"You changed," I said getting her attention. "You're cursing now and shit, dressing differently. You're more laid back and cool. I like that, you're getting used to the hood."

I watched her as she took a moment to respond "It's not that bad until someone starts shooting out of nowhere." She said with a laugh.

Hearing her laugh and seeing her smile made me feel relieved in some type of way. The tension finally went away and she was less tense.

"Speaking of shooting, remember at your house when we were playing Call of Duty?"

A small smile crept up on her face "Yeah, I do."

"What happened to those times?" I asked looking her dead in the eyes.

She took a moment to respond. "I don't know," She shrugged looking away.

"You think we could go back to that?"

She sighed and got out of the booth standing next to the table. She then took the pizza I was eating and took a bite out of it while staring me dead in my eyes. She smirked and licked her lips. "Why don't we find out? Play me." She said walking away to the gaming area.

"Thanks for meeting me," I said tucking my hair behind my ears as he slid in the booth in front of me.

"Seemed important if you couldn't tell me over the phone." He responded zipping down his coat. He looked at me "We haven't spoken since new years eve."

I sighed "Khalil, I'm sorry."

"For what?" He asked scrunching up his eyebrows.

I shifted in my seat looking at everyone and everything but him. After a minute of silence, I took a deep breath and sat up in the Burger King booth. "I think we should just remain friends." I looked up at him and saw his face soften. "I'm sorry."

He shrugged "Why you keep apologizing?"

It was my turn to shrug, "I don't know, it feels necessary."

"I'm not surprised, I mean it's pretty obvious you and Chris has or had a thing."

My eyes grew wide as I gasped, "How do you know?"

"Bitches talk." He simply responded, "And China's Snapchat." He added.

I rolled my eyes "Can we stil—"

"Yeah, we can still be friends girl." He chuckled throwing a random barbecue sauce packet at me.

I was beyond surprised. I don't know why, but I expected Khalil to be salty and petty with the situation. He's different, I like him. I'm more than willing to keep him around as a friend who I can talk to.

"Okay then, cool," I said smiling in my seat.

'''

"Is it bad that I'm like extremely nervous?" I asked aloud walking up the porch steps twiddling my thumbs.

China rung the doorbell then turned around looking at me "Relax, you'll be fine."

"There's nothing to worry about, Chris' mom is cool people," Michael said.

China, Kae, and Michael were all on their phones looking unbothered waiting for somebody to answer the door while I stood here like a nervous wreck. I don't know what to expect right now.

"Easy for you to say," I mumbled crossing my arms over my chest, they knew Chris way longer than I have. They most likely met most of his family members.

"She's gonna like you, Trin just relax," He said nudging me in the shoulder with a smirk "First time meeting your mother in law."

"Michael." I hissed punching him in the shoulder out of embarrassment.

"Aw that's so adorable, she's blushing!" China exclaimed.

I rolled my eyes looking away from them. They're so annoying when it comes down to me and Chris. But then again I'm happy I have friends I can depend on and talk to when I need to vent or something.

"So I'm assuming y'all made up at the arcade then?" Kae asked with a smirk creeping up on her face.

"You can say that," I said nonchalantly looking at her as she pounded fists with China.

My face went straight, I know they didn't plan the whole arcade thing on purpose.

I was going to object but then the front door swung open and appeared a girl who looked like she's in her early teens. She looks a lot like Chris with freckles spread sparsely across her face, same skin complexion but beautiful and wild kinky curls.

"Hi guys!"

"Whats good Mia." Michael nodded at her strolling in the house.

"Hey baby girl," China said stepping in also with Kae trailing behind her who gave her hug.

I stood there awkwardly as Mia stared at me intensely, "Are you Trinity?"

I stared back at her and nodded, "Yeah, I'm Trinity." I answered coming in the house as she closed the front door behind me.

She nodded "I'm Mia, Chris' sister. You're really pretty."

I smiled at her a little relieved. For some reason, I thought she was gonna be that one bratty little sister that you usually see on those television shows. You know, the annoying one that always gets in the way.

"Thank you, you're a little cutie yourself." I smiled looking around the house, his home is so warm and cozy and well decorated.

"I like your hair, can you teach me how to cornrow?"

"Mia stop being annoying." Chris came in with an irritated look on his face as he stood beside his younger sister.

They really look alike now that I'm seeing them stand side by side.

"Why don't you put on a shirt?" She rolled her eyes at his bare chest and exited out the main room of the house.

I laughed and looked at him looking at me "Ignore her." He said slowly walking over to me placing his hands on my hips. "How are you?" He asked resting his forehead on mine and giving me a small yet tender peck on the lips.

"I'm fine." I croaked.

"My mother is in the kitchen, she's been wanting to meet you."

I looked at him with my eyes widened, "You'll be fine." He said taking my hands and guiding me to the kitchen.

We walked into the kitchen and I saw only Mia who was sitting at the dinner table playing on an iPad and his mother I assume who's washing dishes and humming lowly to the Mary J. Blige playing softly on the radio.

"The others went upstairs already." He whispered

His mother turned around with her eyebrows knitted, but her face softened when her eyes landed on me. She gasped, "Is this the famous Trinity James?"

I smiled nervously "Good evening Mrs..."

"Just call me Joyce sweetheart." She said pulling me into a tight hug. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too."

His mother is really short, deep dimples, hazel eyes, light skin. She looks nothing like him. Mia doesn't look like her either.

"Are you staying for dinner? Michael, Kae, and China usually stay over when I make my chicken soup." She smiled turning to stir the huge pot that was cooking on the stove.

"Oh no, I don't mean to intrude."

"She's staying for dinner mom, we'll be upstairs," Chris said tugging on my arm and leading me out of the kitchen.

"Okay, I'll call y'all down in like thirty minutes!" She called out.

Before we exited I waved at Mia and Joyce as they both waved back with a huge smile.

"They seem nice," I said as we entered back in the main room.

"See you had nothing to worry about. They like you a lot, I can tell." He said lowly resting his hands on my waist once again, pulling me closer to him.

I smiled snaking my arms around his neck, "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." He responded leaning into me, "You look so good right now." He whispered in my ear as his lips brushed up against my earlobe.

I blushed, "You don't look too bad yourself, Christopher."

"I like your outfit," He said tugging at the hem of my PINK hoodie, "but I'd rather see it of—"

"Chris! How you turn this damn PlayStation on?" China yelled from upstairs startling us both.

I cleared my throat backing away from him avoiding eye contact, "We should probably head upstairs."

He smirked and grabbed my hand leading me up the stairs, "I got you next time."

We got to his room and it had Christopher Maurice Brown written all over it. Don't ask how I know his middle name.

All four walls are covered with colorful and vibrant graffiti, and Michael Jackson and other artists posters plastered all across the walls.

"What y'all want?" Chris asked groaning plopping on the bed with me in his lap in a swift motion, causing everyone to smirk.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I interrupt something?" She asked looking at me with a knowing look.

The "we're gonna talk about this later" look.

"No, not at all." 🙃 I said scrutinizing her

"The PlayStation isn't turning on."

He sighed, "How about you try plugging it in China?"

"Right." She said walking over to the outlet and plugging in the power cord.

"I tried telling her that by the way," Michael said from the computer desk.

"Nobody asked you."

"Shut up before I put it on you."

China smiled, "I'll put it on your face."

With that, they both smirked, got up, and left the room.

Kae groaned, "Y'all nasty and annoying." She said standing up, "Bye guys. I'm out too, not tryna be the third wheel." She mumbled

"Bye." Chris and I said simultaneously as she exited out the room waving.

"Good." He said wrapping his arms around my waist falling back on the bed taking me with him, "We're finally alone."

"Why do we have to be alone?"

"So I can do this." He grabbed me by my neck and started leaving a trail of kisses from my collar bone up to the corner of my lips.

I looked at him as he looked at me with this twinkle in his eye. The same twinkle from that night of China's Thanksgiving party when he walked me home. Sins are just swimming in his pupils, I see it.

"Chris—"

"Shh, I got you ma." He grabbed my face softly and gave me a sweet and tender kiss on the lips.

But I wanted more. Ever since I met Chris for the first time, there was something about him that made me crave his attention. The way he looks at me, the way he says my name.

So I did the unthinkable. I rolled on top of him and straddled him.

"Damn Trinity." He said biting his lip.

I inched towards his face, "Don't act all surprised Chris, you've been teasing me ever since that one math tutoring session we had at my house."

His hands moved from my waist down to my ass, grabbing a hand full in the process. He looked at me and smirked as I cupped his face in my hands. I leaned in and kissed him, deepening the kiss.

He then flipped us over so that he was on the top, resting right in between my legs, "Well shit, we could have a little tutoring session right now." He said resting his hands at the side of my head trapping me.

I felt his wood poking me causing the sexual tension in the room to multiply. He then started leaning in but I put my hands in his face stopping him.

I pushed him off of me, "Boy bye, your mother, and sister is right downstairs."

He shrugged, "It was worth a shot."