#hbcus

Tyriq groaned as sunlight crept through the blinds, hitting him square in the face. His head throbbed like a bass drum, and his throat felt like sandpaper. “Man…” he muttered, rubbing his temples.

Then a soft voice cut through the quiet. “Good morning.”

He blinked, turning toward the sound. Aliyah was sitting at the edge of the bed, legs tucked underneath her, wearing one of his old Alpha Phi Alpha shirts — faded, but unmistakably his. Her curls were pulled up in a messy puff, and there was a calm, teasing smile on her face.

He squinted. “Wait… you here?”

Aliyah nodded, holding up a bottle of water and some pain relievers. “Yeah. Malik dropped you off last night, and I stayed to make sure you didn’t roll off the couch.”

Tyriq sat up slowly, wincing as the movement made his head pound. “I ain’t do nothin’ stupid, did I?”

She laughed softly. “No. You were just loud. And you kept talking about how you ‘run the yard.’”

He groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Ain’t no way I said that.”

“Oh, you said that three times,” she said, smirking. “But at least you didn’t start steppin’ in the kitchen again.”

“Again?” he asked, side-eyeing her.

She laughed, handing him the water. “Drink. You’re dehydrated and dramatic.”

He took a few sips, then looked at her for a long moment — quiet now, just studying her. “You really stayed the whole night?”

Aliyah shrugged lightly. “Yeah. Somebody had to make sure you made it to see senior brunch.”

He smiled faintly, his voice low. “You always takin’ care of me.”

Her expression softened. “Somebody’s gotta make sure you don’t forget how far you’ve come.”

Tyriq leaned back against the headboard, still groggy but smiling now. “Guess I owe you breakfast, huh?”

Aliyah smirked. “Guess you do.”

-

Tyriq gave her a sleepy grin, but before he could get a word out, Aliyah arched a brow and said, “You look rough, Ty. Like, real rough.”

He groaned and rubbed his face. “Man, don’t do me like that this early.”

She laughed and leaned against the dresser, crossing her arms. “I’m serious. You’re not getting any type of affection until you drink that water, eat something, and maybe shower off all that homecoming.”

He looked up at her, feigning offense. “No love? That’s crazy.”

Aliyah smirked, holding back a laugh. “Love? Oh, you’ll get love — once you stop smelling like a frat house and regret.”

Tyriq chuckled, wincing at his own headache. “Wow. So that’s how you talk to your man the morning after homecoming?”

“That’s how I talk to my man every morning after he forgets his limits,” she shot back, tossing him a clean towel from his dresser. “Go ahead, Mr. Senior. Prove you can handle your hangover.”

He caught the towel, shaking his head with a grin. “You lucky you fine, girl.”

Aliyah smiled, her tone softening. “Yeah, yeah. Just hurry up before brunch. I got plans for us today — and you’re not gonna want to miss them.”

Tyriq looked at her curiously. “Plans, huh?”

“You’ll see,” she said, smiling as she headed toward the kitchen. “Now move before I start without you.”

-

The morning, the air was warm but comfortable, the sun cutting through the tall oaks on campus. Students in shades of red and green still roamed the Yard, lingering from the night before, and the distant beat of music from the afterparty mixed with the chatter of the brunch crowd.

Tyriq and Aliyah had grabbed a table outside a popular local spot. Aliyah had ordered her favorite: grits, eggs, and a side of fruit. Tyriq had a huge plate of pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs — enough to fuel a football game.

But the food barely mattered — Tyriq had his arm casually draped over the back of Aliyah’s chair, leaning close enough that their shoulders brushed. Every time she reached for something on the table, he’d subtly shift closer, just enough to make her laugh or roll her eyes.

“You really all about that PDA today, huh?” Aliyah teased, nudging him gently with her elbow.

“All about showing you off,” Tyriq said with a grin, leaning down just slightly so his lips brushed her temple. “Homecoming weekend. Senior year. I’m not hiding my girl.”

Aliyah smiled, shaking her head but clearly enjoying it. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Maybe,” he said, smirking. “But you love it.”

She laughed softly. “Maybe a little.”

The two of them chatted easily, talking about the previous night, teasing each other over how Tyriq had nearly tripped during the step show, and laughing at memories of the music and dancing. Every so often, his hand would brush hers across the table, and she wouldn’t pull away — even letting him sneak a small squeeze when she laughed too hard at one of his jokes.

Other students glanced their way, some smirking knowingly at the obvious closeness, but Tyriq didn’t care. He leaned in again, whispering in her ear with a grin,

“You ready for the rest of this weekend?”

Aliyah met his eyes, smiling softly. “With you? Always.”

He grinned, pulling her just a little closer, enjoying the warmth of her presence in the bright morning sun. Around them, the brunch crowd buzzed with life, but for a moment, it was just the two of them — laughing, teasing, and unapologetically together.

- Monday morning hit the campus like a reality check. The Yard was quiet, the tents and stages from Homecoming gone, trash bins emptied, and the smell of fried food from the weekend finally faded. Only a few students lingered, nursing coffee and trying to shake off the late-night celebrations.

Tyriq and Aliyah walked side by side across the quad, backpacks slung over their shoulders. The energy of the weekend was gone, replaced by the hum of students heading to their first classes. Even though it was Monday, there was a subtle glow on both of their faces — the kind that comes from having shared something special the past few days.

“I can’t believe it’s over,” Aliyah said softly, glancing at him. “The Yard looks… normal again.”

“Yeah,” Tyriq agreed, smiling. “Kinda boring now, huh?”

Aliyah nudged him with her shoulder. “You wish you were back at the parties.”

“Maybe,” he said, grinning. “But I’ll take this too — just me and you walking to class, no chaos, no loud music.”

She smiled, letting her hand brush against his as they walked. It was subtle, casual, but intentional. Tyriq caught her hand and gave it a small squeeze, just enough to make her grin.

“Still showing off, huh?” she teased.

“Always,” he said, leaning closer so his shoulder bumped hers. “You like it.”

They laughed softly, the campus quiet around them now, as they approached the building for their first class. Even in the return to normalcy, their energy from Homecoming lingered — the teasing, the warmth, the little touches — keeping the spark alive as they slipped back into the rhythm of senior-year life.

- Tyriq had managed to snag a quiet spot in one of the sunlit courtyards — a bench tucked behind a row of live oaks, the breeze rustling the leaves above. He leaned back, backpack on the ground, just letting himself breathe for a few minutes between classes. For a moment, it felt like he had the whole campus to himself.

He was scrolling through his phone when a familiar shout pierced the calm.

“Aye, Ty!”

He looked up to see three of his Alpha Phi Alpha brothers jogging toward him, grins wide. Malik was leading the pack, hands on his hips like he hadn’t run in ten years, but the energy was unmistakably frat.

“You hiding out already?” Malik teased as they reached the bench. “We just finished lunch, and here you are, acting like a senior ghost.”

Tyriq laughed, shaking his head. “Nah, I’m just… chillin’. Enjoying the calm before the storm of finals and graduation prep.”

“Chillin’?” one of the other brothers laughed, plopping down on the bench beside him. “You mean you tryna recover from Homecoming still. Don’t act like you weren’t out there wildin’.”

Tyriq smirked, leaning back. “I may have celebrated a little too hard. But I earned it. Senior year, remember?”

Malik shook his head with a grin. “Man, we still got next weekend. You ain’t off the hook yet. And you definitely owe Aliyah a proper showing off. You been all soft since Sunday.”

Tyriq raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Soft? Nah. I’m strategic. Can’t let all my energy show at once. Gotta pace myself.”

One of his brothers snorted. “Strategic? Bruh, we saw you at brunch. PDA central. You were basically glued to that girl.”

Tyriq laughed, his grin wide. “Guilty. Can’t help it. She’s my girl.”

Malik clapped him on the shoulder. “Aight, alright. But don’t get too comfy here. Class is in twenty. Let’s roll.”

Tyriq groaned dramatically, stuffing his phone into his pocket. “Fine, fine. But one day, I’m sitting here without anyone finding me.”

The brothers laughed, heading toward the next building, leaving Tyriq with that satisfied smile of a guy who’d survived Homecoming, spent the weekend with his girl, and now had a few hours to recharge before diving back into the chaos of senior year.

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