Diff'rent Strokes (revisited, edited and updated)

What The Fuck Is Really Going On?

Kayden Oh

The next day, it was just me and the twins. I'd peeped it from the jump—James wasn't acting like himself. He was pulling back, quieter, like something or someone was occupying all his damn energy. I wasn't stupid; I already knew it was about that dude he'd been hanging with. Damon. I'd heard his name in passing, but that was it. And now James was slipping out of our circle like a nigga had something to hide.

I couldn't let it slide. I needed answers.

So I brought it up to Luke, knowing if anybody would understand where I was coming from, it'd be him. Luke didn't overthink things like Eli; he was a vibe guy, quiet but calculating.

"We need to figure out what's up with James," I said, testing the waters.

"Figure out how?" Luke asked, already knowing the answer but making me say it out loud.

"Simple. We follow him."

Luke leaned back, eyes narrowing. "You wanna spy on him?"

I shrugged. "You say it like it's a bad thing."

Eli, who'd been half-listening from the kitchen, scoffed loud enough to make his point. "That's a whole lotta drama, Kayden. You don't need to be in his business like that."

I smirked at Eli, already knowing he wouldn't be down. "Aight, Eli. We'll keep you out of it, Mr. Morality Police."

"You two are gonna find out some shit you ain't ready for," Eli said, shaking his head like he was above all this.

"That's the point," I fired back.

Luke cracked a small grin, his subtle stamp of approval. "I'm down," he said, no hesitation.

We locked eyes, and in that moment, I knew I could count on him. Eli just muttered, "Y'all are idiots," before disappearing into the other room.

Back at the crib, Luke dipped for class, leaving me and Eli alone. I don't know what it was about the silence, but it started getting to me. Tension, anger, frustration—it all bubbled up like I couldn't hold it in anymore.

Eli sat on the couch, scrolling his phone, all casual and calm. That just made it worse. How the fuck could he sit there so chill when I felt like I was about to burst?

I dropped onto the couch next to him, and he looked up, finally catching the vibe I was putting out. He didn't say anything, just set his phone down and leaned back, waiting for me to make the first move.

I kissed him, hard, needing to feel something real. Eli didn't pull away; he never did. But this time, it felt different. He wasn't matching my energy like usual.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my frustration spilling into the question.

Eli sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't agree with your decision, Kayden."

I blinked, caught off guard. "What decision?"

"This whole James thing," he said, his tone softer now, like he didn't want to start a fight but couldn't hold it in. "It's messy, man. And you're better than that."

The words hit me harder than I expected, like he'd reached into my chest and pulled at something raw.

"If it makes you feel better, I won't," I said, trying to sound nonchalant, but the edge in my voice gave me away.

Eli grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him. His eyes were intense, searching mine for something I wasn't ready to give. "I'm serious, Kayden. You don't need to prove anything to anyone. Not James, not Luke, not even me."

For a second, I thought I saw something deeper in his gaze—something that wasn't just about us messing around.

"Okay," I said, pulling away before he could say more. I wasn't ready to deal with whatever he was trying to tell me.

I lied and said I needed to hit the library. Eli saw right through it, but he didn't call me out. Instead, he just nodded, letting me go.

James Ardent

Damon was different. From the moment we met, he wasn't like anyone else I'd been with. He didn't push, didn't rush, didn't demand anything from me. He just... was. And for someone like me, who'd spent so much time building walls, that was terrifying.

We were sitting in his car, the hum of the engine the only sound between us.

"Can I ask you something?" I said, breaking the silence.

Damon glanced at me, his expression calm but curious. "Sure."

I hesitated, my fingers fidgeting with the edge of my hoodie. "What are your intentions with me?"

He laughed softly, not mocking, just amused. "That's a loaded question."

"I'm serious," I pressed.

Damon leaned back in his seat, his smile fading into something more thoughtful. "Look, James. I like you. And I don't just mean that in some shallow way. I like the way you think, the way you move. But I'm not here to rush you into anything you're not ready for."

His words settled over me like a warm blanket, but they didn't erase the anxiety coiled in my chest.

"You're not just saying that, right?" I asked, needing reassurance.

Damon reached over, his hand resting lightly on my knee. "You're overthinking it. Just let this be what it is."

I nodded, trying to take his words to heart. But as I got out of the car and he kissed me on the forehead, I felt something shift inside me. For the first time in a long time, I felt seen.

Luke Moore

After class, I was ready to chill. The plan was simple: hit the crib, throw on some music, and decompress. But the second I walked through the door, all that peace I'd been looking forward to evaporated.

Eli was sprawled out on my couch, butt-ass naked.

"Nigga, what the fuck?" I barked, slamming the door behind me.

Eli scrambled to grab a blanket, his face a mix of guilt and annoyance. "Relax, man. Kayden left, and I fell asleep."

"Fell asleep? Naked? On my couch?" I shot back, my voice rising.

"I always sleep naked. You know that," he said, like that made it any better.

Before I could respond, the door opened again, and Kayden walked in, freezing when he saw us.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked, looking between me and Eli like he'd just caught us doing something we shouldn't.

"I'mma go," Eli muttered, grabbing his clothes and heading for the door.

Kayden raised an eyebrow at me, waiting for an explanation.

But I didn't have one.