Khari was backstage brushing his hair, getting ready for his performance. His friend Cameron was headlining a poetry tour and tonight was their second night in New York. Khari was excited because he was finally back home in Harlem. He hadn't been home in a while due to him traveling and making business deals. He was on the verge of making a successful publishing company.

Khari looked himself over and sprayed his YSL cologne on his body and did a quick prayer before he went out. Khari was very confident in his work so he knew he would do fine but he prayed anyway because it doesn't hurt to talk to God. He walked out of the small dressing room walking towards the stage. One of the workers at the small venue handed him a bottle of water. Khari took a small sip as he heard his name being called.

As he walked up he heard some cheers and claps from supporters. He waved to them and sat on the stool with his mic in front of him.

"Yo Harlem. How y'all feelin'?" He asked the crowd. They cheered signaling that they were good. "That's what's up, I got a lil something for y'all." He said. Khari took a deep breath before reciting his piece.

Khari spoke smoothly. He wanted the crowd to feel where he was coming from. Every line, every word he put emotion into it. With the specific piece he wanted to reel in the women most of all, there were some lines that men could relate to but he was all for the ladies. Khari believed that if he could intrigue the women he had it on lock.

Kiara and Troy walked into the popular poetry venue, hearing the loud music play as time went by for the next performer to come up.

Kiara didn't really know any of the poets there but she's heard some of their pieces on her Instagram and YouTube. As her and Troy pushed through the people to get to the front Troy complained.

"All these damn people, like I know they see us." He complained. "These poets better be the shit cus all these niggas odee."

"Yo shut up." Kiara spat. Troy was annoying the hell out of her and she seriously didn't feel like arguing with him tonight.

When they made it to the front they stood in their spots and made sure they didn't lose them. The two waited for the show to begin as they waited Kiara texted Prince.

"Ima be right back I'm about to get something to drink." Troy informed Kiara before vanishing off into the crowed group of people.

"Hey y'all, how y'all feeling? First up we got my good friend, Mr. Sage." The announcer said.

Kiara immediately raised her head to the familiar name. She looked up seeing the handsome man. She realized it was the poet she heard the other day at the cafe. Kiara was now interested in what he had to say. She thought if he was at this event he had to be good because she knew Cameron wouldn't just bring anyone out to open up for him.

Hearing the young man spit she was fully invested and wanted to hear more. His words did something to her, made her feel good inside. He was the first to ever make her feel his words. Especially about a love poem.

"Even though you don't want me, I want you.

I want you in my embrace.

Close to my body.

I want your warmth, your comfort." He said. He looked down at Kiara and smiled.

"Yeah, I want you." The man said looking directly at her.

Kiara melted inside, it felt like he was speaking to her and she liked it. She wanted more.

"Thank you everyone, enjoy your night and be safe." He finished his piece, breaking eye contact with Kiara and looking over the crowd. The young man waved goodbye and began walking off.

Kiara was stuck. "What the hell was that?" She thought. Who was he and how could she get a reach of his poems or just in contact with him..

"Yo I just met this joint at the lil bar thing back there, shawty was all that." Troy exclaimed. He stopped and looked over his friend seeing she was out of it. "The hell wrong with you?" Troy asked confused.

"He looked at me..". Kiara spoke.

"Who? Ladies man? Okay and? He looked at all the girls." Troy shrugged.

"No, Troy he looked AT me." Kiara emphasized.

Troy still didn't get it, he just thought Kiara was tripping or something. He decided to take his best friend outside because he believed something was seriously wrong and he didn't need her getting star struck and caught in another daze.

As the two walked out of the crowded club they ordered a lyft to get back home once they realized the didn't want to sag any longer and plus they didn't feel like walking back to their homes, especially at 11:00 at night. As they patiently waited Kiara scanned her surroundings making sure they were cool. As she looked over the area she witnessed a tall, brown skin man walking from the side door, immediately women began crowding him, throwing themselves at him left and right. He stopped to take s a few pictures with some and to sign some autographs. When Kiara realized it was her poet she tapped Troy aggressively, getting his attention from texting his new boo from the event.

"What dammit, hitting so hard for why?" He asked annoyed.

"It's him." Kiara pointed out as she began to walk over to him. To not seem like a groupie like the other girls she pulled out her business card.

"Hey, Sage?" She began.

She was pushed by one of the women as she got closer causing her to stumble back. Kiara rolled her eyes and began to walk up to the man again this time pushing through the aggressive women. When she finally made it to him he was getting in his Uber and shutting the door to go to his next destination.

Kiara frowned in disappointment. She just wanted a picture with the poet and to give him her business card but the stupid groupies pushed her and got in her way of meeting her handsome poet.

"It's all good, he's from Harlem anyway, you'll probably see him again. Come on, our Lyft's here." Troy comforted his upset friend.

He wrapped his arm around her and they walked to the Lyft to head home.

Khari has been in Harlem for a week working on his magazine company. He refused to go back to Atlanta unless he got his work done here. His show the other night was a success and his manager was looking for other bookings for the young talented poet

"Khari." His assistant Julia knocked on his office door as she stood in the doorway

"Yes? Come in." He insisted. Her heels hit the floor as she walked over to his desk, in her mini black pencil dress, taking a seat in the office chair across from him.

"Thomas Frazier said he'll like to meet with you next Tuesday, if you aren't available he said next month is his only free time due to him having an interview about his latest book." Julia informed Khari

"Tuesday should be fine. What times do I have available?" He asked looking over the paper work that was in front of me.

"10 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon."

"10 should be fine. Thank you Julia."

She wrote down the time and few other things.

Thomas Frazier was a young influencer and Lhari was dying to get an interview with his for his new magazine issue. He was currently trying to find a decent platform to go on and Khari believed that Francois Magazine would be a great fit. He would be Khari's fifth client and a seller at that. Once people see that He had Frazier on his side, he'll be able to get even more influencers and more recognition.

"Also, you have a photo shoot for an magazine AD for Times Square this Friday, the photographer couldn't make it so they're sending out their new photographer. Is that fine with you?" Julia asked anxiously.

"Yeah that's fine, if they're good enough to photograph me then I have no problem." Khari joked. Khari was confident, not cocky just confident. He knew he was a good looking man and he know women loved his presence.

Julia and Khari finished talking and he went back to writing. Khari eventually got tired so he decided to take a break. He stood from his chair and buttoned his navy blue blazer. He looked in the mirror and took his brush out and began brushing his wavy hair and the sides of his full beard.

"Julia I'll be back, going to the bakery down the street." Khari informed Julia.

Khari stepped outside his office building door and was hit with the chilling breeze of the October weather.

He began walking down the busy streets of Manhattan. He wanted to have his company to be in Harlem but couldn't find a building that'll fit it. Khari felt free every time he came home. He loved the life he had in Atlanta but his life in Harlem made him remember why he loved writing and performing poetry. The environment, the vibes he was given, the respect he received from the people. Everyone in Harlem knew who Khari Sage was and they respected him as a man and a business man.

As soon as Kiara got off of the train she jetted towards the stairs as slow paced Troy chased behind her. Kiara ran down the street to her house and up her apartment steps. she ran to her house and burst through the door scaring her granny half to death.

"Daadee!" she yelled throughout the living room as she looked for her granny, she ran into the kitchen seeing her granny cooking on the stove. "guess...what..." Kiara breathed heavily, trying to catch her breath.

"damn girl, you need to try out for track." Troy also breathed heavily as he collasped on the couch.

"I got it! Daadee, I got it!" Kiara yelled in excitement.

"Got what?" Her granny asked confused.

"The internship with the magazine! they called and said i can be their new photographer, well their intern and i get paid!" She squealed in excitement. "i get to start on Friday with taking photos for some dude for his AD for his company." She told her granny.

"Good job baby!" her granny hugged her tightly.

"Oh my gosh what if the person I'm taking pictures of is a big celebrity? What if it's Beyoncé? It can't be they said it's a New York native. What if it's Jay Z? Daadee?" Kiara rambled in excitement. She didn't know what to do with herself, she kept fiddling her fingers and pacing back and forth, she was so excited.

"Kiki, calm down. We'll find out Friday." Troy said inviting himself to the photo shoot.

"We?" Kiara questioned.

"Yeah, I'm coming with you, duh." He said pulling out his phone.

Kiara just rolled her eyes at her friend, she couldn't bring him, that would unprofessional, especially since it was her first job.

Daadee continued to cook dinner as Kiara and Troy went to her room and did their school work and jammed out to music.