😗sorry for any mistakes
Charlotte, NC
January 7th
Friday
"Suh you should come to the club tonight," Ash said over group Facetime while Ariyah was packing a duffel bag.
"I cantttt, Kai is taking me on a getaway for this weekend" She moved her shoulders up and down a little.
"Aww, where is he taking you?" Mo asked, getting in the camera.
"Atlantic Beach. He's taking me on our first date" She smiled really hard. Ariyah was really excited she was going to the beach again and this was her first-ever date.
Although she told Makai he didn't have to plan a date 4 hours away, he insisted. Ari felt like he could feel the hint of attitude she still kinda had from the events last week.
She has been trying to get over it, especially after the many times he and everyone else has apologized for ambushing her and like telling her anything. She's always has been trying to leave it behind her because it was a new year and new energy is what she needed. Not holding a grudge.
"Bye, I want to go" Mo frowned.
Ari nodded "You can go, just not with me and my man but you be safe na' "
They all busted out laughing "Lawddd please down my man us to deaf again" Kassy chuckled.
Ari stuck her middle finger up at them. She could admit, she bragged about Makai quite often. But that was because he was something to brag about in her eyes. He was perfect in her opinion and nobody could tell her differently.
He treated her like a queen. It was queen treatment only with him.
"I need me a man" Kassy sighed, they all looked at her funny. "What?" She asked.
"You want a man knowing good damn well Jae wants yo' ass." Mo chuckled.
"He gets on my damn nerves tho. Always wanna be around a bitch like nigga you don't got other folks to be around?" She rolled her eyes.
"Not you mad he wanna be around yo' wanna be hard-ass" Mo laughed.
"Right, what's wrong with him wanting to be around you? You should take it as a compliment cause Jae likes to be alone most of the time" Ash chuckled.
"I'm not used to someone wanting to genuinely be around me without wanting sex. But sometimes he plays too much, why does he always gotta roast me?" She chuckled.
"Just talk about his nappy ass hair. Looking like who did it and why" Ari shrugged.
"Ari!" They all laughed. "What?" She asked. Sometimes Ari just said stuff and it was so serious and funny.
"You have no filter sometimes" Ash laughed.
"I'm just being honest. His hair looks a mess, I don't even think he washes it. I stuck my comb in his head and it broke then it's just sticking up ya know? At least he has a hair-like tho, I'veseen this one dude with the same hair wicks like Jae and he just looks dirty ya know?" She rambled on as they were dying laughing at her but she was serious.
"Mhm, let's get on Bullet's hair" Kassy said.
"Not too much tho. Not too fockin much" Ari mugged her.
"Babycakes you funny as hell. You're going to be back in time for this dress fitting right?" Mo asked.
"Yeah, we come back that Monday morning so I should be back by then" She assured her. Mo's wedding was in August and Ari was excited for her. She's never been to a wedding before.
"Awww you really getting married. This is crazy, we're getting older and owning a business. Lil Ari 'bout ta' be 20 next month, I might just cry" Kassy pouted while patting under her eyes.
"Gurlllllllaaa" Ari laughed at her.
"Our baby ain' gonna be a baby no more. She gonna be grownnn" Ash whined.
"Y'all do too much. I'm just turning 20 yall" She chuckled. The more she said it the more it was shocking to her. Next month was her 20th birthday, she really wasn't about to be in the teen stage anymore.
"What are we doing for your birthday?" Mo asked.
Ari chuckled "I'on about y'all but I have baking things to do on that day. It's just another day and this time ima be getting money. So another day another dollar" She chessed as they just looked at her with sad faces.
"You don't celebrate your birthday?" Ash frowned.
"No, I didn't even know my birthday for a while until I turned 7 I think" She laughed, they just looked at her with sad looks. Ari didn't know why they were sad though, it's life. Some people have good life's as others don't, it just has to be accepted. Or at least that's what she's been doing.
"Stop it yall. It's okay. It's way more people out here that went through worse than me. Feel bad for them not me" She giggled.
"Kassy did you ever apply for that college?" She asked, trying to change the subject off of her.
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"Thank you so much." The woman smiled extra hard when Ari dropped off the cake for her.
"Your welcome, can I do a boomerang of you?" She asked. She always liked to do boomerangs for her page and evidence that she dropped the cake off. Some people tried to lie and get their money back but not with her.
"Of course" The lady started posing and Ari did the boomerang.
"Okay thank you and Happy birthday again" She smiled, walking off the porch.
"Yes, girl turning 22 again," She said.
Ari busted out laughing. When she made the cake it said she was 45 "Period, young and beautiful" Ari said.
"Terry! You hear dat? she just called me beautiful and yo' ass can't do shit. How does that work?"
Ari was cracking up while walking to the car before getting inside "She was funny" She chuckled, putting on her seatbelt then looked at Makai who was already staring at her.
"We're going to the beaccchhh" She smiled, moving her shoulder up and down and he copied her. They busted out laughing while he drove off.
"You be killin' me wit' that shoulder dance" He chuckled.
"It's my lil dancy dance. I'ma be famous for it one day" She giggled, holding her hand out for since she knew how much he liked to hold her hand while driving.
They were definitely a physical touch type of couple, he was a little more than her but they both liked to be touching each other in a way. It was a sense of comfort for them. It was safety for Ari mostly though, she always felt safe with him.
"When are you going ta' learn how to drive suga?" He glanced at her then back to the road.
"I'm scared but I need to learn so you don't be driving me everywhere" She chuckled.
"Why are you scared?" He asked.
"Because that accident kinda traumatized me and so many people can't drive and I don't want to be one of those people" She chuckled. Ari felt like if she started driving, she was going to be one of those people that can't drive.
"I don't mind taking you places but you do need to start. You really need a license, especially since your lookin' for a place for yo' bakery." He said.
She nodded "Yeah I know. I thi—" She was cut off by her phone starting to ring.
Simone.
Would like facetime...
Ari stared at the call that was on the dashboard before declining it and sighed.
"Why didn't you answer?" Makai furrowed his eyebrows.
"I-Um" She started "I can't talk to her" She admitted.
"I thought you said you'll try?" He asked confusedly.
"I do but it's hard to. I can't help but feel like this burden to her. I'm a constant memory of something that happened to her. What if I look like him? She has to talk to and look at a constant reminder of her rapist." She shook her head. It was hard for Ari not to feel like she had this terrible memory.
She was this person that wasn't supposed to be here and she felt like Simone didn't deserve to relive it over and over when looking or talking to her. She honestly wished she didn't meet her because now she felt awful.
Makai sighed "Baby it's— Oou, I like this song" She cut him off, turning the music up so they didn't have to talk about it.
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"Who? Nigga do you kno' how me peoples brothers I killed?" Makai scrunched up his face, in the camera as he was in a group facetime call with the rest of the boys.
"Nigga you need help" Jae laughed
Makai sucked his teeth "Let's not start wit' yo' beating niggas to death ass" Makai straight-faced him causing Jae to stop laughing.
"Y'all both need help" Tech shook his head "But it's the nigga you killed like 2 years ago Tony. He was the one that set us up with Sasha '' He said, Makai tensed up at the mention of his ex before trying to shake the feeling off. He hated when she was brought up.
The same girl he thought was giving him love was the same girl that drugged and assaulted him and then tried to set him up to die. The same girl that used his trauma against him and called him gay for letting grown men rape him when he was 7.
"It's upsettin' me and my homeboys cause why did his brother come after us like Tony didn't have a reason ta' die?" Lu scrunched up his face, everyone busted out laughing at him.
"And it's been two years. If his ass doesn't get ova' that shit" ManMan grumbled.
"So Tony's brother is the one that shot at us?" Jae asked. Tech nodded "Yeah, the cameras showed him in the truck but he had someone else in the truck that I couldn't recognize. It looks like a female tho," He explained.
Makai shook his head, shooting at him was one thing but shooting at his girl was another. Most of the bullets were aiming at Ariyah like she was a target. It made him madder that they came to Simone and Dom's house with the bullshit.
Everyone was glad Egypt and Promise were taking naps at that time.
"You think it was Sasha?" ManMan raised his brow. Makai's eyes widened, they ran Sasha out of the city 2 years ago after what she did.
Makai's breathing started to quicken. He didn't know what would happen if he saw her again. She's the one that scared him to love again, to even give someone a real chance.
"I'm still working on clearing the video a little more but right now I can't tell. It might tho since she was working wit' them before." Tech said.
"Bullet, you good?" Lu asked, seeing how quiet he got.
"I-Im hit y'all later," He said and hung up. After she did what she did to him, she put him back in that place of his childhood. He got up from his seat on the porch, before going inside.
"Baby, what you doin'? Come here I been missin' you, I wanna fuck, I know you can tell by how I'm kissin' you" Ari sung as she laid on the bed in their condo he got them for the weekend, scrolling on her phone.
He laughed to himself, she be singing some of the funniest things out of nowhere sometimes.
"Suga? C-can we cuddle?" He asked, taking his slide off. She frowned when she looked up at him "Yes" She paused her music and put her phone to the side. He slightly smiled, taking his shirt off and his sweatpants before getting into the bed.
She held her arms open for him when he got in and he happily went into her arms, laying directly on top of her like always. She kissed his cheek repeatedly "Everything okay?" She asked softly.
He snuggled more in her, wondering if he should tell her or not. Then he decided not to "Yeah, jus' wanted to lay wit' you," He said lowly while subtly rubbing her back.
"You sure? You know if—Ariyah" He cut her off already knowing she was going to try to get him to talk about it.
She sighed "Okay" She mumbled and started to rub his ears.
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Atlantic Beach, NC
January 8th
Saturday
"I wish it wasn't so cold. I wanna get in the water" Ari pouted as she and Makai walked the beach while holding hands. The sun was out but Makai knew that the water was freezing right now since it was January and he wasn't going for it.
"We'll come back to the beach another time suga" He chuckled looking at the sad look on her face. She loved the beach even when they went on that trip in the summer.
"I hope so. It's so nice out here" She smiled looking around. There weren't many people out, just how Makai liked it.
"Why are we stopping?" She asked when they stopped in front of an empty space. "Y-you like it?" He asked nervously.
"Pooda it's nothing here" She chuckled a little.
"Right, not yet. But you have to see it. I'ma have the water park on this side, it's not going to be as big as I want it to be but that's okay. Then I'ma— Wait, you bought this?" She asked with widened eyes looking around the 40 acres of land.
He smiled and nodded "OH MY GOODNESS! When?!" She asked before excitedly jumping on him and he caught her and swung her around.
He laughed at her excitement. "I signed the papers for it earlier this morning when you were asleep," He said as she kissed his face.
"This is so exciting, I'm so proud of you" She smiled, and his heart started to flutter like any other time when he was with her. "You are?" He asked. Makai never ever really heard anyone being proud of him especially because of what he used to do and his lifestyle. It felt nice to hear someone say it.
"Yes! Are you kidding? Pooda you are about to start your dream, you have to see how happy you look when you talk about your future resort. Now it's coming to life so, of course, I'm proud of you" She said sincerely and smiled.
Makai felt like he was being punked or something when it came to Ariyah. She always showed him care and compassion, she always motivated him.
"Thank you suga, it means a lot to hear that. I wouldn't be doin' it if it wasn't fa' you" He chuckled, putting her down now.
"Stop it, you always had the plan and vision board. You just needed the push to give you something to actually start" She waved him off, and he shook his head at her.
"So when do you start?" She asked.
"I'ma start working with an architect soon but he's in Atlanta. I might have to go there a few times to meet with him or he might come here" He explained.
"I like this area too. Kinda close to the boardwalk not too close and it's right on the beach. You know people love beach views" She smiled. "Okay, show me around. Show me your vision" She grabbed his hand.
He laughed "Suga"
"I'm serious baby or at least the little parts" She smiled and tugged on his hand. "Baby?" He smirked, raising his brow. She hasn't called him that yet, it's always 'Pooda'.
"Duhhh, not come on" She giggled, pulling his hand into the middle.
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"Because it's like why?" Ari blushed, turning her head from Makai.
He laughed at her nervousness. "Why can't I sit next to you?" He asked, turning her chin to face him. "You're supposed to be sitting on the other side of the booth Pooda" She giggled.
"Why?" He asked again.
"Just hush and look at the menu then" she playfully rolled her eyes and picked up the menu. He chuckled, putting his hand on her exposed thigh.
"Ouu, I think Ima post this one" Ari said, holding up her phone to show him the pictures he took of her before they left the room.
He nodded, still rubbing her thigh. "I like that one," He said as the server came over and took their drink orders and appetizers.
"Sorry, this ain't orange this is peacchhh! " Ari sucked her tongue out. He shook his head at her "You watch too much tik tok"
"YAWP!" She poked his nose before they both busted out laughing. "Get on my nerves," He said once he caught his breath.
"You want kids?" He asked. They have never really talked about the future. They've talked about future goals for themselves but not much of goals for their relationship.
"What? you want lil ole me to have yo' kids?" She showed her pretty smile and put her hand on her chest. Makai couldn't help but smile back at her, it always happened when she smiled or laughed.
He nodded and kissed her cheek "Well I'll be honored but I do. Maybe 2 or 1. I always wanted a daughter first then a son or just a daughter or just a son" She turned her body a little to give him more of her attention.
"You're the first one I know that wants a daughter before a son. Most girls want sons first." He said.
She nodded "It's true, that mother and son relationship is so precious." She said and he scoffed. His relationship with his mother was terrible down to the day he killed her.
"Okay, the true mothers will have a good mother and son relationship. It's something special when you have a good mother" She reworded it, and he nodded agreeing.
"But I always wanted a daughter first because I always wanted that type of relationship ya know? Like I used to always bond better with the foster mothers before any of the foster fathers. I want to give my daughter that mommy love that I never got to experience" She shrugged, he nodded while listening.
He could tell her not having a mother figure in her life affected her way more than not having a father figure in her life.
"What about you though? You want kids?" She asked.
He nodded "I do. I want a daughter first too. It's typical but I do" He chuckled, and she shook her head "I can see it now, you gonna try and shoot every person she is trying to be with" She chuckled.
"You damn right. I know how a lot of these niggas minds work" He said honestly as the drinks finally can out. The server took their orders before telling them their mozzarella sticks and fried pickles that Ari wanted would be out momentarily and left them again.
"Okay, what's something you're proud of?" She asked.
"Definitely Harmoni" He nodded.
"Really? Why?" She asked.
"Cause she was basically my first child. I raised her and shit. Even though I was gon' through shit, I still took care of her and fed her, made sure she had clothes on her back and allat since our parents weren't doin' it. They would just use their money for themselves and not even try to think about us" He explained, trying not to get emotional when talking about his parents.
Makai has always been proud of how much he was able to still raise Mo when he was only a baby himself. He was the one doing things at stores to make sure he had a few dollars to get her diapers. He was a dad at 5 years old. He didn't understand much of what he was doing but he knew his sister needed him.
"You know you're one of the strongest people I know," Ari smiled. "You always keep going no matter how hard you try to give up, you still work hard," She said honestly.
He smiled "Thank you, what 'bout you tho?" He asked as they brought out their appetizers.
"Definitely my ability to bake and Lucky" She chuckled, taking a fried pickle and dipping it in the ranch. "Having a dog is a big responsibility along with me not having as much when I first found him."
Makai just stared at her as she talked. He didn't mean not to listen to what she was saying but this was something that happened a lot when he looked at her. He could never get over how beautiful she was since the first he saw her and they bumped into each other.
He didn't say anything at first because of how scared she looked when he looked at her so he didn't say anything at all not wanting to scare her anymore.
She always has this type of glow to her when he looks at her. Like a true guardian angel, to him, that's what she was like his walking and visible angel. "Poodaa... you okay?" She titled her head to the side, breaking him out of his daze.
"Suga I love you" He blurted then his eyes widened. She blankly looked at him before smiling "I love you too Makai"
His heart started beating fast "Fr? no funny shit?" He asked. m
She laughed at him "Yes Kai," She giggled. "Say it so I know you not lyin' " He squinted his eyes at her.
She grabbed his chin to bring him into a kiss "I love you Makai," She said sweetly. "I love you too Ariyah" He kissed her passionately.
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Heeeeeeyyyyyyy
Thoughts?
Makai not wanting to open up to Ariyah anymore?
Ariyah not wanting to be in contact with Simone?
They said they love with other🥺
Pooda starting up his resort!!!
Sasha?
415 votes for an update!!!!
BYEEEE UNTIL MY NEXT UPDATEEE🦋