 times it went off.

Instrumental melodies echos throughout the room.

Swiping her finger across the screen she silences it, groaning again as her eyes struggled to adjust to the light.

“Ughhhh”

Rubbing her eyes she forces herself out the bed, throwing her blankets in an array during the process.

Phone in hand, she made her way to the bathroom.

Kaylia begins her morning routine.

She starts by brushing her teeth, humming to the music softly playing from her phone in the background

Next she washes her hands, then moves onto her face.

Dapping her face dry she applies her moisturizer and locks the door so she can shower.

It was now 9:05 and kaylia was checking out her outfit in the mirror propped up near her bed.

She posed as she took pictures for her fit check on Instagram.

@lovely.lia

She adds the song ‘Collard Greens’ By Kendrick in the background and grabs her bags as she heads out the dorm.

Checking her schedule once again she heads off to her first class.

9:30-10:20am Freshman English I

10:30-11:20am Spanish I

At 2:30 she had her introductory meeting for her book club.

Yesterday she had finally put up her flyers, hopefully a one day notice still results in a good turnout.

“Where the hell is this building.” Growing agitated Kaylia takes a deep breath as she searches for the Literature building

Finally finding it she rushed

“Oh my gosh class starts in two minutes. It would be way too embarrassing to walk in too late.”

She sped down the hall and entered through the large double doors.

The literature room was huge, with students scattered in the chairs.

She chose a seat in the middle off to the right and pulled out her laptop right as class begun.

After the quick 50 minutes, which consisted of going over syllabus yada yada yada kaylia packed up her things and headed out.

Her next class was Spanish I and thankfully all she had to do was get on the elevator to get to it.

The hall around this time was packed with students.

Skimming through the crowd, Kaylia enters the almost full elevator.

“Do you mind pressing 3 for me?” She asks the student closest to the panel who in return nods and presses her floor number

“Thank you.” She mumbles as she shifts nervously

‘I should’ve waited for the next one’ she thought

Her nerves were through the roof as she hated small crowed spaces

Once the elevator reached the floor she walked out and to her class.

—————————

Monday 12:00 pm

Seyvn wakes from her 5th blaring alarm she’s set to wake her up in time

She checks the clock to see it reads 12:00pm she realizes she has an hour to get up and ready for class

Rising from her bed she looks over to see Kaylia has already left.

she grabs her speaker and phone heading to the bathroom, scrolls through her playlist to turn on “this could be us” by Rae scremmurd she starts her morning routine

Turning on the shower she leaves to grab her clothes while it heats up. Coming back into the bathroom she sees that she received a Goodmorning text from Namjoon over two hours ago she decides to reply with her own Goodmorning message.

After showering she brushes her teeth, does her skincare routine, and light beat of makeup up before getting dressed.

@sevyn72003

Now heading to her creative writing class she searches the online campus map for the literature building before hearing her named called over her music playing in her ears

“Yo Seyvn!”

She turns to see tae approaching her

“Oh hey, tae wassup?” She says offering him a side hug

Hugging her back he replies, “Nun, what about you?”

“I’m supposed to be heading to my creative writing class but I can’t for the life of me find the literature building” she huffs

“With Mr.Hawthorne? If so, I'm boutta head there now, we can walk together.” He offers, one hand holding onto the bag thrown over his shoulder.

“Yo for real? You take creative writing? And also yes please I might get lost looking” she lets out a light chuckle

Laughing along he replies, “Yeah, I took creative writing I last year and it helps when I write my lyrics. What about you, you write?”

“Crazy work, yea I write too but I’m all over the place from music, to poetry, and stories” she respond shifting onto her right leg

“You cool with walking together?” She asks adjusting her shoulder bags

“Yea, let’s go. The literature building is right next to Drew Hall.” He explains pointing to the left

“Lowkey got lost plenty of times while looking for this building. ” He laughs

“I bet, they built this campus like a damn rubix cube” she agrees following him

After a moment of silence with them walking side by side

“Soooo… about you and Kaylia” Seyvn drawls out

Tae lets out a chuckle and her awkwardness “Mhm, what about us?” He questions peering over at her as they walked

“I don’t know just trying to see what’s up ya know? I get the vibe that you feeling my girl and I tend to be Cupid” she jokes

“Cupid?” He laughs

”Rightttt.”

“You don’t see the wings?” She points at her imaginary wings behind her while laughing

“Nah,” he jokes looking for said wings

“Nah?!? Oh you got me so twisted, I’ve helped so many people find their soulmates” she looks in bewilderment

“Oh really?”

“I mean I am feeling her but she has that whole boyfriend thing going on tho…” He trails off, bringing to topic back to Kaylia

“Now if Cupid can find a way around that, then by all means shoot some arrows for me.” He says, hands up in mock surrendering

“I’ll see what I can do,” Seyvn laughs

“…she don’t even like ole dude anymore anyway” Seyvn mumbles now thinking out loud

“Oh, I get that vibe.” He laughs as they enter the building.

He holds the door open allowing seyvn to walk inside first, then follows after.

“We gotta get to the second floor. And it looks like the elevator broke” He mentions pointing ahead.

Leading the way to the right they approach the packed stairwell

“Stairs?!?! Oh this day can’t get any worse” she exasperates

————————–

2:19pm

Blackburn Center

“Omg!! Hey Namjoon, thank you so much for coming earlier.”

“I didn’t realize how much there was to put up.” Kaylia says to the approaching man.

“I tend to buy a lil tooo much.” She ends awkwardly smiling

She was decorating the room, everything was decorated in a black and red theme to match this months book.

“No problem, Seyvn shot me a text saying you needed the extra hands.”

“And it really looks like it” he chuckles setting his backpack on the empty chair next to him

“lol yess, a girl was stressing.” She said with a sigh

“But can you help bring those three boxes from outside in?”

“Two are the books for this month and the smaller is my decorations I can grab that one”

“Sure thing” he answers before heading out to grab the boxes outside the group study room

“Have you ever read ‘Shadow and Bone'?” She questions as she begins to lay out a few decorations, her back turned.

“No, but I’ve heard of it in passing.”

“Hey where do you want these?” He grunts out the question trying to keep the boxes from falling

“Hmmm..” She turns to see him carrying all 3 boxes, struggling to see past the cardboard.

She takes her time answering, a sly smile on her face

“Right there is fine.” She says after a beat, laughing slightly as he shook his head

“Bet” he drops the boxes letting out a sigh of relief from the weight

“Sooo..” she draws out, sitting in a seat next to the projector

“I heard you and Sevyn shared a lil kiss last night.” She said side eyeing him as she watches his reaction

“Wowww” he drawls letting out a laugh before deciding to take a seat across from her

She laughs along with him, “So do you like her? Like what’s up, cause I ship the hell out of yall”

“Picture this,” She sits up straight and crosses her legs, giving him no chance to reply

“You, Sevyn,”

“Sevjoon if you will.” She says holding up her hand

“Locked in right, only y’all for each other, hashtag goals.”

“…Thoughts? Concerns?” She questions, raising an eyebrow

“A few actually,”

“What the hell?” He says throwing his head back from laughter

“How do we even know if baby likes me or not?”

“She’s so damn stubborn and flip flops back and forth I can’t even tell” he sighs

“Hey, don’t worry about all that.” She says waving her hand in the air

“How do youu feel?”

“I feel a lot of ways to be honest like I obviously like her from the past two days we spent together and I definitely wanna take her down that’s a no brainer on that part” he rambles

“Men..” Kaylia laughs as she shakes her head

“… but I want her to like me too, I wanna take her on dates, and buy her flowers, and all that; but I don’t wanna waste my time on some one who doesn’t want to be wanted.” he finishes

“Ooh..” she says nodding, her pointer finger on her lip.

“I think you should obviously just go for it.”

“I mean I don’t think she would hold hands with you on the way home…allow you to walk her to the door…or kiss her goodnight, if her intentions weren’t true you know?”

“Damn she told you everything huh?” He questions

“Don’t repeat any of that..” she whispers, getting up to begin decorating again

“And besides, what will come from just admiring from a distance? If you want her, go get her.” She shrugs.

“It’s up to you.”

“I guess you’re right… I might need your help with that” he says getting up to help her

———————-

Monday 5:48pm

————————

“Heyy siss!” Kaylia greets as she approaches Seyvn, hugging her once she makes it

“Ooooh girl do I got some stuff to tell you.” She says, opening the door so the two of them can enter

“Same! But I’ll let you go first, my info juicy and needs a minute to linger after” seyvn says following her through the doors

“Before we start though, how’d the book club set up go?” Seyvn asks approaching the counter to look over the menu

“It turned out really good, about 11 people showed up and everyone was such book nerds it made me so excited.”

“Also thanks for texting Namjoon to come early to help me.”

“No problem, he wasn’t doing nothing anyway” Seyvn jokes

Kaylia laughs as she takes a second to decide what she’s gonna order.

Walking up to the counter, she orders her food and steps off to the side while she waits for Seyvn.

“Yea I’ll take a mango chai” Seyvn says to the cashier and pays, following Kaylia to sit while they wait on their order

“What you was up to today? How was class?” Kaylia asks, crossing her legs as she pulled out her phone

“It was good… tell me why tae is in my creative writing class!!”

“I also found out some good ass information,” Seyvn smirks

“He confirmed a suspicion of mine”

Kaylia perks up in her seat “omg stoppp.” She drags

“But Namjoon too girll, hold on let me get my food first.”

As the man in the front calls their names, Kaylia approaches to grab her order.

She ordered a ‘soul dinner bowl’ which consisted of mashed potatoes, popcorn chicken, and corn.

“Ugh, this looks bomb.” She says snapping a photo of her food.

“Hurry and get your drink so I can hear this.” Kaylia rushes, unable to remain patient

“Ok ok” Seyvn chuckles at her eagerness grabbing her drink she follows Kaylia back to their seat

“How did you find out yall have the same class?” She questioned as she begun to eat her food.

“He found me looking lost in the courtyard and then we just ended up walking to class together” seyvn says sipping her drink

“Okay tea, now what suspicion he confirmed??”

“Tae likes youuu!” Seyvn squeals in excitement

“I know you’re with Keon or whatever but hearing you complain about it him, makes it seem like he’s not a good boyfriend.” She rushes out

“Now I’m not saying cheat or leave him or anything like that…”

“but I am saying tae doesn’t seem like a bad guy to have around ya know?” Seyvn finishes reaching for her drink out of nervousness

“Ugh, he wants me so baddd!” She exclaims bringing her hands to her cheeks

“He know I got a boyfriend though so not too much,” She says waving a hand in the air.

“And he also know how I feel about said boyfriend...” she mumbles

“But omg like what do I do now?”

“How do I face him now knowing that he likes me..like??” she squeals, eating her food to keep herself from talking more

“I spoke with Namjoon also…” she trails off, smiling.

“You what ?!” Seyvn shouts but catches herself in embarrassment at everyone starting

“Kaylia I told you no! Oh my gosh he probably thinks I’m so corny” Seyvn sighs

“He does not!”

“Well first of all, I came up with the perfect name for you two.” She says, waving her off and doing a light drumroll

“…..Sevjoon, isn’t that gorgeous!”

“What ew where’d you come up with that?” Seyvn stops to question her

“Yall are haters, it's cute!”

“Anyways he was saying that he likes you also..”

“He said he just can’t tell if you feel the same….because you can be stubborn.” She laughs slightly

“I am not stubborn… I’m just not easy”

“Ehhh…” Kaylia trails off, looking to the side

“But it’s not in a bad way sista, hell I’m pretty sure he likes it, he just can’t read you.”

“I think imma keep him on his toes.” Seyvn says thinking out loud

“I like that I make him nervous”

“Plus I need to focus on you and tae for real , he seems so sweet for you. I like the whole lover boy thing he has going on”

“Nahhh stop.” Kaylia says looking away

“I don’t know, I've never had somebody be so… I guess, gentle when it comes to me?”

“I'm so disappointed in Keon though,”

“These last few weeks have been hell. I’m so mentally clocked out it’s insane.” She continues

She places her head into her hands. “Like first of all, who can go damn near 48hrs without the queen?”

The question comes out mumbled

“And I know he’s doing this on purpose.” She says pouting.

Pulling out her phone and swiftly unlocking it Seyvn chimes in

“I agree but a pre warning,”

“..remember we’ve only known them for like three days.”

“Maybe I’m being paranoid but let’s not get ahead of ourselves” Seyvn ponders

“Tuh” Kaylia smacks her lips

“Should’ve seen how fast we got together” She says, laughing

“I know I haven’t spoken much about Keon to you, cause girl do I have some shit to say..”

“But this is me nearing a breaking point at the constantt complaints and-”

Going to her and keons messages, she opens the thread to see he turned his location off.

“The fuck?” She said loudly

“What happened?” Seyvn questions

“He stopped sharing his location…”

“Ooo yikes what the hell is his problem?”

She decides to text him a lengthy message, her hands moving fast as she types on the screen.

“…and I don’t see how you can be okay with not talking to me for so long…” she whispers softly as she types

“That’s soo weirddd.” groaning, she shakes her head.

“Imma give him 2 more hours.” She nods, pasting the message into her notes app and turning off her phone

“Tryna smoke?”

“Girl always” Seyvn laughs

——————————

7:32 pm

Kaylia’s ringtone blares throughout the quiet dorm.

She was snuggled on the end of her bed, laptop opened but she was fast asleep right next to it.

Mumbling incoherent words, she reaches for the phone.

“Hello?” She answers softly, a breathy yawn coming out as she stretches, nearly falling off the bed during the action

She scoots up

“Lia you ain’t see the group chat!?” Her friend, Miyanna’s voice booms through the speaker of the phone

Kaylia winced and she rubbed at her temple, a sigh escaping her lips.

“I was studying….”

“Girl get your sleepy ass up and look at that damn phone!” Her friend says

“Know damn well you wasn’t studying. I can hear it in your voice.”

Kaylia rolls her eyes as she closes her laptop and unlocks her phone.

She scrolls up through the messages, skimming as she swipes.

‘WHO THE FUCKK…KAY WYAA…’ her face was scrunched as she read a few

“The hell…?” She mumbles leaning in

Her stomach dropped.

For a second she genuinely thought she was looking at the wrong person.

Then she recognized the beanie.

The one she'd bought him with their initials engraved in red in the side.

“Aw fuck no!” She yells sliding off the bed once she clicks the picture

“What the fuck is this yanna!”

“Zuriyah sent this shit to me on Snapchat she recognized his ass immediately ”

“They supposed to be heading over to Marlins function.” She responded

“Oooo yanna he got me so fucked up…”

“..Sooo fucked up! And he got her at his house?”

“Yess Kay, I’m sorry.”

“You remember that girl from junior year that was bothering you?”

“His fuckking ex? Are you serious?” Her voice dropped

“Don’t worry we finna pull up, I’ll have my brother beat his ass.”

“Miyanna—” kaylia starts, her voice breaking.

“Nahh Lia don’t do that, fuck him!”

“I don’t care how mad I get, I would never do not shit like this..”

“Where my shoes?” Kaylia mumbled searching around

“Girl what the fuck you tryna do?”

Kaylia paused before realizing there really isn’t anything she could do.

“Mannn fuck this! Fuck him!!! Fuck everybody!” She boomed, throwing her hands around

“Hold on..” her friend started

“What you saying fuck me for?”

Kaylia sits in her desk chair, face hardened as she pictured herself walking up on him.

“Oh he need his ass beat..” she mumbled shaking her head

“Yanna yall better beat his ass I’m so for real.” She said, her leg bouncing.

“You know I got you.”

“Zuri boutta pull up outside right now.” She could hear Yanna moving around her blinds.

“I love you, don’t do nun stupid.” Her friend said.

“I love you too.” Kaylia pulls down her phone, hanging up and immediately sending a message to keons contact.

‘Bet that. Fuck you!!’ She sends, blocking his contact and social medias.

She dials up seyvns nunber, who had walked out earlier saying she was headed to the gym

“Yes honey bun?” She answered in a sing song voice

“Seyvn..” Kaylia said, trying to remain calm

“I’m boutta blow this bitch up.”

“Wait what happened?” She questions in concern

——————————-

The car pulls up right outside the courtyard, Namjoon turning the music down as he put the car in park.

“Thank youu, let me know bout joining my book club joon.” Kaylia said towards Namjoon, sending him a thumbs up as he looked back in the rearview mirror

“Bet I will.”

“Byee Seyvn see you later!” Exiting the car, she joined Tae on the other side.

“Bye dont do nothing i wouldn’t do” seyvn says from her seat

“Wait, this is actually the perfect spot!” Kaylia exclaims looking out over the courtyard.

Students were spaced out on the lawn, colorful blankets with various patterns stretched out under them, the occasional textbook opened as everyone prepared for the first week of classes.

“Where you wanna start?” Tae questions

“Hmmm” she thinks for a moment before pointing near the right

“Let’s go over there near the library.”

Nodding he starts to walk that way, Kaylia matching his pace.

“What do your flyers look like?” He asks, glancing over

“Stop.” Pausing, she lets out an amused laugh

“Shut the hell uppp.” She groans

Confused, Tae raises his eyebrow

“I left them in the dorm.” She explains, facepalming

Tae laughs, receiving a glare from Kaylia

“Is my inconvience funny to you?” She questions playfully getting in his face

“Hilarious actually.” He chuckles, lightly pushing her away

Dramatically, Kaylia stumbles before catching herself

“Bruh you’re so dramatic.” He shakes his head.

“Ugh I’m definitely not walking to that dorm and back.” She complains, plopping on a seat outside the library

“It’s boutta rain.” He mentions looking up

“We can go to the music hall if you don’t mind coming with me.” He suggests

“What’s in the music hall?” She asks staring at the rain clouds above them

“Intruments?”

“Nah fucking duh.” She retorts

“What’s there for us to do in the music hall?” She corrected, straightening her spine when she realized how bad she was slouching

“I need to practice for football season. Gotta remember a bunch of shit.”

“Wow you play football?” Oblivious, she eyes him up and down.

He laughs “Right cause I’m going to the music hall to practice for football. No girl, I play with the band”

“Duh, nigga I knew that.” She lies, amusement evident in her face.

“Let’s go before it rains.” She says standing up

“Righttt.” Tae mumbled.

As they started heading towards the music hall a flash of lightning flashed through the sky, shortly followed by a loud thunder clap leading to rain lightly falling.

“Bruuuuh. It would start now.” Kaylia groans, speeding up her pace.

“It’s cool it’s right over there.” After taking a left, the music hall came into view.

“Nicee I see.”

She eyes the building as they approach. It was a four story building. Having been built in the 1960s and was holding up pretty nicely.

Walking inside the Large doors they could hear the faint muffled sounds of vocals mixed in with sweet melodies.

“What do you play?” Kaylia asks

“The trumpet. Though in my free time lately I’ve been spending time learning the bass.”

“Ooo the bass? I got some songs imma need you to play for me.” She says immediately thinking of all her alternative songs she could hear on bass.

“Once I fully learn, I got you.” He smiles looking down towards her.

“You doing anything else besides your book club?”

“Nah, that’s enough already.” She says laughing as they enter the elevator

“Where we going now?”

“The solo rooms are on the third floor.” He said clicking the designated button on the panel.

She nods, a silence falling over them.

“Have you talked to your boyfriend?”

A little stunned by his question Kaylia rolls her eyes before continuing. “Yea we spoke a little this morning but he pissed me off again.” She says letting out a breathy sigh

“Mm” Tae could tell the topic upset her so he moved on.

“We here.” He said exiting the elevator. He walked down to the left before entering the 4th door.

When they walked in it was empty save for a couple chairs and small stage where a trumpet was placed on a display case in the back.

“How long you been playing?” She asked as she walked over to the trumpet, eyeing it intently

“8 years now.” He followed behind her, delicately picking up the instrument.

“My grandmother brought this for me my junior year of high school so I wouldn’t have to use our schools worn down trumpets.” He said, chuckling at the memory.

“I was picked for so many solos because mine was the only one that was tuned correctly.”

“But I’ve been keeping it up here instead of the frat. Too much happening there.” He says turning towards her

“You’re actually the only person I’ve seen in this room honestly. I doubt any of the other band mates come practice.”

Kaylia nods “Can you play me something?” She asked, sitting down.

Outside the rain fell harshly against the windows. The whisper from earlier now a frantic downpour as the droplets smear onto the window.

“Yeah. Here I just came up with this one.”

Tae shapes his lips into a tight embouchure, buzzing them against the metal to create the vibration as he brought the instrument to his mouth.

He took a deep breath, using intense lung control to help push the sound through the horn.

Holding it at a horizontal angle with his elbows slightly out, the tune that came out was mellow and smokey, giving off a jazz vibe that Kaylia loved.

She started at him intently, admiring as he continued. The sounds flowing beautifully from the instrument.

The both of them got lost in the music, Tae with his eyes closed, the veins in his thoart were prominent as he blew.

Kaylia beside him as she swayed in her seat, her eyes focused on him and the instrument.

Once he finished Kaylia stands up, clapping proudly

“Tae that was so beautiful.” She gushed

Bowing he smiled “Thank you.”

“So when you say ‘came up with’, you wrote this?”

“Yea, I finished the end of it last weekend. Next will be to add lyrics but I always get stuck on that part.”

“Whatt? You write lyrics to?”

“What can I say? when you’re this gifted and talen—“

“Alright don’t get cocky now,” Kaylia laughs, cutting him off.

He laughs along with her “Nah, I’m joking.”

“Do you sing?” He questions

“What? Need you a singer?” She asked

“Hold on, watch this.”

“Oh gosh..” Tae mumbles unsure of what she’s about to do

Typing on her phone, the song “Pretty Girl Rock" by Keri Hilson starts to play.

Before she can even start Tae is bursting out laughing at her dancing “Do I wanna hear this?” He questions pulling out his phone

He hits record as Kaylia uses her own phone as a mic, “My name is Kayli, I’m so very fly oh my it’s a little bit scary!” She starts the song, belting it throughout the room.

“Boys wanna merry, looking at my derrière!”

“Yea you can stare but if you touch it imma bury!” She sings making fists towards a camera.

Tae laughs as he gets up to follow her as she moves throughout the room screaming the lyrics

“Pretty as a picture!”

“Whatt!” Tae adds in behind the camera

“Sweeter than a swisher, mad cause I’m cuter than the girl that’s with ya!” She continues, flipping her hair for dramatics.

Tae laughs behind the camera

“I ain’t gotta talk about it baby you can see it! But if you want I’ll be happy to repeat it!”

“Your name is what?” Tae adds in adlibs from behind the camera

“My name is Kayli! I’m so very, fly oh my it’s a lil bit scary!” She repeats the lyrics from earlier before transitioning to the chorus

“I can talk about it cause I know that I’m pretty, and if you know it too, then ladies sing it with me!”

“All eyes on me when I walk in, no question that this girls a 10!” She struts towards the camera, making a 10 with her hands.

“Don’t hate me cause I’m beautiful…”

Tae continued following her around as she moved throughout the room, using random objects as props.

Clapping as the song died down the room was filled with laughter.

“Nahh you ate that” Tae said putting his hand up for a high five

“Thank you thank you,” Kaylia connected their palms before she bowed, a bright smile on her lips.

“How did you know that song?” She asks holding her stomach as she calm down

“My sister.” He laughed

“She used to be up at 8am with it when it first came out.”

“Period she knows what’s up.” Kaylia laughed as she sat down

“Can I see the video? How was my singing?” She smirked

“Yeah, and I told you you ate that, I know who to call when I need some vocals.” He laughed unlocking his phone and handing it to her

“You mind if I practice a lil bit though?” He asks, picking his trumpet back up.

“Nopee, I’m chilling.” She said smiling as she began to play the video

“With yo extra ass.” He adds, manspreading in the seat next to her.

———-

Seyvn settles into her seat watching the rain clouds forming in the sky as a slight drizzle cast over the car

“Where are we going?" She asks finally breaking the silence

“I kinda want to go smoke again” he says watching the road

“i got a spot I like to use. Real quiet”

She stares at him for a while before looking out the window “what’s your favorite color joonie?” She hums softly

He glances at her for a second “Uh it fluctuates… but right now? It’s green. why?” He responds

She shrugs “No reason just wanted to know” she says returning her gaze to the window

A moment passes

“What’s your favorite lucky?”

“It’s blue”

He lets out a little chuckle “That’s different. why blue?”

She hesitates before answering in deep thought

“Everyone always associates blue to be a sad color,” she murmurs, “ but to me it’s like the opposite.”

“I think blue is a very emotional color” she pauses