It had been two weeks since Chalynn had went on a date with Key, she was currently scrolling down her time line and saw a video of him promoting his new album that was dropping tomorrow night. Her thumb hovered over the like button and once she accidentally slipped liked it was no going back.

"Lay Lay, I have your recording room set up !" Marlee yelled from up the stairs, "Thanks Mar." Chalynn was about to go live and give some motivation to the young black women who followed her on Instagram. Fixing her hair she hiked up the steps and to her third bedroom in her apartment.

"I'm about to go live, text me if you need anything." Marlee nodded her head and shut her bedroom door. Chalynn sat down in front of her ring light and hooked her lavender iphone 12 pro up to it. She was bare faced today because she hadn't done much, all she had on was some lip gloss.

"Hey ya'll I know I'm a little bit late. I want to start this live with something motivational though; think like a queen, a queen is not afraid to fail, failure is another stepping stone to greatness. I can only answer a few questions today because I have a few moves to make." She read off of her sticky note that she had up. She watched as the comments and began to roll in and waited for the questions. '@princess.peach I don't know where to start for college. Any ideas?'

"First of all congratulations on wanting to go to college, once I get some free time I am going back but it depends on your area. I know Marlee wants to go to an HBCU, I'll pin her at so you can reach out to her she will be more helpful."

Chalynn noticed that Key joined her live, her cheeks began to warm up thinking about him. He tuned in because he saw her like his promo and he wanted to see what she was talking about on her live. He didn't like a woman who ran her mouth, even though he didn't get those vibes from Chalynn you can never be too sure. '@ilovemyson09 I have a child but I want to start dating again even though I'm scared. Any advice?'

"I love kids, I want one of my own in the future but if they really like you or love you they will love your child too. If not kick their behind to the curb." Chalynn giggled, she didn't mind dating a man with a kid but as long as the baby mother knew her role and didn't over do her part. Key listened to her speak and he definitely wanted to reach out to her but he was going to wait it out. '@Godmademeperfect we're ready to see you with somebody. You've been single since Bryson and that was four years ago.'

"Yep because he hurt me but, I am dating again. It will be way more private this time." Bryson broke the hell out of Chalynn's heart and it took her awhile to get over him. She's spent the last four years getting over him and the trauma he put her through. Key smiled hearing that she was dating again, and to know that he was her first date in four years made him want to prove a point but in due time.

"Alright ya'll, I will see you next week. I know it's still early but I have to go get involved in the community. I work Monday, Wednesday and Friday next week in the mornings so if you want to talk to me you can always call in. I love all of you. Bye." She clicked off of her live and leaned back on the couch in the corner of the room.

"Marlee, I'm done." She called out, Marlee burst through the door, "Key was on your live!" She said excitedly, "I don't know why I told him we wouldn't go far." Chalynn replied putting her wig into a low ponytail. It was her day to volunteer,

"Girl, he's a rapper he has fans. I'm one of them, he shut them down right ? He didn't encourage the behavior nor did he take his focus off of you. Sounds like you barely have him a chance. It was going great up until then right?" Chalynn nodded her head as her little sister crossed her arms a crossed her chest.

"Right, so what's the problem?" Marlee already knew what the problem was but she just wanted her sister to say it out loud.

"I just .. I don't know." She was scared to be hurt again, the amount of beautiful women who throw themselves at Key was overwhelming to her.

"You're scared and that's okay but you're not even trying Lay." Marlee sat next to her sister and wrapped her arm around her.

"Who's to say he wants to still see me though ?" Chalynn sighed, she may have fumbled the bag. He was probably already moved on and wanted to make sure she wasn't out here running her mouth about how he took her out. Even though she was partly right, Key didn't have his eye on anybody else at the moment.

"I don't know maybe because he walked you to the door, waited till you were inside and then left. He asked if he could see you again and he was just on your live. Girl get it together." Marlee shook her head, Chalynn was impressed her baby sister was a very wise young woman.

"So what should I do?" Chalynn asked getting up from the couch and grabbing her volunteer jacket out of the closet.

"If you see him again. Don't apologize for how you felt but you can apologize for not giving him a real chance and judging him before you know him. Insinuating that he isn't a man was a low blow." Marlee scratched her head and looked at the floor with her lips pressed together.

"Wow. How'd you get so smart ?" Chalynn asked as she thru on some old tennis shoes.

"With you as my sister. How could I not be ? Buuut you can repay me by giving me some money .." Marlee held out her hand and Chalynn smacked a wrinkled up five dollar bill in her hand.

"Sissy please. I need my hair done, my nails and toesss. Then I'll need food for after that because you know I'll be hungry." Marlee pouted sticking out her bottom lip and batting her pretty brown eyes.

"Just take it out the account Marlee. No more than a couple hundred dollars. I have to go. You know how Ms. Keisha gets." Chalynn planted a kiss on little sisters cheek before running down the stairs.

"Thank you!" Marlee squealed, when Chalynn opened the door she was met with Bria.

"Hey girl what's up? I'm about to head to volunteer." Chalynn spoke, she hated when people stood in her face and didn't say anything.

It was apparent that her bestfriend had been crying and while she didn't have the time to really discuss what was going on with her she still cared.

"I got evicted. You were the first person I thought of. Can I stay with you?" Lay immediately thought of Marlee and how the girls were like water and oil; they didn't mix at all.

"Ugh. Fuck. Fine. Sorry Lord excuse my language. Is there anyway you can go to your moms until I get home and talk to Marlee?" Lay remotely started her all black 2020 Benz GLC 300 coupe to let her know she was in a hurry.

"Okay, thank you girl." Chalynn nodded her head as she jogged to her car. Once Bria was in her own car she smiled to herself, her plan was in motion.

*

"Finally Chay dang. I thought you were going to leave me hanging." Ms. Keisha said as she placed out a big thing of macaroni and cheese. She ran this soup kitchen and a food drive that Lay volunteered at every week.

"You know how hectic my household is with Marlee." Chalynn laughed as she put on a hair net and washed her hands before putting on gloves.

"You need to tell her behind to get down here and start volunteering more. It looks really good on applications." Ms. Keisha set out waters, juice and pop at the end of the line as well as napkins and utensils. She always made extras in the back for the volunteers.

"I've tried to tell her. But I'm just glad she's on the honor roll." Chalynn's elder agreed getting ready to open the doors.

"Alright you all, let's say the prayer before we start feeding the people of the community." They all said a prayer and a scripture, before they knew it the doors were open and they were feeding hungry men, women and children.

Once it died down she smiled to herself, they were open for another 20 minutes or so and she was about to get her some food. Ms. Keisha had the same idea as they both washed their hands and made a plate. Setting her plate down and grabbing a water, Chalynn smiled as she felt fulfilled. She loved helping the people of the community it made her feel like she was doing the Lords work.

"How'd your date go?" Lay had forgotten that she even told her she was finally going on. She looked to Keisha as a mother figure because her own was distant.

"Ugh. It was going so well, until these women interrupted our date. Then I took it out on him and I had the right to be upset but I kind of told him he wasn't a man .." Chalynn hid her face because she was embarrassed.

"Oop. Girl. That's okay because I want you to go out with my son." Keisha had been trying to get them together since forever, they had never met each other and every time he came to pick up his mother, Chalynn had already left and that was purposely. She didn't know who it was but she didn't care too.

"You're never going to let me say no are you?" Chalynn laughed as she took a long gulp of her water.

"Uh, no. You all would be perfect together." Keisha rubbed her shoulders and sighed.

"You okay Ms. Keisha ?" Chalynn asked, getting up from her seat. She wiped the chicken grease off of her fingers and put them on Keishas shoulders.

"Yes, my back has just been hurting. What's that place you go to ? That spa ?" Chalynn began to massage lightly, she was the best at giving massages.

"The Great Spa. I'll book us an appointment, just text me what day is good for you." Once Keishas shoulders began to relax and weren't as still Chalynn was satisfied.

"What did I just walk into?" The voice spooked the both of them because he walked in behind them.

"Boy you can't just be walking in on folks and not announcing yourself." Ms. Keisha stated clutching her chest, both women turned around to look at the man. Both Key and Chalynn were surprised to see each other there.

"Chalynn .." Key looked down at her, even with a hair net and apron on she still looked good as ever.

"Hey .." She waved awkwardly at him and gave him a small smile. "You two know each other?" Keisha asked genuinely curious, "Yes this was the guy I was telling you about." Chalynn snatched the hair net off of her head.

"Ohhh .. that makes sense." Key smirked, it was funny how Chalynn confided in his mother about him and didn't know that was his mom. It was also funny because his mother wanted him to meet her so bad but never name dropped or showed him a picture of her.

"Well, this is my son." She got up from her seat and smiled slowly walking away so they could talk. Chalynn's face made an o as his mother walked away, "Wassup?" He asked, he made her nervous as hell. She didn't know why but being around him calmed her and gave her butterflies.

"Walk me to my car?" She asked grabbing her belongings, Key liked how she didn't rock anything but Telfar bags. He watched her ass switch left and right with no effort in her black leggings. He held the door to the front of the soup kitchen open for her and walked towards her Benz.

"Damn, this you?" He wasn't necessarily shocked to see her pushing a Benz but he expected her to have a lil Kia or something. "Yes. Nothing on your nine cars but it's my pride and joy." She rubbed the hood of the car that she called Jade.

"I see you." Key leaned up against her car keeping his head on a swivel.

"Look Key, I want to apologize for insinuating that you're not a man that's wrong and I don't really know you that well to make that assumption." She shifted her weight to the other foot and watched as he nodded his head.

"I woulda been upset too but not at you. I'm a rapper though, I have fans but that doesn't mean I'm sleeping with them. You ain't hurt my feelings though, I know who I am and who I'm not." She looked up at him, "You really are cocky huh?" Chalynn giggled.

"I am. I accept your apology though but dang you couldn't have gotten me some flowers or something?" Key joked with her, she playfully pushed him and he grabbed her arm pulling her into a hug. She reluctantly hugged him back and smiled, the magnetic feeling that rippled through their bodies felt natural and Ms. Keisha who watched from afar smiled wholesomely.

"I have to get home and explain to Marlee why Bria needs to move in for a few months." Chalynn sighed as he released her from the hug. Key made a face of disapproval, "You sure that's a good idea?" He asked scratching the back of his head looking from side to side.

"I know Marlee cannot stand her but she really needs help." He thought that was noble of her but something about Bria didn't sit right with him.

"All ima say is, good luck ! I have to take my mom home but, I'll see you later?" It wasn't really a question, "Just let me know." He waited until she hopped in her car and drove off before walking back over to his mother.

"I told you, you would like her."She hugged her son, "She does not play any games." He chuckled before going into the soup kitchen with her.

*

"But why ? You know I hate that bitch!" Marlee screamed at Chalynn, she couldn't believe she was going to let that rat stay under the same roof as them. "Don't you ever raise your voice at me again!" Chalynn said frustrated, she understood her sisters pain but her best friend needed help. Bria sat there smirking watching the whole thing unfold, the sooner Marlee was out of the way the better.

"You can put your things in my recording room." Chalynn said turning to Bria, the feud between the two was starting to be annoying and it added unnecessarily stress in her life.

"You're so fucking stupid Chalynn." Marlee ran upstairs to her room, slammed and locked her door.

"Thank you bestie." Chalynn nodded her head and went upstairs to her own room, she turned on The Parkers on Netflix and drifted to sleep.

Around seven in the evening Chalynn had woke up to "Haaay professor Oglevee", she thanked God for waking her from her nap and checked her phone.

No messages from Key so she decided to text him, 'Hey! ' He almost immediately responded, 'Wassup girl?' Chalynn smiled at the text because she could hear his accent,'Nothing much I just woke up, what are you doing?'

'About to grab some food, I'm in the studio finishing up a song.' Chalynn's gray bubble appeared for a minute or two before responding 'I'll bring you something. What do you want ?'

Key wasn't going to make a move to see her so he was glad that she did. He told her what she wanted to eat and she brushed her teeth and washed her face and changed her clothes before heading downstairs to grab it for him.

She had on some basic ripped mom jeans and an oversized white graphic tee, she slipped on some socks and vans. Grabbing her purse and keys she saw Marlee on the couch watching television. Marlee looked to her sister sadly and opened her mouth to speak but Chalynn walked out the door before she could say anything. Marlee knew she had really messed up with her sister, big time.

*

A big black man stood at the front door to the studio, "Name?" He asked patting her down and used the metal detector up and down her body to make sure she wasn't carrying any weapons.

"Chalynn, you must be Big Black? I brought this for you!" She handed him the second bag of wings, "Go ahead in Chalynn, thank you." He patted her shoulder as she walked into the building, as she got closer into the studio the thick air was filled with weed smoke.

"Excuse me." She spoke softly to the men who were all standing around in her way, they didn't hear her over the loud music and talking. It obviously wasn't her vibe and she was now scared to be in a room full of men.

"Excuse me!" She yelled right as the music cut off, everybody in the room turned to look at her as her brown cheeks were hot with embarrassment.

"Watch out ma boy. You see her trying to get through." Key chuckled, he sat in a chair with a wood in one hand and a double styrofoam cup in the other. He stood to his feet putting his wood out and setting his cup down, he embraced her for the second time today and she felt a lot safer. "I won't let nothing happen to you." He whispered in her ear, she nodded her head and sat his food down next to his cup.

Key gave his crew a look and they dapped him up before leaving the room. Chalynn took an empty seat next him as he began to dig into his wings.

"How's your day since I saw you last ?" Key licked his lips and looked over to her as she was putting her minty lip gloss on.

"Ugh. Marlee cussed me smooth out. I'm not talking to her though, she was very disrespectful." Chalynn spun around like a child in the chair, "That's yo sister and didn't I tell you." He chuckled taking a sip of whatever was in his cup. "You did, I was going to bring her but then I remembered she told me I was 'fucking stupid.'" She mocked Marlee causing Key to choke a little on his drink.

"Damn." He shook his head wiping his fingers on a napkin, "Enough about me, what about you?" She asked him, the vibe now that everybody was gone was nice.

The air didn't seem so thick and there were now color changing LED lights and his music played softly in the background. "I had a good lil day. My mama said, you're going on a spa day next week?" He asked spinning around to her, his mama was his life so whomever he was dating had to get along with his mom.

It was a bonus that Chalynn was already close with her. "Yes, she needs it. She puts a lot of time into the soup kitchen and the food bank. We both need it." Subconsciously, she took Key's hand and traced the tattoo of a gun. Her touch caused chills to run up his arm and he took her hand instead, "I want to play something for you." He turned on one of his songs from his newest album that was going to be released tomorrow.

The beat to the song immediately made Chalynn stand to her feet and move her hips slowly, he turned her around and looked her in the eye as he rapped the next part. "Have you ever had to hold his pipe? Have you ever had to roll his wood?" The way Key looked at her while he rapped to her had her panties drenched, she looked at him as he inched closer to her. He looked down at her while looking at her lips, she moved her eyes from his to his lips and closed her eyes. His thick pink lips pushed softly against hers as he put one hand on the small of her back and another on her cheek pulling her body closer to his.

Chalynn leaned into the kiss wrapping both of her arms around his neck. Key tasted her minty lip gloss when he licked and sucked on her bottom lip, she gave him access into her mouth and both of their tongues started dancing together.

"Have you ever fell in love with a thug, baby girl, what's up, huh? Yeah, let me show you some. Baby girl, come fuck with a thug, yeah, I could show you some." Played in the background as Key pushed her up against the soundboard. "Errr" The music became high pitched causing them to break their kiss. "That might be my cue to go." She giggled, her arms still wrapped around his neck.

He nodded his head and he wasn't going to rush her if she really wasn't ready to sleep with him. "Let me walk you out." He grabbed her hand and walked her to her car. "Text me when you get in okay?" He asked, she nodded her head smiling. He kissed her one last time before she drove off towards her home.