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Smoke groans and rolls over, blindly reaching across the nightstand until his hand finds the receiver.
He answers without even opening his eyes. “What it is?”
Stack’s voice comes through the other end. “Aye, me and Tobias finna pull up. Roll up.”
Smoke lets out a tired groan. He hasn’t even gotten out of bed yet. “Aight, bro.”
“Bet.”
The line goes dead.
Smoke tosses the phone back onto the cradle before dragging himself out of bed.
He walks into the living room, unlocks the front door, then grabs his rolling tray off the coffee table.
The TV flickers on as he settles onto the couch. He starts breaking the weed down, expertly rolling a blunt.
A few minutes later, Stack and Tobias walk right in like they own the place.
Tobias drops onto the couch. “What’s good, bro?”
Smoke doesn’t even look up. “Nothin’. Just woke up.”
Stack pulls a blunt from behind his ear, sparks it, and takes a long pull. “Nigga… I barely see yo’ ass anymore.”
Smoke chuckles. “Nigga, you know where I live. You should’ve been pulled up.”
Stack laughs. “Nigga, you just had to fuck shit up wit Monica. Now you can’t even come chill wit yo own bro.”
Smoke sucks his teeth. “I ain’t fuck shit up. She the one trippin’. I just been on some chill shit.”
Stack grins like he already knows better. “Nigga, no you haven’t.”
Smoke finally looks up.
Stack points the blunt toward him. “Monica came home yesterday yellin’ talkin’ ‘bout Shatara seen you at Skateland skatin’ wit some bitch… and y’all was kissin’ and shit.”
Smoke’s stomach instantly drops.
Damn. This is the last thing he needs.
He already knows exactly where this is headed. It isn’t even about the fact that he was with somebody else. It’s the fact that he hasn’t really been fucking with Monica lately.
And now she knows he was out in public with another woman. Kissing her.
Smoke rarely took women out.
If he dealt with somebody, he either pulled up to her place or she came to his. Between hustling and work, he never really cared about going on dates.
So why the hell did he kiss Annie in the middle of a skating rink? In front of everybody. That wasn’t even him.
But…He doesn’t regret it. Not even a little bit. If somebody gave him the chance to do it all over again…He’d kiss her the exact same way.
He still can’t get the feeling of her lips out of his mind.
Tobias laughs.
Smoke cuts his eyes at him before looking back at Stack. “Damn… people nosey as fuck.”
Stack passes the blunt to Tobias. “Man, you was out in public wit the shit. What you expect?”
“I expect people to mind they fuckin’ business. I don’t owe nobody shit.”
Tobias nods in agreement before passing the blunt to Smoke.
Smoke takes a slow pull.
“You know how girls be,” Tobias says. “Soon as you give ‘em some dick or some money, they think they own yo’ ass.”
Stack busts out laughing. “Facts. They don’t listen for shit.” He shakes his head. “I gotta admit though, bro… when Monica said you was kissin’ her in public…” He points at Smoke. “I ain’t believe that shit.”
“She not a bitch.” His voice comes out lower than before. “Watch yo’ mouth.”
Both Stack and Tobias look at him.
Stack’s eyebrows shoot up. “Nigga… what?” He points the blunt at Smoke. “Now you standin’ up for her too?” He laughs louder. “Her pussy must be gold.”
“Stack,” Tobias cuts in, “shut the fuck up.”
Stack looks over at him.
Tobias shrugs. “She is fine as fuck though.” He looks back at Smoke. “Leave the nigga alone.”
Now Smoke’s looking at Tobias sideways. Confused. Not just because Tobias defended him…But because he called Annie fine. Something about hearing another man say it rubs him the wrong way.
Tobias notices the look immediately. He laughs. “Don’t look at me like that, nigga.” He raises both hands. “I ain’t mean shit by it.”
Stack notices everything. “Ohhh…” He points back and forth between Smoke and Tobias. “Nah…”
He starts laughing even harder. “Whoever this girl is… “He points at Smoke. “She got you trippin’ already.”
Smoke rolls his eyes. “I ain’t trippin’.”
“The fuck you ain’t.” Stack grins. “And Tobias… Shatara said you was caked up wit her friend too.”
Tobias clicks his tongue. “Yeah… and?” I don’t owe nobody shit either.”
Stack throws his hands in the air. “Damn! So y’all just left a nigga out?” He starts laughing. “I know they got some more friends.” He points at Smoke. “Hook me up.”
Smoke shakes his head immediately. “Man, hell nah.” He laughs. “Don’t nobody wanna be caught up in yo’ drama.”
“Whatever.” Stack smirks. “Look like you in some drama now.”
“I ain’t into shit.” Smoke leans back on the couch. “Monica ain’t my baby mama or my girl.”
Stack nods slowly. “Yeah…” A grin creeps across his face. “Tell her that.”
Smoke sighs. The other women he’s dealt with never acted like this.
They understood exactly what it was.
If they saw him, they saw him. If they didn’t…They kept living.
But Monica…Somewhere along the line she’d started feeling entitled to him.
Maybe because he’d spent a little more time around her. Maybe because she lived with Stack. Either way…Smoke hated it.
He didn’t want any woman feeling like she had a claim on him.
Well…Almost none.
His thoughts drift back to Annie.
Oddly enough…If Annie ever acted a little jealous over him…He doesn’t think he’d mind. Matter of fact…He thinks he’d actually like it.
Smoke catches himself and quietly chuckles. “Damn…”
Stack immediately looks over. “What’s so funny?” He reaches toward Smoke. “And nigga… pass the blunt.”
Smoke hands it over. “Nothin’, nigga. Damn.”
Stack takes the blunt, side-eyeing him the whole time.
A slow grin spreads across his face.
“Nah…” He points at Smoke. “You smiling too much.”
Smoke frowns. “I always smile.”
“The fuck you do.” Stack laughs. “Nigga… you got that look.”
“What look?”
“The look a nigga get when he really fuck wit somebody.”
Smoke immediately shakes his head. “You sound dumb as hell.”
Stack and Tobias exchange a glance before busting into laughter.
Smoke just sucks his teeth and leans back into the couch. He can deny it all he wants.
But judging by the way his mind keeps drifting back to Annie…
Even he’s starting to wonder if his brother might be onto something.
🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇
Out south at Annie’s house, the cool Sunday morning breeze drifts through the open bedroom window, making the white curtains sway gently.
Bobby Jones Gospel plays quietly on BET in the background while the smell of breakfast floats through the house.
Annie sits cross legged on her bed while Rhonda and Devin lounge across it, making themselves right at home.
Devin grins. “So I hear y’all had a ball Friday with them fine ass niggas y’all met at the mall.” She points at Annie. “And I heard you was kissin’ Smoke and gave him yo’ number.”
Annie’s eyes immediately cut to Rhonda.
Rhonda busts out laughing. “My bad, Annie. It was too good not to tell. I had to.”
Annie sucks her teeth. “Damn. I can’t even tell my own business.”
“Nope,” Rhonda says with a shrug.
Devin leans in, smiling. “So… how was the kiss, Annie?”
Annie instantly blushes
Devin’s eyes get wide. “Damn… it was that good?”
Annie laughs and throws a pillow at her. “Shut up.”
Rhonda intercepts and catches the pillow before it hits Devin. “Uh-uh. Don’t avoid the question, Annie.” She points at her. “I wanna know too.”
Annie rolls her eyes before letting out a small sigh. “Truth is…” A smile slowly spreads across her face. “It was so damn good.” She shakes her head, almost laughing at herself. “Like… I can’t stop thinkin’ about it.”
Rhonda and Devin let out matching squeals.
“I know that’s right!” Devin says.
“Shit, I wouldn’t be able to either if I was you,” Rhonda adds. “Y’all was all into it too. I thought y’all was finna crash into somebody out there.”
Annie laughs. “I mean…” She shrugs. “I was a little lost in it. Not gonna lie.” She bites her lip for a second. “His lips are so soft.”
Rhonda dramatically fans herself. “Look at you bein’ fast.”
“Mhmm,” Devin agrees, laughing.
Annie shakes her head. “He kissed me first. I was not expectin’ that.”
Rhonda smirks. “So? You liked it.” She nudges Annie’s knee. “You just as guilty as him.” She tilts her head. “Now… has he called you yet?”
Annie sighs. “No… not yet.” She looks down at her hands. “And I’m so nervous, y’all.”
Devin furrows her brows. “Why? Y’all already broke the ice with the letters.”
“I know…” Annie smiles nervously. “But that don’t make me any less nervous.”
Devin laughs. “I gotta see this nigga.” She points between Annie and Rhonda. “He must be fine as hell for you to still be nervous.”
Rhonda doesn’t hesitate. “Oh, he is.” She nods confidently. “He fine as hell.” She looks at Devin. “Wait ’til you see him.”
Annie slowly turns and side eyes Rhonda. “Aye…” She points at her. “Watch it now.”
The words come out jokingly…But Annie feels a tiny pinch in her chest. It surprises her. Rhonda isn’t lying.
Smoke is fine. More than fine actually.
So why did hearing another woman say it bother her?
Rhonda notices Annie’s expression and laughs. “What, Annie? I ain’t blind.” She shrugs. “Tobias fine as hell too, though.”
Devin snaps her fingers. “I know that’s right.” Then she looks at Annie with a grin. “Claim yo’ man.”
Annie’s eyebrows shoot up. “That’s not my man.”
Devin laughs. “Shit… he might as well be.” She throws her hands up. “Y’all kissin’ and shit.”
“Shut up.” Annie throws another pillow, making all three of them bust into laughter.
After everyone settles down, Devin grins again. “Anyway…” She points between Annie and Rhonda. “When am I gon’ get to meet them? And when y’all gon’ hook me up with a brother or cousin or somethin’?”
Rhonda laughs. “Damn, girl. We still tryna get to know them ourselves.”
Annie cracks up.
Rhonda suddenly snaps her fingers. “Ooh! I wanna go to the And1 game at Kemper.” She points at Annie. “I’ma tell Tobias he and Smoke should go.” Then she smiles. “And Annie… you comin’.”
Annie shakes her head, already laughing. “You always plotting’.”
“Somebody gotta help y’all,” Rhonda says proudly.
Devin folds her arms. “Well damn. I don’t get no invite?”
Rhonda clicks her tongue. “You and Ebony can come too.”
Devin grins. “Oh, I’m comin’.”
She points at Rhonda. “And tell them to bring a brother or a friend.”
Rhonda nods. “Got you.”
Annie just shakes her head, smiling to herself.
She tries to act like all of Rhonda’s plotting is ridiculous…But deep down…She hopes Smoke says yes.
🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃
8:30 p.m. rolls around, and Smoke is just getting home from trapping.
He’s calling it an early night because he has plans.
He’s finally gonna call Annie.
He knows he can’t call her too late since she’s still in school and has to be up early in the morning. The thought makes him chuckle to himself.
He would’ve called her yesterday, but work kept him late. Brandon called out, leaving Smoke stuck breaking down the grill by himself before closing.
By the time he got home, it was too late.
Annie had been off yesterday anyway.
After taking a hot shower, he throws on a white T-shirt and a pair of gray basketball shorts before flopping onto his bed.
He reaches over to his nightstand, grabs his Nokia, and stares at it for a second.
A smile creeps onto his face.
Instead of calling right away, he decides to give her a heads up.
His thumbs move across the keypad.
Hey, it’s me, Smoke. I’m gettin’ ready to call.
He hits send.
Out south…
Annie is lying on her stomach across her bed, one foot kicking lazily in the air while she finishes her homework.
Her bedroom is quiet except for the soft hum of her ceiling fan and the scratch of her pencil across the paper.
Her Nokia suddenly vibrates against her comforter.
She reaches for it absentmindedly.
The second she reads the screen…
Her heart skips. Smoke.
A smile instantly spreads across her face.
Yes…She saved his number the very night he asked for hers.
Even though she’d never worked up the courage to call him herself.
Butterflies explode in her stomach.
He’s about to call. Her palms suddenly feel warm. She’s so nervous she almost feels sick.
Taking a deep breath, she types back carefully.
Okay. Call in ten minutes. My minutes are free.
She smiles to herself after pressing send.
One more minute and she would’ve been paying for that call.
Smoke’s phone buzzes almost immediately.
He reads her message and laughs, shaking his head.
He forgot all about free nights starting at nine.
He quickly replies.
Got you.
Then he sets his phone on the nightstand and glances at the clock.
Eight fifty. Only ten more minutes.
For some reason…
Those ten minutes suddenly feel like they’re taking forever.
Annie watches the clock on her nightstand. 8:58…8:59…9:00.
Her stomach twists into knots.
She wipes her sweaty palms against her pajama shorts.
Please don’t ring yet…
A second later… Her Nokia lights up and begins to ring. 9:01.
Her heart immediately starts pounding.
She stares at the screen for a moment. Smoke
She inhales slowly.
Okay, Annie… answer the phone.
She presses the button. “Hello?”
The second Smoke hears her voice, a smile spreads across his face.
Damn…She sounds even sweeter over the phone.
His heart gives a little flutter he wasn’t expecting. “Sup, Pretty Eyes?” he says with a grin. “Thought you wasn’t gon’ answer.”
Annie’s stomach flips all over again.
Lord…His voice sounds even better over the phone. Deep. Smooth.
She can practically hear the smile in it.
A nervous giggle slips out before she can stop it.
The sound pulls at something in Smoke’s chest.
He already likes making her laugh.
“Why you call me that?” she asks softly.
Smoke smiles. “Call you what?”
She smiles too. “Pretty Eyes.”
A quiet chuckle rumbles through the phone. “I call you that ‘cause yo’ eyes big and beautiful.” He pauses for a second. “Ain’t nobody ever told you that before?”
Annie feels warmth rush into her cheeks.
Thankfully…He can’t see her blushing.
She smiles to herself. “Not really.”
Smoke shakes his head. “Well…I’m tellin’ you now. And I’m gon’ keep tellin’ you.”
Annie bites the inside of her cheek to hide another smile. “Thank you.”
Smoke chuckles. “Ain’t no need to thank me. I’m just tellin’ the truth.”
Another soft giggle escapes her.
Smoke smiles to himself.
He could get used to hearing that.
“So…” He shifts against his headboard. “What you doin’?”
“I just finished doin’ some homework.”
Smoke lets out an amused laugh. “Oh… It’s been a minute since I heard somebody say that.”
Annie raises an eyebrow even though he can’t see it. “Oh?” She smiles. “Is that a bad thing?”
Smoke sucks his teeth. “Man, nah.” He laughs. “At least you actually do yo’ homework.”
That earns another laugh from Annie.
“Well, yeah. Of course. I’m not on the principal’s honor roll for nothin’.”
Smoke blinks. “Damn. So that mean you make straight A’s?”
A shy smile spreads across Annie’s face. “Mhmm.”
Smoke leans back against the headboard.
He honestly doesn’t know what to say for a second. Every time he learns something new about her… She impresses him even more. She isn’t just beautiful. She has goals. She works. She stays out of trouble.
And now…She makes straight A’s.
He shakes his head with a smile. “That’s dope, Annie.” His voice softens. “The more you tell me about yo self…The more I wanna know.”
“Thank you.” Annie smiles to herself before asking, “What school you graduate from?”
“I graduated from Central.”
“Oh.” She nods even though he can’t see her. “I got a couple cousins that go there.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. One’s a senior and one’s a sophomore.”
“That’s what’s up.” Smoke shifts against his headboard. “So what school you go to?”
“I go to Hickman Mills.” She pauses. “You know where that’s at?”
Smoke lets out a quiet laugh. “Of course. I know Kansas City like the back of my hand.”
Annie smiles to herself, feeling a little silly.
Of course he knew. She should’ve known better than to ask. “My bad,” she says with a little laugh. “Guess I ain’t think about that.”
Smoke chuckles. “What you apologizin’ for? You ain’t assume nothin’.” He pauses. “I like that.”
Annie’s cheeks warm.
She isn’t exactly sure how to respond to that.
The silence isn’t awkward anymore.
It’s… comfortable.
Smoke fills it without missing a beat.
“So you stay closer to Raytown?”
“Yeah. Off 87th.” She smiles. “Right across the street is considered Raytown.”
“Oh, I know exactly where that’s at.”
“Mhmm.” She tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “So you stay in the city?”
“Yeah…”He laughs. “Somewhat.”
Annie grins. “Somewhat? What that mean?”
“I stay off Eastwood Trafficway.” He shrugs even though she can’t see him. “It ain’t deep in the city. It’s right off seventy one highway.”
“Ohhh. I get it.” She nods. “You grow up there?”
“Nah. I grew up in the Thirties.” He pauses. “You know where that’s at?”
“Nah.” She laughs softly. “I ain’t never been to the Thirties.”
Smoke raises an eyebrow. “For real?”
“For real.”
“Do you come to the city at all?”
“Not really.” She starts counting on her fingers. “Just to visit family… The Plaza… Crown Center… And Ward Parkway.”
Smoke laughs. A real laugh.
Annie smiles. “What?” She laughs too. “What’s funny?”
“My bad, lil’ mama.” Smoke shakes his head. “I don’t really consider none of that the city.” He grins. “I’m gon’ have to take you around and show you the city for real.”
Butterflies instantly fill Annie’s stomach. She can’t stop herself from smiling. “For real?” She leans back against her pillows.“Like where?”
Smoke starts naming places without even thinking. “Troost…Prospect…The Fifties… The Thirties…The West Bottoms….Parker Square…Wayne Minor.” He chuckles. “Both of them the projects, but they be lit in the daytime…And the food over there…” He kisses his teeth. “Man…It’s some good ass food in the city.”
“Oh yeah?” Annie asks. “Like where?”
“Humdingers.” He answers immediately. “Go Chicken Go.”
“I’ve had Go Chicken Go once…I liked it.”
Smoke laughs. “Yeah. They gizzards good as hell.”
“They are.” Annie laughs. “But we got good food out here too.”
“Oh yeah?” Smoke smiles. “Like what?”
“We got Godfather’s Pizza…Big T’s and Fish City.” She grins. “Godfather’s got the best pizza ever.”
Smoke nods. “I’ll give you Fish City. I ain’t never had Godfather’s though.”
Annie gasps dramatically. “You’ve never had Godfather’s?”
“Nah.”
“They really good. We eat it all the time.”
Smoke hums. “Hmm… I still think Santora’s got the best pizza around here.” He pauses just long enough for Annie to wonder where he’s going with it. “But…” His voice softens. “Maybe we can hit up Godfather’s one day…You can make a believer outta me.”
Annie’s heart skips. He’s already making plans. Not someday in theory.
One day. With her.
She smiles so hard her cheeks begin to hurt. “Okay.” It comes out barely above a whisper.
There’s a brief silence.
Not an awkward one.
Just long enough for Smoke to hear the hesitation in her voice.
He smiles to himself. “Annie.”
“Hmm?”
“You still scared of me?”
Annie opens her mouth.
Nothing comes out. She bites her lip instead.
Smoke chuckles softly. “It’s okay.” His voice is calm. “Be honest wit’ me.”
Annie lets out a quiet sigh. “…Yeah.” She closes her eyes. “I’m still very nervous.”
Smoke grunts. “Why?”
Annie fiddles with her comforter
“I told you.” She laughs nervously. “’Cause you look too good, Smoke…And you older.” She pauses. “I mean… Why me?”
Smoke shifts again against his headboard and chuckles. “Damn, Shorty. If you call me fine one more time, my head gon’ get big.”
That pulls a genuine laugh out of Annie. “Oh, please, Elijah.” She smiles. “Don’t act like women ain’t never called you fine.”
“I mean…”Smoke shrugs. “Yeah, they do. But…” His voice softens. “None of ’em ever made me feel like you do when they say it.”
Annie’s stomach flips so hard she has to press a hand against it.
She doesn’t know what to do with that.
Smoke continues before she can overthink it. “Stop askin’ why you, Annie.” He pauses. “Why not you?”
Another quiet silence settles between them. “I’m the one who’s nervous as hell.” He laughs at himself. “And I’m happy you even gave me the time of day.” His tone grows more sincere. “You different….You so pretty to me.” He smiles. “You one of the most beautiful women I ever laid my eyes on.” He pauses for a moment. “I know niggas tell you that shit all the time…Don’t they?”
Annie can’t stop smiling now. Her cheeks hurt. She can’t believe this man is really saying all of this to her.
Especially over the phone.
She lets out a shy laugh. “Um…I mean…Yeah.” She shrugs even though he can’t see it. “Dudes holler at me.They call me sexy. But…” She smiles to herself. “You know how high school boys are. They don’t compliment girls like that. They too busy tryna be hard and impress they friends.”
Smoke nods. “Yeah…But I’m a grown ass man, Annie. I’m not scared to say how I feel. I’m not ashamed to tell you how beautiful I think you are.” His voice remains steady. Honest. “And I ain’t tryna rush to take you out. I know we gotta take our time to get there.” He smiles. “But… Just so you know eventually…I wanna get to that point.”
Annie’s heart melts. Oh my God…
He’s saying all the right things.
She smiles into her pillow. “I know and I do too.”
Smoke smiles so hard his cheeks start hurting. “I’m gon’ be patient wit’ you…I promise.”
Another piece of Annie’s nervousness melts away. “Okay.”
Smoke can hear the difference in her voice now. She’s smiling.
“You feel a little better?”
Annie giggles. “Yeah. I do. Thank you.”
Smoke grins. “You welcome…” He pauses just long enough to tease her. “Annika.”
Annie’s mouth falls open. She starts laughing. “You really sayin’ my real name right now?”
“Hell yeah.”Smoke laughs with her. “You been usin’ mine.” He shrugs. “It’s only fair, right?”
Annie shakes her head, smiling so hard her cheeks ache. “Yes…” She laughs again. “Elijah.”
The way she says his name has him swooning. He doesn’t know why.
He just knows…He hopes she never stops saying it. “Good.”
Smoke glances at the clock on his nightstand. “Well… it’s gettin’ late. “I know you got school tomorrow…And work.”
Annie laughs. “How you know I got work tomorrow?”
Smoke grins. “Come on now.”
That answer makes Annie laugh even harder. The conversation has gone by so fast she hadn’t even realized what time it was. Truth be told…She doesn’t want it to end.
And if Smoke is being honest with himself…Neither does he.
A comfortable silence settles between them. Neither one feels the need to rush and fill it anymore.
Smoke breaks it first. “I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”
The words come out before he can overthink them.
Annie smiles into her pillow. “I can’t wait to see you either.”
Smoke grins. “Good. Make sure you act like it too.”
Annie laughs. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know exactly what it mean.” He chuckles. “When you see me, you can at least speak to me.”
Annie shakes her head even though he can’t see her. “I mean…” She smiles. “You can speak too. Instead of just starin’.”
Smoke laughs. “I do be tryin’ to speak….You just be too busy lookin’ away from me…” He pauses. “You don’t even look at me long enough.”
Annie clicks her tongue. “I do look at you long enough.”
“Nah.” He laughs. “Not really, not as long as I want you to.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Hell yeah.”
She smiles, ready to argue back. “Don’t even try it, Elijah. You break eye contact first a lot of the time.” She laughs. “Admit it.”
Smoke lets out a chortle. “Aight…” He rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah… sometimes I do.” He pauses. “But that’s ’cause you got the type of eyes a nigga can get lost in.” His voice softens. “And I be tryna work. I can’t afford to get lost in ’em while we at work.” He smiles. “Now outside of work…That’s a different story. I got all the time in the world then.”
Annie presses her face into her pillow to hide the smile spreading across it.
Lord…She wishes there was some way to record this conversation so she could play it back whenever she wanted.
The amount of times he’d made her blush… Laugh… Smile… All in one phone call… She’d lost count. “Whatever, Elijah.”
Neither of them wants to be the one to say goodbye.
Finally…Smoke speaks. “Well, Pretty Eyes…I hope you have a good night.”
Annie smiles. “I hope you do too.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you then.”
For a second…Neither of them hangs up.
Almost like they’re both waiting on the other person to do it first.
Then…Click.
The line goes dead.
Smoke lays back against his pillow with a smile he can’t seem to wipe off his face. He hardly ever smiled before her but now it’s something he seems to do all of the time.
That conversation couldn’t have gone any better.
It started off with nervous laughs and awkward pauses…
But somewhere in the middle…
Everything just flowed.
Every time he made Annie laugh, something in his chest lit up.
He could practically picture her smiling on the other end of the phone.
He knew she was still nervous.
But by the end of the call…
He could hear her relaxing.
She wasn’t overthinking every word anymore.
She was simply…Talking to him.
He smiles to himself.
Annie is humble to a fault.
As beautiful as she is, she still questions why he’d want her.
He hates that.
Because if anybody deserves to know how special they are…It’s her.
He wants her to see herself the way he already does.
And if it’s up to him…
He’s gonna spend however long it takes showing her.
He laughs at himself again, he can’t believe he was already making plans to take her out. Smoke didn’t mean to scare her, it’s like he couldn’t help himself the words just tumbled out of his mouth so naturally, which is crazy because he didn’t even go out on dates but yet there he was jumping the gun and already telling her about places he wanted to go. For some reason she just had that effect on him.
Still smiling, Smoke closes his eyes.
For the first time in a long time…
He falls asleep thinking about one person.
Across the city, Annie lies on her stomach, hugging her pillow close to her chest.
The room is quiet now.
Only the soft hum of the ceiling fan fills the air.
She stares at the glow in the dark stars on her ceiling, replaying every part of their conversation. It wasn’t scary at all.
Not like she’d convinced herself it would be.
Instead…He made her feel comfortable. Safe. Like she didn’t have to pretend to be anybody but herself.
Every compliment he’d given her…
Every joke…
Every time he’d called her “Pretty Eyes…”
Every time he’d said her name…
She remembers all of it.
A smile slowly spreads across her face.
She’s already looking forward to talking to him again.
And maybe…Just maybe…He was right.
She needed to stop asking herself…
Why me? Maybe it was finally time to start believing she was enough.
With that thought warming her heart, Annie snuggles deeper beneath her blankets.
Still smiling…She slowly drifts off to sleep, wondering what tomorrow will bring.
✏️📚✏️📚✏️📚✏️📚✏️📚✏️📚✏️📚✏️
The next morning at school, the hallways are already packed.
Lockers slam shut. Teachers stand in their doorways greeting students while conversations bounce off the cinderblock walls. The smell of cafeteria breakfast lingers in the air as students rush to beat the first bell.
Annie and Devin step through the front doors together.
Before they’ve even made it halfway down the hall, Devin nudges Annie with her elbow. “So…”
Annie already knows where this is going. She laughs. “Damn, Devin. We just stepped in the building. No time to waste, huh?”
“Girl, no. I’ve been waiting on this. Did he call you?”
Annie smiles to herself. “Yeah, girl… we talked.”
Devin squeals loud enough to make a few students turn around. “I knew it! So how’d it go?”
Annie can’t hide her smile. “It went really good.” She looks down for a second, remembering the night before. “I didn’t even wanna get off the phone.”
Devin grins. “Oooooh.”
“Mhmm” Annie grins “He said all the right things.”
Devin grabs Annie’s arm dramatically.
“You gon’ have to give me every single detail.”
Annie rolls her eyes. “I guess.”
“Don’t be like that, Annie.”
“Whatever.”
Still laughing, they stop in front of Annie’s locker.
She spins the combination and pulls the metal door open.
The moment it swings wide…
A folded piece of paper flutters to the floor. Annie’s smile disappears. Her stomach twists.
Devin looks down. “Oh hell…”
She already knows. “Don’t tell me Ryan wrote you another damn letter.”
Annie bends down and picks it up.
She doesn’t even have to unfold it.
She recognizes the handwriting immediately.
She sighs. “Yeah, girl.”
Devin throws her head back. “Oh my God. He is not giving up. I wish he would.”
“So do I.”
Annie stuffs the letter into her purse without opening it.
She slams her locker shut. “Come on.”
The two continue walking toward class.
By lunchtime, the cafeteria is buzzing.
Music leaks from somebody’s headphones.
A group of boys is arguing over basketball while someone nearby laughs so hard they nearly choke on their fries.
Annie sits down with Rhonda, Ebony, and Devin.
She hasn’t even opened her milk before Devin speaks. “So…”
Annie sighs. “What?”
“What’s the letter say?”
Ebony looks up. “What letter?”
Rhonda glances between them.
“From Smoke?”
Devin shakes her head. “Nah. Ryan’s weird ass.”
Rhonda immediately sucks her teeth.
“Oh, hell no.”
Ebony leans forward. “What’d he say?”
Annie shrugs. “I don’t know. I ain’t read it.”
Ebony blinks. “What? Why not?”
“Because I don’t care.”
Devin laughs. “Where the letter at? We reading it right now.”
Skip all the formalities. What’s this shit I hear about you being at the skating rink with another dude? They said you was kissing him and everything. What the fuck is that? Ain’t no way you moved on that quick. That means he been around this whole time.
I ain’t dumb, and yet you mad at me about Dana while you was cheating the whole time? You a hypocrite.
Who he is, Ann? I wanna know.
It’s funny how all of a sudden you can get out the house for him but couldn’t make time for me.
What school the nigga go to?
When I find out who he is, it’s like that for him. We scrapping, and you better not get in the way.
—Ryan
Devin slowly folds the letter.
The table is quiet for exactly three seconds.
Then— “I know his light-skinned ass was red as hell while writing this.”
The whole table busts into laughter.
Rhonda wipes tears from the corners of her eyes. “He’s crazy”
Devin shakes her head. “He probably pressed so hard the pen almost ripped through the paper.”
More laughter.
Rhonda catches her breath.”Ryan really think he tough.”
Devin snorts. “He fake tough. He ain’t fighting shit.”
Rhonda grins. “Especially not Smoke.” She laughs. “He talmbout, ‘What school the nigga go to? If only he knew.”
The girls laugh all over again.
Annie shakes her head. “I swear…”
Once everyone settles down, Devin looks at Annie. “So how you feel?”
Annie sighs. “Honestly…” She shrugs. “I’m just annoyed. Why are people even telling him my business?”
As she says it, Ebony looks down at her tray. She suddenly becomes very interested in her fries. Guilt flashes across her face. Rhonda notices. She doesn’t say anything… But she definitely notices.
Ebony clears her throat. “So…You gonna write him back?”
Annie looks at her like she’s lost her mind “Hell no.”
“Why not?” Ebony asks. “He still fighting for you.”
Before Annie can answer, Rhonda jumps in. “I thought we already discussed this shit, Ebony.” She points across the table. “Annie got a real man now. He older. He make his own money. He got his own car. And he fine as hell.” She laughs. “No offense, Annie…But Ryan can’t compete with that.”
Ebony clicks her tongue. “I guess.”
Annie finally looks directly at her. Her expression hardens. “I’m gonna be honest. I don’t give a damn what you think or say about Ryan anymore. I’m done.” The words come out calm…But firm.
Ebony slowly raises her hands. “Okay, girl.”
The conversation moves on.
But Rhonda quietly studies Ebony from across the table.
Something about the way she’d defended Ryan…Again…Didn’t sit right with her.
A little while later…
The final bell rings.
Lockers slam shut all around the hallway as students flood toward the exits, laughing, talking, making plans.
Annie weaves through the crowd toward her locker. She’s already thinking about work. She still has to hurry home, change clothes, and make it to Red Lobster on time.
As she gets closer, something catches her eye. She slows. Then stops completely. Her stomach drops. Spray painted across the front of her locker in thick black letters is one word.
HOE
For a second…She can’t move.
She just stares.
Her throat tightens as she swallows hard.
“No…” She whispers.
Her eyes dart up and down the hallway. Students continue walking by. Nobody says anything. A few glance over. Some look away quickly. Others stare a little longer than they should.
Heat rushes into Annie’s face.
She already knows who did it—Ryan.
Who else would? Her jaw clenches.
Anger surges through her so fast it almost takes her breath away.
Are you serious?
She balls her hands into fists.
Part of her wants to march straight through the school and find him.
She wants to cuss him out.
Demand to know what gives him the right to humiliate her like this.
But she doesn’t have time. She has to be at work.
Instead, she steps closer to the locker.
Maybe… she can wipe it off.
She rubs at the paint with the sleeve of her jacket. Nothing.
She tries harder. The black paint only smears a little. It isn’t coming off.
Her heart sinks. “No… no…”
Students continue passing.
One boy nudges his friend and quietly points.
A couple of girls whisper to each other as they walk by.
Annie lowers her head. Her cheeks burn. Tears sting her eyes before she can stop them.
Not because she believes the word.
But because everyone else can see it.
Because now people are looking.
Wondering. Talking.
She blinks rapidly, refusing to let the tears fall.
“Don’t cry.”
“Don’t give anybody the satisfaction.”
She takes a shaky breath. Her mind races. Maybe the janitor can clean it tomorrow… No. Tomorrow is too late.
She can’t leave it there overnight.
She can’t come back in the morning and let the whole school see it.
That means…She’s going to be late for work.
The thought only frustrates her more.
Ryan didn’t just vandalize her locker.
He stole her time. Embarrassed her.
Made her day harder.
All because she refused to take him back. Annie closes her eyes for a second and exhales slowly.
Then squares her shoulders.
There’s only one thing she can do.
She turns away from the locker and starts walking toward the principal’s office. Her footsteps are quick.
Determined.
But each one feels heavier than the last.
Behind her…The word is still there.
Waiting. Mocking her.
And all Annie can think is…
Why won’t he just leave me alone?
🦞🦀🦞🦀🦞🦀🦞🦀🦞🦀🦞🦀🦞🦀
It’s 4:00 p.m., and the dinner prep is in full swing at Red Lobster.
The kitchen hums with controlled chaos. Oil crackles in the fryers.
Steaks hiss as they hit the grill.
Someone calls out for more biscuits while another cook slides a rack of shrimp into the broiler.
Smoke works the line like he always does. Quick. Precise. Focused.
Or at least…He’s trying to be.
Every few minutes, his eyes drift toward the swinging kitchen doors.
Each time they push open, he instinctively looks up.
Every time…It’s somebody else.
A server. A busser. A manager.
Not Annie.
He checks the clock mounted above the ticket machine. 4:00.
His brow furrows.
She was supposed to be here at three.
Annie wasn’t the type to be late.
If anything, she usually showed up early.
He plates another order, but his mind isn’t on the food.mWhere the hell is she?
His thoughts start running.
Did I keep her up too late on the phone?
He immediately dismisses it.
Nah…They hadn’t even talked that long.
Maybe she didn’t go to school today.
Or maybe…Something happened.
That thought settles in his chest like a brick.
Without realizing it, he reaches into his pocket where his cell phone rests.
For a brief second…He thinks about calling her. Just one quick call.
Just to make sure she’s alright.
His thumb brushes the phone.
Then he stops himself.
Man… what are you doing?
He shakes his head. That’d be doing too much. They’d just started talking.
He had no right to be checking on her whereabouts. Still…The feeling wouldn’t leave. He couldn’t explain it.
He’d never found himself worrying over a woman like this before.
Especially one he’d only known for a little while.
He grabs another plate and slides vegetables into place.
The kitchen doors swing open again.
His eyes lift automatically.
This time…It’s her.
Relief washes over him so fast he almost laughs. There you are.
A smile starts to tug at the corner of his mouth.
Then…He really looks at her.
The smile disappears.
Something’s wrong. Very wrong.
She isn’t smiling.
She isn’t bouncing through the kitchen with that quiet little energy she always carries.
Her shoulders are slumped.
Her eyes stay fixed on the floor.
She doesn’t greet anyone.
Doesn’t glance toward the line.
Doesn’t even look his way.
She quietly hangs her jacket on the hook. Grabs her server book.
Then heads straight back onto the floor.
Smoke watches her until the kitchen doors close again.
His chest burns. She hadn’t even looked at him.
His mind immediately starts replaying the night before.
Did I say something wrong?
Did I move too fast?
Did I scare her off?
They’d left each other smiling.
Everything had been good.
So…What happened between last night and today?
Before he can talk himself out of it, Smoke wipes his hands on a towel and steps away from the line.
One of the cooks looks over.
“Where you goin’?”
“I’ll be back.”
Smoke pushes through the kitchen doors into the dining room.
He scans the restaurant.
Near the front entrance, he spots Annie.
She’s standing with her back to him, talking to Michelle.
Smoke slows his steps.
He isn’t trying to eavesdrop.
But Annie’s voice carries.
“…I’m so sorry I’m late.”
She sounds tired. “I had something bad happen at school, and I had to stay and take care of it.”
Smoke’s shoulders loosen just a little.
At least…It wasn’t because of him.
Michelle’s expression softens.
“It’s okay, Annie. Bryan already told me what happened. I’m so sorry that happened to you.”
Smoke’s ears perk up immediately.
His jaw tightens.
Something happened?
Michelle continues.
“You’re never late, so you’re good.”
Annie nods. “Thank you so much, Michelle.”
Michelle hesitates before asking,
“Do you know who did it?”
Annie lets out a quiet breath.
“Yeah. I do. I reported it to the principal.”
Michelle nods firmly. “Good.I hope whoever did it gets exactly the punishment they deserve.”
Smoke’s stomach knots.
So somebody really did hurt her.
His hands slowly curl into fists at his sides.
He doesn’t know what happened.
He doesn’t know who did it.
But just hearing that someone had done something to make Annie walk in looking that defeated…It makes something hot settle in his chest.
He turns without saying a word and heads back toward the kitchen.
The sizzling grills and shouted ticket times fade into the background.
His mind is somewhere else now.
Whoever did this…
His jaw flexes.
I need to find out what happened.
Because one thing is becoming painfully clear to him—When it came to Annie… He was already more protective than he probably had any business being.
A little while later, Annie pushes through the kitchen doors to pick up another order.
The kitchen is still loud.
The fryers hiss.
The grill crackles.
Cooks call out ticket times over one another while servers weave in and out of the narrow galley.
Normally, Annie would be smiling.
Tonight…She’s quiet.
She steps up to the window and waits for her food.
Smoke looks up from the line.
His eyes immediately find her.
She looks exhausted.
The brightness she usually carries is gone. Even her shoulders seem heavier.
He gives her a small nod.
Annie notices and quietly nods back.
No smile. No shy giggle.
No blushing before looking away.
Just…A nod.
Smoke’s chest tightens.
He catches her eyes for only a second, but that’s all he needs.
The hurt is still there.
Those big, pretty doe eyes that usually sparkled looked dull tonight.
He hates seeing them like that.
For a split second, he thinks about saying something. You alright?
What happened? Who did it?
Anything. But the words never leave his mouth.
The kitchen isn’t the place. They’re both working. People are everywhere.
So instead…He slides her plate through the window.
She quietly mouths, “Thank you.”
Smoke nods once. “You welcome.”
She picks up the plate and disappears back onto the floor.
His eyes follow the swinging kitchen doors long after she’s gone.
The rest of the night feels different.
Every now and then, Annie comes back into the kitchen.
Every now and then…Their eyes meet.
Just like always.
Only tonight…She never smiles.
She doesn’t laugh with Megan.
She doesn’t tease anybody.
She simply does her job.
Smoke notices every bit of it.
Each glance worries him a little more.
Whatever happened at school…It really got to her.
And not knowing what it was…
Is starting to bother him.
Closing time finally arrives.
The restaurant slowly empties.
Servers finish their side work while the kitchen begins breaking everything down.
Smoke is still in the back, scrubbing down the line.
The smell of bleach mixes with grilled seafood and grease as everyone gets ready to head home.
Out in the dining room, Annie quietly unties her apron.
Megan notices the expression on her face. “Girl…” She gently takes the silverware bucket from Annie.
“I’ll roll these.”
Annie looks surprised. “You sure?”
“Mhmm. You’ve helped me enough.”
She smiles warmly. “I got you tonight.”
Annie’s shoulders finally relax a little.
“Thank you.”
“Go home and get some rest.”
Annie smiles—a tiny one this time.
“Thanks, Megan.”
The two had become friends over the last few weeks.
Always helping each other when one needed it.
Tonight…Annie was the one who needed it.
She grabs her things and quietly leaves for the night.
About twenty minutes later…
Smoke finishes cleaning his station.
He washes his hands. Grabs his keys.
Then walks out into the dining room.
Almost instinctively…His eyes start searching. Near the hostess stand.
Nothing. Near the computers.
Nothing. The front windows.
Megan notices immediately.
A grin spreads across her face.
“Looking for Annie?”
Smoke slowly looks over at her.
He doesn’t answer. Doesn’t deny it either.
Megan laughs. “She already left.”
She gestures toward the bucket beside her. “I’m rolling her silverware.”
Smoke glances down at the bucket.
His stomach flutters. He’d missed her.
He didn’t even get to tell her goodnight.
Didn’t get to ask if she was okay.
Didn’t even get one of those quiet little smiles she always gave him before leaving.
He nods once. “Aight.”
Then he turns and heads for the door.
The drive home is quieter than usual.
The radio is on…But Smoke isn’t listening.
Streetlights blur past his windshield as he drives through the City.
His hands rest loosely on the steering wheel.
His mind…Is somewhere else.
All he can see is Annie’s face.
The way she’d walked into work.
Head down. Eyes tired. Not herself.
He thinks about what Annie said.
“Something bad happened at school.”
Then… “Do you know who did it?”
Somebody hurt her.
He just doesn’t know how.
Or why.
His jaw tightens. He wishes he’d asked. Wishes he’d found a moment to pull her aside.
Even if it was just for thirty seconds.
Instead…He let her go home carrying whatever was weighing on her.
Smoke sighs. “This shit ain’t sittin’ right wit me.” He mumbles
He drums his fingers against the steering wheel.
Normally he’d tell himself to mind his business. Normally he’d wait until tomorrow.
Normally…He wouldn’t be this worried about somebody he’d only known a short time.
But Annie wasn’t “normally.”
She’d become the first person he looked for when he walked into work.
The first person he noticed when she smiled. The first person he thought about when he woke up .
And apparently…The first person whose sadness followed him home.
By the time he pulls into his driveway…
He’s already made up his mind.
He cuts the engine.
Sits there for a second.
Then reaches for his phone.
He glances at the clock.
It’s late. Too late by most people’s standards.
He doesn’t care. If she’s asleep…She won’t answer.
If she’s awake…He wants to hear her voice.
He wants to know she’s alright.
He wants to know what happened.
Smoke finds Annie’s name.
His thumb hovers over the call button for only a second. Then he presses it.
He isn’t calling because he’s nosy.
He isn’t calling because he’s trying to be controlling.
He’s calling because all night…
He couldn’t shake the feeling that the girl who always made everyone else’s day a little brighter…
Needed somebody to check on hers…
Annie is lying across her bed in an oversized T-shirt, the see through corded house phone tucked between her shoulder and ear.
She’s on three way with Rhonda and Devin.
The bedroom is dark except for the glow of her bedside lamp. Every now and then, she absentmindedly traces circles on her comforter as they talk.
Rhonda lets out a long sigh.
“I’m sorry he did that shit, Annie.”
Devin clicks her tongue. “Yeah, that’s messed up.” She pauses before adding, “He a hoe for that. The nigga literally wrote exactly what he is on your locker.”
That earns a small laugh from Annie.
She shakes her head. “Ugh… I don’t even know what I was thinking ever being in a relationship with him.”
“Girl,” Rhonda says, “we live and learn. He just bitter. He so used to girls kissing his ass that he can’t handle somebody finally telling him no.”
Devin jumps in. “And you actually moved on.”
She laughs. “Meanwhile Dana’s desperate ass still over there with him…”
“…even though she got all them letters he been writing you.”
Annie sighs. “I know.”
She rolls onto her back and stares at the ceiling. “I just don’t know who he thinks I am.”
Devin sucks her teeth “He really thought spray-painting your locker was gon’ make you come back.”
Rhonda scoffs. “That shit don’t even make sense.”
Devin’s voice softens.
“So… what’d the principal say?”
Before Annie can answer—
Her cell phone lights up on the nightstand.
It begins to ring. Annie glances over.
Then her eyes go wide.
She sits straight up in bed. “Oh my God.”
“What?” Rhonda asks.
Annie grabs the phone. “It’s Smoke.”
Both girls squeal at the same time.
“Answer it!” Rhonda blurts out.
“Girl, hurry!” Devin says.
Annie laughs nervously. “My heart beating so fast.”
“Quit talking to us!” Rhonda laughs.
“Go answer the phone!”
“We’ll see you tomorrow,” Devin says.
Annie smiles. “Okay. Bye, y’all.”
She quickly hangs up the house phone and reaches for her cell.
Her fingers fumble as she goes to answer
The ringing stops. She freezes.
The screen goes dark.
“…No.”
She stares at it for another second.
“He hung up.”
On the other side of the city…
Smoke sits quietly in his truck, his phone still in his hand.
He looks at the screen for a long moment before letting out a slow breath.
“Maybe she sleep.”
He leans his head back against the seat.
“I’ll try again tomorrow.”
Smoke climbs out of his truck and starts toward his apartment.
The night air is cool, carrying the distant hum of traffic and music from somebody’s car down the block. His phone rests loosely in his hand as he climbs the stairs.
Meanwhile, Annie sits on the edge of her bed, staring at her cell.
Her thumb hovers over the call button.
She debates it for a few seconds.
Maybe he really thought she was asleep.
Maybe he only called to say goodnight.
Maybe calling back would make her look too eager.
Then she thinks about how disappointed she felt when the ringing stopped.
Annie takes a breath and presses call before she can change her mind.
Smoke’s phone rings just as he slides his key into the lock.
He glances down at the glowing screen.
Annie.
A slow smirk pulls at his mouth.
She called back. So she wasn’t asleep.
Smoke answers as he steps inside and closes the door behind him.
“Sup, pretty eyes?”
Annie’s stomach flips. “Hello, Elijah.”
His heart skips at the sound of his real name leaving her mouth. Soft. Sweet.
Like she’s already claimed the right to use it.
“I’m glad you called me back,” he says, locking the door. “My bad for calling this late. I really just wanted to talk to you.”
“It’s okay. I was on the phone anyway.”
Smoke’s ears perk up. His mind immediately takes him somewhere it has no business going.
Who the hell was she talking to this late?
Another dude?
The thought irritates him before he can stop it.
He pushes it away just as quickly.
“Oh.” He walks toward his bedroom. “I ain’t mean to cut yo conversation short.”
“No, it’s okay. It was just my friends. I talk to them all day, every day. I’ll see them at school tomorrow anyway.”
The tension leaves Smoke’s shoulders.
He nods to himself as if she can see him.
“Aight.” He enters his bedroom, kicks off his shoes, and stretches across the bed. “So…”
He settles the phone against his ear.
“How are you?”
“I’m…okay.”
Smoke’s brow furrows. There she goes.
Trying to be brave.
Trying to make everything sound fine when it clearly isn’t.
“Annika?”
Annie’s stomach tightens at the sound of her full name coming from him again.
“Hm?”
“You not okay.” His voice softens. “And I can tell.”
Annie doesn’t respond.
Smoke stares at the ceiling. “I don’t wanna pressure you into telling me what’s wrong. But I want you to know I’m here to listen.”
His thumb brushes slowly against the side of the phone. “I’m not gon judge you. I want you to feel like you can open up to me, even though we just gettin’ to know each other.”
Annie closes her eyes.
The sincerity in his voice makes her chest ache.
Most men didn’t want to hear women’s problems. They wanted the fun parts.
The smiles. The flirting. Not the hurt.
Not the messy parts.
But Smoke sounds like he really wants to know.
Annie exhales slowly. “No…” She swallows. “I’m not okay.”
Smoke sits up against the headboard. “Okay.” His voice remains calm. “Now we gettin’ somewhere. Talk to me.”
Silence settles over the line.
Smoke can hear her breathing.
He senses the hesitation immediately.
“Tell me what happened.” He pauses.
“Did somebody do somethin’ to you?”
“Yeah…”Annie’s voice is quiet “Somebody did.”
Smoke’s jaw tightens. “Okay. Who?”
Annie stares at the pattern on her comforter. “You sure you wanna know?”
Smoke chuckles softly, but there’s no humor in it. “Hell yeah.” His voice drops lower. “I wanna know everything when it comes to you.”
Annie’s heart flutters. She decides to be honest.
If they were trying to build something, she needed to feel comfortable opening up to him.
She just hadn’t expected drama to find them this soon. “You remember when I wrote you that poem and said the last guy I was with hurt me?”
Smoke’s expression hardens. “Yeah.”
“Well…” Annie pulls her knees to her chest.
“It was him.”
Smoke runs a hand down his face.
“Aight.” He forces himself to stay calm.
“What he do to you?”
Annie swallows hard. “When we were together, he cheated on me.”
Smoke says nothing, letting her continue.
“He’s a football player, and she’s a cheerleader. They kissed at camp.” Her voice grows tighter. “So I broke up with him.”
“Good,” Smoke says quietly.
Annie pauses. “But ever since I ended it, he refuses to let me move on.”
Smoke’s brows pull together.
“Even though he’s with the girl he cheated on me with.”
Smoke cuts in. “When you say he refuses to let you move on, what you mean?” His tone sharpens. “What’s he doin’?”
“He used to call me back-to-back.”
Annie looks toward her bedroom door, lowering her voice even though it’s closed. “The house phone and my cell. But he knows I won’t answer anymore, so he started slipping letters into my locker, begging me to take him back.”
Smoke’s grip tightens around the phone.
“I wrote him back one time and told him to stop. I told him I was done.”
“And he ain’t listen.” It isn’t a question.
“No.” Annie sighs. “At the last football game I went to, he begged me again. I refused, and I gave his girlfriend all the letters he’d written me.”
Smoke’s mouth twitches slightly.
He likes that. She stood on her decision.
“He stopped writing after that, but…”
Her voice trails off.
Smoke feels his agitation beginning to rise. One thing he couldn’t stand was a man refusing to respect a woman’s choice.
“But what?” He keeps his voice steady for her. “You doin’ good. I’m listenin’” He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You can tell me. What else did he do?”
“So…” Annie hesitates. “Somebody saw us at Skateland.”
Smoke’s jaw flexes.
He already knows where this is headed. He’s dealing with his own version of the same bullshit.
“They knew him,” Annie continues, “and went back and told him I was skating with you and that we were kissing.”
Smoke’s eyes narrow.
“So he wrote me this rude ass letter.”
“What he say?”
“He called me a hypocrite. Said I must’ve been cheating on him with you the whole time we were together.”
Smoke shakes his head slowly.
“He said I was no better than him.”
“That don’t even make sense.”
“I know.”
Annie’s voice trembles with frustration. “Then he started asking who you were and what school you went to.”
Smoke almost laughs. “What school I go to?”
“Yeah.”
Despite everything, Annie lets out a tiny laugh. “He said when he finds out who you are, he’s gonna fight you.”
Smoke leans back against the headboard.
A quiet hum leaves his chest.
Not because it’s funny.
But because the idea of some high school football player putting fear in him is ridiculous.
Smoke had been fighting his entire life.
He’d had to. Growing up where he did, weakness made you a target. Everybody in his neighborhood knew better than to try him or Stack.
Still, he doesn’t brag. Doesn’t laugh.
He knows Annie is upset, and the last thing she needs is him making light of it.
“Hm.” He keeps his voice calm. “What else he say?”
“That was the end of the letter.”
Smoke goes silent for a moment. Then asks, “That all that happened?”
Annie doesn’t answer.
Smoke’s eyes narrow.
He recognizes the silence now.
She’s holding something back.
And he knows for a fact there’s more.
He heard what Annie and Michelle said earlier.
Whatever kept her at school wasn’t just some letter.
“Annie.”
She closes her eyes.
Smoke’s tone softens, but there’s firmness underneath it. “Come on, lil mama.” He lowers his voice. “Don’t hide nothing from me.”
Annie’s fingers tighten around the phone.
“Don’t give me half truths. I know something else happened.” He pauses, allowing the weight of his words to settle. “Spill it.”
Annie lets out a slow breath. “So…” She stares down at the comforter beneath her fingers. “When I went to my locker after school…”
Her voice grows quieter. “…somebody had spray painted hoe across it. Big black letters.”
Smoke goes completely still.
“I tried to wipe it off…” She swallows hard. “It wouldn’t come off.” A lump forms in her throat. “I know it was him.” She shakes her head even though he can’t see her. “I ain’t got no enemies.”
For a split second…Smoke doesn’t say anything. Then he sits upright so fast the mattress creaks beneath him. “He did what?”
His voice is low. Controlled.
But there’s an edge to it Annie hasn’t heard before.
“He… spray painted hoe on my locker.”
Smoke’s free hand curls into a fist so tight his knuckles damn near turn white.
A hot wave of anger rolls through him.
So that’s why she’d walked into work looking like the light had been taken out of her.
That’s why she hadn’t smiled.
Why she barely spoke.
His chest tightens.
She had every right to feel hurt.
Humiliated.
Some coward ass nigga had publicly tried to shame her because she wouldn’t take him back.
Smoke slowly exhales through his nose.
He’d never understood niggas who couldn’t accept rejection.
If a woman said she was done…She was done.
That was it. Harassing her. Following her. Trying to embarrass her.
That shit wasn’t love. That was ego.
And it made his blood boil.
His voice stays calm. Too calm. “What’s his name?”
Annie’s eyebrows knit together. “…Ryan.” A moment passes. .”Why?”
Smoke stares at the wall. “What he look like?”
Annie’s stomach drops.
Now she understands where his questions are headed.
She sits up. “No, Elijah.”
Her voice is gentle but firm. “I don’t want any problems.”
Smoke rubs his jaw. “Oh, there ain’t no problems.”
The way he says it doesn’t reassure her. If anything…It worries her more.
Silence stretches between them.
Finally Annie speaks again.
“…Are you mad?”
Smoke lets out a humorless chuckle. “Truthfully?” He pauses. Nah…”
His jaw flexes. “I’m pissed.”
Annie’s heart flutters. Not because he’s angry. Because she can hear it.
Not anger directed at her…Anger for her.
Nobody had ever sounded protective over her like that before.
She lowers her eyes. “I’m sorry.”
Smoke answers immediately.
“Nah.” His voice softens. “It ain’t you. Don’t apologize. You ain’t the one who did something wrong.”
Smoke leans forward. “Listen to me.” His tone is steady now. “What he did says everything about him and nothing about you. You hear me?”
Annie nods before realizing he can’t see her. “…Yeah.”
“No.” Smoke says gently. “I need to hear you say it.”
She smiles faintly despite herself. “…I hear you.”
“Good.”
Another quiet settles over the line.
This one feels different. Not awkward.
Comfortable.
Smoke finally speaks again. “I hate that you had to go through that.” His voice is sincere. “And I hate even more that you had to carry it around by yo self all day. I want you to know…” Smoke pauses, choosing his words carefully. “I’m proud of you.”
Annie’s heart skips. “Proud?”
“Yeah.” His voice is steady. “For standin’ yo’ ground. For not lettin’ nobody guilt you into goin’ back on yo’ word.” He lets out a slow sigh. “That shit ain’t easy.”
Silence hangs between them for a moment. Smoke continues. “You way too beautiful inside and out to let a nigga disrespect you or play wit’ you.” His jaw tightens just thinking about it. “You deserve the moon, the stars, and the damn earth, Annie. If a nigga dumb enough to cheat on you…” He shakes his head. “…then he never deserved you in the first place.”
Annie feels tears prick at the corners of her eyes. Nobody has ever talked to her like this before. Not her parents. Not Ryan. Not anyone. Smoke isn’t just telling her what she wants to hear. He actually sounds…Upset for her.
“You need a man that’s gon’ value you. A man whose actions match the shit that come out his mouth. Cause words don’t mean nothin’ if the actions don’t line up.” He exhales. “His actions already told you everything you needed to know. That nigga ain’t value what he had.” His voice softens. “How long was y’all together?”
Annie’s stomach twists. “Ten months.” She looks down at the blanket. “…Thank you, Elijah.” Her voice is barely above a whisper.
Smoke nods even though she can’t see him. “I don’t ever wanna see you look like you did today.” He pauses. .”I like seein’ you smile.” A small smile spreads across his own face. “And if I can be one of the reasons behind it…” He chuckles quietly. .”I’d like that even more.”
Annie closes her eyes.
There he goes again. Saying exactly what her heart needs to hear.
She doesn’t understand how someone she’s only known a short time can make her feel so… seen.
She smiles. “Thank you. I wanna make you smile too.”
Smoke lets out a low laugh. “Shit…You already do.”
That pulls a genuine giggle from Annie. “Especially now that I know you got dimples.”
Smoke laughs. “Oh yeah?”
She smiles wider. “Yeah. You just keep gettin’ finer.”
Smoke sucks his teeth dramatically. “Here you go. Blowin my head up.”
“Mhmm.” she says while laughing
He shakes his head, smiling to himself.“It’s nice hearin’ you laugh.”
“Is it?”
“Hell yeah.” His answer comes without hesitation. “I’ma keep you laughin’.”
Annie smiles so hard her cheeks begin to ache. “Good.” She lets out a small breath. “I need to laugh.”
“I agree.”
A comfortable silence settles between them.
Smoke breaks it. . “Annie.”
“Hmm?”
“Can you do me a favor?”
“Sure.”
“If he do anything else…” His tone becomes serious again. “I need you to tell me.”
Annie nods instinctively before remembering he can’t see her. “Yeah. I will.”
“You promise?”
“Yes.”
Smoke smiles. “Nah. I want you to say it.”
Annie laughs softly. “I promise.”
“Good. ‘Cause I’m only one call away”Smoke finally relaxes. “Well… It’s gettin’ late. I hope tomorrow go a lil better for you.”
“Me too.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He smiles. “Have a good night, Pretty Eyes.”
A warmth spreads through Annie’s chest. “You have a good night too. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Neither of them hangs up. The line stays quiet.
Neither one wants to be the first to end the conversation.
Eventually…Smoke smiles to himself and finally presses the button.
The line goes dead.
Smoke lays back on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
His apartment is quiet except for the hum of the box fan in the corner.
He replays everything Annie told him.
Ryan. The cheating. The disrespect.
The tears she’d been trying so hard to hide.
Smoke clenches his jaw.
He didn’t tell Annie…But he isn’t lettin’ this shit slide.
He doesn’t know who Ryan is.
But he’s gonna find out. One way or another.
And if that nigga think he can keep disrespecting Annie or playin’ games with her feelings… He got another thing comin’.
He should’ve known or at least expected some nigga still lurking around. She’s too beautiful not to.
Smoke closes his eyes. She deserves peace. Real peace.
And for some reason…He suddenly feels responsible for protecting it.
That thought catches him off guard.
He frowns at the ceiling.
Since when did he start thinkin’ like this?
He’s never been the type to get wrapped up in one woman.
Hell…He never wanted to.
Never committed to anyone.
No feelings. No attachment. No problem.
But Annie…She isn’t like anybody else he’s ever dealt with.
The thought of another man hurting her makes something ugly twist inside his chest.
And the thought of someone else making her smile…He doesn’t even like that.
Smoke lets out a quiet laugh at himself. “Damn…” He rubs a hand down his face. “What the hell she doin’ to me?”
For the first time in his life…
The idea of holding onto one woman doesn’t feel like a burden.
It feels like a possibility.
🌆🌆🌆🌆🌆🌆🌆🌆🌆🌆🌆🌆🌆🌆
The next day, Smoke is behind the wheel of his truck, headed to work.
The windows are cracked just enough to let the early fall air roll through as he cruises down the street.
His mind keeps drifting back to everything Annie told him the night before.
Ryan.
Smoke reaches for his Nokia and scrolls through his contacts.
He finds his cousin Nate’s number and hits call.
After a couple rings— “What’s poppin’?”
“Shit, mobbin’,” Smoke replies. “Aye…You know a nigga named Ryan that’s on the football team up at yo school?”
“Fasho. Everybody know that nigga. What’s good?”
Smoke’s grip tightens slightly on the steering wheel. “Shit… I got some static wit’ that nigga, and I need to handle that shit ASAP.”
“Damn. Y’all fonkin’?”
“Shit, hell yeah. I don’t even know that nigga…But it seem like he want it wit’ me. And you know me… I ain’t hidin’. I’m gon’ give him what he lookin’ for.”
Nate lets out a low chuckle. “Shit, I hear that. What you need?”
“I need you to point that nigga out to me.” Smoke glances in the rearview mirror before changing lanes. “I’m gon’ pop up in a few days when y’all get out. We gon’ post up… And you gon’ show me who he is.”
“Say no more. I got you.”
“Bet.”
“One.”
“One.”
The call ends.
Smoke tosses the phone onto the passenger seat and keeps driving.
His jaw stays set. He isn’t looking for trouble.
But if Ryan insists on bringing trouble to Annie…Smoke plans on making sure that shit ends.
♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️
It’s 2:50 p.m., and the kitchen is already coming alive.
The grills hiss as fresh burgers hit the flat top, grease popping against the hot steel. The smell of onions, garlic butter, and seasoning hangs thick in the air while tickets steadily begin feeding through the printer.
Smoke is setting up his station for the dinner rush.
A battered silver boombox sits on the prep table, blasting a G-Unit CD loud enough for the entire kitchen to hear.
“Wanna Get to Know You” fades out as Brandon stands beside him chopping tomatoes, rapping every word like he’s in the studio recording it.
Smoke just shakes his head with a grin while seasoning steaks.
Brandon glances over. “So…”
Smoke doesn’t look up. “So what?”
Brandon smirks. “What’s up wit you and Annie?”
Smoke’s hand pauses for the smallest second. “What?”
Brandon laughs. “Nigga, you heard me.”
He points the knife at Smoke.
“Don’t think we don’t be noticin’ yo’ ass back here.”
Smoke fights the smile trying to spread across his face.
He focuses on arranging chicken breasts on the grill instead. “Nothin’, nigga.” He waves him off. “Damn. Maybe if y’all stop watchin’ me and cook, we can get this food out faster.”
Jesse, working the fryers, laughs without even looking up.
Brandon sucks his teeth.
“Nigga, I’m fast.” He points at everybody. “Y’all can’t keep up.”
Smoke snorts. “Yeah aight.”
Just then…The back door swings open.
Smoke doesn’t even realize he’s looking until he’s already looking. Annie.
She steps inside wearing her server uniform, carrying her apron over one shoulder.
She hangs her jacket on the hook near the office before turning toward the line.
Her eyes immediately find Smoke.
Neither of them smiles right away.
She simply mouths…”Hello.”
Smoke can’t help the grin that spreads across his face.
He mouths back…”What’s up?”
She smiles to herself before disappearing into the dining room.
Brandon catches every bit of it. “Ohhh…”
Smoke ignores him. He keeps thinking about the way she just smiled at him.
About twenty minutes later…
Annie walks back into the kitchen to pick up one of her tables’ orders.
She waits patiently at the service line while Smoke works through the tickets.
Right then, the music changes.
The opening beat of G-Unit’s “Smile” fills the kitchen.
Smoke unconsciously starts nodding his head while calling out orders.
🎵 I wanna be the reason you smile…🎵
Brandon notices the timing and starts laughing under his breath.
Smoke ignores him.
Annie glances up. Their eyes meet.
Everything around them seems to quiet for just a second.
The printer still spits out tickets.
The fryer timer still beeps.
Servers still weave in and out of the kitchen.
But neither of them notices.
🎵 After you wipe away your tears and dry your eyes… 🎵
The lyrics hit differently after their conversation the night before.
Smoke finds himself wondering if she’s doing a little better today.
Annie smiles first.
Not the shy little smile she usually gives him. A real one. Warm.
Without thinking, Smoke smiles back.
His golds catch the fluorescent lights overhead.
🎵 Whenever I’m not around and you feelin’ down…Let the thought of me be… the reason you smile… 🎵
Annie’s stomach squeezes.
🎵 I don't wanna see you frown, like them kids watch a clown
I wanna bring you joy and be (be the reason you smile)
Baby, you know my style, you know how I get down
I provide by any means to be (be the reason you smile)🎵
Lord…Why he gotta smile like that?
Brandon looks between the two of them before letting out an exaggerated, “Mhmmm.”
The whole line hears him.
Smoke cuts his eyes sideways.
Brandon just keeps laughing.
Smoke shakes his head and goes back to plating Annie’s order.
He slides the finished plate through the service window…But doesn’t let go.
Annie reaches for it.
The second her fingers touch the edge…Smoke slowly slides it back toward himself.
A teasing grin spreads across his face.
Annie looks up at him.
Then she starts laughing. “What?”
Smoke leans against the line. “Say please.”
Annie blinks. “What?”
“You heard me.” He shrugs. “Say it. Or I ain’t givin’ it to you.”
Annie clicks her tongue, trying to look annoyed. It doesn’t work.
Her smile is way too big.
She lets out an exaggerated sigh.
“Pleeease…” She pauses just long enough to make him wait. “…Elijah.”
The second his real name leaves her mouth… Smoke’s chest tightens.
Damn. He likes hearing her say it way more than he should.
Trying not to smile too hard, he finally slides the plate back toward her.
Annie grabs it. She turns to leave.
Smoke calls after her. “No thank you?”
She glances back over her shoulder with that same mischievous grin.
“Uh-uh.” Then she walks away laughing.
Smoke watches her disappear through the swinging doors.
He shakes his head, chuckling quietly to himself.
Brandon immediately starts clowning.
“Ohhh…” He points toward the dining room. “So she can call you Elijah now?”
Jesse busts out laughing. “So that’s what we doin’?”
The entire line joins in.
Smoke just keeps smiling to himself while wiping down the counter. “Y’all worry ’bout these damn tickets.”
Brandon laughs even harder. “Nigga…You ain’t deny it.”
Smoke doesn’t answer.
He simply looks toward the swinging doors one more time, hoping Annie comes back through.
Standing a few feet away, Megan quietly watches the entire exchange while stocking salads.
She notices the smiles. The teasing.
The way Smoke’s whole demeanor changes whenever Annie walks into the kitchen.
A small smile tugs at her lips.
Well… That explains a lot.
Without saying a word, she grabs another tray and heads back to work, deciding she’d rather watch this play out than ask any questions.
🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃
Later that night, Smoke is stretched across his bed with one arm behind his head.
He stares at the ceiling for a minute before reaching over to the nightstand.
His hand wraps around the cordless house phone.
Without thinking, he dials Annie’s number. It’s crazy.
He’s only called it a few times
And somehow he already knows every digit by heart.
♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️
Across town, Annie has just stepped out of the shower.
The scent of cocoa butter fills her room as she towels off her damp curls.
She walks into her room and her cell phone rings on the bed.
She frowns. She doesn’t recognize the number. Her stomach knots. Ryan?
Surely…He ain’t that crazy.
She hesitates before finally answering. “Hello?” A pause. “Who is this?”
Smoke chuckles. “It’s me, Pretty Eyes.”
Annie’s eyebrows lift. “Oh.”
Smoke grins. “My bad. This my house phone. Save it in yo phone too.”
She smiles. “I will.”
“So…” Smoke settles deeper into his pillow. “What you doin’?”
“Just got out the shower.”
Smoke swallows. His mind immediately paints a picture he has no business picturing.
He clears his throat. “I see. So…Was yo day better today?”
Annie smiles. “Yeah… for the most part. How was yours?”
“Shit… My day was good.” He pauses.
“Especially ’cause I got to see you.”
Heat rushes into Annie’s cheeks.
“Elijah…” She laughs softly. “Stop playin’ with me.”
Smoke smiles to himself. “I’m not playin’.”
She bites her lip. “Do you talk to every girl like this?”
Smoke’s smile fades. “Nah. I don’t.”
Annie clicks her tongue. “Whatever, Elijah. I don’t believe that.”
Smoke lets out a quiet grunt. “One thing about me…I don’t lie. So when I say somethin’…I mean it.”
Annie hums softly.
But she doesn’t answer.
Smoke already knows why. “You don’t believe me… Do you?”
Annie sighs. “I don’t know. You seem too good to be true.”
Smoke smiles. “I’ll take that. But the same can be said about you.”
Annie shakes her head. “Nah. I don’t think so.”
His voice grows more serious. “Annika.”
“Hmm?”
“Stop doin’ that.”.
“Stop doin’ what?”
“Downplayin’ yo self. You say all these good things about everybody else..But when it come to you…You act like you don’t deserve none of it.”
His words catch Annie off guard.
She isn’t used to someone paying attention to the way she talks about herself. “Okay…”
She smiles. “But can I ask you somethin’?”
“Anything.”
She hesitates. “Why do you say all these nice things to me…And nobody else?”
Smoke is quiet for a moment.
Long enough to really think about it.
“The truth is…I don’t know.” He laughs softly. “It’s just… Somethin’ about you… You make me want to. I’m really just sayin’ how I feel.” He smiles. “I get happy when I talk to you…When I see you.”
Annie can’t stop smiling.
That answer feels…Real.
“I got another question.”
Smoke laughs. “I see you full of ’em today.”
She giggles. “I don’t have any girls I need to worry about… Right? No recent ex-girlfriends?”
Smoke grows thoughtful.
He knows this answer matters.
“No. I ain’t got no ex-girlfriends. I ain’t really done relationships as a grown man. I didn’t do ’em in high school neither.” He exhales. “Now… Do I mess around? The truth is…Yeah. I ain’t tied down to nobody. And I haven’t been.”
The smile slowly fades from Annie’s face.
Part of her is relieved. Another part…
Feels uneasy.
“Why haven’t you done a relationship? You a player or somethin’?”
Smoke laughs. A genuine laugh. “Nah. A playa lies. I don’t.” He shrugs. “Relationships just ain’t been my focus. I got dreams I’m chasin’. I got work. I got hustles. I always told women exactly what it was.”
Annie goes quiet. “…Oh.”
That’s it. Just… “Oh.”
Smoke immediately notices.
The warmth that had been in her voice moments ago…Is gone.
His stomach sinks.
Damn. I scared her.
“That’s it? No more questions?”
“No.”
He smiles to himself. “Don’t lie to me. If there’s somethin’ you wanna know…Ask.”
“I…”She stops herself.
Smoke closes his eyes.
He already knows. “You scared I just want one thing from you…Ain’t you?”
Silence.
Annie swallows. “…Yeah Smoke”
She notices she called him Smoke instead of Elijah. She hadn’t even realized it.
Smoke notices too.
And the distance in it makes something tighten in his chest.
Annie finally lets everything out.
“Growing up…My dad always told me a lotta men play games. They only want one thing.” She sighs. “Fine niggas like you… They always got a lotta women. That’s what I was afraid of. I don’t wanna be in the mix. I’m not that type of girl.”
Smoke shakes his head. “I know you ain’t.” His voice is gentle. “The only thing I want from you… Is to get to know you. I wanna see where this goes. You got my attention. Ain’t nobody else got it.” He pauses. “Right now…My life consist of work…Hustlin’… Chasin’ a dream and when I get done wit all that…” He smirks. “I come home… And call you.”
Annie feels her chest loosen.
“I hope me bein’ honest ain’t scare you. I just wanted to answer yo questions truthfully.”
A slow smile returns to Annie’s face. “Okay.”
“You good?”
“Yeah.” She laughs softly. “I’m good.”
Smoke finally exhales. “Good. ‘Cause I would’ve hated to mess this up.”
Annie’s heart melts a little. “You didn’t.”
He smiles. “Now…My turn.”
She giggles dramatically. “Oh Lord. What you wanna know?”
“Yo parents still together?”
“Mhmm.”
“How many siblings you got?”
“I got six.”
Smoke’s eyebrows shoot up. “Six?”
She laughs. “Yep.”
“Who the oldest?”
“Me.”
“Damn, Shorty. So you basically helpin’ raise all them.”
She laughs. “Unfortunately. I love ’em…But they bad as hell. What about you?”
“I got one brother.”
“Oh.”
Just then—Knock. Knock. “Hold on.”
She lays the phone on the bed.
Smoke listens without even pretending not to.
He hears Annie greet her mother.
Then hears every word about helping with her little sister’s hair. Helping her dad.
Her mom leaving for two weeks.
Helping Edward with the younger kids.
By the time the bedroom door closes again…
Smoke understands.
No wonder she always seems tired.
No wonder she carries herself the way she does. She’s been carrying everybody else for a long time.
Annie picks the phone back up. “Hello?”
“Yeah. I’m still here.”
She laughs. “You was eavesdroppin’?”
“Damn right.”
Annie busts into laughter. She covers her mouth. “Elijah…You a mess.”
“I know.” He grins. “You do a lot, huh?”
She sighs. “Yeah. I do. But enough about me.” She smiles. “Did Tobias ask you about the And1 game next weekend?”
“He did. We already got our tickets.”
His eyebrows lift. “What? You goin’ too?”
“Of course. I’ve been the last two years.”
Smoke laughs. “Damn. Me too. I’m surprised I ain’t never seen you.”
“I know, right?”
He smiles. “Well…I hope I see you this time.”
Annie grins. “You will.”
Smoke’s heart skips. “Oh yeah?”
“Mhmm.” She smiles to herself. “Just don’t be starin’ at me the whole time.”
Smoke laughs. “Shit… I ain’t makin’ no promises.”
Annie shakes her head, smiling. “I knew you was gon’ say that. And I already know you gon’ catch me lookin’ at you too.” She goes quiet for a second. “…Maybe.”
Smoke grins. “I’ll take a maybe.”
Another comfortable silence settles between them. Neither of them rushes to fill it.
Neither of them wants to hang up.
Smoke smiles into the receiver. “Guess I’ma have to give you another reason to smile tomorrow.”
Annie bites her lip. “I guess we’ll see.”
“You will.”
His confidence makes her laugh again.
“There go that laugh.” Smoke says softly. “Told you I was gon’ keep you laughin’.”
Annie smiles into the phone. “Good night, Elijah.”
His chest warms. “Good night, Pretty Eyes.”
This time…Neither of them hangs up right away. They simply stay on the line…
Smiling…
Listening to each other’s breathing…
Until one of them finally finds the strength to hang up.
🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇
It’s Wednesday evening of the following week
Smoke pulls into the parking lot at Hickman Mills just as football practice is letting out.
The sun hangs low in the sky, casting long shadows across the pavement.
Players spill out of the field house laughing, helmets tucked beneath their arms, shoulder pads still strapped on.
Smoke leans against the side of his truck with his arms folded across his chest.
His cousin had pointed Ryan out on Monday.
So today…There wouldn’t be any guessing.
A few minutes later, Ryan walks out in his practice uniform with Dana beside him.
Smoke pushes himself off the truck.
His expression never changes.
He walks straight toward them.
Ryan notices him first.
His conversation trails off.
Smoke sizes him up from head to toe.
Light-skinned. Lanky build. Fresh fade.
Handsome. He doesn’t look intimidating.
Dana’s eyes drift over Smoke for a second longer than she intends. He’s easily one of the finest men she’s ever seen.
Smoke stops a few feet away. “Aye…You Ryan?”
Ryan looks confused. “…Yeah. Why?”
Smoke nods once. “I heard you was lookin’ for me.”
Ryan frowns. “I don’t even know you.”
“You right. You don’t.” Smoke’s eyes harden. “But I heard you wanted to fight the nigga that kissed Annie.” He points to himself. “That’s me. Smoke” A moment passes. “So… What’s up? I’m here.”
Ryan blinks. His eyes flick toward Dana before landing back on Smoke.
Dana folds her arms. “What the hell he talkin’ about?”
Ryan shakes his head a little too quickly.
“I don’t know.”
Smoke lets out a humorless laugh. “Nah. You know exactly what I’m talkin’ about. You wrote Annie that disrespectful ass letter. Cryin’ like a bitch ‘cause you finally realized she wasn’t comin’ back. And at the end of it…You said you wanted to fight me.”Smoke shrugs. “So I figured I’d save you the trouble of wonderin’ where to find me. I’m here to see if you really about what you said in that letter. Nigga you know we from the show me state. I don’t play around wit threats. I really will take it how far you wanna go.”
Ryan’s face tightens. “She lyin’.”
Smoke stares at him.
Expressionless. “Oh…So now she lyin’.” He tilts his head. “So you ain’t spray paint ‘hoe’ on her locker either?”
Ryan’s eyes dart away for the briefest second.
Dana notices. Her eyebrows knit together. “Wait…That was you?”
Ryan looks at her immediately. “Nah. It wasn’t me.”
Dana doesn’t look convinced.
Smoke shakes his head slowly. “I figured this was how it was gon’ go. I knew you was gon’ bitch up.” He steps a little closer. Not aggressively. Just enough that Ryan has to look at him. “You real loud when it’s a woman. But when it’s time to stand on what you said…when it comes to a man, you real quiet.”
He lets the sentence hang.
Ryan swallows.
Smoke steps directly into his face.
Damn near nose to nose.
Smoke’s voice stays calm. Almost too calm.“Listen to me. Leave Annie the fuck alone. No more letters. No more calls. No more embarrassin’ her. No more games. She’s made it clear she’s done…if she tells me you’ve done any of the sort…Then I’m makin’ a trip back up here and we gon’ make them words you put in that letter come to fruition my nigga.”
Ryan doesn’t answer. He can’t.
The confidence he’d carried walking out of practice is completely gone.
He never expected the guy Annie kissed to actually show up.
Much less stand in front of him this calmly.
Or make it this clear that Annie wasn’t dealing with everything by herself anymore.
Smoke holds his gaze for another long moment.
He sees nothing but fear in his eyes.
Ryan can’t meet his eyes for more than a second before looking away.
Smoke gives a small shake of his head.
“That’s what I thought.”
He turns and walks back toward his truck without another word.
Dana watches him leave before slowly looking back at Ryan.
Disappointment is written all over her face.
Ryan remains rooted to the pavement.
His heart still racing.
For the first time…It really sinks in.
Annie had really moved on.
And whoever “Smoke” was…
He wasn’t a man Ryan was eager to cross again.
✏️📚✏️📚✏️📚✏️📚✏️📚✏️📚✏️📚✏️📚
The next day after school, Annie is in the newspaper room with Ebony, putting the finishing touches on an article before the next edition goes to print.
The room is quiet except for the tapping of keyboards and the hum of the computers.
Annie rereads her last paragraph, making a few edits before saving her work.
Ebony suddenly leans over. “Girl…Guess what?”
Annie glances up from the screen. “What?”
Ebony grins. “I heard yo’ nigga Smoke came up here yesterday and checked the fuck outta Ryan.”
Annie’s fingers freeze on the keyboard.
Her stomach drops. “What?”
“Mhmm.” Ebony nods enthusiastically.
“Girl, had that nigga shook.”
Annie blinks a few times, trying to process what she just heard. “How you find this out?”
“Shit,” Ebony says with a laugh. “Dana was there and you know she went and told her little friends. They couldn’t hold water if they was a bucket.”
Annie leans back in her chair.
Her mind immediately starts racing.
Elijah…He actually came up here?
A part of her is shocked.
Another part…Can’t stop thinking about the promise he’d made over the phone. “If he do anything else… I need you to tell me.”
He’d never told her what he planned to do with that information.
She isn’t sure whether she should be flattered…Or upset.
She’s never had a man stand up for her like that before.
Usually, people expected her to deal with everything herself.
To ignore it. To move on.
Instead…Smoke had listened.
And then he did something about it.
Ebony snaps her out of her thoughts.
“You knew he was comin’ up here?”
Annie quickly shakes her head. “No, girl. As a matter of fact, I told him I ain’t want no problems.” She pauses before asking, “Do you know what he said to Ryan?”
Ebony nods. “Apparently he told him to leave you alone…And if he didn’t stop…He was gon’ come back up here and beat his ass.” She shrugs. “In so many words.”
Annie lowers her eyes to the desk.
Before she can stop it…A small smile tugs at the corners of her mouth.
Ebony catches it immediately.
She points at her. “Hold up. You actually like that shit?”
Annie tries to hide it. She can’t.
A laugh slips out instead.
“Actually…” She smiles. “I do.”
She shrugs. “I mean…Ryan disrespectful as hell. What he did was bullshit.” Her smile softens. “I just…” She exhales. “I hope he finally leaves me alone now.”
Ebony nods slowly. “I guess.”
Annie’s smile fades. She turns fully toward her. “Ebony…I don’t know what the fuck yo’ problem is. Ever since me and Ryan broke up, you been on some weird shit whenever Smoke come up.”
She shakes her head. “As my friend You supposed to be on my side.” Her voice isn’t loud. But it’s firm. “Ryan the one who hurt me. Not the other way around.”
Ebony immediately drops her eyes.
She sighs. “You right. My bad.”
She rubs the back of her neck.
“I am on your side. I just…” She shakes her head. “I really loved y’all together. I guess I kept hopin’ he’d get his shit together.” She looks back at Annie. “But he didn’t. And that ain’t fair to you. I’m sorry. I have been trippin’. I promise I’ma do better. I’ma support you.”
Annie studies her friend’s face for a long moment.
She can hear the sincerity in her voice. Slowly… She nods. “Okay.”
She decides to believe her.
Still…As she turns back toward her computer, her thoughts drift to Smoke.
She can almost picture him standing outside the school, calm as ever, confronting Ryan without ever telling her beforehand.
Part of her wants to fuss at him for taking matters into his own hands.
The other part…The part she’d never admit out loud…Feels something warm bloom inside her chest.
For the first time in her life…
She knows what it feels like to have someone stand beside her instead of expecting her to stand alone.
🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃
Later that night, Smoke and Annie are on the phone again.
At this point, it’s become a routine.
Every night around the same time, Smoke calls her.
Neither one says it out loud…
But both of them look forward to it all day.
Smoke is lying across his bed with one arm behind his head, absently spinning a pen between his fingers.
Annie is curled up beneath her comforter, her homework already finished.
The conversation slows for a moment. “Elijah?”
Smoke immediately smirks. “Uh-oh. What’s up? I know that tone.”
Annie giggles. “Mhmm…” She lets the silence build for another second. “Did you come up to my school to check Ryan?”
Smoke stills. His pen stops spinning.
So the bitch-ass nigga snitched.
He lets out a quiet breath. “Yeah. I did.”
Annie groans dramatically. “Elijah…I said I ain’t want any problems.”
“I know.” His voice stays calm. “And neither did I. That’s exactly why I went up there. I needed to make sure he ain’t have a problem wit’ me…” He pauses. “Or you… And he don’t. He ain’t gon’ bother you no more.”
Annie shakes her head even though he can’t see it. A smile slowly spreads across her face.
She honestly doesn’t know what to do with this man.
He hears one thing…Then goes and handles it.
“You somethin’ else.” She laughs. “I don’t even know what to say.”
Smoke chuckles. “Say thank you.”
Annie’s mouth falls open. “What?”
“You heard me, Shorty.”
She laughs harder. “Uh-uh, Big Head. I’m not.”
Smoke sucks his teeth. “Oh yeah? Aight. See if I do anything else for you.”
Annie clicks her tongue. “You will.”
Smoke laughs. “Oh yeah?”
“I love yo confidence.” He smiles to himself. “That’s the Annie I love to see.”
His words hit her square in the chest.
She doesn’t even realize she’s smiling until her cheeks start hurting.
All she can do is let out a little sigh.
Smoke smiles, hearing it through the phone. “I wish you worked today.”
Annie raises an eyebrow. “Why?”
“’Cause…I miss seein’ that pretty ass smile. And them bright eyes.” He pauses. “I wish you worked every day, truthfully.”
Annie laughs. “Oh…So you want me to be a slave?”
Smoke laughs with her. “Nah. Never that. I just need you to bless my eyes.”
Annie shakes her head, smiling.
“Elijah…There’s plenty of other women in there to do that.”
Smoke laughs. A real laugh.
The kind that comes from his stomach. “You funny as hell. I like that.”
Now Annie’s laughing too. “What? What’s funny?”
“Yo ass.”
She smiles. “I was serious.”
“Nah. You wasn’t. You know better.”
She narrows her eyes. “What do I know?”
Smoke grins. “You know I ain’t even know no other women worked there besides you.”
Annie’s cheeks instantly warm. “Oh yeah?”
“Hell yeah. That’s news to me. I’m just findin’ that out right now.”
Annie throws her head back laughing.
“Well played, Smoke.”
Smoke points toward the phone like she can see him. “It’s Elijah to you. Watch it.”
Annie bites her lip to stop another smile.
“Oh…My bad… Elijah.”
“There you go.” Smoke nods proudly. “That’s better…Annika. So…You got yo fit for Saturday?”
“Of course.”
Smoke hums in approval. “I can’t wait to see it.”
“Is that right?”
“Fasho. I love the way you dress.”
Annie blinks. “You do?”
“Most definitely. I love seein’ you outside them work clothes. I ain’t gon’ lie…You got style lil mama.”
Annie laughs softly. “Elijah…See? You be talkin’ about I be blowin’ yo head up. You blow mine up.”
Smoke lets out a chortle. “I’m just speakin’ the truth.”
“If you say so.” She smiles to herself. “Truth is…I love the way you dress too. I be speechless every time I see you.”
Smoke smirks. “I can tell.”
Annie clicks her tongue. “How?”
“I see the way you be lookin’.” He laughs. “You be lookin’ like you wanna pass out.”
Annie cackles so hard she has to pull the phone away from her ear.”Oh, whatever, Big Head.”
Smoke laughs right along with her.
“I ain’t lyin’. You just don’t realize yo face be tellin’ on you.”
“I do not.”
“You do.”
“I don’t.”
“You do.”
She smiles. “Agree to disagree.”
Smoke grins. “I’ma let you have this one.”
Just then, there’s a knock at Annie’s bedroom door before it slowly opens.
Edward sticks his head inside.
“Damn. You still on the phone?”
Annie nods. “Mhmm.”
Edward notices the smile stretched across her face. A slow grin spreads across his own. “Yeah…I can tell.”
Annie immediately rolls her eyes. “Boy, what?”
Edward folds his arms.
“Ain’t never seen you smile this damn much.” He glances at the phone. “That’s Smoke, ain’t it?”
Annie’s cheeks instantly turn pink. “Mind yo business.”
Edward laughs. “Nah. I’m just sayin’…My sister over here cheesin’ hard as hell. I know it’s serious.”
Annie throws a pillow at him. “Get out!”
Edward catches it, laughing.
“Aight, aight.” He points toward the phone.
“Tell Romeo I said what’s up.”
Annie groans. “Oh my God…Ed!”
He laughs all the way down the hallway.
Smoke heard every bit of it. He can’t stop smiling. “So…” He chuckles. “Romeo, huh?”
Annie buries her face in her pillow. “Don’t start.”
Smoke laughs. I ain’t say nothin’.”
“You was finna.”
“I was thinkin’ about it.”
She shakes her head. “You terrible.”
“I know.” He smiles. “I’ll let you get back to yo family. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow too.”
“Goodnight, Pretty Eyes.” His voice softens just enough to make her stomach flutter. “
Goodnight…” She smiles. “Elijah.”
Neither of them says anything for another second.
Neither of them wants to hang up.
Finally…
Smoke smiles to himself. “Sweet dreams, Annika.”
Annie’s heart does that little flip it always does when he says her name. “You too.”
That evening, the dinner rush is finally winding down.
The kitchen smells of butter, grilled steak, garlic, and fresh biscuits. The constant hiss of the flat top has settled into a steady rhythm, and the printer that had been spitting tickets nonstop all night finally grows quiet.
The silver boombox sits on the prep counter.
Quiet Storm fills the kitchen.
Then Dru Hill’s “Beauty” comes on.
Smoke smiles to himself as he wipes down the stainless-steel counter.
🎵 Walks by me every day…
Her and love are the same…
The woman that’s stolen my heart…
And beauty is her name… 🎵
Right on cue…The kitchen doors swing open. Annie.
Smoke looks up instinctively.
Their eyes meet. Almost immediately.
Neither of them looks away.
🎵 I’m hoping I can make you mine…
’Fore another man steals your heart… And once your beauty is mine
I swear we will never be apart🎵
Annie walks toward the service window with her ticket in hand.
She stops in front of the line.
A small smile finds her lips.
Smoke can’t help but smile back.
For a moment…Everything else fades.
The sizzling grills. The clatter of pans.
The conversations around them.
It’s just…Her. Her smile.
Those bright eyes looking back at him.
He swears she’s like a magnet.
Every time she walks into the kitchen…His eyes find her before he even realizes he’s looking.
🎵 ’Cause my eyes have seen the glory…In the coming of your smile… 🎵
Annie feels those familiar butterflies dance in her stomach.
She knows she’s staring.
She also knows…She doesn’t want to stop.
Neither of them breaks eye contact.
It almost turns into a silent challenge.
You look away.
No… you.
Across the galley, Lindsey notices.
She pauses with a tray in her hands.
Instead of interrupting…She watches.
Curious to see just how long they’re going to keep looking at each other.
Brandon notices too. He smirks to himself.
🎵 You are so beautiful…When I'm down and out (When I'm down) I never seem to get tired... (Tired of your love, ooh, tired of your love) of your love…You’re wonderful. I'm just dying to make you see Anything you want inside your heart (You can find right here inside of me)🎵
Smoke’s lips slowly curl into a grin.
Annie’s heart flips.
“Aye…” Brandon laughs. “You gon’ plate her food or not?”
Smoke blinks, finally pulled back into the kitchen around him.
He chuckles under his breath and starts plating the order.
Annie laughs quietly to herself.
Lindsey catches the smile.
Something about the way they look at each other makes her chest tighten.
She’d worked to break his walls down and still nothing.
He’d barely spoken more than a few words to her. He barely laughed or smiled at all.
Yet with Annie…He smiled. He teased.
He laughed. Like it came naturally.
Smoke slides Annie’s plates across the window…But leaves both hands resting on the edge of them.
Annie looks down. Then back up at him. She smiles.
This time…She doesn’t even try to grab them.
“You not gon’ take yo’ food?” Smoke asks with a grin.
Annie shakes her head. “Uh-uh. Take your hands off of it.”
Smoke raises an eyebrow. “Not till I hear that magic word leave them lips.”
Annie plants a hand on her hip.
A playful smile spreads across her face. “You don’t make nobody else say please.”
Smoke chuckles. “Here you go wit that shit. I don’t care about nobody else.” His eyes stay locked on hers. “Now say it…’Fore you keep that table waitin’.”
The words hit Annie harder than he probably intended.
I don’t care about nobody else.
Heat creeps into her cheeks.
Lindsey notices. She rolls her eyes.
Annie reaches for the plates anyway.
Smoke slides them back just enough that she misses.
She busts into laughter. “Oh my God…”
She rises onto her tiptoes, trying again.
Smoke laughs and lifts the plates just a little higher.
“Elijah…” Her tone is half warning…Half amused.
He grins. “Say it.”
She folds her arms dramatically. “Please.”
A satisfied smile spreads across Smoke’s face. “There you go. See? Was that so hard?”
Annie shakes her head. “Smoke…”
A smile slips through anyway. “Give me my food before I come around there and get it myself.”
Smoke laughs. “That a promise?”
She points at him. “No. It’s a threat.”
Both of them laugh.
Lindsey finally exhales loudly enough for everyone to hear. “Can I get my food too?”
The playful moment breaks.
Smoke immediately slides Annie’s plates the rest of the way to her.
She takes them with a grin. “’Bout time, Big Head.”
She hurries back toward the dining room.
Smoke watches her disappear through the swinging doors for just a second before returning his attention to the line.
He finishes Lindsey’s order and slides it across. Silently
Lindsey takes the plate. “Thanks.”
Her tone is polite.
Smoke simply nods and goes back to wiping down his station, while Brandon watches the whole exchange with an amused shake of his head.
He doesn’t say a word.
He doesn’t have to.
Everybody on the line can already see it.
Whatever was growing between Smoke and Annie…It wasn’t hard to miss anymore.
🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇🌇
Saturday finally rolls around.
Devin is behind the wheel of her mama’s Malibu while Ebony rides shotgun. Annie and Rhonda are in the backseat.
The car smells like vanilla body spray, cocoa butter, and Bath & Body Works lotion. Ashanti plays softly through the speakers while all four girls sing along between conversations.
Devin glances into the rearview mirror at Annie and Rhonda. “So…Did y’all tell them to bring some friends or family?”
Rhonda groans dramatically. “Yes, girl! Damn. How many times you gon’ ask?”
Annie laughs. “Devin, watch the road.”
Ebony cracks up in the passenger seat.
Rhonda shakes her head. “You ’bout to kill us ’cause you too eager to meet some niggas.”
The whole car erupts in laughter.
Tonight, every last one of them came dressed to impress. Lip gloss shining.
Fresh roller sets and wraps.
Perfume lingering in the air every time somebody moved.
They finally pull into Kemper Arena.
The parking lot is already overflowing with cars.
Music blasts from open windows.
People laugh across the lot.
Groups of friends make their way toward the entrance wearing oversized jerseys, throwback tees, fitted caps, baggy jeans, Apple Bottoms, and matching Air Force 1s.
The girls climb out.
Devin slowly scans the crowd. “Damn…This game always bring the fine niggas out.”
Rhonda nods in agreement. “Hell yeah. I’m scoutin’ tonight.”
Annie laughs. “What about Tobias?”
Rhonda waves her off. “Girl, what about him? We just talkin’. He ain’t my man.”
Ebony laughs. “You always do the most.”
Devin shrugs proudly. “I’m supposed to.”
All four girls laugh as they join the long line wrapping around the arena.
Inside…The arena is alive.
Bass rattles through the speakers.
The smell of popcorn, nachos, hot dogs, and pretzels fills the air.
Thousands of people buzz with excitement while the players warm up below.
The girls finally find their seats.
Ebony sits closest to the stairs.
Next to her is Devin. Then Rhonda.
Annie takes the seat further in the aisle.
She points toward the floor. “There go Hot Sauce!”
Rhonda practically jumps. “He fine as hell!”
Devin laughs. “I came here just for him.”
Ebony shoves her shoulder. “Shut up!”
They all busts into laughter.
Just then…Kevion and a couple of his friends walk in two rows below them.
“Kevion!” Devin yells.
He turns around instantly. “Aww shit! There go trouble!”
The two groups start yelling back and forth across the rows.
Kevion laughs before climbing the stairs with one of his boys.
They stop beside the girls, joking and catching up.
Outside…Smoke parks his truck.
He, Stack, Tobias, and Stack’s homeboy Ramon climb out.
The arena lights glow against the evening sky.
Groups of women walk toward the entrance laughing.
Stack immediately starts looking around. “Damn…I see some fine bitches already.”
Tobias sucks his teeth. “Here you go, nigga. We ain’t even got in the buildin’ yet.”
Stack grins. “Shit… You know I’m on the hunt from the car.”
Smoke just shakes his head.
The four of them head inside.
Almost immediately…Heads turn.
Women whisper to each other.
A couple openly stare.
Stack smirks. “I told y’all.”
Smoke ignores all of it.
They begin walking up the stairs toward their section.
Then…Smoke freezes.
His stomach instantly drops.
Annie.
She’s sitting with her friends. Laughing.
Two dudes are standing beside them talking. One of them says something that makes Annie throw her head back laughing.
Smoke swallows.
There goes that feeling again.
That tight feeling in his chest.
He doesn’t know why…But he doesn’t like seeing another man being the reason she’s smiling like that.
Her laugh… Her smile…Somehow they already feel special to him.
As Kevion and his friend head back down the stairs, they pass Smoke’s group.
Both groups instinctively size each other up. Quick mugs. Nothing said.
Just enough for each side to know the other noticed.
Smoke barely pays them any attention.
His eyes are already back on Annie.
Almost as if she feels him looking…
She turns her head. Their eyes meet.
Just like always. The noise around them disappears.
Annie feels her breath catch.
There he is. Standing a few steps away from her.
Looking directly at her.
Only…Something catches her attention.
Standing beside Tobias…Is another man with the exact same face as Smoke.
She blinks. Then looks back and forth between them.
Confused. Smoke notices.
A slow grin spreads across his face.
He gives her a little nod.
Annie laughs softly to herself.
He got a twin?
He never told her that.
Tobias smiles. “Sup, Rhonda.”
“Hey, Tobias.”
Devin points between all of them. “You gon’ introduce the rest of everybody?”
Tobias laughs. “Yeah.”
He points beside him. “This Stack.”
Then Ramon. “This Ramon.”
Finally… He points toward Smoke.
“And this Smoke.”
Every girl immediately looks at Annie.
Her cheeks warm.
Stack notices.
He grins to himself before looking at the girls. “What’s good? What y’all names is?”
They all introduce themselves.
Devin suddenly looks between Smoke and Stack. “Wait a minute…Y’all twins?”
Stack answers sarcastically without missing a beat. “Nah. We cousins.”
The girls busts out laughing.
“So stupid,” Ebony says.
Stack laughs too before his attention drifts to Devin.
Her skin practically glows beneath the arena lights. Her curls bounce every time she laughs.
Those bright eyes…Locked on…
Smoke.
Stack follows her gaze.
Sure enough…His brother is looking right back. Smiling. A real smile.
One Stack has almost never seen directed at a woman.
His eyebrow slowly rises.
So…This the mystery girl.
A grin spreads across his face.
Well…She off limits.
His eyes drift right back to Devin.
Who’s still looking at him. “Damn…The whole crew sexy as hell.”
The girls laugh.
Smoke cuts his eyes toward Stack.
“You done?”
Stack smirks. “I was just givin’ compliments.”
Ramon quietly smiles at Ebony.
She notices and smiles back before looking away.
Rhonda looks at Tobias. “Where y’all seats at?”
“Three rows up. “
“Oh…So y’all close.”
The lights begin to dim. The crowd erupts. The game is about to start.
Tobias nods toward the court. “We’ll see y’all after.”
“Oh, we definitely gon’ see y’all after.”
Stack says, never taking his eyes off Devin.
She bites her lip trying not to smile. “Aight then.”
The fellas turn and head toward their seats.
Smoke glances back one more time.
Annie is already looking at him.
He smiles. She smiles back.
Neither of them says a word.
They don’t have to.
Somehow…They’re already speaking the same language.
As soon as the guys disappear up the stairs, Devin turns around so fast she almost bumps into Rhonda. “Oh my God!”
She grabs both Rhonda and Annie’s arms.
“All them niggas fine as fuck, y’all!”
The girls bust into squeals and laughter, trying not to draw too much attention to themselves.
Devin fans herself dramatically. “I was not prepared for that.”
Ebony shakes her head, still laughing. “Me neither.” She looks over at Annie. “Girl…I understand now.”
She points toward the section where the guys disappeared. “I’d be scared too.”
Annie covers her face with her hands, laughing. “I told y’all.”
Ebony nods. “Hell yeah. I see exactly why you ain’t call him after y’all met.”
Devin turns toward Rhonda. “And Tobias fine as hell too.” She pauses, shaking her head in disbelief. “Damn. It’s crazy every last one of ’em fine.” She grins. “But I need Stack.” She presses a hand against her chest. “I’m ‘bout to be actin’ shy like you, Annie.”
Annie rolls her eyes. “You so damn annoying.”
She can’t help but laugh anyway.
Rhonda laughs with them before motioning toward the court. “Shhh. Y’all…The game.”
They all turn their attention back to the floor just as the crowd erupts and the announcer’s voice booms through Kemper Arena.
The lights dim. The music gets louder.
And for a little while…
Basketball has everyone’s attention.
Well…Almost everyone’s.
Smoke tries to focus on the game.
The squeak of sneakers echoes across the hardwood while the crowd roars every time somebody gets crossed over. The announcer’s voice booms through the Arena, mixing with the bass thumping from the arena speakers.
But no matter how hard he tries…
His eyes keep drifting to the back of Annie’s head.
He watches her clap after every big play.
She jumps to her feet. “Go Hot Sauce!”
Smoke chuckles under his breath.
She really wasn’t exaggerating in that letter.
She loves sports.
She cheers at every big play, laughs when somebody gets embarrassed, and leans so far forward in her seat it’s like she’s on the court with them. He loves that.
Another thing they have in common.
Stack stands up with the crowd after another crazy dunk. “Let’s go!”
The whole arena erupts.
Annie glances over her shoulder.
Her eyes immediately find Smoke.
He’s already looking at her.
She blushes instantly before turning back around.
Smoke can’t help but grin.
About twenty minutes later, Annie stands.
“Where you goin’?” Devin asks.
“To get some food.”
“Oh, shit. I’m goin’ too.”
She hops up and follows Annie down the stairs.
Smoke watches them disappear into the crowd.
“I’ll be back.” He says to the fellas before standing.
Stack smirks to himself.
He already knows exactly where his brother is headed.
Smoke makes his way down toward the concession stand.
The smell of buttery popcorn, nachos, hot dogs, and soft pretzels fills the air. The line snakes halfway across the concourse.
Devin looks ahead and sighs. “Shit… this line long.”
“Yeah, girl,” Annie laughs. “But I’m hungry.”
Just then…A deep voice speaks from behind her. “You gon’ get me somethin’ too?”
Annie’s stomach flutters.
She’d know that voice anywhere.
Slowly…She turns around.
Smoke.
At that exact moment, Beyoncé’s “That’s How You Like It” starts pouring through the arena speakers.
🎶 I need a thug that’ll have my back
Do-rag, Nike Airs to match…Ain't nothin' wrong with that (That's how I like it, baby)
Where my thugs at?
White T-shirt, I love that🎶
Annie’s eyes slowly travel from the top of his head…Down. This time she really looks at him in the light where she can actually see without it being dark and without anyone blocking her view.
🎶The way you talk
The way you dress
The way you smile
I like the way you are
The way you ain't
I like your honesty, integrity
It levels me, so please don't ever change🎶
Smoke went all out today.
He’s wearing a Kobe Bryant Lakers throwback jersey over a crisp white tall tee.
A matching Lakers headband hugs his perfectly laid waves.
A sweatband wraps around one forearm.
Baggy Girbaud jeans hang perfectly over a fresh pair of purple-and-gold Air Force 1s.
A Jacob watch glitters beneath the arena lights every time he moves.
Diamond studs catch another flash.
Two platinum chains rest against his jersey.
Two platinum rings decorate his fingers.
His Cartier eyeglasses somehow make him look even better.
And then…His cologne reaches her.
Warm. Clean. Masculine.
It wraps around her before he even says another word.
🎶 I like the way you brush your hair…
I like the stylish clothes you wear… It's just the real things you do. That's why I wanna stick with you🎶
Annie forgets how to speak.
Lord…
He looks…Too damn good.
Those glasses should honestly be illegal.
He really got dressed today.
🎶 I hope you like my style
The way I dress
The way I flirt
Say yes. I hope you like my mind
The things I say🎶
Smoke notices the look in her eyes immediately.
A smug smile slowly spreads across his face.
Then it’s his turn.
His eyes slowly roam over Annie.
She’s wearing a Chicago Bulls jersey dress that falls perfectly against her frame.
Fresh black and red Jordan 13s.
The front of her hair is neatly twisted back into flat twists while the rest falls into soft, bouncy curls that brush her shoulders every time she moves. Gold hoop earrings swing gently as she turns her head. Her black Dooney & Bourke shoulder bag rests comfortably beneath her arm. A gold herringbone necklace catches the light against her skin. Gold bracelets softly clink together as she shifts.
And tucked into the cartilage of her ear…
That little magnetic earring.
🎶 I know you heard I'm a gangster
They say, ‘Stay away from them gangsters.’
They never change up, or pull they pants up
Well, baby girl, put ya foot down
Don't let 'em push you around, you know what you like🎶
Smoke’s heart pounds.
She always looks beautiful.
But today…She looks damn near unreal.
Like she walked straight out of one of those music videos everybody watched after school.
Devin looks Smoke up and down too. “Damn…”
She quickly looks between him and Annie.
The chemistry between them is so thick she almost feels like she’s interrupting something.
“What you say?” Annie finally manages.
Smoke grins. “You heard me. You gon’ get me somethin’ too?”
Annie giggles. “Yeah…What you want?”
Smoke laughs. “You know I’m just playin’. What you gettin’?”
“A hot dog…I guess.”
He raises an eyebrow. “That’s it?”
“Mhm.”
“Nah.” He shakes his head. “Get whatever you want, lil’ mama.”
Annie blinks. “Huh?”
“If you can ‘huh,’ you can hear. You heard me. Get whatever you want. I got you.”
Annie smiles nervously. “Smoke…”
Smoke raises one eyebrow. “Oh… now it’s Smoke? I see you tryna act brand new in front of yo’ lil’ friend.”
Devin busts out laughing.
Annie shoots her a look before looking back at him. “Elijah…You don’t have to—”
Smoke cuts her off. “What I tell you about that?”
Annie blushes.
Smoke steps a little closer.
Just enough that only she can hear him.
He leans toward her ear.
His voice drops into that deep bass she loves.
His cologne surrounds her again.
“Annika…Stop frontin’ in here. You know me. We ain’t strangers no more.”
A chill races down Annie’s spine.
Her stomach twists into knots.
He straightens back up.
Devin watches the entire exchange with wide eyes.
Oh… they got it bad.
Smoke looks over at her. “I got you too. Get whatever you want.”
Devin points to herself. “You for real?”
Smoke chuckles while looking back at Annie. “Yeah.”
Devin laughs. “Shit…You ain’t gotta tell me twice.”
Annie starts laughing.
By the time they reach the counter, they’re still smiling.
Annie orders a hot dog…Then popcorn.
Smoke nods toward the cashier. “Add two nachos.”
Annie turns around.
Smoke smirks. “Yeah. Get you some nachos too. They good as hell.”
Annie laughs and shakes her head. “You so extra.”
Smoke reaches into his pocket and pulls out a thick knot of cash.
Without hesitation, he pays for everything.
The three of them start walking back toward their section.
Smoke carries the tray with the nachos while Annie balances the drinks.
As they walk, Smoke can’t stop looking at her side profile.
The arena lights catch her skin every few steps.
Her curls bounce as she laughs with Devin.
Annie tries to act like she doesn’t feel him staring.
He smiles to himself. “I know you feel me lookin’.”
Annie immediately laughs. “Stop. You’re makin’ me nervous.”
Smoke kisses his teeth. “There you go wit that. You gon’ have to get used to me lookin’.” He smiles. “You shouldn’t be so beautiful.”
Annie feels her face grow warm all over again.
She finally looks up at him. “Thank you, Elijah.”
Smoke hums in approval. “That’s better.”
They climb back up the stairs toward their seats.
Devin smiles. “Thanks again, Smoke.”
He nods once. “No problem.”
Then his eyes drift back to Annie. “See you afterwards.”
A grin spreads across her face. “See you.”
When Annie and Devin finally make it back to their seats, they’re balancing trays loaded down with food.
Rhonda’s eyes get wide. “Damn!”
She looks between the two of them. “Y’all got hella shit.”
Ebony starts laughing. “The hell y’all buy? The whole concession stand?”
Annie and Devin crack up as they carefully pass everything around.
Devin can’t even wait.
She points at Annie. “Annie’s man bought all this for us.”
Ebony’s mouth falls open. “Smoke bought all that?”
Devin nods. “Yep. He got it bad for Annie.”
She leans in with a grin. Y’all should’ve seen them flirtin’. I swear I felt like I was interruptin’ something.”
The girls immediately start squealing.
Devin keeps going. “He was callin’ her beautiful and shit. He could not stop lookin’ at her.”
Annie hides her face behind her cup, laughing. “Shut up, Devin.”
“Nope.” Devin points at her. “I ain’t lyin’.”She shakes her head. “Girl, you definitely upgraded from that nigga Ryan.”
Rhonda sucks her teeth dramatically. “Man…I should’ve known when he followed y’all to the concession stand he was finna spend some money.” She reaches over and steals a few pieces of Annie’s popcorn. “I missed out.”
Annie laughs and nudges her shoulder. “You snooze, you lose.”
The girls bust into laughter.
Devin shakes her head, still thinking about Smoke. “Nah, for real though.” She points toward the section where the guys are sitting. “You better hold on to that nigga. That’s one of the finest niggas I ever seen.”
She starts counting on her fingers. “He can dress. He smell good. He compliment you every chance he get. And not only did he spend his money on you…”
She gestures toward all the food spread across their laps. “He bought yo friends food too.”
She leans closer with a smirk. “Keep him, girl.”
Annie feels her cheeks grow warm.
She shakes her head, trying to hide her smile. “Y’all so damn extra.” But she can’t stop laughing. Deep down…
She knows every single one of them is right.
Smoke settles back into his seat with a bottle of water in one hand.
The game is back underway.
The crowd erupts after another ankle-breaking crossover, but before he can even sit all the way down…
Stack grins. “Aight…So we just gon’ act like we ain’t see what the hell just happened?”
Smoke keeps his eyes on the court “What happened?”
Tobias laughs. “This nigga.”
Ramon shakes his head. “You know exactly what happened.”
Smoke shrugs. “I went to get some food.”
“Yeah…” Stack says, drawing the words out. “You went to get Annie some food.”
The three of them laugh.
Smoke smirks but doesn’t answer.
Stack elbows him. “You bought food for the whole damn row.”
Smoke finally looks over. “So?”
“So?” Stack repeats. “Nigga, you don’t even buy me food.”
The fellas bust out laughing.
Smoke sucks his teeth. “You got money.”
“So do she,” Stack shoots back.
More laughter.
Tobias leans forward. “I ain’t never seen this nigga chase after nobody.”
Ramon nods. “He been watchin’ her the whole game.”
Smoke cuts his eyes toward Ramon.
“I been watchin’ the game.”
Stack lets out the loudest laugh yet.
“The game? Nigga, every time I looked over, you was lookin’ at Annie. You ain’t even know who had the ball.”
Smoke shakes his head. “Y’all doin’ too fuckin’ much.”
“Nah.” Stack points toward him. “You doin’ too much.” He starts counting on his fingers. “You been staring at her all night. You followed her to the concession stand. You paid for all they food.” He pauses dramatically. “And then…This nigga walked back up here starin’ at her the whole damn time.”
Tobias laughs so hard. “I peeped that shit too.”
Smoke can’t help but grin. “Aight damn. I was lookin’.”
“Damn right you was.” Stack says. “You was lookin’ so hard I thought you was finna walk into somebody.”
Smoke’s smile softens. “Nah. We just gettin’ to know each other.”
Tobias nods approvingly. “I respect that. But…” He smirks. “You definitely got it bad.”
Smoke looks down toward the court for a second before glancing back toward Annie’s section.
She laughs at something Devin says.
Almost like she can feel him…
She turns around. Their eyes meet from three sections away.
She smiles.
Smoke smiles right back.
Stack watches the exchange.
Then slowly looks back at his brother.
“Aww, hell.”
Smoke raises an eyebrow. “What?”
Stack laughs and points at him. “You gone.”
The fellas laugh again.
“Gone gone.”
Tobias nods. “I ain’t never seen this nigga smile this damn much.”
Ramon chuckles. “He different.”
Stack leans back in his seat, still grinning. “Nah…This ain’t just different.” He looks over at Smoke one more time. “I think my brother done found him one.”
Smoke doesn’t answer.
He simply glances back toward Annie one more time before returning his attention to the court.
The small smile on his face says more than any words ever could.
When the game ends, the arena empties in a wave of people.
The crowd spills into the parking lot, still buzzing about the crazy crossovers and dunks they just witnessed. Car doors slam, music starts blasting from every direction, and headlights cut through the chilly fall evening.
The girls make it outside first.
Not long after, Kevion and his friends spot them. “Aye!” Kevion calls out.
The girls stop to talk.
Annie laughs at something Kevion says, the sound carrying through the parking lot.
A few minutes later, Smoke, Stack, Tobias, and Ramon step outside.
Smoke instinctively starts scanning the crowd.
His eyes land on Annie almost immediately.
There she is. Standing in a circle…
Laughing with the same dudes from inside the arena.
His jaw tightens ever so slightly.
Who the fuck are those niggas?
He doesn’t say anything.
Instead, he keeps walking toward his truck like it doesn’t bother him at all.
He unlocks it, climbs inside for a second, then starts it.
Chingy’s “One Call Away” comes booming through the speakers.
The bass rolls across the parking lot.
The fellas post up. Leaning against the truck, talking while the song plays.
Smoke isn’t really listening.
His eyes drift back to Annie.
Just in time to see her hug the guy she’d been talking to.
His stomach flips. He swallows hard.
He doesn’t like that feeling.
Not one bit.
A few moments later, the girls finally head their way.
Devin grins. “Hey, y’all.”
Everybody exchanges greetings.
Devin’s eyes immediately find Stack.
She gives him a slow once over.
Stack is wearing a black Tim Duncan Spurs jersey over a white tee, baggy black jeans, and black-and-white Jordan 12s. Fresh braids frame his face, platinum shining in his mouth every time he smiles. A Rolex catches the parking lot lights while thick platinum chains rest against his chest.
He notices her looking.
A grin spreads across his face. “What’s good?”
Devin smiles right back. “Nothin’. What’s poppin’ with you?”
Stack chuckles. “Come find out.”
He nods his head, motioning for her to follow.
Without hesitation…Devin does.
The two of them wander off, talking and laughing almost immediately.
Smoke shakes his head. “That nigga don’t waste no time.”
Tobias laughs before turning toward Rhonda. The two of them quickly fall into their own conversation.
That leaves…Smoke. Annie. Ebony.
And Ramon.
Smoke and Annie lock eyes.
Neither of them says anything.
Chingy continues playing from the truck.
🎶 I seen it in her eye…
Mama lookin’ like all I wanted was sex…Then moved to the next (that ain't true) But it was something about this girl's style that make me feel no regrets🎶
Smoke slowly holds his hand out. “Come here. Come talk to me for a minute.”
🎶Afraid she might think I'm in a rush to touch, crush and be up
But baby, I ain't on that stuff🎶
Annie glances over at Ebony.
Ebony smiles knowingly. “Go, girl.”
Annie smiles shyly before slipping her hand into Smoke’s.
His fingers close around hers.
Warm. Gentle.
He leads her around to the back of the truck.
Ebony stays behind, chatting with Ramon.
Smoke lowers the tailgate.
The metal thumps softly into place.
They sit side by side.
Close enough that their shoulders brush every few seconds.
🎶If you're rolling with me baby, hop in, it's enough room
We can gaze at the stars and shine like the moon
Give me a chance to show ya and a chance to know ya
Just be true and there's nothing I won't do for ya🎶
A soft breeze drifts through the parking lot.
Annie’s perfume floats toward him.
Sweet. Light. Familiar.
Smoke smiles to himself. “So…You enjoy the game?”
Annie nods. “Yeah. I did.”
Smoke chuckles. “I could tell.”
She cuts her eyes at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You was hella into it. I heard you over everybody.”
Annie throws her head back laughing.
“Oh, whatever. You could not.”
“I definitely could.”
She clicks her tongue. “You could only hear me ‘cause you was lookin’ at me all night.”
Smoke pauses. Then laughs. “Damn. You right. I couldn’t help it though.”
Annie giggles. “Here you go, Elijah Blowin’ my head up again.”
“My bad.” He shrugs. “I’m just bein’ honest. You a magnet.”
Annie smiles. “So are you.”
Smoke grins. “Thanks. I see I almost made you pass out again today.”
She tries to hold in her laugh.
Fails miserably. “Damn. Just expose me, why don’t you?”
Smoke laughs. “It’s okay…’Cause you almost made me do the same.”
Annie raises an eyebrow. “Oh, please, Big Head.”
“I’m serious. I knew you was gon’ be lookin’ good as hell today…” He slowly shakes his head. “But shit…You exceeded what I expected.”
Heat spreads across Annie’s cheeks.
“I can say the same thing about you.” She smiles. “And why ain’t you tell me you had a twin?”
Smoke exhales through his nose. “‘Cause you ain’t ask.”
Annie laughs. “Oh, okay, Elijah.” She nudges his shoulder. “So what’s it like… havin’ a twin?”
Smoke leans back a little, looking up.
“Shit…That’s a loaded answer.”
He looks out across the crowded parking lot. “Maybe one day I can really go into depth. But to sum it up…It’s different than most sibling relationships. You share everything. So sometimes you struggle to figure out who you are outside of bein’ a twin. You got this bond…No matter what happen…It don’t break.” He smiles to himself. “It’s a blessin’…And a curse.”
Silence settles between them.
Annie thinks about his words.
“I get that.” She nods slowly. “Havin’ siblings is already hard enough. So I could only imagine.” She smiles. “Y’all do seem like complete opposites though.”
Smoke chuckles. “In some ways. But deep down… We mostly the same.”
Annie smiles. “That’s actually beautiful when you think about it. Always havin’ somebody in your corner.”
Smoke hums. “Yeah.” He glances at her. “You seem to got that kinda bond wit yo’ brother too.”
Annie looks over at him. “How you know that?”
“‘Cause I watched y’all at the rink.” He smiles. “And I hear how y’all joke every time we on the phone.”
Annie’s expression softens. “Yeah…We close. He’s one of my best friends.”
“I can tell.” Smoke hesitates for a second before admitting, “I gotta confess somethin’.”
Annie raises an eyebrow. “What?”
“At first…I thought he was yo’ man at the skating rink.”
Annie’s face scrunches up instantly.
“What? Eww. No.”
Smoke laughs. “Y’all was holdin’ hands and shit. I just assumed.”
She laughs. “Well…That’s what you get for assumin’.”
Smoke smirks. “Oh…So I guess I shouldn’t assume the nigga you was just huggin’ earlier yo man either.”
Annie looks confused…Then remembers Kevion. “Oh!” She laughs. “Eww, no, Elijah. Kevion just my friend. He’s like a brother to me.”
Smoke raises an eyebrow. “Y’all women love havin’ play brothers and shit.”
Annie smiles. “I mean…Relationships between a man and woman don’t always gotta be romantic. They can be strictly platonic too.”
Smoke thinks for a moment and there’s a minute of silence.
Annie breaks it “So you don’t think it’s possible?”
Smoke shrugs. “I don’t know. I ain’t never done it. And nobody around me has either. That ain’t sayin’ it can’t happen. It’s just…Different from what I’m used to.”
Annie nods. “Well…I’m here to tell you it can.”
Smoke smiles. “Aight then. I believe you, lil’ mama.”
Comfortable silence settles over them.
The music continues playing.
People laugh nearby. Car doors slam.
Someone starts another vehicle a few rows over.
Smoke glances sideways.
She’s looking everywhere…Except at him.
A grin slowly tugs at his lips. “You still can’t look at me?”
Annie smirks. “I can.”
His voice drops lower. “Prove it…Look at me.”
Her heart immediately starts racing.
She shakes her head.
Then…Slowly…She turns toward him.
Her eyes lift to meet his. Just for a second. Before they fall again.
Smoke smiles.
He reaches over gently and tips her chin upward with his thumb and index finger. “There you go.” He holds her gaze. “I need you to get used to lookin’ at me up close. Not just when we across the room.” His voice softens. “I wanna see these pretty eyes up close. We ain’t at work…So I can get lost in ’em now.”
Annie’s throat goes dry.
Butterflies erupt inside her stomach.
She can’t think. Can’t speak.
His sleepy eyes stay locked on hers.
Finally…He smiles. “You so pretty, Annika. Don’t be afraid to let me see you.”
Annie swallows. Then gives the smallest nod.
Before she can find the words…
Stack’s voice rings out across the parking lot.
“Aye! Y’all come around here and hit this blunt!”
Smoke sighs through his nose and lets his hand fall away.
“Saved by yo brother,” Annie teases softly.
Smoke laughs. “For now.”
He stands first, then offers her his hand. She takes it.
He helps her down from the tailgate.
Together, they walk back around the truck to join everyone else.
When they make it back around the truck, everyone naturally falls into a circle while Chingy’s “Holidae Inn” is bumping through the speakers. Cars are slowly pulling out of the parking lot, headlights sweeping across the pavement as people laugh, talk, and relive their favorite plays from the game.
Stack finishes rolling the blunt and sparks it.
He takes the first hit before holding it out toward Annie. “Aye, Annie.”
Before Annie can even open her mouth to politely turn it down..Smack.
Smoke knocks Stack’s hand away.
Stack looks at him like he done lost his damn mind. “The fuck?”
Smoke shrugs like it isn’t a big deal.
“Nah.”
Annie lets out a small, nervous laugh, surprised by how quickly he reacted.
Stack studies his brother for a second before shaking his head. “Aight then.”
He turns toward Devin instead. “Here.”
Devin grins. “Shit, don’t mind if I do.”
She takes a hit before passing it to Tobias.
Tobias inhales and passes it over to Rhonda.
Rhonda takes her turn before holding it out toward Ebony.
Ebony shakes her head. “I’m good.”
Ramon takes it next.
Then…He passes it to Smoke.
Smoke brings it to his lips and takes a slow pull.
He tips his head back slightly before letting the smoke drift from his mouth up his nose.
Annie quietly watches him.
She’d had a feeling he smoked.
He hustled.
And plenty of times after lunch breaks at Red Lobster, he’d come back with the other cooks wearing that same relaxed expression and those heavy, sleepy eyes.
For some reason…Knowing she was right makes her smile to herself.
It doesn’t make her think less of him.
If anything…It reminds her that he never expected her to do something just because he did.
He could’ve easily let Stack hand it to her.
Instead…Without making a scene…
He stopped it.
Something about that small gesture makes her heart soften.
He looked out for her without trying to embarrass her. She liked that.
More than she’d probably admit.
A few minutes later, the blunt burns down to nothing.
Rhonda suddenly reaches into her purse. “Oh!” She pulls out a yellow disposable Kodak camera. “Come on, y’all. We gotta get some pictures.”
Everybody laughs.
Tobias takes the camera first.
He snaps a few pictures of the girls together.
The flash pops brightly against the night sky.
Next…Rhonda takes a picture of all the fellas standing together in front of Smoke’s truck.
After that, she looks around.
A group of girls is standing beside a nearby car.
“Excuse me. Can you take one of all of us?”
One of the girls smiles. “Yeah, I got you.”
She walks over and takes the camera.
As everyone gets into position…
Her eyes linger.
Mostly…On Smoke.
Annie notices.
A strange feeling settles in her chest.
Not anger. Not exactly.
Just…Discomfort.
She suddenly realizes something.
If things between her and Smoke keep growing…Women looking at him…
Probably won’t be a rare thing.
He was fine.
She couldn’t even blame them.
That didn’t mean she had to like it.
Everybody finds their spots.
Tobias slips an arm around Rhonda’s shoulders.
Ramon kneels down in front of Ebony with a grin.
Stack turns toward Devin.
Before she knows what’s happening…
He casually rests a hand against her ass.
Devin busts into laughter. “You bold.”
“I know.” Stack says with a smirk.
Smoke steps beside Annie.
At first, he drapes an arm across her shoulders.
Then…Almost instinctively…
His hand slides lower until it rests comfortably around her waist.
He gently guides her in front of him.
His other hand settles lightly against her stomach.
Annie’s heart pounds so loudly she’s convinced everyone can hear it.
Smoke lowers his head slightly until it rests near her shoulder.
She can feel the warmth of his breath.
The girl holding the camera notices.
Her smile fades for just a second.
She quickly snaps the picture anyway.
Flash.
The moment is frozen forever.
Everyone thanks her before breaking apart.
The conversations naturally split back up.
Stack wastes no time. “So…” He looks at Devin. “You gon’ give me yo’ number or what?”
Devin smiles. “I thought you’d never ask.”
They exchange numbers.
Not too far away…Ramon asks Ebony for hers.
She smiles before giving it to him too.
Meanwhile…
Smoke nods toward a quieter spot.
Annie follows him a few steps away from everyone else.
Smoke slides both hands into his pockets. “I’m gon’ call you later on. That aight?”
Annie smiles. “Of course.”
He nods. “Good.” A soft smile spreads across his face. “I’m glad I got to spend some time wit you today.”
“Me too.”
Silence settles between them.
Neither seems to mind it.
They simply look at one another.
Finally…Smoke clears his throat.
“Can I have a hug before you go?”
Annie smiles wider. “Yes, Elijah.”
His dimples immediately appear.
He steps closer. His arms wrap comfortably around her waist.
Annie slides hers around his neck.
The moment they touch…Something shifts.
Neither of them expected a simple hug to feel like this.
Smoke buries his face gently against the side of her neck.
She smells like brown sugar and vanilla. Warm. Sweet. Comforting.
He closes his eyes for a second.
His arms tighten just a little.
Not enough to make her uncomfortable.
Just enough to silently say…
I don’t really wanna let you go yet.
Annie smiles into his shoulder.
She doesn’t rush to pull away either.
For a few quiet seconds…
The rest of the parking lot disappears.
Devin notices first. She elbows Rhonda. The two of them start giggling.
Stack shakes his head. “Aye, nigga!” He laughs. “Let her go before you squeeze her to death.”
Smoke and Annie break apart laughing.
He reaches down and catches her hand one last time.
Giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’ll see you later.”
Annie nods. “See you.”
She reluctantly lets go and walks back toward the girls.
Smoke stays exactly where he is.
Watching her.
She glances back once before climbing into Devin’s mom’s car.
Smoke smiles to himself.
Only after the car disappears into the stream of traffic…Does he finally climb into his truck…
Part 1
Part 2
Y’all Smoke has it bad. I know Smoke doesn’t smile but I wanted to capture how Annie is slowly changing him. It’s a natural reflex at this point. She also got my boy feeling jealous and ready to conquer the world for her. ‘I fear’ (in my Aniyah voice) Annie really is that girl. . Also Stack just overly going. Baby mama and all. 🥴😩😂
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-hey yall, we got a part 2 of big mamaaaaaaa! Annie is getting put thru that mattress. And Smoke is the one putting her thru it. This just some good ol’ fucking. Credits to @dealore for the prompt. :) i hope you enjoy ittttttt, i enjoyed writing it. This is the final part for this so i figured I’d make it a treat. We picking up directly from part 1 so don’t expect no talking ;p
Also, do anyone wanna help me with a new master list? Sksksks im feeling lazy and dont wanna find all my workssssss omg. MINORS DO NOT FUCKING ENGAGE!!!
As always,
Enjoy.
“Fuck, Elijah,” he was eating her pussy like he’d been there before. Slurping and spitting on her clit, over and over. Her pussy was grasping at his tongue, her hips bucking to meet his mouth.
He held her legs up tight, pinning her in place. He licked from her asshole to her hard mound, sending a chill up her body. He moaned into her as he continued his assault. “This pussy taste so good,” he growled into her heat. Her legs shook as he brought her to climax. She gripped the sheets, her back arching hard off the bed. She screamed out, “You got this pussy cumming, Daddy.” Her body froze as Annie rode out her orgasm. Her back hitting the sheets.
Elijah rubbed the outside of her legs as he licked up what he could around his mouth. He looked down at her pussy, her hole was drooling. Creamy liquid dripping from her, he didn’t think twice to slurp it out of her. She threw her head back, her eyes shut tight from the overwhelming sensation between her legs.
‘Damn, he eating the fuck out my pussy,’ she thought to herself. She’d never been ate like this before. The way her payed attention to her sticky center. How he was gentle with running his tongue over her clit. The way he spit on her center and distributed the assault with his tongue, slipping through her folds. The way he gripped her thighs and spoke to her without coming up for air. He was driving her mad with it, she was going to be insane over this man. All because he licked her like it was his purpose.
“You alright baby?” He pulled her from her thoughts. He trailed kisses up Annie’s body, stopped at her Naples and gently sucking and licking. Wetting her chest in her juices and his spit. She grabbed the back of his head to steady herself, even though she was lying down. “O-oh,”she whipped out as her traveled up to her neck. He sucked and bit into her, her body was in overdrive. She could feel his dick, nestled perfectly between her lower lips. He had to know what he was doing to her, how he was making her feel. The way he was taking care of a hunger she didn’t know she had.
Elijah was feral. This woman would be the very welcomed death of him. When he ate her, he got lost and was no longer doing it for his pleasure, but hers. She was sweet, and the way she leaked on his lips when he wrapped his lips around her? Her sweet moans and filthy talk while he ate her. The way her hips bucked and pussy grabbed at his tongue had his dick hard as a rock. He needed to be closer to her, needed to be inside her. His eyes were blown black and he could only think about the grip she would have on him. ‘She don’t even know what she’s doing to me,’ he thought to himself. He was giving himself to her without a second thought, he was exactly where he wanted to be.
“That dick so heavy,” she moaned into his mouth. Her hips moving slowly back and forth, dragging her dripping sex across his length. Her arms wrapped around his neck, sliding her hips back ad forth more frantically, “Put it in me, Daddy. Fill me-OH,” he sank. Into her quickly. He sat inside her for moment, filling her deeply. Letting her adjust.
“You so fucking tight,” he strained. He had to hold himself from nutting in her right there. Her body convulsed around him trying to adjust to his size. He leaned back, getting a good look at Annie’s face. Her mouth hung open, her eyes barely open, head swaying back and forth faintly. The feeling of him inside her had taken over. She had no control over her body. She only knew that he needed to started fucking her soon before she fucking exploded. “Look at me baby. Tell me what you need Big Mama,” he spoke to her low and slow.
“Fuck me,” she whispered, her eyes not moving off of his. He with-drawled from her and fucked into her slowly. Dragging out of her at a dangerously slow pace. He was only fucking her with half his length and she was holding on for dear life. Her moans and screams were music to his ears. The way she clawed at his back, the way her pussy just opened up for him. She was so fucking wet, she was dripping onto her sheets. He was so deep inside her, her vision was blurry.
“Yes, Elijah! Keep fucking me, don’t stop fucking me!” That was all he needed, to slam fully into her until she busted all over him. He was digging her out. Giving her exactly what he said he would. Looking down at her as she took him full on, he’d never seen anybody more beautiful. She was taking his dick like a champ. She was made for him. He watched as she disappeared inside of her, in and out. He felt her tighten around him. “Daddy, I’m bout to cum,” she whined. “Keeping fucking me ‘Lijah, you gon make me fucking cum.”
“Cum on this dick baby, this yo shit. Wet me up,” he fucked her straight through and her pussy bursted coating his dick in a warm liquid. She squirted around his dick as the orgasm rocked through her, her body seized under him. She shook uncontrollably, her nails digging into his forearm. Her body fell limp as he pulled his still very erect monstrosity from her.
“I hope you don’t think I’m done with you,” he wasn’t going to give her anytime to recover. He gripped her legs, flipping her onto her stomach like she was rag doll. He spread her ass open and stuffed his nose between her pussy lips, sucking her swollen clit into his mouth. Her pussy leaked into his mouth, her hips pushed up, putting herself on her knees to give him better access. He took one long lick before he positioned himself behind her. His fat tip poking at her entrance. He brought his hung up and smacked her ass. Her ass shook, leaving him mesmerized. “Look at this shit,” he smacked her ass again, slipping the tip of his dick inside her, causing Annie to arch her back. He pressed her hips forward, settling inside of her halfway. Her head lifted up off the bed, her mouth gaped, she tucked her bottom lip in between her teeth, trying to hold the moan that was trying to escape her.
He slapped her ass again, “Nah, let me hear you Anais. Let me hear what Daddy doing to you baby,” he heals her hips deeply. Surely there would be a bruise there when he was thru with her body. She opened her mouth letting the moan rip through her. She spread her legs lowering herself back to the mattress, face down ass up. The sight of her pussy and her tight asshole prompted Elijah to move. She was begging for him to beat her pussy up. He pummeled into her at lightening speed, not even giving her a chance to catch her breath in between strokes. Her legs bent up at the knees, her toes cured into a ball as he stroked her into oblivion.
“Dadddddddyyy, please,” she begged him to let up, placing a hand on the base of his stomach. Her slapped her ass and pinned her arm to her back, lifting up slightly to hit her at a different angle. “Let me have it baby, cum on this dick again and again til you begging for mercy,” he grunted as he hit the bottom of her busy. Then he just stopped and pressed his full length inside her, filling her completely. “Oh shit, baby you too deep.” She pushed her ass back into him not knowing if she wanted more or if she wanted it to end. Tears pricked the outer creases of her eyes. “Why you fucking me like this huh?” She turned her head to find his eyes. And when she did the black orbs stared into her mercilessly.
“So you don’t ever think you can find this, anywhere else.”
-
W’S IN THE CHATTTTTTTTT! Anyway y’all just suem freaky for yaaaa!
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summary: all his life, smoke had heard that two is company but three is a crowd; and never had it made as much sense as it did now.
cw: smut, toxic smoke x annie, possesive!smoke, obsessed!smoke, obsessed!annie, public!sex, unprotected!sex (everyone say thank you to @brownskincheyenne), light choking, cheating, use of alcohol, use of the nword
a/n: here's the final part and a very annie centered chapterrrr. we been focused on smoke, but now it's her time to shine! this is much longer that part one and two combined, so please enjoy! requested here and inspired by @librababe7
part one; part two.
masterlist
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Her new nigga wasn’t someone she was serious about. Yes—he was sexy as hell, and yes—and he did whatever she told him to, but he wasn’t Smoke.
Annie had promised herself after that first time that she wouldn’t become addicted to the man. It was easy enough to say but too hard to make reality, and whenever she found her mind drifting to Smoke, all she could think about was the sight, smell, and taste of him. All she could feel was his hands roaming her body, throwing her around—handling her. It had been a long time since she was this engrossed in another person, so when he texted, she responded. When he begged to come over, she let him.
Her new nigga was an attempt to stop this obsession from spreading. He was something to offset her need for Smoke. It worked—at first—but every time she got a taste of Smoke again, she was ready to throw in the towel and run to her friend in confession.
She knew why the woman had put an end to the threesome shit just as soon as it had started. Annie and the man had went wild, and when you get completely lost the way they did, you have to nip that shit in the bud expeditiously. Her friend could see where it was heading, could tell that if they continued she would end up with no man at all—but she didn’t move quick enough.
Annie had snatched her nigga up, and if Smoke was intrigued by her before, he was damn near obsessed now.
When he yelled at her about her new man, the audacity made her laugh and boil with anger. You would think he'd focus on the more pressing matter first: they had a double date to be worried about, and there he was focused about some stupid shit. But Annie couldn’t deny that Smoke’s possessive side made her tingle. There was something about the raising of his voice, the crazy look in his eye, the way he gritted his teeth at her.
She wanted to tell him that she was all his and that she wasn’t serious about dude, but then she’d have no cards to play and nobody to fall back on.
She wasn’t that stupid.
~~~~~
Annie stared down at her phone. Smoke was blowing her up like he had been all week, but she had nothing to say to him; Nothing worthwhile, and nothing that would soothe the insane way he was behaving. She rolled her eyes as a litany of messages came through.
So you ain't gon answer my fuckin messages?
You got me textin and callin yo ass and I know you see it
I told yo ass I was serious, Annie
Im serious bout you
Bout us
Answer yo damn phone, woman
Aight
Keep playin
Just wait til I see yo lil boyfriend at this dinner then
“You ready for our double date on friday,” her friend asked, bumping her shoulder as she passed her to look at the wall of shoes in front of them. Startled, Annie immediately stuffed her phone in her purse, swiveling around with a flushed look as her surroundings came back into the forefront.
The mall was loud even though it was a week day, but her mind was still oscillating between Smoke's messages and maintaining this lie.
“Sure,” she hummed, picking up a pair of heels. “I been wantin’ to try that restaurant for a while, too.”
“Mhm,” her friend responded distractedly. Annie had stooped to try on the shoe, giving her the chance to watch her without being interrupted. Her eyes drifted over her—hot and greedy—but when Annie stood up straight, she diverted her gaze. “I’m ready to meet yo’ new man,” she lied, huffing softly. “Tryna see who takin’ all your time away like this.” And with that, the friend laughed—boastful and haughty—but Annie could tell what was underneath it.
She had suspected for a while now that her friend still felt a way about their little rendezvous. Since then, she looked at Annie with the memory of her naked body still roaming around her mind, and when Annie began to spend less time with her and more time with her new man (and Smoke), she continuously demanded to know who was taking her away from her. She played it off as a joke, but Annie could sense her true feelings.
This stupid double date was set up for her friend to finally meet her "competition", as she had put it. And while Annie hated the whole idea of it, she couldn’t fight the irony of Smoke being the real reason for her lack of free time.
She was split between three people who couldn’t get enough Annie, and she didn’t know what to do. She had a friend who was obsessed with her and secretly pining for something she had put an end to herself. She had a new man who was supposed to be a fun distraction from the bullshit, but the more things progressed with him, the more enraptured he became, too. And she had Smoke—a man as addicted to her as she was him.
It was a hot ass mess of her own making, but there seemed to be no turning back now.
"What you wearin' to dinner," her friend questioned, biting her bottom lip. She was back to looking her up and down and clearly envisioning Annie being put through the mattress.
"Girl," Annie cackled, rolling her eyes as they walked into another store. "Stop lookin' at me like that before I tell yo' man on you."
"Oh, please," she grumbled, moving to a rack of dresses. Rolling her shoulders back, her voice leveled to a tone Annie couldn't fully decipher. "Smoke be lookin' at you, too."
~~~~~
When she made it to the restaurant, Annie felt like she was walking into the lion's den. With her new nigga at her side, she only felt worse, like she was subjecting him to a violence he had no possible understanding of.
Before now, she'd felt no reason to explain the intricacies of her relationship with Smoke and her friend to him. He didn’t know about the threesome or her and Smoke’s relationship or how her friend still wanted her. It was none of his business, and they weren't serious enough for her to start divulging secrets with the man.
But it didn't make her feel any better about bringing him into the environment because she knew her guilt would only grow with time.
“Hey, sexy,” Annie’s friend shouted in greeting, standing from her seat to welcome the woman and her guest. Her arms wrapped around her waist, holding her tight as the two men beside them sized each other up. Smoke rose from his chair slowly, eyes remaining in the unfamiliar face. He disregarded the nickname, disregarded Annie’s attire. There was nothing more important than figuring out what made this nigga good enough for his Annie.
Greeting her friend back with a firm hug, the woman introduced her guest—and immediately the air turned cold.
Smoke, his girlfriend, and Annie’s man all traded looks between each other, each of them full of competition and jealousy.
“Have you all ordered anything,” Annie laughed off nervously, trepidation blanketing her emotions. She took a seat at the table, right between Smoke and her friend—across from her man. The other woman cleared her throat to speak, but Annie could only focus on how Smoke had yet to acknowledge her.
“Just a bottle of wine,” her friend offered blankly.
“Well,” Annie breathed emptily. She didn’t know what to say or how to proceed. Never once had she been in a situation such as this, but she promised herself that she’d make it out alive. Noticing that her dress had ridden up, Annie fought the fabric to bring it down to an appropriate length, but that was entirely the wrong move.
Smoke’s eyes were on her in an instant, burning holes into her body because who did she think she was wearing something that short outside the house? Who did she think she was showing off what was his? He swallowed a thick gulp of wine, gritting his teeth when it hit the back of his throat.
He’d been too distracted earlier, but Annie had Smoke’s full attention now.
Seated at the square dining table in the middle of an overly loud restaurant, the man found himself placed between Annie and her new nigga. It disgusted him to see her making eyes at the man across from her while he was completely unconcerned with his own girl. They’d had a fight before arriving. Something stupid about him being distant and not showing much affection, something about how he hadn’t initiated sex in ages; But he was really cool off all that. He wanted Annie. Needed Annie.
The past week or so without the woman made him feel like he was going to die, but now that he could see her again, he’d been restored.
Between flagged down waiters and their food finally arriving from the backed up kitchen, little words had left his mouth. Smoke watched with angered eyes as Annie talked with everyone but him. She hardly looked in his direction, but it gave him plenty of time to analyze everything else. Both his and Annie’s dates were looking at the woman as if she’d hung the stars, severely infatuated by every word coming out of her mouth.
He understood that feeling. Annie was reverent, a fucking sight to behold.
“So, how serious you and Annie is,” he interrupted, bringing tension back to the table. The other man scoffed, working his jaw, and the two women refused to meet each other’s gazes. They were both embarrassed for a multitude of reasons.
“Serious enough,” Annie’s date countered with attitude. His eyebrows were scrunched, leaning into Smoke’s personal space. “You cool wit’ that?”
The question was unnecessary because everyone could tell his answer was a resounding no. Heat rose in his body. Jealousy dripped off of him. Smoke blew from his nostrils.
“Nigga, who the fuck you thin—”
“We’re just enjoyin’ ourselves,” Annie swallowed, unafraid of interrupting Smoke’s speech, uncaring of the glare he sent into the side of her head. She knew she needed to intervene quickly because no one at this table needed to believe that she and this man were anywhere near serious. Smoke was irate. Her friend was envious. And her nigga was ready to fight the whole table ‘bout her—and she wasn’t ready to see him end up on his ass. “We just gettin’ to know each other,” she explained further, shrugging to show indifference. “Learnin’ each other. Havin’ fun.”
“Don’t sound serious to me,” her friend whispered into her glass. And Smoke grunted in agreement. He eyed the way his girl rolled her eyes at the other man, how she clearly viewed him as some sort of intruder when she sent this all up. They didn't have to be here, but now they all pissed.
Smoke chuckled when Annie’s date shrunk into his seat.
Unable to hold back from touching her any longer, the man grabbed her near bare thigh beneath the table. He needed the stability. Needed it to keep him from doing something he would soon regret because Annie’s man was on the verge of saying more slick shit and his girl had turned her eyes to him, suspicious of his behavior as if she wasn't acting just as questionable.
“You good, Smoke,” she questioned from across the table, eyes low and jaw set. Her gaze communicated a million words, and he simply wasn’t ready to deal with that tonight.
“I’m fine,” but as he spoke shortly, his grip tightened on Annie, and he felt her gasp before her fingers joined his atop her thigh.
Annie was losing her mind.
The room was suffocating her, and Smoke's hands on her body—and beginning to tighten every second—only made her want him more. She felt stupid for spending the last week not talking to him, but she needed to make him sweat. In her attempts to have him unnerved, things had backfired, and all she wanted was to be alone with the man she had been avoiding for days.
“I think I need some air,” the woman exasperated, shooting a heated glance in his direction.
Before she could even stand, both men had moved to help her from her seat, and even her friend had extended a hand in assistance as well. It was awkward. Embarrassingly, Annie declined the help, finding the nearest exit to the restaurant's private courtyard.
It was much quieter outside, and the night air had a cooling note to it that instantly calmed her body. The dress she wore clung to her in the best way, ridding up with each step she made toward the fountain in the middle of the space. She was most surprised at the fact that no one was out here, and her mind cleansed itself at that realization.
“I can’t believe you brought that nigga,” she heard from behind her, the words hot as they punctuated the air. She could feel his body nearing hers, and as she rolled her shoulders to stand up straight, she could feel the hard plains of his chest.
“What you expect me to do, Smoke,” Annie questioned, exhaustion and need in her tone. “Just show up alone?”
“Hell yeah,” he grumbled. With a hand moving to her waist, he pulled her ass to lay flush with his crotch. He laughed at the shiver down her spine. “You mine, Annie, and both of them up in there lookin’ at you like they got the right to.”
“Smoke,” the woman groaned, slowly grinding into him. She was listening, or at least trying to, but Smoke was addictive. All it took was a few short words and that damn grumble to get her going. She didn’t know how she’d survive the rest of the night.
“Told ‘em I was headed to make a phone call, so we ain’t got much time, baby girl,” he whispered headily. “What you want?”
“I need to cum,” she cried, turning around in his arms. She fisted his shirt and gave him the softest eyes she could muster. “It’s been too long.”
“And who’s fault is that,” Smoke growled. He walked her into a corner where one wall of the building met another; where dense plants created enough shadows for him to do what needed to be done; where the world could become their own.
His lips landed on her neck first; Her purse was still sitting at the table, and they didn’t need the added drama of smudged makeup to ruin tonight anymore than they were about to. He nipped at her skin with care as his fingers glided down her thighs and back up again. Smoke would never get enough of the feel of her—the softness, the solidity beneath it all.
“You out of yo' mind comin' wit' that nigga,” he argued yet again. “Even crazier for wearin' this little ass dress, but I'm gon' let you slide for now.”
Her dress hem was thrown up over her hips before she could process everything, and his hands were inside her panties just as she had demanded. Annie loved that Smoke was a man on a mission in everything that he did. If there was a task to complete, he was diligent in seeing it through. Currently, she was his task, so when his thick fingers found her wet heat, she allowed her body to settle, knowing she would be taken care of.
It felt as if she were being engulfed—by him, by her emotions, by the entire date night from Hell. All she wanted was Smoke, but as his fingers stroked her, she just couldn’t stay focused on the moment.
“Breathe, baby,” the man reminded her, slowing his hand between her legs. The pace was teasing, shallower than he knew Annie needed. Her warmth surrounded him, and her arousal dripped down his fingers with each dragging thrust.
“Please,” Annie choked out, clawing at his shoulders. Her mind was still swirling, imagining both of their dates waiting at the table, hopeful for their return. Guilt settled into her skin, but she needed this. Staring into the man’s eyes, she attempted to ground herself, slowly beginning to work her hips into his palm.
“There you go,” Smoke encouraged, increasing his speed as she rutted against him. Heat flushed his face when she grabbed his throat and held him there, but he couldn’t lie about how good it felt. The choking—along with her moans—made him feel lightheaded in the best way, urging him to bring her to her climax. But his arousal was thumping in the seat of his own pants, and every few seconds, he thrusted his clothed length against her thigh.
“Put it in,” Annie lulled into his left ear.
And how could he resist that?
Looking out over his shoulder and finding the courtyard still empty, Smoke quickly unbuckled his belt. He’d have to do a whole lot of lying when he made it back to the table after this, but all of that was a distant concern that he refused to let take precedence.
“I ain’t got no condom,” he breathed heavily, but he was quick to realize that Annie didn’t mind when her leg wrapped around his hip and her hand dragged his dick closer to her entrance.
“I’m surprised you even came tonight,” the woman at the table grinned like a Cheshire cat. Her voice was teetering on the edge of something smug, but the man beside her didn’t pick up on it.
“Why are you surprised,” he questioned in response.
“I just thought you’d have a problem with it after Annie told you,” she chuckled.
“Told me what,” he asked once more, and the woman knew she was about to be triumphant.
“Oh, you don’t know, do you,” she feigned innocence. Her eyes got big and round as if she hadn’t meant to spill the beans and saw no way out but through. “You know Annie’s like my best friend and all, and we’re so close,” she began, voice lilting. “I thought she would have told you about me, her, and Smoke since y'all are so serious and everything.”
“Y’all—”
“Fucked? Yeah,” she answered with indifference, shrugging as she beckoned a waiter over for another bottle of wine. She refilled her glass and tried her best to stuff down her grin. She so badly needed this nigga to move on—because in her mind, if she had to compete for Annie’s attention against Smoke only, she’d double her chances at winning.
Oh, how wrong she was.
But nevertheless, the man beside her only added to her overconfidence when sadness washed over his body. She watched him look down at his watch and back toward the two empty chairs at their table.
“Fuck this pussy, baby,” Annie demanded, smacking the side of Smoke’s ass as he folded her up into the corner. She adored the heat of the moment, how they were doing this in public when they had people waiting for them. She loved the seclusion of it, how it was dark in their corner, and with the plants blocking the view no one would see them anyway.
It felt right no matter how wrong it was, and with Smoke finally fucking her raw like this, she was ready to give him what he wanted. What she had been denying herself, too.
“You mine,” she slurred, drunk off of the feeling of his thrusts.
“Huh, baby,” he grunted, sweat near his hairline.
“You my only nigga,” she confirmed, moaning lightly at him faltering in shock. She grabbed his face, nails crescenting his skin. “You mine, and I’m yours. But you need to put an end to yo’ relationship. Can you do that for me, baby?”
The words were sealed with a kiss to the corner of his mouth. Smoke nodded his head profusely before doubling his efforts.
“I swear it’s over wit’ her,” he damn near cried, throat cracking around a moan.
He’d do whatever she asked because Annie was his priority. Annie was what he’d always needed.
He continued to fuck her as he felt his body beginning to succumb to their combined efforts. Annie was clenching around his length and swearing softly against his lips. She couldn’t take it anymore, the guilt turning into something that nudged at her desire. Neither of them cared about the consequences or repercussions of their cheating because they had this: each other.
As they walked back to the table, they did it together—side by side instead of hiding behind a lie any longer.
Each step sent fear through Annie's body, but as Smoke's shoulder brushed against hers, her heart rate leveled out. What they hadn't expected upon returning was for the table to be missing one of their guests. The closer they got, Smoke's girl became clearer in their view, and when her head turned in their direction, a near evil smirk lit her face.
"Where ole dude at," Smoke puzzled distantly, knowing that whenever he turned up it would be time to come clean. He sat in his seat, Annie to one side and his girl in front of him. The laugh she let out told him everything he needed to know.
"He left," she muttered, already taking in Annie's appearance: the wrinkles in her dress, the slant of her hem, the dampness along her edges.
"Why'd he go," Annie uttered worriedly, causing both of the people at the table to roll their eyes. It's not that she cared about him that much, but when she left the table, everything was fine except for her need for Smoke.
"Y'all was out there together, weren't y'all," the other woman questioned instead, completely disregarding what she'd been asked. Her gaze had moved to Smoke, and his eyes told it all. He could never lie too well when confronted with something outright. His leg was bouncing beneath the table, and his brows were furrowed in a way that said he couldn't wait for tonight to be over with. But those damn eyes lit up every time he looked over at Annie, and the way he wanted her made the other woman's heart hurt.
"I asked you a question," Annie insisted, huffing and crossing her arms beneath her chest. "What did you say to him?" Because she knew the woman had done something. Her friend had set this all up for a reason, and she never liked the idea of Annie entertaining another person. Never liked that she didn't have all of Annie's attention.
"He somehow found out about our li'l threesome," she admitted with a casualness that irked Annie to her core.
"Why would you tell him that," she groaned. "You know I hadn't told him yet."
"I guess it slipped my mind," but as she said the words, she looked at Smoke. The darkness in his eyes. The irritation building in his bones. "What were y'all doin' outside?"
And although Smoke wanted to allow Annie the opportunity to speak her mind, he needed to put an end to this.
"We was fuckin'," he exasperated, already feeling Annie's eyes on him due to his bluntness. He continued to look at the woman he had arrived with tonight, watching the emotions pass over her face. He remembered the fight from earlier about him not being present. He remembered the days she'd come home after hanging out with Annie and how all she wanted was to fuck him with the thought of the other woman fresh in her mind. He thought back to when she had first admitted to wanting a threesome with her friend—the betrayal of it.
The look on her face now had nothing to do with her being cheated on and everything to do with the fact that it was with Annie—the woman that she wanted more than anything else. But she was his now, and that thought settled him.
"We through," he huffed, standing from his seat. He pulled out some cash, throwing it on the table. "You ain't wanted me for a long time, and I apologize for lyin' but that's all I got for you." He wanted to scoff when she looked up at him because she looked pathetic. Shoulders hunched and eyes wet, he could tell she knew this was the end of whatever fantasy she had created for her and the other woman. As much as he wanted to bring it up, it wasn't worth it.
Annie stood when his hand extended toward her.
"I'm sorry," she apologized, standing over the other woman with an honest look. "But it was never gonna work between us."
And with a promise to move out within the week and to pay his half of the rent for the remainder of their lease, Smoke and Annie departed from the double date from hell—hand in hand and with a weight lifted off of their shoulders.
A fic where smoke realizes annie is pregnant before she does ??
(Wouldn’t be mad if you included the conception either 🤭🤭)
after i post part three of three's a crowd today, this is my next request to tackle!!! it'll probably be straight fluff tho because i been doing a lotttt of smut~~
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
She remains unmarried. With a list of betrothals broken off due to her being a "difficult" woman to deal with by past suitors, her council, desperate to find her a husband hatch a plan to host a tournament for men across the land to fight for her hand in marriage. Two Mercenary twin brother's, down on their luck, see it as their moment to strike big. The biggest they've ever went to bat for.
Content: enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, violence, peer pressure, manipulation, misogyny, sexual tension, slow burn, political intrigue, eventual smut
Cw: explicit language (not the healthiest coping mechanisms), sexual situations, *light* manhandling, voyuerism... shit idk, Its alot going on.
A/n: Soooo uhmm.... I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I dont write, and I surely dont write stuff like this so be easy on a girl, cuz Idk what the fuck Im doing😩😭
Just know Im doing my best, lol
And if your a minor... Dont read this shit bruh.😭
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As soon as the door to the library closed behind her she moved swiftly through the darkened corridors like the devil was on her heels. Her night robe gently swayed every which way at the speed of her gate. She clutched the robe tighter to her body.
She felt off balance. Like her skin was too tight for the body it was wrapped around. She felt hot everywhere despite the chill of the night. A prickle of moisture just beneath the surface of her skin was lying in wait to eventually perspire down her body was ever lingering. Her heart was racing, and it wasnt just from the speed at which she walked.
Damn him, she cursed in her mind.
Most of the staff had gone to bed by this time. The only people occupying the halls were a sparse few royal gaurds, as most of them were concentrated on the outskirts of the property. They gave small bows to her as she passed by, she gave a brief curtsy and bid them goodnight.
She finally reached her chambers after what felt like hours, eventhough at max it was closer to five minutes. Somehow heading back from the library to her room felt longer than heading to the library to find her frustrating husband.
Despite her erratic movements from before, she closed the door slowly with a quiet click careful to not wake anyone nearby. As soon as the door closed behind her she leaned her back against its cool surface, letting out the longest sigh into the empty room. The cool wood, juxtaposed to the heat emitting off her frame had a small calming affect on her.
It didnt last long.
An irritation of two kinds bubbled to the surface. She clenched her jaw, "The fuckin' nerve on that man." Annie could hardly recall any man doing something like that to her.
But what pissed her off even more, was the fact that he had her in such a vulnerable position so easily and she didnt put up any fight. How docile she got just from a little handling from him. She just let herself land in the palm of his hand, and the things he was saying to her-
She covered her face with her hands letting out a bemused groan. Sitting right beside the anger she was feeling, was embarrassment.
The way I just asked that man to tell me what he'd do to me. That was way out of character for her. Even if it wasnt- it cut too close to begging for her comfort. It was even worse knowing that if he pushed just a little more she would've shamelessly let him do whatever he wanted to her right there in that library. Propriety be damned.
Made her almost forget herself. Something he seemed to have the knack for doing. It was getting out of control, even worse now that he now knew that she wasnt nearly as against his advances as previously let on.
He did all that, put her in a vulnerable position, leaving her wanting, just to pull away suddenly? Make demands? Talkin' 'bout how he'll keep doin' her like this 'till she confesses that she wants him as much as he wants her. If she was in her right mind she would've cussed his ass out- 'cause how dare he?
But instead she fled.
A man never made her run as much as he did. He was just so... intense when he's ready. Far from the men she was used to dealing with.
She placed a hand to her chest. Her heart was still beating rapidly, and she could feel every trecherous pulse of it beating right between her thighs. Like a constant reminder of the affect he had on her body... On her.
She grunted, pushing herself stiffly off the door and went straight to her bed, rearranging the pillows in the way she liked for sleep. She put the rest of the decorative pillows onto the ottoman that sat at the foot of her bed.
Once it was set to her liking, she grabbed her silk bonnet, turned off the singular light in the room that casted a warm glow across the room, and eased her way under the silk sheets. She shimmied her body around until she found a position that felt just right, and closed her eyes.
It seemed that the position she chose didnt sit quiet right with her. She didnt feel her body sink into the feeling of sleep like she wanted so she switched positions again, facing the curtained glass doors that led outside to their shared balcony, trying to melt into the bed and relax her body.
It didnt feel right again, her neck and chest still felt hot.
That incessant heat that settled low in her belly had not cooled down.
She was restless. She turned on her stomach, which became equally as uncomfortable after a while, her chest was pressing a bit into her ribs. She flipped over to her side again, hand tucked under her head as she stared into space in her darkened room, letting out a frustrated breath.
She flipped on to her back, eyes to the ceiling. Sleep was struggling to find her, a buzzing energy settled underneath her skin. That consistent pulse that she felt between her thighs was not going away, refusing to allow sleep to find her. The heat in her belly had not cooled down, every change of position, every movement of her legs added pressure exactly to where she was starting to ache. A temptation to touch was steady growing-
No. She refused.
He dont deserve my pleasure.
It seemed like her refusal made the throbbing worse. A budding wetness made its self known, she clenched her legs in hopes that it would stop it from getting any worse.
It didnt.
Her mind kept buzzing with the words he said, the way he touched her, wrapped his strong arms around her soft waist, how easily he maneuvered her around as she was by no means a petite woman. The feel of her body pressed against his. How for a second of insanity she purposefully brushed her hips against his when he spun her around to get an Idea of what he was carrying in those undergarments of his.
She was not disappointed... far from it as a matter of fact.
Those thick, full lips of his- She briefly imagined what they would look like between her legs- his wide callous hands wrapped around her thick thighs as he took his fill of her...
She clenched, her legs crossed between eachother tightened the slightest bit more.
A trecherous need to quench the fire that was building was steady growing. Her fingers twitched.
But once again she refused.
Like if she touched herself off the back of what just happened she would be admitting defeat of some nonsensical game they were playing with eachother. 'Cause thats exactly what it was, and thats what he was playing at. For her to give in to him. Her ego couldnt allow something like that, for some reason a paranoid, unreasonable part of her mind believed that if she touched herself to the thoughts of him, he would know in some way.
Knowing him, he would never let her have peace if he ever knew and with the last words he left her with he clearly had no intentions of coming up off from her.
She scoffed into the empty room, he has enough audacity drippin' off him to drown the whole kingdom with his annoyin' ass.
She resolved herself to simply refuse thinking about him. Veering into thoughts of duties that she had to take care of as a distraction, old wrinkled faces of the elders . In a way it did work... almost immediately dosing the fire building in her to just embers.
Her sleep was very fitful.
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__________________
Annie was not in a good mood.
Her lips seemingly stuck in a twisted in a frown as she rubbed at her puffy eyelids.
She didnt get nearly as much sleep as she would've wanted and it made her feel highly irritable. All thanks to Smoke.
The thought of his name crossing her mind made her grimace, but as always, a quiet knock at the door shifted her attention. She already had an idea of who it was before the door was cracked open.
"Goodmorning my Queen." Ruth piped cheerfully as she fluttered about the royal chambers, followed closely by Pearline, her smooth voice wafting across the room, "I hope you got yourself some good rest."
The queen kissed her teeth.
There was no way in hell she was gonna tell Pearline the reasoning behind her lack of sleep. Still, not wanting to be rude she answered anyways, prim, proper, and formal, "It was fine. Thank you for asking." Short and sweet.
The response made her friend lift a curious brow, but Pearline knowing Annie as well as she did made the choice to leave it for now. As stubborn as the queen was, trying to wrestle out what was troubling her was like pulling teeth.
She'll tell me when she's ready... Atleast I hope she does...
She made a beeline towards Anisa's closet, looking for a gown of the day.
Annie moved to her vanity and Ruth started on getting her hair in order, as the, usually, timid girl quietly rattled off about what kind of new braidstyles were in at the moment and if Annie wanted to try any. Annie let her choose what style the queen would wear for the day, " I trust that you wont have me out here lookin' crazy Ruth, go on an' choose a style for me." Lending the young girl a soft smile.
She figured giving the girl some freedom would aid in building up her confidence, make her feel more sure of herself. She could tell it was working little by little as the young girls footsteps no longer sounded like she didnt want to be heard, sounding more sure of herself, like she belonged here.
Annie turned her eyes toward Pearline sorting through her clothes and noticed the pointed absence of Mary... Once again. The last conversation she shared with her other friend crossing her mind " Why Mary aint with yall today?"
Pearline paused, before letting out an irritable huff "I dont know what's up with her, she all sulky an' she refuse to tell me whats wrong- oh, what color you feelin' today Ann'?", she added, still focused on the task at hand.
"Im feelin' red, -You know what got her down enough that she dont feel the need to show her face round here an' shirk her responsibilities?" Annie raised a manicured brow, her dormant irritation threatening to breach the surface.
"Girl, she aint tell me a thing-but judgin' by how she look at me with enough heat to set me on fire since her twin kissed my hand? I can think up a thing or two." Pearline finally wrenched out a warm red gown, just shy of looking almost orange. "How you feel 'bout this color. Its not a solid red, but I think it'll look real nice against your skin."
"Looks nice Pearl, I like it..." the queen trailed off, there was a thought plaguing her mind and she was deliberating on how much she wanted to divulge, if she wanted to say anything at all. From how things were looking there was already a simmering tension between Pearl and Mary, she decided against it for now. But she will most certainly have a conversation with Mary.
Cause clearly what I told her aint go through that thick skull of hers.
After Pearline and Ruth made their final touches on her outfit, Annie had an urge to take a stroll outside the estate walls before taking on the stress of the day.
She looked at the clock and knew forsure she'd have enough time to.
Just before the two ladies were about to excuse themselves for the rest of the morning, Annie spoke up,
"Before yall leave... would yall like to... Go on a walk with me?"
While she was met with enthusiasm with Ruth giving an immediate yes, Pearline paused for a second, face wrought with subdued suprise because, when was the last time the queen, her friend, offered to hangout outside of obligated times?
Annie's anxiety starting to bleed into her nerves as each second ticked by without a response from Pearline. She contemplated taking back the offer. She didnt want to make her long time friend feel as if she was obligated to just because she was monarch.
She didnt have to wait much longer because soon her worries were calmed when a warm smile slowly spread Pearlines lips, one that could be heard in her voice when she spoke."Which route you wanna take?"
"Let's go to some of the walkways just outside the estate, someplace I can exhale without my breath feelin' restricted. Its too stuffy up in here." Annie fidgeted around, unconsciously proving her own point.
"Girl, I thought you'd never ask- c'mon Ruth!" Pearline motioned excitedly.
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"Im not gone lie Anisa, I dont know how you do it. Even me bein' here a few days back Im already startin' to feel stale. Like some old bread. Them few weeks I spent visitin' family- even with my ancient husband, was such a nice change of pace... You need a vacation or somethin' that takes you outta here for a little while, take a little edge off."
"I already had a vacation. I had a honey moon." Annie supplied confidently, brushing off the suggestion.
"-Which was still spent here and knowing you? A majority of that time was spent actin' like that man you married aint exist..." Pearline turned to Annie, her gaze expectant.
"I... It wasnt that bad, I allowed him to help me with my garden." The queen crossed her arms, and if Pearline was in her right mind she could've sworn it looked like the queen was pouting.
"You 'allowed' him?"
"Yeah, after I discovered he wouldnt stop pesturing me. I figured I might as well have given him somethin' to do."
"Anisa. Theres no way in hell you both felt refreshed from somethin' like that. An' seein' the way you two loom around eachother in all that loaded silence yall both walk around here with? You two carry enough tension to set this whole place on fire."
Annie stiffened, was it that obvious?
Almost as if Pearline read her mind, she Annie patted her on the back with a delicate hand, "Dont worry, aint nothin' obvious when it come to you an' that husband of yours. But I know you Anisa..." she trailed off.
A tension of a different sort say between them. One of a disconnection and a friends past unsuccessful efforts to be close once more.
Ruth, sensing a shift in the atmosphere between the two women slowed her steps giving them some space, before wandering off the trail into the long grass fields, a small movement between the blades caught her attention.
"Dont go too far now!" Anisa called, before she quieted down again, looking somewhere into the distance. She heard Ruth's response back, but didnt fully registered what the girl said.
Pearline didnt speak for a moment, panic in her mind started to set in. Feeling like she ruined what could've been a simple nice one on one outting with her closest friend that she hadnt had the chance to have in God knows how long. She should've been satisfied with just that... she shouldve-
"Hhm..." Annie breathed with introspection. "When you put it that way... I guess you gotta point. Might have to plan a vacation sometime. By myself." She asserted.
"You aint takin' Smoke with you?"
"His ass can stay here an build a damn castle from the ground up for all I care, since he got his nose stuck in all them damn architect books. He irritatin'."
Pearline chuckled, taking note of her friends stiff, closed off posture. While Anisa has been mostly herself, she could feel a buzzing energy of irritation surrounding her. She always had one, as she was having to constantly deal with egos and incompetency at times, she was always good at hiding it for the most part.
But today, she could tell Annie needed to get something off her chest, wether it was steam or something else entirely. Clearly as far as Pearline could tell, the source of her deepened ire was quiet obviously directed towards the king.
"He done anything wrong by you?" Pearline question seriously.
"No... maybe.." the previous annoyance on the queens face morphed between a strange mix of irritation and bashfulness. Her lips twinge.
Interesting
Though Anisa didnt say anything, Pearline had an idea of what it was that was bothering the queen.
"Anisa."
The weight in which Pearline uttered her name immediately drew Annies attention, she turned her eyes towards her friend.
"If this comes off as oversteppin', Im sorry but... have yall been intimate?"
"..."
"-Not that you gotta answer or anything. I just- well... I know what its like to feel a bit frustrated from the lack of, ehm..." Pearline looked towards Ruth wanting to know if she was within ear shot. Not because she felt it was a subject too grown for her ears, she was almost a woman grown and should be aware of these kinds of conversations, but because she didnt want to broach a personal subject of the Queen while others could be with in earshot.
"Hmph!" Annie let out a derisive snort, a scowl twisted her glossed lips.
Pearline stopped in her tracks, eyes widened. "Wait!... Annie" she said in disbelief. Her mind working into over drive. It wasnt an answer, but it was an answer.
Annie turned around, confused by the sudden outburst. "Huh... Girl what's wrong with you? Whatchu doin' all that for?"
"Annie... Anisa."
"Yes Pearl? You better start sayin' somethin' 'cause you 'bout to piss me off."
"Oh hush Anne, like you dont walk 'round here on the edge of cussin' somebody out all the time... as a matter of fact its only gotten worse since that Smoke of yours came along..." she stiffled a fit of laughter trying to escape.
"He aint my Smoke" she huffed, folding her arms across her chest.
"Well you sure is his Annie though..." Pearline teased cheekily, a chesire grin spread across her mouth.
That caught the queens attention, her eyes squinted, "What makes you think that?" She said it in such a blasé way, it was like she was asking about the time. She did made an effort to quiet the eagerness trying to bleed through her voice with the question... She was still pissed with him.
"Now Annie. Even if you wasnt my friend, anyone with eyes can see how that man dont play when it come to you... Now I aint seen much, but from all the whisperin' them servants do when they aint got nothin' better to do, and from what little Ive seen of that man? C'mon now."
"What you hear 'bout him from the servants? What they whisperin' about me an' him?" Annie was curious but on gaurd. Of course people talk, she didnt feel any sort of way about that, it was apart of being royalty.
"Well, when it comes to him, he's a more reserved man but he's been nothin' but kind to 'em..." she trailed off.
The queen hummed, but she could tell there was something Pearline was holding back.
"Go on" Annie prompted, "I aint gon' bite your head off or nothin', I can tell theres somethin' on the tip of your tongue you wanna spill."
"Well, I heard ol' boy came back not too long ago, Brandon. Went as soon as he came. Some said he was flyin' like a bat outta hell."
Annie tampered the smile threatening to break across her face when Pearline mentioned the speed at which Brandon got the hell on back to wherever he came from.
Pearline continued, leaning in conspiratorily, "Heard your husband had his ass cornered, bit the barrel of a gun right to his head. Scarin' the piss outta 'em. Don't help that some of the house keepers were talkin' 'bout how they could smell it off him when he left."
"Oh really?" She played, fake suprised.
"Nah, dont play me Anne. You was my friend longer than you been my queen, you been known about this."
"Yeah, I knew, he told me what he did that same night..."
"Really?"
"Yeah, Im not too suprised. He almost too upfront. Not that I mind really."
"Ah... I see." Pearline nodded in some understanding.
Annie cocked her head to the side quizzically, "I know you mentioned some of the housekeepers and servants gossipin', but Im curious... How you know them kinda details? He never mentioned usin' any kinda weapon. Though I wouldnt put it pass 'em.." Her mind floated back to the time he told her about his background as a mercenary with his twin.
Pearline sneered slightly, "Well, before that 'lil heffa decided to be all weird to me all 'cause she aint gotta leash on her twin, she told me a bit that she heard a bit from Stack, probly pillow talkin' or somethin'."
"Huh..." the queen muttered a knowing look on her face. Her mind was churning,
Smoke made no mentions of his brother bein' involved... Mary steady runnin' her mouth... Stack stirrin' things up...
She kissed her teeth, I aint got the patience for this shit...
Seeing her friend visibly getting worked up over the info she just gave her Pearline tried to soothe it over. " Im sorry, -I aint meant for this to upset you-"
Annie held a hand up to stop her mid sentence. "No Pearl... You didnt upset me, Im just thinkin', I... Thanks for lettin' me know." A smile returned to her face, honestly this little walk she's had with Pearline unfurled some of the tension she didnt realize she was carrying, her shoulders loosened slightly.
Maybe Pearline wasnt someone she had to keep at arms length... Maybe she could let her in just a little mor-
"Queen Anisa!"
Ugh
She knew that shrill voice anywhere. Pearline and Annie turned towards the direction it came from, Ruth a little deeper into the field doing the same.
Councilwoman Maevis, with her ever present scowl etched upon her face made her way to the three women, with two royal gaurds in toe.
"Looks like our little walk is comin' to an end early..." Pearline sighed.
Annie snorted, "Was only a matter of time. Things were too calm...", she turned to her friend, quiet for a moment. Hesitant in what she wanted to say to her.
"Thanks for takin' a walk with me." She let out a loose chuckle, " I didnt realize how much I needed this. How much I missed this..." Annie felt her eyes unexpectedly get heavy with emotion, a tell tale sign of her eyes feeling a bit misty, just before she steeled herself from getting too emotional.
Pearline grabbed a hold of both her hands, "Anisa... Im just happy you wanted me to come with you, I know things haven't been easy. Our friendship can't be what it used to- I mean, we aint kids anymore obviously, but..." she squeezed her hand a bit firmer, Annie felt the warmth of Pearlines hands seeping into her own, a stark contrast from the cool, crisp morning air. "Thank you."
"What you thankin' me for? I didnt do much-"
"Oh girl hush all that nonsense that's bout to leave that mouth a your's an' just listen." She said sternly. Surprisingly, Annie didnt argue, patiently waiting for what she had to say.
"I just wanted to thank you for trustin' me. For lettin' me in even for a little bit, even if its just this one time."
Annie wordlessly pulled Pearline into a long warm hug, slightly rocking eachother side to side, pouring into her what words could not suffice. "It wont be a one time thing Pearline... not if I have any say in it." She could feel her friend melt into at her words, releasing a quiet exhale like a weight was lifted off of her, the both of them really.
Looks like she needs this just as much as I did...
She could tell how sad it made Pearline to see Anisa pull away as she took on her duties over the years. At the time Annie thought it was the right thing to do. The paranoia was just too high to go from having a family one moment to both taken away from her for reasons that remained unknown to having the highest seat in the kingdom. To dealing with men and women alike always looking for an angle...
But maybe... just maybe she could let people get close again...
"Your highness!" The voice got closer.
"Alright", Annie started to pull away, not before rubbing her friends forearms soothingly before she let go of her. " Time to find out what this woman wants." She turned towards the field, seeing Ruth inspecting a black fuzzy caterpillar inching away along a blade a grass. "C'mon Ruth we headin' back now!", waving her over.
Maevis finally reached the pair at the same time Ruth scrambled her way to them aswell. The older woman face forever in that permanent scowl she carries, spoke, her voice slightly out of breath "Did you not here me calling for you?"
"Mhm" Anisa hummed noncommittedly as she began to make her trek back to the estate, her long gait caused the shorter woman to pick up the pace to remain next to her. "And you're all the way out here with no security. Why didnt you respond bac-"
"-Cause last time I checked you weren't in my schedule for today." She cut in sternly, making sure that Maevis could hear that she was not in the mood for any of her nonsense today. "So now Im here wondering what has you walkin' all this way to come and bother me while Im out here enjoying nature with my ladies?"
Maevis was quiet for a moment, taken aback by how biting the Queen was being this early in the day. Today was a day for her to tread lightly, as it seemed that Anisa's fuse was shorter than it normally was.
"I- uhm, well." Maevis cleared her throat, she felt her face warm with embarrassment from her sputtering, "Councilman Cyrus called for another meeting."
"What for?"
"He wanted to check the temperature on the king, see how he's doing with the blueprints for that Youth Center."
"Didnt we just give him those yesterday? How has there been enough time to check for his progression?" A frown already taking over Annie's lips.
"Its not a check for progression, he just wants to know where the king is at with it."
Like that aint vague as hell, Annie quipped in her mind, she already knew it was some bullshit from the get go. It didnt help that she didnt want to see Smoke's ass either.
"So what do I have to do with this? Why not just meet with him yourself?"
"We figured it would be good for you to just have an ear in it, just so your up to date."
Annie sighed, If yall were competent and did good on what you said, you wouldnt need me to be around all the damn time to listen to every little ass detail.
"Alright."
_______________
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Annie stiffly took her seat next to Smoke, agitation radiating off her in waves. He already looked heavily uninterested in this last minute meeting that he most likely thought was bullshit too.
The only good thing to thos was the fact that Maevis and Obidiah were more subdued in their demeanor this go 'round. No doubt they could feel that she was not in a very patient mood today like she normally was.
All that ire she was carrying in her chest; Mary, Stack, the Council, the whispers, Elijah without allowing much to spillover thanks to that much needed outting with Pearline was beginning to ramp back up. Especially now that she was right between two of the culprits that were part of the reason.
She spared no greeting, no aknowlgment whatsoever of her husband. He had the nerve to look put off by her restricted demeanor.
He needa fix his damn face, lookin' at me like I done him wrong or somethin'
Luckily her thoughts didnt show up on her face which remained neutral and stoic.
No one spoke, they all were looking to her to say something to get the ball rolling.
Already on a short fuse, Anisa broke the silence, voice low and clipped, "Well Im hear now. You dont need to wait on me to start."
All but Smoke fidgetted uncomfortably in their seats, the jingle of jewelry chiming together with each stilted movement with some quiet grumbling from the council.
It was a very clear sign to the elders that she was not having it with them today. Hell, she'd probly fire them on the spot if they said one wrong thing trying to push their luck like they would any other day.
Cyrus, sensing some of the mounting tension lightly coughed in his hand to add a break into an ever mounting tension. "Ehm- first I want to say thank you your majesty's for coming to this meeting on such a short notice... It is greatly appreciated. I assume Maevis explained the nature of this meeting my queen?"
She hummed in agreeance. It was the most aknowlegment he was going to get out of her today, so he went straight into the order of business.
"So... My King, how are you finding the planning for that youth center? I take it you been hard at work?"
Smoke gave a distracted hum, he had not taken his eyes off the Anisa from the moment she entered the councul meeting room all while she was pointedly not meeting his eyes. "Seein' as I only got the blueprints yesterday there aint much to report on, but its been goin', kinda wanted to rework the orginal build so Its been keepin' me busy."
"I bet it has" Anisa muttered under her breath. Smoke no doubt could detect the sarcastic haughtiness in her tone.
"Yeah. The library damn near became my second room right behind my bedroom." He grunted.
She stiffened a bit at the mention of the library, but her face gave nothing away. She hummed, choosing to ignore his goading, "Is that enough of an update for you? Councilman Cyrus?".
The older man seemed caught up in trying to piece together what was being said between the royal spouses and what wasnt said at the same time. "Cyrus-" Her stern voice cut through his wondering.
"Oh- uhm, yes my queen?" He sputtered, unsure and a little embarrassed to be caught not paying attention while simultaneously being the one to call this impromptu meeting in the first place.
"I believe, as you can see Cyrus, the king has everything under control, Im sure he'll ask for your aid should he he need it immediately." And with that, as far as Annie was concerned her part of the meeting was over, she shifted in her seat, ready to make her exit as soon as possible.
Luckily, for once in their old incompetent lives the elders got the hint and swiftly and quietly exited the room.
'Cause what she was not gonna do is play along with what Smoke was trying to get at. Tryna be lowkey slick mentionin that damn library. Let alone at a council meeting infront of company. Granted it was such a subtle comment, given the nature of the discussion, that no one would piece together an idea of what he was implying underneath, but still. It was already taking all of her patience to hang onto (barely) some form of politeness with everyone. That was not reserved for the man that was the aided in her being this prickly in the first place.
Once everyone left, Anisa fixed her skirts before getting up. As she did Elijah wrapped his strong fingers around her wrist, her bangles jingling at the motion. "You aint gotta be all snippy with me, the day just started and it look like you startin'."
This man-
She roughly wrenching her hand out of his firm hold. "Dont go on touchin' on me. I told you before already, you been lost your damn mind." She was out the door before he could get another word in. The skirt of her dress fluttering about with the speed she exited the room with.
It was like being brought back to the beginning, with the queen having this seemingly magical ability to dissappear from him again.
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She didnt make an appearance at their shared balcony that evening, what had steadily become their ritual spot of quietly sitting with eachother before going to bed. Whether in shared silence or small talk.
Oh she real mad.
Elijah folded his hands behind his head staring up into the night sky. Watching the thin string of smoke from his cig curl amongst the numerous stars.
He let out a long exhale.
Maybe I pushed too much... He could feel something almost close to regret lightly hold around his chest. Not quiet a squeeze.
No... He immediately shut the thought down. With a woman like that, he'd have to draw it out of her, 'cause if he left it up to Annie, her stubborness wouldnt allow shit to happen whatsoever even if she herself wanted to. She'd just run all over him.
As fucked up as it was he couldnt find himself to fully feel bad about it. Not like she hadnt been teasing him all this time to get a reaction out of him.
And seeing how she reacted when he wrapped his arms around her... Elijah closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. That glimpse of her showing how she desired him- He shook his head, softly chuckling to himself before putting out the cigarette and heading to his bed.
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_________________
The next day didnt prove much difference.
Anisa was still holding out on him, avoiding him when she could, and when she couldnt she was being snippy with him, appearing to always have something to say whenever he spoke. She mostly did that when there weren't other people around, keeping things tense but still respectful infront of company.
It was amusing at first, but after a while Elijah was starting to get annoyed, already over the attitude that she was constantly, unrelentingly, giving him.
.
.
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He managed to catch her walking down one of the outside corridors where there was always a pleasant breeze blowing through its columns.
He walked up next to her, discreetly folding his hand in hers. She must've been deep in thought because she jumped in suprise at the unexpected touch and proximity from him.
On realizing who had a hold on her arm he saw her face makeup almost instantly, she tried to pull her hand from his, but this time he was prepared for her to do something like that. He firmed his grasp on her hanf preventing her from leaving, "What are you?-",
"Just what do you think you doin'?" He grunted, eyebrows furrowed.
"Huh? What I think Im doin'? Tryna stay the hell away from you is what. Which you like to make impossible for me the way you chasin' me around like you some unruly dog with nothin' better to do."
"You better watch yourself woman." He warned.
"Or what?" She stopped and turn towards him, pushing into his space, puffing her chest out against his. "Whatchu gon' do Smoke? Huh?... Run your mouth some more? Talk about how you mean whatchu say? Drone on 'bout how you not like them "other" men?"
"Nah, you dont get to do me like that."
"Boy if you dont leave me 'lone-"
He firmed his grip on her arm and pulled her right back to him, "Uh-uh, Now what you not gon' do is start sayin' shit that aint true. You know what kinda things Im willin' to do for you. Things Ive already done. I even left that lame ass friend of yours live instead of just killin' his ass 'cause he made you upset in your house."
She paused, he saw her eyes flutter, she faltered slightly.
"Oh so you quiet now? Seemed like you couldnt run outta shit to say to me these past days."
That quickly broke her out of her little quiet spell she just had. At first she looked angry for a split second, before it quickly dissipated, replaced by a cool expression.
She hummed thoughfully, though the silence she held was charged.
"You know... not too long before I came to get you again from that meeting. The one where Cyrus first gave you those blue prints, I talked with Mary."
"..."
"She havin' some problems with that crazy twin of yours. Think he cheatin'."
"Hm." Smoke felt himself increasingly become more apprehensive, unsure of where she was going with this.
"Mhm. Said she wanted to switch twins cause he givin' her a headache... Maybe she's right."
She felt Smoke stiffen next to her
"The fuck you mean by that." His anger flared.
"I mean exactly what I say."
He kissed his teeth, " If you were in your right mind, you wouldnt take half the words that girl says out her mouth."
"And what? Im supposed to take your word over her's?"
"If you know whats good for you"
"If I know whats good for me?" She reiterated, incredulous. "You think just 'cause you been here a lil while as King and I give you some projects means you must know everything then huh?"
"That aint what Im sayin'. You need to watch that friend of yours."
"Mary? The woman thats been one of my closest friends since I was a child?" Her eyes turned to slits. "You gettin' way too comfortable to be sayin' shit thats not your place to say."
"Not my place? Im your husband, the one you married an' said all them vows to, so- I'd say its definitely my place to say that. You need to get rid of her ass."
"Why?"
"Cause she aint no good to you."
"How?"
Elijah paused, mulling over whether he wanted to tell her about the fact that she'd nearly slept with every past suitors of hers. Shit for all he knew those could've aided in her broken betrothals.
"She been sneakin' behind your back."
"Sneakin' doin" what exactly?" She folded her arms across her chest. Still agitated, but holding enough space to hear him out.
"All them past suitors of yours? The broken betrothals? She slept with a good amount of those men behind your back."
She froze as if she was put on pause, air didnt even stir from her. She held her breath altogether at the new information, digesting the bomb he dropped on her. She was quiet for what felt like hours before she finally spoke again, her voice quivered slightly but otherwise remained even.
"How do you know this? Where'd you hear that from?"
"Stack."
Her eye twitched. "Stack." She deadpanned.
"Mhm."
"An' Im just supposed to believe that? Comin' from the twin that like to stir up trouble?"
Elijah felt a flare of defensiveness over his younger twin but he kept his voice even, "You aint gotta believe it for it to be true, you cant keep someone around that moves like that. Its bad for business."
"Just bad for business?"
"Nah, it aint just that. She a shitty friend too."
Annie stared at him blankly, face unreadable, completely shut down from him. The change took him aback, loosening his hold on her. Her anger he was used to, her passion he was used to, and in small little pockets her joy as well, but this? The complete lack of reaction took him off gaurd.
His lax hold on her gave her room to slowly turn around and leave. Leaving him alone with nothing but an empty hall way and the gentle wind brushing against his clothes, and the ever growing distant clicking of her heels against the pavement.
.
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She puts him on ice for several days after that. It wasnt like the previous times when she avoided him because he got on her nerves. This was pointed, overtly so.
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________________
Smoke ventured out the estate again, but instead of his usual trek around the perimeter he took a detour. Walking through the dense, thick foliage-covered narrow path. The path he first walked through when he came here.
Damn, havent even left this place since I won that tournament...
Annie. His wife was the reason he was walking around in the middle of the forest.
He would never admit it, but her silent treatment was getting to him.
Regret that had been hiding in the shadows of his mind were trying to make itself known, and not for the first or second time either. His earlier bravado and confidence he carried was starting to flag and doubts started to seep through.
He took a deep inhale of his cig, head tilted up towards the sky, watching the dappled rays of sunlight flash through the thick canopy of trees overhead. The air here was thick and humid with the type of warmth that sits and doesnt move. He'd only been walking a few minutes and there was beads of sweat cascading down the sides of his temple.
He exhaled, watching the smoke dissipate into the air, mind in deep thought.
Maybe... I should just leave her be... Give her space...
It was obviously the best thing to do.
The sane thing to do in a situation like this...
But Smoke was anything but sane when it came to Annie. The very idea of accepting her distance made his stomach churn, as if his body rejected the very thought of doing something like that despite his wife's very obvious attempts at keeping things like that between them.
"Shit dont even sound right." He said outloud to nobody but himself.
He knew that speaking on Mary would only drive a further wedge between them but he couldnt bring himself to regret that either. She needed to be aware of some one that moved with that kind of specificity in her circles.
The way Mary moved was pointed, a pattern...
Elijahs mind started thinking of all the possible motivations for Mary doing what she did, what for?
Did she want to be Queen? Was there hidden animosity on Mary's side? Is she just plain stupid? An adrenaline junkie that gets off on the idea of doing things she wasnt supposed to be doing?
After watching how Mary moved for a while he was inclined to believe that the girl was plain stupid and just loved trouble... Maybe she did want to be queen, but as far as he knew and what Stack ran his mouth about her, he didnt pick up on her making moves that could lead to that kind of conclusion.
Didnt hear about or see Mary communicate with the councilmembers or show any initiative in taking on responsibilities, quiet the opposite actually. She seemed to like to lounge around with nothing much to do and just enjoy the lavish lifestyle of the uppercrust. Then again, maybe she wanted to be queen from the little power trips she seem to like having, as small as they seem to be.
But she made no moves to network, or make friends or acquaintances with any of the staff and servants. Not even visiting lords or ladies...
Unless she tryin' to sleep with they asses too...
She seemed to isolate herself in all aspects except between herself and the Queen, and their friend Pearline. But even that is getting shakey now, seeing how Stack's interaction with the woman pretty easily drove a wedge between the two, judging how she was huffing and puffing and ready to blow the whole damn house down, when his twin kissed her hand.
Either way it didnt matter. If it was up to him, he'd get rid of her ass in anyway he could just cause. He knew Annie would hate him for it... Probly Stack too. Lord knows what the fuck they got goin' on 'tween them two...
He had no idea what the hell was the nature of the relationship between his twin and that girl. Either way he was gonna have to have a serious talk with Stack eventually. He could sense all the moving parts leading up to something. Whether it was good or bad was anybodies guess.
Smoke hummed, "Man... you really know how to pick 'em Elias..." He said sarcastically to no one in particular, it was just him and the trees and their roots there to offer him a listening ear.
"Damn..." His cigarette was already finished. His mind must have drifted longer than he thought. He couldnt help but laugh at himself, the irony of it all. One of the first things he told Stack before going through this crazy plan of his was that he wasnt going any Politicking. And now look at him, tryning to piece something together.
He knew the reason behind this change of heart. It was that frustrating woman he couldnt get enough of, the one currently driving him insane with the way she snatched her presence away from him, and how determined she was in keeping it that way. "Tch." He crushed the butt of his cigarrette before flicking it into the brush. He turned around, heading back to the compound, whatever was happening the fuse had been lit a long time ago. It was only a matter of time before things would blow up. It was anyone's guess as to exactly what that would look like.
Soon as he reached the front gate he saw his brother waiting for him, gesturing at him with his hands animatedly. "Man what the hell? You know I been lookin' for you? Where you been?"
"Took a walk, needed to clear my mind."
"An you just left by yourself? Don't no gaurd come witchu or some shit? Whatchu need to clear your mind for?"
"They seen how I fight, I dont need no gaurdin' I tell 'em when their needed an' when their not, and in this case Im still in the front yard of the property." He grumbled impatiently, his own fuse was getting shorter each day. Not like he had a long one to begin with.
"I aint never seen you walk off that far, what had you runnin up an' down the jungle cause it was botherin' you that much?..."
Smoke didnt answer. Something Stack noticed he was starting to do more and more these days. He didnt like it. This new found distance that he was starting to feel grow between them.
Stack stopped talking for a moment. There was only one other person on earth that he knew would have Smoke moping around like this.
"Damn, you walkin' around tense as fuck. Got your shoulders damn near scrunched up to your ears and walk all stiff like you got a stick up your ass or somethin'. If you dont go an' put it on her good, all this bickerin' you two be doin' might be the end of all of us". Despite light hearted manner in which he spoke, he couldnt help the slight frustration he was starting to feel with his older brother leak through.
Smoke breeze right on past him without another word.
.
.
.
He set out looking for her.
He checked the gardens, she wasnt there.
The council room?
Not there either.
The kitchens?
Nope.
Library?
Hell no.
He chanced their shared balcony, thinking maybe she retired early in her efforts in avoiding him the whole damn time.
He was tempted to ask one of the servants on her whereabouts. Maybe Nina? Probly not, she was damn near like a daughter to Annie the way she worries about her. Maybe Damian? He was damn near becoming a mini Smoke the way the young boy would shadow him at times. It didnt help that Elijah always seem to have his favorite sweets with him whenever Damian scampered about, most likely doing what he wasnt supposed to. The boy stayed getting in trouble with the head maid.
Nah...
Not only would word of him looking for her reach Anisa before he could ever find her with the way word travels fast through the halls, (probly why shes been so good at avoiding him so far.) he didnt really want to involve anyone in their petty little spat they were having, let alone the younger ones.
Pearline and Mary were out of the question.
Smoke left the balcony, then his chambers. Once again found himself wandering the the hallways until he walked past the central courtyard again, irritated and somewhat aimless. The rush of the garden waterfalls did nothing to calm his agitated nerves.
Until he heard the sounds of footsteps approaching him from behind at an increasing pace. His body tensed immediately. The feeling of being snuck up on made his body pull tight, ready to spring into action at a moments notice, but he had to remind himself that he shares a space with multiple people, and he wasnt in the mercenary business anymore.
A feminine voice, one that most definitely was not Annie, obnoxiously cleared her throat behind him. An indication that the owner of the voice was expecting a response from him.
He turned, a scowl firmly fixed to his face, to see who it was. He was met by the pissed off form of the very last person he wanted to see right now.
Mary.
In another slim pink gown, brunette hair perfectly curled, and the incessantly tapping of her foot echoing across the expansive corridor. She was close to wearing her heel down to the sole at the rate she was going.
"Now, I don't remember exchangin' any kinda of words with you, but just who do you think your clearin' your throat at?" He rasped warningly, low and quiet
Mary looked slightly taken a back. His tone sounded different, but she quickly gathered herself, eyes narrowed. "Just who you think your talkin' to Stack? I been lookin' all over for you-"
"Who do you think your talkin to?" He cut in, "For how you stay up under his ass you should be able to tell the difference 'tween us."
"Smoke?..."
"Mary"
Her previous bravado deflated almost instantly, realising she was addressing the wrong twin. Drawing into herself, becoming almost meek.
"Well- um... have you seen 'em? Your brother I mean."
"Yeah, just passed him at the front gate." He tileted his head in its direction. "That's where you'll find 'em if he aint move from now."
"Oh- ok..."
She stayed rooted to the spot.
Smoke turned to continue his search, but he felt Mary's hand grab his wrist before he could fully walk away, "wait!-". He turned towards her, and she let go of his wrist just as quickly, as if she unkowingly put her hand on a hot stove top and burned herself.
"Whatchu want girl, I aint got all day."
"You lookin' for Annie?"
His ears perked, but he had his reservations still, especially with this woman right here... But it had been several days since he last talked or seen Annie. Still he didnt respond. Not that he needed to anyways, as Mary continued talking even though he didnt say anything back, just stared at her with the same scowl he carried everywhere with him.
"She always dissappearin' it seems..." she trailed off.
Hm...
Smoke wasnt a stupid man, running the streets as long as he and Stack have. He had an inkling of where this was going, but he needed confirmation of something. 'Cause if there was one thing Annie pointed out that he couldnt blame her for being suspicious of, is the fact that the info he got from Mary primarily came through Stack.
A man that at this very moment, the queen trusted as far as she could throw him, which wasnt much at all.
And all Smoke had besides that were assumptions and suspicions. Nothing concrete.
Shit- this was more of Stacks area of expertise, but as far as he was concerned Mary was a liability to Anisa, to his brother. And for that simple reason he wanted her ass out of here.
"Is that right?..." he didnt like the idea of having to seem intrigued by this kind of gossip, but he needed to give her rope, and if his assumptions were right, it would be just enough for her to hang herself with...
"Yeah. You aint gotta say nothin' shes my friend, known her since we was kids and could barely string words together." Mary breathed out a light chuckle, filling in the uncomfortable stretch of silence, as Smoke remained stone still. His unwavering eye contact made her feel slightly uneasy, but she pushed on. "I know she aint always the easiest woman to deal with. Seein' whats been goin' on between you two its not hard to assume that it's somethin' your already aware of."
"What makes you say that? What's a 'lil bickerin' gon' do to me? That shit dont bother me none. I like a woman with a 'lil bite." He shrugged.
"Yeah, but all the time though? I cant recall a long enough period where yall two went without there bein' an issue. You dont crave a 'lil peace?..."
Oh she bold.
"An' whatchu know 'bout peace?" He grunted, like you dont do shit but carry trouble an' cause problems. His patience for this was already ticking with each second he was spent hold up by her and hearing how Mary was speaking of Annie was not helping.
He saw a flash of movement from the corner of his eyes. His sight briefly flitted to a shadowed hallway.
"Oh I know plenty 'bout it... Know enough to see that, that aint what you gettin' from her-"
"You betta watch that loose mouth a your's, talkin' bout my wife like that." He stepped to the woman, his presence looming over her slight form. Her eyes widened for a split second, her stance faltered.
Smoke didnt let up, "Dont think I dont know whatchu tryna do. What you've done already- goin' 'round behind her back, fuckin' the scraps she wouldnt give the time of day to."
She was taken aback, her body jerked as if he'd just slapped her. Her face heated with embarrassment, a ruddy pink marring her cheeks as she began to sputter, " I- wha? Where you hear that from?!" She hissed.
Not a denial. Not a defense. An accusation that carried venom and a silent vow to poison whoever leaked such info and allowed such a thing to spread.
"Dont matter." He gruffed, his words final.
"You tell anyone this?"
He remained silent, it was the loudest silence Mary ever heard in her life, her body language screamed of agitation. The way her fingers started fidgeting. That mouth of her's that always put on gentle smile contorted into a deep sneer. Until suddenly she stopped fidgetinf, he could see in real time the gears turning in her head as she was caught red handed.
Her light unbothered tone contrasted the twisted look on her face. "I find out anyone else know about this... find out if they heard it from you? If I Annie hear about this, Imma bury you. Ruin this shit for you an' your brother quicker than you can reach the end of this damn hallway, your asses will be gone 'fore the sun even get a chance to set the same day..."
He leaned away, a cool mask of indifference took over his expression, folding his arms across his wide chest. He cocked his head to the side, looked her up and down and it wasnt in a suggestive manner. He was analyzing her, deliberating.
"Im gone' tell you somethin', an' Im only gon' say this once. You can go head an' do whatever it is you do, just know this... You out here threatin' me... Threatenin' my baby brother, sneakin' my wife. Ill make sure your ass is buried 'fore the night ends whether they send my ass away or not. Shoot, I might even put your body beneath them pretty flowers beds by the fountain or maybe Annie's 'lil herb garden. 'Least that way you'd be some use to her, returning her kindness to you by bein' fertilizer for her lemongrass or her ginger root that she put in them little healin' remedies of hers..." the casual tone of his would've fooled someone into thinking he was discussing something as inoffensive as what the time was.
He scoffed, "Only thing savin' you from me gettin' rid of your 'lil pasty ass is that Annie would hate me for it." And with that he breeze past her unfazed, his path took a detour, fillowing the hallways where he could've sworn he detected movement.
Leaving a behind a speechless Mary rooted to the spot, her heart in her throat. A part of her wanted to retaliate, call his bluff but...Something about the older twin made her stop herself. If even half of the things Stack said to her were true about what he and Smoke did to make Brandon tuck tail and scurry on outta here... Then he wasnt a man that made empty threats, he made promises.
A shiver went up her spine. The chill that came over the intimidating man when she threatened him was unlike anything she experienced.
Mary resumed walking, her movements stilted and akward, as if in a daze. Her mind was a maelstrom with this new revelation that he knew of some of her escapades with the queens ex suitors which meant there were more than a couple of people were privy to the "rumor".
She was determined to find out how he found out. She had an inkling of who it might be...
_________________
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.
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Smoke walked towards the hallways were he swore he could sense movement. He didnt know why but something in him told him to follow. He thought he was going crazy cause there was no noise to accompany the idea that someone was there, until he reached the open mouth entrance that led into an interior of the main building. A flash of a deep Azure hemline skirt disappeared around a corner before he could fully catch whoever it was.
He followed, his feet picking up the pace to catch up to them. Clearly the person heard him trailing because he could hear the click of their footsteps quicken, aware of the fact that they were being followed.
He bent another corner, almost crashing into Nina, "-Oh! Greetings your highness is there something going on? You look to be in as much of a rush as-"
"''Scuse me, sorry Nina- cant talk right now. I'll get back witcha'." Manuervering around the young lady without a hitch, just in time enough to catch more of the skirt of a royal blue dress dissappear around the corner.
The closer he got, he could hear the soft chimes of delicate jewelry brushing against one another. There was only one person that it could be walking around with that distinct noise.
He was increasingly closing the distance following through the maze of hallways, each turn getting closer and closer. Until one final turn had him able to see her fully before she turned another corner. The swiftness in which she moved was starting to make him dizzy and the constant evasion was starting to piss him off.
"Annie"
He heard her footsteps falter at the mention of her name... Right before she picked up the pace again.
Luckily for Elijah, that slight falter she made allowed him time to close the distance she was keeping between them just a bit more. When he his the next turn he was able to fully see the back of her. Her deep blue gown fluttering just above the ground, making it look as if she was floating across the stone floors. Her smooth, deep brown skin looked radiant even in the diffused lighting of the windowless hallways of the interior. Even now the glint of her ever present golden jewelry caught in the low-light like a beacon.
He drank the image of her in, like a parched man stumbling upon an oasis after wandering the desert for many days.
"Anisa."
She ignored him.
"Annie! I know you hear me callin' you-" he grunted.
She walked up some steps, the light of the sun coming back in full force. His eyes squinting against sun light peaking through the pillars of the second floor of the estate walkways.
He knew exactly where she was headed, as it was mostly royalty and their guests were stationed on the second floor of the main compound. She was heading to her chambers. No doubt to lock him out. Literally.
Just as he passed the door to his own room, Annie had her hand firmly wrapped around the door handle to her Royal chamber ready to twist.
"-You better come an' talk to me. I know you heard all that."
She opened the door with a little more force than necessary. He expected an immediate slamming of the door in his face as she physically communicated how much she did NOT want to talk with him.
She stormed past him but unexpectedly left her door completely opened. A silent invitation, albeit a tenuous one.
He slowly walked in, realizing in all this time he never been in her room before. It felt cozy, the warm, spiced scent washed over him like a phantom's touch. Cinnamon? Her room was an array of earth tones. He could see it having a calming effect on anyone embraced by the space. But at the very moment, it felt as unwelcoming as the woman who it belonged to.
"Well?..."
A dry, humorless laugh escaped her. She shook her head, her back still facing him. "Boy you... you REALLY got alot of nerve."
"Then tell me. Tell me how I got a lot of nerve then." For as deceptively calm they both sounded, there was an ocean of unresolved tension, things left unsaid, and an undercurrent of emotions in its depths threatening to spill over, like a fractured dam whose faults only grew bigger, and deeper overtime.
Annie let out a tired, frustrated sigh. "You... you just-" she turned, facing him. Her brows furrowed, face full of displeasure, her full lips turned up in a frown. None of it took away from how beautiful she was.
"You know what? Nevermind, I dont know what I was thinkin'. Leave." She waved him off.
"No."
"What?"
"I said no. I aint leavin' this here room." He said with an edge of stubborness, promising to be just as difficult as her in this moment.
"If you dont leave I'll-"
"You'll what? You been avoidin' for almost a while week now without another word. Were going to talk."
"There aint much to talk about."
"The fuck you mean there aint much to talk about?"
"Well, there aint. You proved your point. Heard it straight from the horses mouth that my friend I've known for almost my whole life been on some back doorin' shit. You happy now?"
When He didnt respond immediately Annie continued,
"For all I know she might be part of the reason for my reputation being known as being "difficult" to be betrothed to. The reason my council came up with makin' a whole fiasco of a tournament just to get someone to marry me, like Im some unruly, desperate woman whose unfit to be a wife. Shit- they probly makin' me look like Im unfit to be a damn ruler." Her breathing became slightly elevated, she was getting worked up.
"After all the things I gone through..." she locked eyes with Smoke. "She was right along with me, seein' all the moments where I started feelin' like I was inadequate. As a woman... As a potential wife..." her voice becoming uncharacteristically small, a crack in her vulnerability.
"An here I was, isolatin' myself from her an' Pearline, thinkin' it was the right thing to do. Maybe somethin' in me felt that things were off. I was just too distracted." She brought her hands to her face, covering it as she took a deep breath.
"Now Im here feelin' like a damn fool after you told me what she was about. An' I refused to listen...Is that what you wanted huh? To prove a point?" Her temper flaring back up.
"No thats not-"
"Maybe you shouldnt have turned her down. Since she seems to know so much about bein' a mans peace, seems like its worked for her so far, I aint built for that shit."
"You aint even makin' no damn sense right now woman. How much you heard?"
"I heard enough. I aint gotta make sense to you, you stay talkin' bout how you not like them other bums I dealt with before and you know what? You right. You way worse then any man I had to deal with, you just wanna prove a point, thats all you wanna do." She hissed at him, pushing at his sturdy chest.
"Now get the fuck outta my room Smoke, I dont know what the hell you thought you was gon' accomplish followin' me all the way up here." She turned her back, pointed letting him know that the conversation was over and she would ignore him beyond this point.
Wordlessly, and not for the first time either, Elijah grabbed a hold of her arm, spinning her around to face him, his eyes so heavy on her, she swore she could feel the weight of his gaze. "How many times you gon' grab me?!-"
His voice came quiet, low and raspy, " As many times until you remember that, that aint the name you call me." He walked her backwards, firm but not forcefully, his grip loose enough that if she wanted to escape she always could.
She never did.
The back of her knees met the side of her bed and he continued to press until her back met her bed. Her soft body jostled slightly off the springy mattress.
A sharp breath escaped her, completely caught off gaurd as Elijah loomed over her, strong hands still wrapped around her wrists. Her eyebrows creased together, nose widened in anger, preparing to curse him out or slap the hell out him, maybe both. "If you dont get your sorry ass-", he grabbed her face, pulling towards him, searing her lips with an almost bruising pressure. Teeth almost clacking together in the heat of it. As if he was trying to pour out every once of anger and irritation he was building towards her in that one kiss.
Disappointingly she feels her own body yield slightly. Feeling her shift in demeanor, he softened, with her now able to feel the plushness of his own lips fully as he switched to lightly nipping her own, before he pulled his face away from hers. His breath newly labored from him kissing her, his face showing only mild irritation. "You dont know what you do to me? You piss me off like nobody else." He moved his face to the side of her neck, she could feel the vibration of his voice rumble against her own chest. The warmth of his breath ghosted across the nape of her neck, " An' nobody put a fire in me like you do." He lightly kissed her neck. She instinctively moved her head to the side to give him more access letting out a soft sigh, before he started to travel a little lower. "If you aint have a heart for her ass, I woulda done her the same way I did your other "childhood friend, 'cept I would've finished the job" His voice rough and gravely, juxtaposed to how he softly nipped at her collar bone.
"Dont say them kinda things. You dont mean that 'Lijah", she groaned. Her jewelry chimed with every slight squirm she made.
There it was, the way her rich soft tone wrapped around her little nickname for him. He pulled back, "when you gon' learn woman? How many times imma have to tell you I say what I mean..."
His hands that rested at her wrists started to move. Gently grazing across her smooth skin with the delicate lightness of a feather, a sharp contrast to his earlier handling of her. Wherever he touched he left a trail of heat and goosebumps in its wake. Distractingly making her hyper aware of the position they were in now. That intensity in his eyes never changed, as his hand settled on her waist briefly.
"I know what gotchu more upset, you bein' more vicious than usual... Its my fault aint it?" He cooed softly.
His warm callous fingers lightly fanned across her body. His hands traveled up, brushing over her sides, chest, barely grazing her peaked nipples as he brought both hands to either side of her neck. Leaving a trail of heat in their wake wherever he touched, before he seared his lips across her own once more, this time much more gentler than before. Her breathing deepened and her body became restless.
He didnt linger too long, she felt his warm hands start to travel lower and could feel her body start to heat up in anticipation, her body kept the score from when he last touched her. When he set a fire in her so deep it refused to cool down since. Distance just made the ache worse.
She was so keenly aware of his touch as one of his hands traveled lower, brushing past her hips, Annie could've sworn she could feel every ridge of his fingertips prints through her dress.
She held her breath, body taut, wordlessly shifting her legs, slightly parting them. A silent invitation. One he took graciously.
His hand traveled up one of her plush thighs, before reaching its destination at its apex. He cupped her, resting his hand against her panties. Feeling of soft, warm, and undeniably wet she was, if the dampness he could feel there was any indication, before shifting it to the side, feeling the heat of her flesh underneath. Only a slight hitch of her breath was the only sound she made giving away how much his touch was affecting her.
"Looks like 'lil miss down her got more sense than you" he murmured. He held his hand still, barely applying any of the pressure Annie really needed as she'd been incessantly aching.
She shifts her hips, attempting to push herself onto his hand, but feels him pull back again. She let's out a sound of pure frustration mixed in with desperation, she was starting to ache just shy of being uncomfortable.
Elijah's voice roughly cut through, "I already told you what I wanted to hear from you Annie. I need to hear it straight from your lips-" she lifts herself up from her lying position, her elbows digging into the mattress. She was already at her wits end with want, and he just set her off with his demands of her.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Your dick dont work or somethin?" She hissed.
"Whatchu just say?"
"You heard me." She responded, defiant.
As defiantly as one could look with his hand beneath her skirt. He froze, his face blank aside from his blown out pupils, eyes almost black against the diffused sunlight that flitered through the sheer curtains against the windows of her room.
She almost regretted what she said until he felt his hand move, applying morr pressure to where she was silently begging the most. She lets out a light puff of breath at the change, becoming very still as she leaned back down.
"You angry with me baby?..." His hands start to gently caress her folds, fingers grazing her clit with lightness of a feather, more pressure than he applied before, but not nearly enough as she needed.
"Smoke-" she gritted her teeth, the feeling of desperation was slowly starting to rear its ugly head.
"That aint my name- and I asked you a question." He berated roughly.
"Yes! Im angry with you" She hissed, but there was an unmistakable whine saturated along the edges of her tone. She turned her head to the side, as if she wanted to bury herself away somewhere. The admittance making her oddly feel vulnerable. A small part of her wanting to escape the unwavering focus of Elijah's dark eyes. Until she faced him again, her doe eyes boring into his before allowing herself to release her unfiltered frustrations.
"You comin' and tellin' me that my friend that I've known for almost all my life, been sneakin' behind my back with men that were courtin' me, just for me to come and see her try that with you- and then you-." She stops herself mid rant, letting out a harsh exhale as Elijah started to add more pressure, circling her clit gently before sliding his hand further down to where her she was yearning for the most. He slightly pushed one of his fingers into her wet opening, not enough to penetrate, but enough to feel its promise.
"Elijah..." she quietly groaned, it wasnt enough.
"I dont give a shit 'bout that lil heffa you call friend, an' whatever the fuck she up to. Im talkin' to you, about you." He grunted, "Its a part. But that aint all why you angry with me." He rasped, he grabbed one of her legs, lifting it slightly and pulling it to the side, spreading her open a bit wider to give him some more room for his fingers to work, one of them inserting itself deeper into her
"Ah- I-", Annie turned her head to the side, eyebrows scrunched together, eyes screwed shut. She felt more wetness pool out from her, her kneejerk instinct to close her legs were blocked by his body being in the way, leaving her open at his mercy.
"That dont sound like nothing to me, use your words woman. You aint have no problems usin' em' when you was lashin' out on me. Like Im some aint shit bum on the street that you can talk any which way to, like I aint your husband. What else are you angry with me about?" He pushed, his smokey voice wrapped around her like his namesake.
She was soaking so much so from all the pent up sexual frustration she was feeling that she could hear how much noise her pussy was making. Even the intrusion from his finger had her walls fluttering, desperate to pull him in further, hungry for more
"Im mad at how... how you left me." She rasped. Anticipation was starting to kill her.
"How I leave you?"
"You already know how you left me-"
"Nah Annie, I already told you. You better start usin' them words or I swear 'fore God Imma stop right now."
Annie felt her temper flare "how 'bout you leave me the fuck alone then If you aint gon' do shit"
He pulled away taking her undergarment with him, the heat of his hand leaving her where she craved most had her ready to properly cuss him out.
"You-"
"Hush up all that damn noise" He barked, "You sittin' here yellin' at me, talkin' to me any sorta way- all while you leakin' like a faucet up under me, messin' up these nice 'lil expensive sheets of yours an' I barely even touched you yet."
He roughly grabbed her hips pulled her towards his. Resting her now bare pussy onto his clothed manhood. She unashamedly tried to grind herself onto him, just to seek some kind of release, any. But the infernal man firmed his strong grip on her hips, restricting her movement. She almost let out a sob, biting her lip to prevent such a pathetic sound from escaping.
At this point she didnt even understand her stubborness, her refusal to give him what he wanted, but he was really starting to wear her down. Little cracks were beginning to form in her previously iron clad resolve. She wanted him. Bad.
As bad as he wanted her.
Just as she was about to throw caution into the wind and take pleasure for herself she felt him starting pull back slightly again, to deny her again. Her thick thighs that were previously laid out to either side wrapped around him, preventing him from fully leaving.
"You talkin' 'bout how Im crazy an' you over here makin' no kind of sense. You tell me to leave you alone and then you got your legs wrapped round me like you aint ever want me to leave. Which is it huh? You want me gone, or you want me to stay? I already told you what I want from you."
"..."
"You better say somethin' Anisa or I'll leave you as is." He warned.
"I-...", She fell silent giving no answer.
Smokes patience was wearing thin, unexpectedly he grabbed Annies hips, tilting her pelvis slightly upward with her legs spread. She let out a startled grunt. He grabbed one of the pillows that was strewn about the bed in all the rustling they were doing and placed it under her hips. He leaned back slightly drinking her in, eyes half-lidded.
The skirt of her dress had ridden up past her hips, fully exposing her lower half. Her upper half was askewed, no thanks to his earlier ministrations. One of the sleeves of her dress hung off the sides of her shoulder, her generous chest threatened to spill out of her top, her body completely lax, her hands splayed to her sides. Her beautiful piercing eyes almost arrested him on the spot,
Fuck. There aint no one on Gods green earth that deserves to see such a sight. Hell, he didnt even know what good he did in his fucked up life to deserve to see such a thing...
He quickly regrouped himself, focusing on the task at hand. He hadnt said a word.
Eventhough just moments ago Annie wrapped her legs around him to keep him here this new position felt deeply vulnerable and exposing as from where he situated her, he was looking directly at her fluttering pussy.
Oddly enough, the need to cover herself never came, the new position allowed her to melt into the soft mattress, even with the intense scrutiny Elijahs hooded eyes were giving her. A quiet, maybe equally insane part of her loved when all of his focus was directed towards her. However intense it was, she consumed it all like an addiction.
His raspy graveled tone cut through the breathing silence between them,"You dont wanna tell me? Fine... but you better show me."
"Show you?" Her voice breathless.
"Mhm..." His voice low, eyes lowered.
She didnt know what possessed her, but she reached down between her spread legs, parting her lower lips and started touching herself.
Circling her stiff nub, before flicking it side to side, she needed more. She released a sharp exhale, not realizing how long she was holding her breath.
Elijah locked in on her hand, watching as it gradually became more and more covered in her own arousal, the glide of her fingers becoming smoother as she continued to play with herself.
"When's..." he trailed off at a loss of words. He was in a trance. "When's the last time you touched yourself?" The words came out uncharacteristically strained.
"I- It's been a while... I almost did..."
"When"
He watched her hand intensely as she moved it lower, cirling her entrance but never penetrating, not only could he see how wet she was getting, he heard it. Everytime she brushed her opening it was as if he could hear her pussy trying to suck her own fingers in.
He was impossibly hard, he was almost suprise his dick didnt just burst open through his trousers.
"T-that night after the library... When I left you." Her breath hitched, she fucking herself with her fingers slowly.
"Why didnt you?"
"I- ah, I didnt think you deserved it." She whined.
"Didnt deserve what? Your pleasure? Your pussy? You?" He asked, stern, but an edge of desperation. His control was wearing thin, fraying at the edges.
He grabbed one of her legs in an almost vice-like grip, lifting it up resting it against his shoulder, parting them wider, just shy of uncomfortable.
"Ahn-" The unexpected shift made her fingers plunge deeper than she anticipated.
"Im waitin' Annie."
"Yesss..."
He hummed.
"You didnt..." she paused, "you aint made no good on your promises. You left me..."
"How I leave you?" He mummured softly against the skin of her ankle, restrained but anxious to hear what truth would leave her trembling lips.
"You left me aching... I-" she sped up her pace, fingers working furiously, her thumb brushing back up against her clit as she fucked herself with her fingers. Her head tipped back, exposing the line of her neck, necklaces sliding against each other at the action, no longer nestled between her breasts as they pooled against her neck and collar bone. "Ugh..." she groaned, low in her throat.
Elijah felt the muscles in her legs tense up, her hips twitched, simultaneously lifting and pulling away, as if they were unsure whether they wanted to move away or towards the release she was chasing.
Elijah quietly watched her, watched as her fingers moved in and out of her pussy, the closer she got to her peaked the wetter she got. The wet, squelching noises emanating from between her legs were down right filthy. It was music to his ears.
Her whines reached a fever pitch. He watched as her walls clenched around her digits then released. Then clench again, then release. She was close, her face twisted in a grimace, biting the bottom of her full lips. Breathing heavily, concentrated on reaching her peak.
Just as she felt her release coming, Elijah grabbed her wrist, stilling her movements.
A sob escaped her lips, "Lijah please-!" She almost thrashed herself around the bed. He lowered himself, pressing chest to chest watching as she squirmed. Her eyes were wet with desperation, she looked close to crying.
"Annie... look at me." he cooed quietly, calm in a way that commanded her attention. "You let me take care of you. Ya' hear me?"
She nodded her head so slightly, he wouldve almost not registered it. "Elijah please... I want more... I want you, please... take care of me. 'Lijah." She begged quietly, she couldnt take anymore, she felt like she was about to explode.
He kissed her softly, before pulling back "Thank you mama. Thats my good girl..." he spoke softly against her lips.
He knew how much weight those words carried for her. It was more than just to satisfy her, he wanted her to let him take care of her in anyway he could. If she allowed.
He gently pulled her hand from between her legs, making her whine softly at the loss. "Shh... Dont worry, Imma make it all better. I know you achin' baby. I know its my fault." He brought her hand towards his face, her fingers coated in her essence, before he brought them to his lips, getting a taste of her on his tongue. He stiffled a moan that threatened to to make itself known. He needed to taste her, needed it more than anything right now.
He replaced her hand back with his own, she was soaking. It made it easy for him to glide his fingers through her lips before inserting his fingers into her heat, all the way down to the knuckle with almost no resistance. She clenched around him in a vice grip. He couldnt help the groan that escaped his mouth. Her pussy held on to him like she never wanted him to leave her.
The noises coming out of Annie grew in volume, stiffled moans and choked off whines were the only things she was could manage. Her body was vibrating.
He slid against her body, removing his hand while he was lowering himself until she could feel his cool breath ghosted across her heated center. It made her shiver in anticipation, her already elevated heart rate sped up just a bit more. She lifted her legs, wrapping them around his shoulders. In turn he wrapped his strong arms around her thighs, anchoring him to her, leaving no space for her to run if she wanted to.
He didnt let her wait before he went straight to it. Dragging his tongue across her slit, before thrusting it into her opening, licking on her like he was trying to swallow her whole. The sensation coupled with his nose bumping across her clit in tandem had her groaning, long and low.
He felt her fingers card through his curls, her nails scraping across his scalp, just shy of pain. It sent a shiver down his spine. He traveled up, focusing his attention directly on her nub, flicking it side to side. He moved his hands, one thumb sliding across her slit before it crooked, pushing one of her pussy lips to the side, exposing her innerlips to the cool air of the room before he shifted his hands once more putting his fingers back where she needed it most, steadily thrusting in and out in a come hither motion.
He didnt stop his onslaught of him tonguing her down, like he was making love to her pussy. "Ugh... shit, Smoke- 'Lijah, fuck. Dont stop. Please ah-!"
He could her walls rhythmically spasming, she was getting close again. He sped up his efforts. The grip she had on his gair tightened, every part of her body pulled taught like a drawn bowstring ready to snap. Annie' legs started to quiver, until they tightened around his ears, her hips working in tandem with him, grinding back and forth. She was damn near impaling herself on his hand like it was his own dick in her chase for her release that had been denied from her so many times
She let out a low, desperate keen before her body locked up, keeping Smoke in place as he felt her inner walls spasming and tighten, and she damn near drenched his hand with a new wave of wetness as her orgasm finally hit her in waves.
He never stopped stroking and licking her through, riding each wave until she tugged on his hair. Silently letting him know it was almost too much, she was starting to get overstimulated.
He finally eased off, his fingers pulled out of her with a wet pop. Her legs went limp at his sides as she was still catching her breath.
Annie watched him with blown pupils, her mouth slightly agape. Elijah couldnt recall a time she was ever as subdued as she was being now. She moved placing her hands on both sides of his face, one of her thumbs caressed his lips, her eyes half-lidded, looking at them intently before she moved it to his cheek, gently moving her thumb back and forth. She had a look on her face he'd never seen before.
Open... The quietness she carried wasnt one thick with tension, but one that carried a delicate vulnerability she rarely showed. She almost looked like she didnt know what to do with herself in the aftermath of something like this. In the quiet.
Any previous fire from before was snuffed out. He shifted, laying his body next to her on the bed looking at eachother. Elijah's chest felt weird with the way she was looking at him. Warm from the inside out.
He didnt realize that the thought to get himself off didnt cross his mind. Just her pleasure. He wanted her to feel good, in the moment, it was all that mattered.
He saw her eyes droop slightly she was tired. It was more than just the fact that he wrung the pleasure out of her, but relaxed sleepiness that came with a release, sexually, emotionally.
He knew everything was laid out in the open, it was still an unfinished conversation. But looking at her heavy eyes, they could get to that later.
"C'mere go head an' rest some." He pulled her to his warm chest.
"I cant it's only the middle of the day, I got things I have to do..." she trailed off, her voice getting heavy with sleep.
"The kingdom wont fall if you take an afternoon Anne'" he mummured quietly. He felt her body melt into his, her breathing deepened, tickling the skin of his neck
She was already gone.
He tightened his hold on her before settling, her drowsiness contagious and the warmth of her being in his arms was all he needed to follow her. Closing his eyes, the afternoon breeze caressing the room, calming the heat that was once there.
Elijah couldnt recall a moment in his life where he felt this content in someone's presence.
But she wasnt just anyone, she was Annie.
His Annie...
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A/n: I dont even know... Just a whole lot going on, sorry for the wait🥴
Fuck- I hate being shy, lowkey wanted to blow up writing this and not even post anything.😭
Just fade into obscurity, all dramatic an' shit.
*Im so sorry Annie, I dont know why I had that man torture you like that😭*
Theres still alot of things left unsaid, conversations that need to be had so... Its only gonna get more convoluted from here, just lemme cook, I know where Im tryna land this plane🙃😤✈️
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