---
The next day, sunlight streamed through my window, casting soft shadows across the room as I stood in front of my closet, fingers brushing over fabric.
Mari would be here soon.
I pulled out a few options, laying them across my bed—something casual, something a little more put-together.
She had told me to wear something nice. *Something comfortable.*
I exhaled, debating between pieces, the excitement of the day ahead humming quietly beneath my skin.
I finally settled on a white-styled hoodie—clean, effortless—paired with baggy, stylish pants that sat just right. White socks, my usual white shoes. Simple, comfortable, but sharp enough to feel right for today.
After dressing, I ran a quick check. Phone? Wallet? I made sure I had both, even though I wasn't planning on spending. *Just in case.*
With everything set, I exhaled, feeling the quiet buzz of anticipation. Mari would be here soon.
---
I made my way downstairs, stepping outside and settling into the quiet as I waited for Mari.
A few minutes later, she pulled up, her smile easy, effortless. And she looked *amazing.*
Her hair was freshly done—a sleek-back ponytail with curls cascading effortlessly. Her makeup was flawless, subtle but striking, and even from here, I could catch the soft, lingering notes of her perfume.
"Come on, let's go," Mari said, her voice light as I slid into the front seat.
She started driving, the hum of the engine steady beneath us.
"I gotta drop by my mama's house real quick, okay?" she said, glancing at me.
I nodded, resting against the seat as I looked out the window, watching the world blur softly past.
---
We drove in comfortable silence for a while, the soft hum of the car filling the space between us. Mari's perfume lingered in the air, mixing with the faint scent of leather and city life drifting through the cracked window.
I watched the streets shift outside, familiar buildings blurring past, bathed in afternoon light.
Mari tapped her fingers against the steering wheel absentmindedly. "My mama's probably gonna ask who you are," she said with a smirk. "She asks about everyone."
I chuckled, glancing at her. "She don't remember me?"
"She remembers *you*—but she's nosy," Mari admitted with a laugh. "She likes to analyze people. Be prepared."
I exhaled, leaning back into the seat. "Alright. I'll brace myself."
Mari grinned but didn't say anything else, just kept driving, the weight of the conversation lingering in the air between us.
---
After an hour of driving, Mari finally pulled up to her place—a neighborhood vastly different from where I lived now, but deeply familiar from my childhood.
Stepping out of the car, I took in the sights, the memories creeping in with every detail.
Mari moved with ease, leading the way inside as I followed, still caught in quiet awe.
As we entered, my gaze flickered toward the couch, where her three male cousins lounged, smoke curling lazily in the air. They glanced up at me briefly, unreadable, before returning to whatever conversation they were lost in. I looked away, shifting my attention.
Mari's mother stood in the kitchen, the smell of cooking filling the space. She hadn't seen me in a long time, but when I greeted her, she offered a familiar warmth, a nod of recognition that made the place feel even more like home—if only for a moment.
Meanwhile, Mari had moved near the stairs, phone pressed to her ear. Her voice was casual, direct. "Come on," she said, calling out to her friend—Nevaeh.
The house was alive, filled with old connections and new moments.
Mari was still at the stairs, calling out for Nevaeh. "Hurry up!" she yelled, voice carrying through the house.
A few seconds later, Nevaeh finally appeared, rushing downstairs while double-checking her things, making sure she hadn't forgotten anything.
Meanwhile, I was caught up in conversation with Mari's mother, exchanging words, the warmth of familiarity settling in.
Mari walked over, keys in hand, ready to go.
"You done?" she asked, eyeing me with amusement.
I nodded, glancing at Nevaeh as she finished adjusting her bag.
"Alright," Mari smirked. "Let's get out of here."
---
We stepped out of the house, the evening air settling cool against my skin.
Mari and Nevaeh walked ahead, their movements effortless, carrying that unspoken confidence. I followed, slipping into the backseat while they got in the front.
Mari glanced at me through the rearview mirror, smirking slightly.
"Alright, let's go. And Nevaeh—this is Chae, my childhood friend," she said, nodding toward me.
Nevaeh turned slightly, offering a quick smile. "Hey."
I nodded back. "Hey."
Mari shifted in her seat, tapping her fingers against the wheel. "So… where we finna go first before that party?"
I glanced out the window briefly, then back at them—back at *her.*
Mari was that bitch. Effortlessly. The kind of presence that demanded attention without even trying. And tonight, she looked *amazing.*
Mari bit her lip slightly before letting it go, shifting in her seat with a smirk.
"I look good, don't I, bo?" she teased, glancing back at me through the mirror.
Nevaeh snorted, shaking her head with a grin. "Girl, you a bad bitch. *Duh."
Mari laughed, the sound effortless, cocky, as she eased the car forward, the engine humming beneath us.
Her words left me feeling a little shy, so I turned toward the window, watching the city stretch out beyond the glass.
Mari tapped her fingers against the wheel. "So, Nevaeh, where you think we should go first, girl—before we hit that club?"
---
Nevaeh thought for a moment, tapping her nails lightly against her thigh. "Hmm… we could grab some food first. Or maybe hit up that one spot—see what's going on before the club."
Mari nodded, lips pursed in thought. "Yeah, I'm down for that. Chae, what you think?"
I glanced up from the window, feeling their eyes on me. "I mean… I don't really care where we go first. As long as it's fun."
Mari smirked, shifting gears smoothly. "Alright, then. We're making moves."
Nevaeh laughed, shaking her head. "Girl, you always making moves."
The car rolled forward, the city unfolding around us, the anticipation humming beneath every word.
---
Mari drove with effortless confidence, the city lights flickering across the windshield as we rolled through the streets.
Nevaeh tapped her nails against her phone, scrolling. "Alright, so we hitting up that one spot first? I heard it's been poppin' lately."
Mari smirked, turning the wheel smoothly. "Yeah, let's do it."
I sat back, watching the two of them, feeling the easy energy between us. The night stretched ahead, full of possibilities, full of whatever chaos we decided to create.
And something about it—something about *her*—felt magnetic.
---
"How about we go get my man first?" Nevaeh said, her voice casual but expectant.
Mari rolled her eyes playfully but didn't argue, just switched directions. The streets shifted, smaller houses appearing as we neared our next stop.
Within a few minutes, she pulled up to Dayvon's house.
Nevaeh grabbed her phone, dialing him.
We waited—three minutes of passing cars, faint music echoing from nearby houses—before the front door finally swung open.
Dayvon stepped out, his movements smooth, effortless.
He wore tight, stylish baggy pants and a black shirt with intricate designs laced across the fabric. His freeform dreads framed his face, tattoos peeking from his skin. As he walked toward the car, he casually tugged his pants up, his eyes flickering toward me for the briefest second before he climbed in.
"Man, what's the vibe, y'all?" he said, checking his phone, a smirk tugging at his lips as he glanced at Nevaeh.
---
Dayvon leaned back in his seat, phone still in hand, scrolling absentmindedly as the smirk lingered on his lips.
Nevaeh nudged his arm playfully. "Boy, you always on that damn phone. You finna pay attention to us or what?"
Dayvon chuckled, locking his screen and tucking it into his pocket. "Alright, alright. I'm here, I'm present. What's the move?"
Mari kept her eyes on the road, tapping her fingers against the wheel. "We hitting up a spot first, then we hitting the club."
Dayvon nodded, looking around the car before his gaze landed on me again, sizing me up slightly before leaning back. "Aight, bet."
The car filled with easy conversation, the energy shifting between playful and expectant. The night was just getting started.
.
Minutes later
Mari kept driving, the city shifting around us in a blur of neon signs and dim streetlights. The mood in the car was easy, casual, filled with conversation and quiet laughter.
I sat in the back, focused on my phone, fingers tapping against the screen as I posted a pic on Instagram, barely paying attention to anything else.
But Dayvon did.
His posture shifted slightly, eyes narrowing as he glanced at the rearview mirror.
"Ayo… that car behind us," he muttered, tone low, controlled.
Mari didn't react right away, still focused on the road, but Nevaeh turned, brows furrowing.
"What about it?" she asked.
Dayvon kept his gaze steady. "Been followin' us for a minute now."
That was enough to make Mari straighten slightly, her grip adjusting on the wheel.
I finally looked up from my phone, catching the edge in Dayvon's tone, the energy in the car shifting just slightly.
"What?" I asked, glancing back.
The car kept rolling behind us. Too steady. Too familiar.
---
Mari tightened her grip on the wheel, her posture shifting as she glanced at the rearview mirror, finally catching onto what Dayvon had noticed.
Nevaeh turned in her seat, her expression curious but cautious. "You sure? Maybe they just going the same way."
Dayvon didn't budge, his gaze steady. "Nah. Been back there too long."
I felt the shift in the car—the way the easy energy we had was now tinged with something heavier. I glanced at my phone, locking it, then turned to check for myself.
The car behind us still lingered, keeping its distance, but never fading.
Mari exhaled sharply, muttering under her breath. "Alright… let's see what they on."
She switched lanes smoothly, testing them.
The car followed.
I felt my stomach tighten slightly.
Nevaeh sucked her teeth, shaking her head. "Man, if they don't stop being weird—"
Mari's eyes flickered between the road and the mirror, her jaw tense.
Dayvon sat back, watching. "Aight, what's the move?"
We all felt it now. The air had shifted completely.
---
"We gotta stall them," Mari muttered, her grip tightening on the wheel as she pressed her foot down, speeding up.
The car lurched forward, weaving through streets as she cut sharp corners, trying to shake them.
I kept glancing back, my stomach twisting as the vehicle behind us held on, refusing to fade.
Then forward again—eyes locked on the road ahead—my phone still gripped tightly in my hand, fingers damp with sweat.
The city blurred, flashing past in streaks of neon and shadow.
"They still on us?" Mari asked, her tone sharp, controlled.
I swallowed, heart thudding as I glanced again. "Yeah… they still there."
Mari exhaled through her teeth, jaw clenched. "Alright. Hold on."
She turned again—harder, sharper.
We all braced ourselves.
After a couple minutes later
---
Mari exhaled deeply, her grip finally loosening on the wheel as the tension melted from her shoulders.
"We lost 'em," she muttered, shaking her head, a satisfied smirk pulling at her lips.
The car felt lighter now, the air shifting back to something easier, something familiar.
But I barely noticed.
I kept my eyes on Mari, watching the way she carried herself—calm under pressure, sharp, in control.
Something about it stirred something deep in me, something I hadn't felt in a long time.
It lingered, creeping back into my chest like an old habit, slipping through the cracks of whatever walls I thought I had built.
Mari kept driving, focused on the road ahead, oblivious to the way my gaze lingered just a little longer than usual.
---