😗sorry for any mistakes
Six months later...
Baltimore, MD
April 5th
Wednesday
🎶Close shop then I do my count, hide the rest of the yams at my auntie house
(and then what?)🎶
And Then What by Jeezy sounded from the built-in speakers all around the Champ Boxing Gym that Kamari and Ben owned. A few kids sat in the lounge area of the gym, completing their homework for Kamari to check after they finished. A few teenagers sat in the middle of the floor inside the second boxing ring, talking amongst themselves while Kamari stood outside the main boxing ring where the two young boys were geared up in the practice equipment.
"Dice! You have–" Kamari halted his speaking when the other young boy swung his arm rear and then punched Dice in the right jaw.
Kamari sighed and shook his head as he grabbed hold of the black rope. Hauling his body upward on the ring, he held the second black rope up and went underneath. "Give him some space Jamie," He spoke, grabbing Dice by his forearm and helping him up from the floor considering he couldn't grab his hand with him wearing boxing gloves.
"It was a cheap shot. Lemme go again," Dice huffed as he jogged in place–ready to go again. Kamari shook his head at him, taking the black Boxing Leather Sparring Headgear off his head.
"It wasn't a cheap shot. You just don't listen, dummy," He fussed as he took the headgear fully off his head "Told 'bout having your arms up like this," He demonstrated what he watched Dice doing which was covering his whole face by the way he held his arms up.
"You can't see anything but yo' gloves when you're doing that woe," He told him. "How are you gonna beat dem niggas at school ass that be picking on you if you can't see their body language? Watching yo' opponent's body language is important, Ard?" He questioned, tapping his shoulder.
"Fighting at school isn't the same as Boxing KKS," Dice sighed as he started removing his gloves. He's been having problems at school for two weeks now ever since he came out as gay.
Kids just picked on him left and right. Teasing him with revolting slurs and even following him home from school to push him around.
It pissed Kamari off to the utmost, he already hated anyone that is a bully. Kamari tried to convince him to tell his parent but he didn't want to.
Dice is a cool kid, he minds his business all the time yet bullies at school were causing such a big deal that he has a different sexuality than them. He lost a couple of friends because he came out, it seemed like he was really regarding his decision now.
Kamari tells him every time the people that stopped being his friend were never his genuine friends in the beginning. Kamari had a few homeboys that are gay, he wouldn't even think of switching up on them because they came out or because they were gay.
That was childish and didn't make much sense why people did that. If anything, he would be proud. Coming out isn't an easy task to fulfill as a black boy or man.
But Kamari has to remember, he's a grown man. These are little fifteen and fourteen-year-olds who haven't fully hit puberty nor mature even a quarter full yet.
"Eh, it depends. Most niggas like to slam people anyway," He shrugged "Get those two right hooks in the person's jaw and put em' right to sleep," He chuckled, holding the top rope up while pressing his foot down on the second rope for them to get out.
"Y'all go finish your homework, we'll start back tomorrow," He instructed then stopped Dice before he could leave.
Using his hand, Kamari turned Dice's head toward the left to see the right side of his face. A small red bruise was forming on his light tone skin, he didn't know the hit was that hard considering he was wearing protective gear "Go put some ice on that and lay down. I'll come to check on yew inna while," He nodded his head in the direction of his office.
Dice nodded before going under the rope then Kamari followed. As he jumped down from the ring, a voice–an annoying voice that he heard–what seemed like every day could be heard. "KKSSSSSS," A feminine voice happily sung in the distance from him.
Kamari groaned, throwing his head backwards, already feeling the aggravation coming upon him. Picking his head up, he did a long sigh while blankly facing the young, brown skin tone twelve-year-old girl standing in front of him with a cheesy smile on her face–showing her baby blue rubber braces in her mouth. "What do yew want, Minnie?" He raised his eyebrow, already knowing she wanted something.
"Waddup my boy, yew look good," She smiled "You got the whole NIKE fit on, they're sponsoring you or something?" She wondered about making Kamari shake his head at her buttering him up.
"Mhm, whatchu' want doe? I ain' going to get you a chicken box so you might as well not ask," He told her as he walked away just for her to follow him.
"My man can get me a chicken box. Thank you very much," She rolled her eyes as she followed him inside the equipment room.
"I've met yo' man. He can barely buy shit out of the snack machine but Ard," He chuckled, reaching his arm down for the pack of Lemon and Lime Blossom–Lysol Disinfectant Wipes that were on the bottom shelf.
She gasped, leaning the side of her body on the wall of the doorway, and covered her mouth with her hand in shock "Yew bluffin'! You caught him off a tough day, not tew much on my man," She curled her lip up with her eyebrows furrowed still.
Kamari chuckled while wiping down the boxing gloves and headgear with the wipe "What dew you want man?" He repeated again and glimpse over at her.
"Can I have ten dollars?" She beamed.
Her jerked his head backward, knitting his eyebrows down "Ten dollars? For what?" He questioned, arranging the correct items to go back to the organization order he spent all yesterday doing.
"It's field day at school next week. I really want to participate because I can miss class and whatnot," She explained "The admission fee is twenty dollars and I already have ten dollars. I can't ask my dad cus he doesn't get paid until after the money is due," She added, talking lower so only Kamari could hear her talking.
He only nodded, throwing the dirty wipes in the trash first before reaching his hand inside the left side of his pocket for his wallet. When first opening the gym, Kamari and Ben only intended for it to be a boxing gym where he and the other three professional boxers they train and work with are. Around six months after opening, it changed to them giving free boxing lessons to kids in the neighborhood.
Boxing lessons switched to them shifting their training gym to a community center on the side. They both grew up in the projects, it was easily influenced to get tied in with the street life because it seemed like the only way out besides going to school. There were so many black boys, even black girls on the streets, trying to figure out how they live or being influenced by the wrong crowd.
Some needed guidance, Kamari and Ben wanted to be/give that role model and guidance for them.
They were mentors, running a big brother program–at least starting one. Kamari and Ben were still in the works of expanding that part of the community center–even looking for women to bring in for the big sister for the girls.
Being a mentor, Kamari did give the kids a lot of leeways when it came to asking him for money. He lived a very comfortable life, money was never a problem now and he didn't have kids physically. He also loved kids, especially when it came to giving them things he wasn't able to experience when it came to school occasions.
He knew some parents struggled financially, he only helped out if someone asked–not wanting to overstep his boundaries.
"Does this twenty include food too? Don't y'all be having food trucks there as well?" He pulled a twenty from his wallet since he only had twentys and ones on him currently. He hummed a 'Hm' as he extended his arm to her.
"No, it's just for them to pay for the t-shirts we get and the lor snacks that we will be able to eat. I was just going to eat school lunch and the snacks they give," She took the money "Thank you KKS," She smiled, quickly shoving the money in her denim jean front pocket before the group of boys that walked passed could see.
Minnie has always been the most embarrassed to ask him for money–atleast when everyone beside them were around. She never wanted anyone to know or see. Kamari didn't understand why, considering that mostly everyone asked him for money, whether it was for school, hair cuts or getting their hair done, some shoes or food or even to help their parents with rent.
But he wasn't going to ask why. Only understand and respect her not wanting others to see.
"Remind me the day before and I'll give you money to eat at the food truck," He told her and she shly nodded, not going to protest because he always wins.
"Come on, I need to check on Dice,"
_________________
"Nah, that shit nice as hell woe. I fuck wit' it but why yew need a table in the kitchen and dining room?" Ben scrunched his face up in the camera on Kamari's phone screen as they were on Facetime. Kamari was showing him his new penthouse which was finally finished being fully decorated and furnished.
He recently moved into his new penthouse last month but prohibited anyone to visit until it was fully done being decorated. Now that it was officially done, he was calling everyone to show them.
Coming from nothing, he felt extraordinarily given benediction to be able to convey he bought a penthouse at the age of twenty-nine, fully paid for.
He could've bought the penthouse years ago but the others he viewed over the years never fit him.
He was saving the moment to buy a house for when he got married–if he got married. This step of purchasing a penthouse with a full city view felt like a huge accomplishment for him.
"Shit I'on know. I guess she just wanted to take up space," He chuckled, turning the camera back around to face him.
"Yew must've fawked yo' interior decorator cus she hit that shit woe," Ben teased, making Kamari suck his teeth at his statement.
"I ain' touch that lady. She was married," He mumbled the last sentence as he exited out the Facetime screen, and went to his messages to text Lanae. He sent her his new address since she wanted to see the new place in person.
Ben started laughing, hearing his mumbling "Oh yew draw the line at married people? But not at Shorr's with boyfriends?" He questioned "That is fawk crazy woe," He laughed harder.
Kamari laughed with him "Yo' that was one time and I didn't know she had a nigga. She told me they broke up," He defended himself.
"Yew was in her apartment and she had pictures of them up but you still believed her when she said that they broke up?" He chuckled, giving Kamari a certain look of not believing him.
"I was only thea' tew fuck. I didn't care about all the extra," He carelessly shrugged. Sex was the only thing Kamari wanted to converse about to be in and out. He didn't want to raise a question about the pictures frames because it would make it seem as if he cared or was jealous which he wasn't and didn't.
Later as months passed, he found out that was her boyfriend's place. He felt bad a little, he wouldn't want his significant other to have sex with someone else in the home they pay for and lay their head.
He didn't feel bad too long since a month later everyone found out he had a family on the side in Connecticut. Two kids and a fiancée, just a messy situation.
Kamari smacked his lips at Ben still laughing at him "Shut up, where is my niece anyways?" He asked, "That's the only reason I call to show her where her room is gonna be when she spends a night," He smiled.
K'yana Smith was born on February 18th at 7:30 PM, becoming the new addition to the family. She weighed 7 Lbs and 7 oz, sharing a few of the same facial features of Ben and Yasmine.
With how traumatic the birth was for Yasmine since she had to go into an emergency c-section, nobody has seen the baby in person yet. Everyone was giving the married couple some space especially because Yasmine was in so much pain the first month.
He has only seen his niece over facetime, Kamari was already in-love with her at first glance. She was so small and always had a small smirk on her lips. He couldn't wait to spoil and see her in person, he wanted to be the first to hold her.
"She and Yas finally went to sleep. K'yana had a doctor's appointment today, I almost flipped all that shit over bro," He shook his head while Kamari laughed at him "Giving her all those shots and she was just hollering. That nurse was gonna lose her head of her shoulders, I promise you that,"
"I probably would've flipped that whole doctor's office over. Something about the baby's crying never sat right with me," Kamari stood up from the bar stool seat after his doorbell went off. He was surprised how fast Lanae made it, the office didn't even call to tell him someone was coming up.
"For real. Then that damn nurse was just laughing like some shit was funny. Akeke, ain't shit funny bitch," He scoffed "Her ass didn't laugh nomo doe,"
Kamari shook his head at his brother's antics though he wasn't surprised "You told her that?" He questioned while walking to the front door.
"Hell yeah," He replied "She laughin' when she saw my daughter in pain, ain' shit about that funny to me. I told her that and she kept draggin' so I called her out her name," He nonchalantly spoke making Kamari chuckle again.
At least he checked her first before going straight to calling the lady out her name like he used to do.
"I'ma hit you up later bro. Nae just made it," He unlocked the top lock first.
"Ardd, love ya',"
"Love ya' too," He said before Ben hung up and Kamari opened the door for Lanae who was already mugging him.
"Why did it take you so long to answer that door? Ghessh," She bypassed him inside the home, complaining already.
Smacking his lips "I take however long I want," He argued back, closing and locking his door back. "How did you make it here so fast and get past security without them having tew call me?" He wondered, pointing his index finger at the shoe rack for her to remove her slides.
"Because I was already here," She laughed, "Sammy lives on the fourth floor of this building. When you sent me the address, I knew it looked familiar, I thought I was greekin' until I got on the elevator," She explained while stacking her shoes on the rack.
Kamari furrowed his eyebrows "This building?" He questioned, "I've been here for a month and haven't seen her yet," He said.
He hasn't seen Samara or her son since January. She had a small birthday gathering at chucky cheese for Grayson's 4th birthday but that was the last he saw them. She hasn't attended with Lanae to any recent family occasions since Ben and Yasmine's baby shower the week before Grayson's birthday.
Kamari tried looking for her social media but she didn't have any. Not even a Facebook.
Kamari didn't notice it until it happened but he grew a small attachment toward Grayson. From all the time he spent with him up until his birthday then Samara just stopped coming around. Kamari didn't want to seem like a creep by going to her job to see him.
He just asked small questions from Lanae or Chanel about how he was doing in small conversations when he saw them.
He didn't know how he broke his rule. Never get too attached unless you know they're in his life to stay. He broke that with Grayson now he was paying for it.
Lanae shrugged "Probably never will. She never gets out of the house anyways so you might never see her," She chuckled.
Kamari nodded understandably, he got homebody vibes from Samara everytime he was around her. She was such a homebody, she watched her surroundings and looked over her shoulder every second, he assumed she had social anxiety.
"How is Gray doing?" He wondered, walking in the direction of the living room.
"Good. I'm trying to convince her to sign him up for some art classes. He loves drawing and stuff like that but she keeps saying no," She shook her head "I think the lor girl cutting his hair in daycare really put her on edge to let him do anything besides stay home and go to the park," She stated.
"She's a helicopter mom, it's understandable. I wouldn't trust other shit either," He said.
"Yeah, I just wish she gave herself more credit and freedom because she doesn't," She sighed, confusing Kamari as to what she meant by that.
"Okayy, this is niceeee," She nodded proudly as she toured the living room. "It doesn't smell like ten cans of bounce that ass yet or nothingggg. Look yewwww,"
Kamari straight-faced her "Get out," He plainly spoke making her laugh.
_________________
Baltimore, MD
April 6th
Thursday
Adah
The door is unlocked
I'm Otw
As he stood on the elevator, the dinging noise–signaling that you have made it to the floor filled his ears. Kamari slipped his phone into his pocket and looked up, only to be surprised seeing Samara and Grayson standing in front of him.
Right when I said I never see her, I see her today. He thought to himself.
Grayson's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree at the sight of Kamari "Hi Mari!" He beamed, letting his mom who was shaking her head already hand go. He basically tackled Kamari's legs, making him stumble back a tad bit and chuckle.
"Waddup man, ain' seen you in foreva'," He picked him up in his arms, smiling at him.
Grayson nodded his head eagerly "It's been two months and a half!" He held up two fingers while Samara wheeled the red-colored wagon filled with grocery bags and a pizza box on top inside the elevator.
"You been keepin' count? Who taught yew that?" He questioned followed by a small chuckle.
"My mama. I have a calendar in my room, it's so cool," He explained then Kamari noticed the elevator doors closing.
He looked over at Samara, she held a flat facial expression as she looked at them. He assumed picking up Grayson probably made her uncomfortable. "Oh my bad, I should've asked first," He started to place Grayson on the floor only for him to start whining, repeating the word 'No' over and over.
"No, it's cool," She chuckled, pressing the fourth-floor silver button. "When your sister told me you lived in this building now, I thought she was joking but I guess not," She tucked her lips inside her mouth as they started going up.
Kamari nodded "You gonna move now?" He taunted, raising his eyebrows.
"Mhm, I'ma be looking for new places tonight," She said sarcastically and rolled her eyes as the dinging noise sounded after making it to the fourth floor.
"You live here too?! That's so cool," Grayson's jaw dramatically dropped "Mama can Mari come over to play? Pleasee," Grayson looked at Samara as she was struggling to wheel the wagon off the elevator.
"Uhh, Mari is probably busy Bop," She frowned, tugging on the wagon handle but it wouldn't budge.
Stepping off the elevator first, he placed Grayson on his feet before gently removing her hand from the black handle "I got it, which way?" He easily dragged the wagon off the elevator, looking left and right as to what direction her condo was in.
She softly smiled "Thank you," She grabbed Grayson's hand, strolling in the direction of the right. Kamari's eyes fell right down towards her ass. It moved effortlessly in the light blue Patchwork High-Rise Skinny Denim Jeans. You could see her hip dips, Kamari was obsessed with women with his dips.
Gahdamn
"Well, Mari. Are you busy right now?" Samara stopped walking once they made it to a door.
Kamari's eyes averted upwards to her face. He thought about it for a second before shaking his head no "Nah, I'm not," He answered.
He was only going over to Adah's house for sex but he needed to begin to fall back from her now. She had become exceptionally clingy over the last few months after he expressed multiple times to her he wasn't looking for a relationship other than sex.
She said she wasn't either but he should've known that was a lie from how quickly she agreed.
He watched her mash the key code to the door "Well, we just got some pizza if you wanted to join and don't have anything to do," She pushed the door open after unlocking it.
"Can you Mari, please," Grayson asked excitedly, holding the door open for his mom to walk in first. "Thank you Bop," She walked in.
"Yeah, where y'all get it from doe?" He wheeled the wagon inside the home that filled with the scent of Vanilla bean. He shut the door behind him after allowing Grayson to go in first then wheeled the wagon towards the side of her island in the kitchen when you walked him.
Turning the alarm off first, Samara started removing her black Crocs alongside Grayson by the door. Kamari followed suit, removing his NIKE slides "We went to the pizza place down the street. It's so good, Bop loves it. We have to eat it once or twice a week," She told him while placing the box of pizza on the island counter "Go wash up Bop," She instructed as she unloaded the bag of groceries.
"Yes ma'am. Come on Mari," Grayson grabbed Kamari's hand, dragging him inside the half-bathroom. He was going to help him but Grayson pulled out his kiddy Spongebob step stool, washing his hands on his own.
"Oh, yews a big boy now. Don't need any help or nun," Kamari chuckled, squirting some soap in his hand as well.
"Yeah, yew know," He cockly shrugged as he shook the water from his hand off. Kamari could only laugh at him, he wondered where he was saying that from.
After the two finished washing their hands, they walked out of the bathroom–trying to air dry their hands. "Mommy, can I show Mari my room?" Grayson asked.
"Uhh," Samara hesitated, looking awkwardly as she poured the pink lemonade into the Spongebob-decorated cup. " I don't–"
"Maybe another time lor man. I'm really hungry right now," Kamari stepped in after seeing the uncomfortable look on her face. Before walking into the house, he could tell her having him in her home was already a lot. He didn't want to overwhelm her move especially because she didn't know how to tell Grayson no most of the time.
"Me too, I love cheese pizza," Grayson laughed after Kamari picked him up, throwing him in the air a bit. "Again! AHHH!" Grayson screamed when Kamari threw him up again.
"My goodness. If you drop him, you paying for him," Samara smiled at the two playing together.
_________________
"So you stay on the tenth floor? With the big patio space?"Samara tried to make conversation after coming back downstairs from putting Grayson to bed since he fell asleep on Kamari's chest when they were watching a movie.
"Why? You must gonna come up there?" He stretched his right arm out on the back of the couch, slightly raising his eyebrow at her.
This nigga.
"Didn't I tell you that you'll never be able to hit this on yo' good or bad?" She resorted, sitting down on the other side of the sofa.
He husky chuckled making her want to clench her legs together "Who said anything about wanting to fuck yew, Samara?" He smirked, dating directly in her face.
She rolled her eyes at him "The way you are looking at my ass every chance you get when I'm around, I can't tell," She shrugged. He started laughing, seeing he was caught. She saw him doing it every time, especially today. She was talking to him for a minute but he wasn't replying back. She thought he was being rude until she glanced over her shoulder and saw where his attention was.
"I'on fuck my lor sister friends," He spoke.
"You wasn't fucking me in the first place anyways," She carelessly shrugged. "Your girlfriend wouldn't like that anyways," She chuckled, speaking about Adah. That's all she talked about at work in the locker room, the girl was practically obsessed with him.
Kamari smacked his lips "She isn't my girl. She needs to stop telling people that, it's embarrassing on her part," He shook his head. "I'm about to head out doe," He rose up from his spot.
"Okay, we'll um," She stood up to then sucked her teeth "I'm grown. Kamari, can I have your number?" She blurted out asking.
He raised his eyebrows in shock "Are you shooting yo' shot at me? That's crazyyy," He teased.
"Ew no," Samara cringed. "It's just Grayson who really enjoys your company and stuff. He's been asking about you since his birthday," She explained, walking him to the door. She didn't expect Grayson to be so attached to Kamari the way he was. Samara assumed he liked the male presence since he attached himself to Gabe as well but it was more with Kamari.
With his separation anxiety, she didn't want not seeing Kamari for a long time again to affect him negatively again. He was always sad when she told him they couldn't see him for the last few months. She didn't want that to happen again.
As much as she tried not to, she trusted Kamari enough to allow Grayson to be alone with him. She could admit to loving the way he treated Grayson when he was around him. Played with him, talked to him, and even taught him new things that Samara didn't even know.
Everything she wished Adryan would've done for their son.
"Not trying to force him on you or anything. Just he could call to talk to you from time to time," She stated, hoping she didn't sound weird or was trying to force a relationship between them.
Kamari slowly nodded as he slid his feet inside his NIKE slides "Yeah, I get it," He reached his hand into his red hoodie pocket. "Here, put yo' number in," He unlocked his phone before handing it off to her.
She frowned a bit at him not going to his call log so she went looking at it. She accidentally clicked on messages and her eyes grew wide seeing a naked photo of Adah inside of a bathroom mirror. "Oh, um," She just gave him back the phone with her lips thinned together.
His eye wide at the sight "I didn't—"
"You can just put my number in and text me so I know it's you," She softly chuckled, taking her phone out from her back pocket.
Boy, do they be having a good time!
___________________________________
I didn't edit this, can y'all tell? LMFAOOOO CHILEEE
Thoughts or Opinions?
They live in the same building and exchanged numberssss😝👀
idk how they gonna get together 😭
Can you tell some drama about to start😏😏😏 no? me either.
700 votes for an update!!!!
BYEEEE UNTIL MY NEXT UPDATEEE🦋