😗sorry for any mistakes

Tuesday

Sarai smiled sadly at the pictures of her and her Uncle Myles that they took a few days before he was murdered. His birthday was slowly approaching and Sarai was feeling every wave of sadness.

It was the same feeling at home. Her dad was focused on work, her mom had been the same with focus on her new shop. Her little brother had been sleeping in her bed since Saturday because he couldn't sleep.

It was starting to become that time when everyone distanced themselves inside the Bills residence.

Sarai was trying to hold it together, especially for Ka'jai but inside, she wanted to drop down in tears every day.

She was knocked out of her thoughts at the sound of someone knocking on her window. She forgot she was in her car in front of her school. She smiled slightly when she saw Semaj trying to open her door. She unlocked the doors and started to take her seat belt off.

"Why are you still in—What's wrong?" He became worried when he saw the tears in her eyes. She shook her head, leaning over the armrest to go into her glove compartment.

She grabbed a napkin before patting her eyes "They're sleepy tears" She lied.

"Damn so we lyin' to each other now? That's crazzzyy" He shook his head, watching her as she reached to the back seat to her book bag.

"I am sleepy tho" She reasoned, cutting her engine off to her car.

"That's not the reason you are about to cry tho. But aight" He held his hand out to help her out of the car. She rolled her eyes, grabbed ahold of his hand, and stepped out of the car. He pulled her into a hug before she could close her door.

She inhaled his scent like every time she did when they hugged. She wrapped her arms around him tighter, seeming to need this hug. "His birthday is coming up soon" She mumbled into his hoodie.

He rubbed her back and nodded "I kno'. It's gonna be aight" He kissed the top of her head making a smile grow on her face. She eventually pulled away to close and lock her doors.

"This is my hoodie?" He asked, lacing their fingers together. "No. It's our hoodie. Doesn't it look cute on me?" She cheesed, looking up at him as they walked towards the gym.

She guessed JB and Carmen were already inside the gym. Rell had a doctor's appointment this morning and Maddison always comes to school late.

It never fails.

"Stay out of my closet Khiouri" He shook his head, letting her walk into the gym first. Letting the warm air hit her face since it became cold outside, the school finally turned on the heat.

"Our closet Pooda. Duhh" She playfully rolled her eyes, then scanned the gym, looking for JB and Carmen.

"Stop callin' me that weird shit. It's daddy to you" He huffed.

Sarai stopped walking and busted out laughing. He couldn't be serious right now. He always said that every time she called him Pooda.

Semaj chuckled, grabbing ahold of her hand again as she was still cracking up at his foolishness. "It's no—Hey Maj," He was cut off by Kamiyah walking up to them with a smile on her face. Sarai's laughing instantly started calming down now.

Sarai sighed, knowing the drill. She was about to let his hand go but was unable to because he held onto her hand tighter. She frowned, trying to wiggle her hand away still. She didn't want to be around while they talked, it was only going to hurt her feelings.

"Is it about Chemistry?" Semaj asked, raising his eyebrow and not letting Sarai leave his side.

Kamiyah furrowed her eyebrows together a little "Huh? No, I was c— No disrespect but if it ain' about Chemistry work, me and you don't got nothin' to talk about" He cut her off and spoke bluntly.

Sarai looked at him in shock, just as shocked as Kamiyah. It's been almost a week since they revealed their feelings for each other. Sarai knew he said he was going to show he could commit to her and be about only her but it was still shocking seeing him do it.

"O-oh okay. Well, I'll see you in chemistry I guess" She looked at him weirdly before walking off.

"Why are you lookin' like that?" Semaj questioned as they were stopped again by a few of his teammates that dapped him up. "I-I just— You didn't have to do that because of me," She said.

"Me talking to her made you uncomfortable before, right?" He asked while they walked toward her corner where JB and Carmen were arguing like always.

"I mean yeah but you didn't know how I felt back then" She stated. She didn't want him to feel like she was controlling and he couldn't talk to females because of her.

"And I know now. I know what her attentions are wit' me too. She doesn't want to be my friend so we don't needa talk." He shrugged, making her heart flutter. She could see he was taking his word seriously and that made her glad she was taking this risk.

"Jamal, shut up talkin' to me, " Carmen rolled her eyes heavily, leaning on the side of the bleachers that were up today. JB laughed, looking at her be on her phone.

"That's crazy? Over a nigga tho?" He asked, still laughing. He couldn't take anything seriously.

"What y'all arguing about now?" Sarai chuckled as Semaj stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist and his chin on top of her head. He's been so affectionate since Halloween and she liked it. This is what she's been dreaming about for years.

She could feel people's stares but she tried to ignore them. Them being Liberty and Asia.

JB shook his head at Carmen then looked at Sarai "She said we can't be cool nomo because her lyin' ass boyfriend is uncomfortable wit' it." He explained and started laughing again.

Sarai's eyes widened and she looked at her best friend with a frown. She didn't think Carmen would actually listen to him.

Semaj started laughing with JB "No she didn't. She ain't dumb over no nigga like that." He laughed, looking at his cousin. He didn't want to believe she was that dumb.

Carmen rolled her eyes at them "Stop speakin' on him when you don't kno' him. And shut up Maj." She huffed, shoving her phone into her jacket pocket.

"Leelee" Sarai still frowned. She didn't think that was right. She understood if Rell and JB were disrespecting her relationship but they weren't. They were all cool, nobody overstepped on any boundaries so she didn't feel as if it was right.

"What? He cut off his female friends and out of respect, I'm goin' the same. It's not like I'm sayin' it's bad blood wit' them. We jus' can't be cool anymore due to my relationship." Carmen explained to Sarai while applying lip gloss to her lips.

"A damn shame" JB chuckled, walking away from them. Sarai couldn't tell if he was hurt or if he really didn't care. It was always hard to tell because of how much he laughed in serious situations.

"That's dumb as hell." Semaj shook his head, pulling the phone out of his hoodie pocket. "Hush" Sarai popped his arm.

"Always wanna call someone dumb. But weren't you the same dummy that didn't kno' your best friend have been in love wit' you for years?" Carmen scoffed, rubbing her lips together and putting her lip gloss away.

Sarai sucked her teeth "That was uncalled for Leelee" Sarai frowned.

"At least I kno' where I was dumb. You don't, therefore you gonna be the same dumb ass with the lyin' dumb ass nigga. Crazy" Semaj chuckled, moving his arms from around Sarai's waist.

"Zyair!" Sarai fussed, looking at him crazily. Semaj shrugged his shoulders "She did it to herself." He looked down at his phone.

"Whatever Maj" Carmen mumbled.

_________________

"Hell nah, y'all ain' dead ass" Rell laughed uncontrollably as he fixed the box of trays of food out of Sarai's car. JB laughed along with him after grabbing the blue cooler of drinks. She started giving out cans of soda with her meals since she thought it was fair.

It was lunchtime and as every lunch that Sarai sold food, the boys were helping bring the food inside. And JB was filling Rell in on the situation with Carmen.

"Dawg, she deadass was like JB we can't talk nomo because my boyfriend isn't comfortable with it. It's no bad blood or anything but I have to respect my relationship" JB mocked the voice of Carmen making Rell bust out laughing at how accurately he sounded.

"Bruh what?" Rell scrunched up his face in confusion. Sarai sighed, making sure they had everything before closing her back door and locking her doors.

"Shit so damn stupid." Semaj shook his head as they all walked to the school building.

"I mean. You did it this morning so what's the difference when she does it?" Sarai asked Semaj, trying to defend Carmen since she wasn't there to defend herself.

Since she couldn't talk to JB and Rell anymore, she decided to not be around them anymore, not wanting to cause conflict.

"The difference is, Kamiyah wants to fuck wit' me. They don't want fuck wit' her, their friendship is strictly platonic" Semaj explained. Sarai just sighed, she knew it was true, she was just trying to help Carmen out.

Even though she doesn't agree with it.

"Right. Dats jus' like if Veah tells me to cut you off because she doesn't want me to have female friends. That's some controlling type shit especially if yall strictly friends." Rell stated while Sarai opened the door for them.

"I get its yo' relationship and shit but damn, over a lyin' nigga? A nigga that be lyin' in her face and she eats that shit up too. It's crazy 'cause we wouldn't do no shit like that to her." JB expressed after Sarai opened the second door for them to walk into the main hallway.

"You feel me, I wouldn't cut off my friends jus' cause my girl is insecure and wants to control some shit" Rell shook his head in disapproval.

"She'll come around. She jus' havin' a moment." Sarai assured them. She loved their friend group and didn't want them to slip up. Since they added Carmen and Maddison to the group, they have all been thick as thieves.

She felt as if it would be awkward to have the group divided now.

"Hell nah. I ain' finna wait around for someone to be my friend. It's jus' gonna be repetitive of her cutting us off when she gets in a relationship. She'on wanna be friends, stand on that" JB shrugged his shoulders carelessly while they walked into the empty cafeteria.

Sarai smiled when she saw Maddison sitting in one of the chairs at the table where she seat up.

"Aight now. It's not dat serious, she jus' makin' a mistake right now" Semaj reasoned with them. No matter how dumb he thought his cousin's choice was, he didn't want them to hold it against her forever.

Whether anyone liked it or not, she was still Sarai and Maddison's best friend and also Semaj's cousin. She was gonna be around, no matter how she tries to distance herself.

"He right tho. Who's to say she won't do it again? I ain' with that weird cutting off and then being friends again when a relationship is over. We don't gotta be cool at all" Rell shrugged, setting the box on the table.

"Hey pretty, and what y'all bitchin' about now?" Maddison teased, hugging Sarai. "Where is Leelee?" She asked, taking one airpod out of her ear. Sarai peaked her head at her phone and saw she was on facetime with Lorenzo.

"Hi Renzo" She waved. He looked up from what looked like a textbook and it looked like he was in the library. He started speaking but she couldn't hear since Maddison had her other airpod in. "He said hey and when are you gonna send his plate." Maddison chuckled.

"Never. He called her ugly last time" Sarai playfully rolled her eyes, going to get the trays out.

"He said because you looked fugly that day." Maddison laughed and Sarai's jaw dropped as stopped midway through pulling the aluminum pan.

"Not too much on my best friend, boy. My bestie be gettin' niggas" She rolled her neck in the camera.

Semaj mugged her as he helped take stuff out "Dats not funny" He straight-faced her and everyone started laughing.

"Okay but foreal, nobody gonna answer my question? Where is Leelee? I thought she normally helps?" She questioned, looking at all of them.

"If you come to school on time, you would know?" Sarai sassied, giving Semaj the dry-erase marker and board. "It's appetizer trays. Do seventeen dollars please." She told him.

"I be trying! It's hard to be on time" Maddison groaned.

He sucked his teeth "Lemme see first befo' I write down a price. You have been letting folks scam you" He pursed his lips to the side, waiting for her to take all the trays out.

Semaj sucked his teeth "No. twenty-five" He shook his head, taking the top of the black dry-erase maker.

Sarai rolled her eyes "No. Put seventeen. I'm not playin' either." She frowned, trying to take the marker away but he pulled it away making her huff.

"Semaj"

"Sarai," He said in the same tone as her. She rolled her eyes and folded her arm across her chest.

"Wait. So she actually cut yall off? I didn't know' she would actually do it. That's crazy" Maddison spoke with her lip curled up after JB and Rell told her about Carmen.

"Y'all knew? Why y'all ain' say nothing" JB frowned and the bell for the first lunch rang.

"I didn't think she would really do it. She told us about it but I'm thinkin' she was going to break up with him or something." Maddison shook her head, and Sarai nodded in agreement.

She jumped slightly after she felt hands grab her waist but then relaxed seeing it was just Semaj pulling her into his lap. "You look pretty today" He complimented, putting his chin on her shoulder.

Sarai felt a thousand butterflies fill her stomach, keeping her eyes on people coming over to the table. "T-thank you" She blushed, waving to a freshman that bought from her every day.

_________________

"Oh my. And here I was telling you to write him a note or something" Ari chuckled, eyes glued to her computer. Sarai was on her 30-minute break and just told her about what happened on Halloween since this was the first time she's seen her.

"Yeah. I was shocked. I didn't expect him to say it back. But we don't date yet. He said he wants to show me he can commit first." Sarai looked down at her fresh set of short acrylics, color white. She doesn't know why she always gets white short nails but she seems as if she looks better with them.

She was traumatized by long nails. She always ended up breaking a nail or damaging her finger.

"That's good. Y'all are still young, gotta take it slow and know this is what y'all really want to do." Ari typed at her keyboard "When yall do start dating, will he be your first boyfriend?" She wondered, glancing at her and then looking back at her computer.

"Yes. I hope I can do it right." Sarai let out a small breath.

Ari shook her head "It's not really a right way to do relationships besides not cheating and not abusing each other. Jus' do y'all relationship how y'all want, but don't think it's gonna be perfect either."

"Why not? What could go wrong? We're best friends and have been best friends for years" Sarai frowned.

"I'm not sayin' it will happen but trust me, miscommunication does happen a lot in relationships. Y'all are two different people with different personality's and mindsets coming together into one. No relationship is perfect," Ari explained.

"Everything isn't going to be perfect and that's okay. Y'all are 18 and 17, y'all aren't going to be the perfect couple. Y'all both have some growing to do and y'all are going to be different people years from now. I'm not y'all are going to break up or anything like that but your younger self and grown self does change. Both of y'all mindsets will change"

Sarai started clicking her nails together. When she hears the word 'Change' she thinks Semaj is going to change his mind about wanting to be with her and only her in the future.

"But don't think negatively of the relationship because it's not gonna be perfect. Y'all are gonna have days where you get on his nerves or days where he gets on your nerves. Especially being best friends, y'all going to get on each other's nerves. Just things like that" Ari chuckled, looking ahead at Sarai.

"Was Kai your first boyfriend?" She wondered.

Ari nodded with a smile on her face "Yep. My first everything really. I wouldn't be the woman I am today if it wasn't for him" She kept the same smile on her phone until her phone started ringing. She sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes "But damn does he get on my fuckin' nerves. So damn stupid sometimes" She rolled her eyes, declining the call.

"Good lord. Can't wait for his ass to go back to Atlantic" Ari continued to talk to herself and went back to work.

"Ooouu, you're gonna be in trouble" Sarai giggled. She loved them, they were so funny and reminded her of her parents. She worked there long enough to know Kai was going to pop up in the next twenty minutes. They were a very playful couple, the type of couple Sarai strives to be like.

Ari started laughing with her "Girl everyone is always wondering why we don't have or want no kids. He is enough chile" She shook her head, declining another call which Sarai guessed was Kai.

"So y'all really don't want kids?" Sarai asked curiously.

"Nope. He is enough of a child for me. We like traveling and spoiling all our nephews." She nodded, turning her phone off since it kept going off. "I used to think I wanted kids until I watched all five of my nephews at the same time. I say hell nah. Being a rich auntie and uncle is my lifestyle" She chuckled.

"Being a rich auntie does sound fun. I don't want kids. My little brother ruined that for me. His mean self" Sarai chuckled. Ka'jai has always been mean in her opinion. Even as a baby, he was mean and so funny acting just like now.

"Y— Amoura Knight!" They started talking when they heard a familiar voice. They looked at the tv that showed the cameras inside the shop. Sarai started to laugh when she saw Kai making his way to the back where they were.

"Oh my God" Ari face palmed herself and shook her head. "He must forget I got a first name" Ari mumbled, standing up and trying to rush to the door before he could bust in. She wasn't fast enough and Kai busted into the office, squinting his eyes at his wife.

"Sarai. Stop laughin' at him" Ari tucked her lips from laughing at him. "Zahi, didn't I say we are broken up for the day? Why are you here?" Ari questioned, putting her hands on her hips.