"So you really haven't talked to her?" Bri hollered at me.

"No I've been busy!" I said putting curlers in my clients head.

"Girl." She stopped cleaning her combs and turned to me. "Busy doing what?"

I scoffed "this is a hard unit okay! I don't want to fuck up nobody's head"

"Kya! How many times has she tried to text you?" She asked putting her hands on her hips.

"Only twice!" I said kinda quietly. It was the truth. She hit me up twice tryna talk but I don't know... I type out answers then I delete it all. "I don't want her to get the wrong idea"

"Mhmmmm what happened to you two being friends ? That's changed real quick"

"It's just kind of awkward okay? I don't like girls, and she seems to like me and-"

"And you like her back, and your scared so you running away" Bri said finishing my sentence for me.

"I don't like her!" I said shaking Mrs. Noris awake. She had feel asleep right after I washed her hair.

"Mhmmm, you just think she's cute... and funny... and sexy"

"Shut up" I said through my teeth guiding Mrs. Noris away.

"We're going to the mall after we leave here right?" Bri asked as soon as I came back from setting Mrs. Noris under the dryer.

It's kind of a routine for us. Every Friday we go to the mall after school, chose one of the places out of the food court to eat, and chill.

"Of course" I said starting to clean my work station.

"and what if you see her there?" She ask leaning on her counter.

"I won't!" Her saying that completely threw me off. "Last time was first time I ever saw her there why would I see her there again?"

"You put your hair dryer in your comb and brush cup" she smirked.

"Uh, Yea. Duh I wanted it there!" I lied.

Brianna gave me a questioning smile and finished cleaning up her station.

I didn't need to ask Bri whether she was still talking to Jaylen's best friend. She's been talking about him a lot this week. His name is Jamar. Yes, Jaylen and Jamar. Apparently they've been talking a lot

"I'm telling you girl! Gay is okay!" Bri said loudly as we walked into the mall entrance.

Some white dude with hair dyed blue and purple walking the opposite direction putting his fist in the air.

"Right on" he said in the whitest way possible.

I glared at her "stop being so loud. And i know Gay is okay, I'm NOT gay"

We stood in the middle of the food court trying to figure out what we wanted to eat.

All of a sudden everything was black. Two hands covered my eyes.

"Did you miss me?" I heard Jaylen's smooth voice say behind me. My heart started beating so fast.

"You scared me!" I said swinging around and hitting her chest lightly. She smiled confirming one of my many questions about her. She has one super deep dimple in her left cheek.

Fuckkkk. The way she was smiling at me. Why does she have to look so good?

"What are you doing here?" I asked smiling hard. Okay I'm not gonna lie. It wasn't her covering my eyes that scared me. It was her in general. The way she looks, the way she talks, Her confidence.

She looked over at Bri and my eyes shot over to her catching her shaking her head and mouthing 'no' at Jaylen.

"Really?" I asked squinting.

"Surprise?" Bri said in a high pitch voice. "Me and Jamar wanted to go on a double date."

"Mannn I'm hungry as fuck" Jamar interrupted.

"Well let's go, let's take your car" Bri volunteered leaving right back out of the exit.

"You don't have your own car?" I asked watching Jaylen scroll on her phone as we sat in the backseat together. I didn't say anything at first. I wanted to get a good look at her without drawing her attention. She looked up at me and flashed that dimple.

"Babygirl I'm 23, I have a damn car.. I figured it would just make more sense to hop in."

Did she really just call me 'babygirl' again?

"Oh" I said ignoring it.

It got quiet for a second.

"So, wassup up with you?" Jaylen said putting her phone up

I blushed "what do you mean what's up with me?"

Jaylen smirked. "I'm just asking how you doing... you've been running from me all week... I mean, you can of course. That's your choice, I'm not gonna stalk you or no shit but-"

"Wooowww, somebody's cocky, I haven't been running from you!" I giggled at little cutting her off.

Bri looked back at me and smirked. I knew it was because I laughed so she was convinced I was lying.

"I've just been busy"

"Shit that's cool" Jaylen said pulling something out of her pocket as the car pulled off.

"What's that?" I asked watching her.

She shows me the blunt. "Just a little pregame for our date" she smirked.

"We are NOT on a date. We're hanging out as friends."

"Okay... for our buddy date then" she said giving me the cutest smile.

"Yea fuck buddy" I heard Bri mumbled before she and Jamar cracked up.

Jaylen didn't say shit she just smiled at me then started lighting the blunt shaking her head.

We pulled up at some Mexican food place. Nothing too fancy thank god. I was still wearing my plain ass black dress that I wore to work.

Jaylen must've saw me looking down at my unimpressive outfit.

"You look beautiful by they way... buddy"

I chuckled and rolled my eyes. "Are you gonna address me as buddy every time you say something to me now?"

"Are you gonna stop being so defensive when I compliment you now?"

"Wowwww, just so you know if your flirting it doesn't matter if you say buddy your still flirting."

She looked me up and down quickly and licked her lips. "Well I guess I'm flirting then"

I'm not gonna lie the way she looked at me had me feeling like I was going to pass out. Like how the boy bands do their fan girls. She looked at me with big playful, flirty green eyes full of life.

When we got in I tried to line up so I'd be sitting by Bri. I glared at her when she intentionally slid in with Jamar making me sit with Jaylen.

"Well damn, do I have to cooties or something?"

Jaylen chuckled watching me slowly scoot in.

"Nope" I said picking up my menu and covering my face fast.

Ughh her voice, siting next to her in the restaurant, the smell of her cologne, it all had me blushing hard as fuck. I was nervous and it was so hard to fake being confident.

"Sooo, who's getting drinks?"

Everybody chimed in but me.

"What no drink for you?" Jaylen asked teasingly as if I was messing up the fun.

"I told you, I'm 20"

"Pick out what you want babygirl, I'll order it for you"

I blushed a little when she said babygirl.

"Oh, I ain't mean that no type of way my bad. I swear that's how I talk, but yea. Have you a drink buddy. If your week was anywhere near as busy as you say, I'm sure you ready to get a little lit."

I picked up the drink book and squinted into it.

Is she trying to accuse me of not being busy? Or am I just high and paranoid. She probably doesn't even care that much. She might just be trying to be nice.

I looked over at her "if I order anything don't slip shit in my drink"

She chuckled "I'm not that type of woman Ma. I don't gotta trick nobody. I mean, if you want you some Jay, you want you some Jay."

I was nervous when the whole table was ordering drinks I thought the waitress would take one look at Jaylen ordering two drinks and ask for my ID too, but she didn't. Honestly it seemed like she didn't care. I'm sure she knew both of those drinks weren't for Jaylen.

"Sooo what have you been up to?" I asked after a period of silence between us. Jamal and Bri was arguing about what classic black movie is the best.

"I been grinding too man. Honestly. I'm tired as fuck. Tomorrow gonna be my first day off all week. I'm probably bout to spent that shit alone in my house. That's cool though. I ain't never had a problem with that."

Damn she's gonna be home all alone? How? I'm sure there are plenty of girls dying to be booed up in the bed with her all tomorrow. NOT including me. Maybe if I was gay I could see it

"Well damn, that sucks"

"Nah not really, I ain't gonna do shit but play the game, maybe go shoot some hoops, might clean my car.... or you can come over..."

I looked over at her giving her the side eye "do you ever give up?"

She licked her lips and chuckled resting her arm on the chair behind me. "Why would I do that?"

I opened my mouth to say something but the waitress came back with the drinks.

I took out my phone and texted Bri glaring at her until she read it.

Kya: wtf bri! You can't just set me up like this!

Bri: but you're having a good time 😄

Kya: Bri this girl is a lesbian! I'm not gay

Bri: ughhhh live a little! What happened to y'all being friends?!

I glared at her again.

"You know what you getting?" Jaylen said distracting me from my text argument.

"I don't" I said putting my phone up. She opened a menu between us and scooted closer reading it.

She was so close her cologne was sitting right under my nose.

I watched her look at the menu. Damn, why couldn't she be a Nigga? She's so fucking fine... listen to me! Am I serious right now? I'm suppose to be focusing on friends, family and school. I'm glad she's a female at least that's less for me to worry about.

She looked up at me from the menu catching me staring. She smiled.

"aye I'm probably gonna get that taco trio, one beef, one chicken, and one shrimp. That shit sound fire."

My eyes went to her plump pink lips, then her perfect white teeth and I picked up my drink taking a long sip.

"Aye can we order some damn chips a dip or something?" Jamar said wrapping his arm around Bri.

She giggled "what you got the munchies?"

"Man hell yea, Jay got that gas"

I looked over at her "what are you a dealer?"

She chuckled "nah, I make my money clean babygirl. I'm a smoker, ion sell shit... I just got the plug"

Her and this 'babygirl'.

We drunk and ate and had a good time.

I ended up sucking down my drink a little too quick. Every time Jaylen flirted or even looked at me I ended up taking a big swig. I don't know why she makes me so damn nervous. I've never been nervous over no female, but then again, she's the first stud I've ever met.

I scooted out of my seat and stumbled a little. Jay caught me.

"Damn, you feeling good huh?" She said with her arm still around my waist.

She let go and started walking ahead with Jamal. I wondered what they were talking about.

"See! That was painless! One little innocent date. Now I can take you home... or maybe not"

She said looking me over.

"Nooo Bri, I can't go home like this! You know how my parents are"

"Suffocating?" She cut me off.

"Yes!" I pointed "and I'm tipsy" I whispered.

She chuckled "I can tell... well, I would ask if you want to go with me butttt I'm going to Jamal's place.... maybe you can go hang out with Jaylen!"

My eyes went big. I can't be alone with Jaylen... what if she tried to fuck? Clearly she's not gonna give up.

I sighed and took a deep breath closing my eyes. I can do this... I'm not a teen anymore, I'm grown. I can handle myself.

"Okay" I said opening my eyes.

"Okay, stop being a pussy!" She giggled "your gonna be fine" she shook my shoulders lightly.

We got in the car, she got back in on the passenger side. I slid in the backseat with Jaylen.

"You good?" She chuckled raising her eyebrows.

"Hey... can I come over to your place?"

She looked me over like she was surprised.

"Yea... you can come over." She said looking at Jamal through the rear view mirror.

Jamal drove us back to the to the mall and pulled up next to a grey charger. Jaylen got out and stuck her head back in.

"Aiight y'all", she said reaching in. And dapping up Jamal. She looked over at me "you coming or nah?"

I turned away getting out of the car and bit my lip.

She unlocked the charger and I got in. It was so clean in there and it smelled like her.

"This is really nice" I said looking around the spotless car.

She shrugged "preciate it" she said turning on some music.

"Aye, those tacos was bussin... ion know though I might door dash later, the munchies ain't no joke."

"I'm not having sex with you" I blurted out.

I instantly regretted that. Ughh my tipsy ass.

She looked over then back at the road. "Uhh.... cool?"

"I'm just saying, I don't want you to get any ideas"

She shook her head and licked her lips. "You good ma. I wasn't expecting to get none"

"You just be hella flirty"

"I'm also hella grown. I can control myself. Ion just be fucking left and right."

"That's surprising" I mumbled.

I mean she's fine as fuck. I'm sure girls who are attracted to girls are down to fuck all the time.

She laughed "how so? I got more important shit to worry about then sex. I ain't no teenager no more"

"Oh so when you were a teen you were fucking left and right?"

She chuckled and put her tongue in her cheek like I put her on the spot.

"We ain't talking about that. Let's just say shit was different back then"

"So you were a hoe?"

She licked her lips "you really interested in me huh?"

I blushed hard. "Wha-no. Shut up. I'm just making conversation"