"I️ can't believe you're dragging me into your bullshit," Andy said as he walked down the crowded city street.

"Hey, romance is not bullshit," he pointed at him as he followed closely behind. "Besides, don't act like you're not eager to see Kimberly either. You had a crush on that girl for how long?" He asked him with a grin. "This is the least you could do to thank me," he reminded him.

Andy rolled his eyes but knew deep down inside that he was right. After him and Jessica had gotten together, she introduced Andy to her cousin, Kimberly, who he's had a crush on since 7th grade. But thanks to Nate, he just now caught her attention. Good to know it's never too late to get with the one you like.

"Hey now, that's different," Andrew said as they walked around an open fire hydrant that was spraying water. The local kids were using it as their own personal water park, laughing and splashing around. "Kimberly isn't the one with a gangbanger after her," he said. "And speaking of gangbanger, why do you insist on pissing off Rico? Is being white getting too boring for you?" Andy asked.

"Ha. Ha. No," Nate answered sarcastically. "And because I️ actually like this girl."

"You knew her for two hours."

"And I️ already know I'm gonna marry her!" Nate grinned goofily, making Andy laugh.

"Alright lover-boy calm down. We're here," Andy announced as they arrived on the steps of a bodega. Manny's Corner Cafe was apparently Kimberly's dad (Jessica's uncle) shop. According to Andy, Jessica worked there alongside her cousin, helping her family out. They entered, a little bell over the door announcing their presence and the first thing they spot is a cat casually lounging on cash register. "Damn, Geo's still alive," Andy said, reaching to let the cat.

They heard a feminine giggle come from the back of the store as Kimberly made her way to the front with a box of canned food in her hands. "I️ swear that cat has gone through the Great Depression," she jokes as she greeted them. "What brings you here?" She asks with a sweet smile.

"Just came to see you," Andy flirted, making her laugh. Nate unsubltly cleared his throat as he leaned against the wall. Andy rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, Nate wants to see your cousin too," he said as if it was an afterthought.

Kim looked over at Nate while wrapping her arms around Andy. "Jess? She's not here right now," she tells him, making him frown. "She's at the coin laundry down the street. You would've passed it if you were coming over here," she explained.

Nate kicked himself off the wall, knowing exactly what she was talking about. "Alright, thanks," he nodded. "I'll leave you two...alone," he said awkwardly before exiting out back into the street. He headed right back from where him and Andy came from, looking for the laundromat they passed on their way over. He was looking through every window he passed by until he spotted her putting quarters in a washing machine before turning around to take a seat. Nate took her appearance in, awestruck by her.

On Saturday she wore a white, midriff bearing jumpsuit with platform heels and body glitter. But today was Tuesday, and she was wearing a light blue sundress, her hair now in waves and out of her face with a headband and wedges. He walks into the busy laundromat, weaving in between running children, busy mothers and annoyed grandmothers. He covers her eyes, making her gasp in surprise. "Guess who?" he asked.

Jessica pulled his hands away from her face and smiled. "It's you," she said, genuinely surprised. "How'd you find me?" She asked him as he took a seat next to her.

"Andy," he said as if it was obvious. "We went to your uncle's shop first. Kimberly told me you were here so, now, here I am," he explained.

"Bodega," she said, making him look at her in confusion. "That's the...correct term for my uncle's shop," she says.

Nate looked at her in wonder. "You speak Spanish?" He asked, sounding impressed.

Jessica simply smirked as she got up to take the clothes out the wash and into a dryer. "I sure hope so," she joked as she shoved them in there. Taking a few quarters out of her pocket, she continues talking. "I'm Puerto Rican and African American," she informs him while she gets the dryer going. "My dad was the Puerto Rican one."

"And where are your parents now?" He curiously asked.

She sighed as she finished and sat back down, Nate following suit. "Drugs got to my daddy. He's gone now," she said. "My mama still at home though," she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "But most days I work with Kim and Mario at my uncle's bodega. They're like the siblings I never got to have," she shrugs. She then looks over at him. "What about you?" She asks.

Now Nate definitely didn't want to share his story, out of fear that she would see him has some rich white boy...which he was. So he kept it short, sweet and simple."My parents been married twenty-something years and I have a younger sister who annoys me but I love her," he shurgs, making her giggle. "You live over here your whole life? Andy mentioned knowing you since sixth grade," he brought up.

"That's right," she confirmed. "But, seeing as I've never seen you around, I can only assume you're not from around here?" She mused.

Nate chuckled. "Alright, you caught me. I'm from across town actually," he admitted, making her eyes widen. "And me and Andy met in college, we share the same finance class." Jessica slowly nodded, before looking away from him. Oh god, he thought, he blew it.

Instead she said, "Wow. College. Wish I had the chance to go," she sighed. "What do you study?" She asked him, making him even more nervous.

"Business administration with a minor in finance," he said, looking up at her. "How come you can't go to college?" He wondered.

Jessica simply shook her head. "I can't afford it. Plus, my family needs me here," she tells him. "You're so lucky. What are you studying business for?" she asked him.

"I'm...supposed to inherit my father's...company," he hesitated, making her furrow her brow in confusion. "But it's not something I want to do," he reveals to her.

"Then what do you want to do?" She asked him, looking into his eyes.

Nate looked away, the intensity of her gaze being too much. He just knew he'd kiss the hell out of her in the middle of the laundromat without a care in the world, which is exactly why he stopped himself. "Um...I don't know yet. But what I do know is that I'm not cut out to where a stuffy suit and talk about the stock market all day," he groaned.

Hearing Nate's future plans and seeing him have his life figured out for him made Jessica slightly nervous. If he had so much money and education, then what was a guy with his pedigree slumming it with her? "Poor little white boy," she says sarcastically, making him grin, showcasing his dimples. "So what are you doing down here then?"

"Andy told me about how he was coming home for the summer and...well for reasons I already told you before, me and my folks, specifically my old man and I, aren't on good terms. Not on speaking terms either," he says sadly. "Told me to come back home when I️'ve found common sense again," he ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

Jessica was about to respond when the dryer went off, prompting her to get up. "So what are you gonna do now?" She asked asked she pulled her clothes off of the dryer.

Nate reaches down to pick up the basket for her and they start making their way back to her apartment. "Gonna use this summer to figure out what I️ want. Have a little fun," he stayed as they walked side by side.

"Speaking of fun," Jessica gave him a sly smile, "Kim and I️ were thinking about going to the club this weekend. You and Andy should join us," she offered.

"Sounds cool. We'll be there," he says happily.

They finally arrive to her apartment building. She opened the door for him and he carried her laundry up the stairs to her home. "You should help me do laundry more often," she joked while he set it down in front of the door.

"Only if you decide you want to keep me around," he leans against the doorframe, facing her. "I️ mean, we are dating, aren't we?" He teased, making her playfully hit him. They both laughed before calming down, staring deeply st each other. "I️ think this is the part where we-"

The door to her apartment opened, making them both jump back in surprise. "Jessica what are you-" her mom stops short to see Nate. She eyes him up and down curiously. "Who's this?" She asked.

"I'm-"

"He," She spoke over him, "was just leaving," she tells her. "Thanks for your help," she says awkwardly before walking into the apartment and shutting the door behind them.

"Oh...kay," he backs up and walks off, excited to tell Andy about their Saturday plans.

__________________________

A con to creating a character with so many different identities is that idk who's who sometimes. I️ forgot Aaliyah's last name for like ten minutes 💀

Okay y'all so i really hope y'all are paying attention This story gets repetitive at times, a lil Deja vu if you will. Plot twists are coming up, y'all gon be shook. And more Easter eggs!

Thanks for reading hunnies 💞