"My head hurts." She whined.

"I know, Ima get you to the hospital okay? I promise." Khari comforted Kiara as he rushed her to the emergency room.

As Kiara shuffled in her sleep, beginning to wake up she heard the sound of a shower running and immediately rose from her sleep. She looked around the spacious bedroom, seeing a dresser with Axe cologne and a males hairbrush she knew she wasn't home, she began to panic and think of where she could be. She then realized she was at Khari's house and she began to slowly calm down. She looked down and saw herself in a tee shirt that was extremely too big for her and she started to panic even more. Her mind began to wonder if she did anything that she would regret later. She heard the shower turn off and the bathroom door open. As Khari entered the bedroom and stopped in his tracks seeing a frightened Kiara snuggled up in his sheets.

"Oh you're up? Great. What you want for breakfast? You okay?" He asked as he grabbed his hair brush and brushed his hair.

She was at a lost if words, his body glistened as he towel sat on his waist. She mustered up her confidence and finally asked"Did we?" Kiara questioned too afraid to ask the full question.

"Have sex? No. I sat in bed with you until you fell asleep, before you did I gave you that shirt, I didn't want you to be uncomfortable." Khari said pointing to the graphic tee shirt that showed his favorite soccer team.

"You slept..slept with me?" Kiara asked.

"No, I slept on the couch, Kiki I wouldn't do that. I respect your space and you." He said. "But, ima need you to step out real quick so I can change." He said. "I put out a toothbrush and wash cloth for you." He said picking up the sweatshirt he had laid out on the bed, moving it to the side to get his lotion next applying it to his arms.

Kiara quickly grabbed her phone and got up and walked towards the door. As she walked pass she caught a glimpse of his fit body, seeing his 4 pack, almost 6 pack. "I put your dress in the washer last night so if you wanted to throw that back on it'll at least be clean." He said with a smirk catching her eyes staring at his body.

"Mhm." Kiara nervously hummed before rushing out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. She unlocked her phone and called Troy.

"Yeah?" He answered tiredly.

"Where are you?" Kiara asked frantically.

Troy looked beside him seeing Armani wrapped up in his arms. "Oh shit." He said to himself.

"What do you mean oh shit? Where are you?" Kiara asked one last time.

"In my bed. With Mani." He blurted. Kiara couldn't help but to gag.

"Wit-. Troy I'm in his tee shirt." Kiara began to whine.

"Kiki, tell me you didn't." Troy hopped up, moving Armani's head from over his arm and slowly getting up.

"No, he said we didn't, he actually slept on the couch." Kiara rambled.

"You want me to come get you?" He asked.

"No, I can just get an Uber home, I'm scared Troy." She cried.

"Why? You didn't have sex with him or nothing so you'll be good." He said.

"Yeah I know but, I don't know what happened last night and that makes me nervous. The fact I have no memory of last night, what if he's lying." She cried.

"Kiki, trust me, that man didn't rape you, he got too much money to be raping people." Troy informed. "Listen, he's a good dude, he didn't harm you, I know he wouldn't. Now call me when you get home, let me figure out what me and Armani got ourselves into." He said before the two hung up.

Kiara showered and got herself together. She opened the bathroom door and peaked her head out smelling food being cooked. She quickly ran to Khari's bedroom and saw a pair of boxers, her dress and lotion out for her. She got dressed and headed downstairs. She walked into the kitchen and saw Khari at the stove with Nike shorts and a red graphic sweat shirt.

"You eat eggs?" He asked looking over at Kiara as cracked an egg into the bowl.

"Yeah." She nodded sitting at the island. "What exactly happened last night, I don't fully remember." She asked nervously.

"We danced, talked, laughed. You fell asleep, Troy and Armani were occupied in the bathroom, I took you upstairs to sleep, you started telling me how you felt." He told her.

"How I felt?" She laughed. "What you mean?" She anxiously giggled.

"You told me you liked me." He said with a smile as he flipped the pancake over. Just saying and hearing that Kiara liked Khari made Khari happy, it was more of a relief in his head.

"Boy bye." Kiara waved him off.

"You did, then you kissed me. Twice actually." He said turning the stove down, to face her. Kiara didn't say anything. She honestly didn't believe it. She couldn't have, she thought to herself, she was 100% committed to Darien and she wanted to keep it that way.

"You're lying." She spat.

"What I gotta lie about?" Khari asked defensively.

"I wouldn't do that. I have a boyfriend." She stood from the chair.

"Kiara you were drunk. I'm not tripping over it. But I wouldn't lie to you about anything like that. But I like you too. You don't gotta be with me but I do like you and I wanna let it be known now." He told her. He turned back to the stove and finished preparing their food. Kiara has a late start today for work and thank god she did because this would've been a mess. She looked around the home and spotted a black Rolex. She picked it up and examined it, taking it in admiration.

"This is a really nice watch." She said.

"Thank you, my dad gave it to me." Khari said sliding the plate over to Kiara. "Apple juice or orange?" He asked opening the fridge.

"Apple." Kiara said sitting the watch down and digging into her food. The two sat and ate their food, sitting in silence.

"Kiki." Khari began, Kiara hummed, giving him her full attention. "Sorry." Khari apologized.

"For what?" Kiara asked confused.

"Not letting you pay for our food the day when we went to the bodega." Khari said with a smirk.

"You paid? Khari give me my money." She laughed.

"I would but I got something better." He said standing from the table and walking into the living room next reaching behind the couch pulling out a bag. He handed it to her and watched her dig inside, pulling out the box.

"Aww, you got me a new camera!" Kiara exclaimed. She sat the box aside and hugged Khari tightly.

"That's ya Christmas gift, so Merry Christmas." He said sitting back down. They finished their food and Khari went to the room to go change into his work attire.

"You ready?" He asked Kiara as he grabbed his keys.

They drove to Kiara's apartment so she could change out of her party dress and then headed down to the office. They walked into the building talking, both having smiles on their faces. They walked onto the elevator and once reaching their floor they went their separate ways. As Kiara texted Karla she was pulled by Armani.

"Bitch!" Kiara yelled.

"I'm sorry, I feel bad cus like damn, I slept with my friend best friend and I'm sorry." Armani apologized causing Kiara to laugh.

"Girl, you good, whatever happens, happens. I think you'll be good for Troy." Kiara shrugged. "But y'all not looking for relationships so." She said walking into her studio.

"What happened with you and Khari?" Armani asked.

"Nothing." Kiara quickly spoke, she didn't want to say anything about the kiss because last thing she wanted to hear from Armani was that she was right.

"Mmhm." Armani said sitting in the rolling chair at Kiara's desk.

"You annoying and move. I need to edit these pictures before we go on this damn Christmas break." Kiara said lightly hitting Armani with a folder.

"What you doing over the holiday anyway?" Armani asked.

"Nothing much, tomorrow Troy and his sister are coming over to help me decorate my small tree and then the day before Christmas Eve, Darien and I are spending the day together because he's leaving to go to North Carolina to see some family, other than that, Ill be at my mom's house or I might stay home really." Kiara shrugged. This year was gonna be completely different, not only was she living alone and going to her mothers house, she didn't have her granny and every year they'd bake and watch movies but this year there was no more of that. "What about you?" She asked Mani.

"Going upstate to be with family." Armani shrugged.

"Oh you a rich bitch, huh?" Kiara joked.

"No, my stepmom and dad are. I'm just minding my business." Armani said. The two talked for a little until Armani had to go work.

Hours passed and Kiara was done her work so she started doing school work since she was behind.

Once the work day was over she came home and went to her bathroom to run a bath. She went into her room grabbing her things and putting her hair into a messy bun. She went into the bathroom and played some music as she sat in her bath.

It was now the weekend, 3 days before Christmas and Khari was out doing some last minute Christmas shopping, all he had left to get was clothes for Nyla and some new ties for his dad. He always got Nyla new shoes and the best outfits, he spoiled his little sisters, he wanted them to be the best dressed in pre-k and 8th grade. He always told himself whenever he would have kids, he'd spoil them, he'll treat his children like royalty, especially his daughter and his son was definitely gonna be dripped out. Once he got everything he got into his car and drove to his fathers house. He took the bags in and took them to his bedroom. He'd be staying with his dad and Courtney this year and so would Langston. Jean treated Langston as his own no matter what. Langston's dad wasn't ever around and Jean didn't appreciate it. He believed as much as a boy needed a mother he also needed a father, every child needed both of their parents, whether they were together or not. Once Khari dropped everything off into his room he stopped by Nevaeh's room

"Yo!" He said bursting through the door, interrupting her FaceTime call.

"You always messing up somebody peace. Your aura is disrupting my aura." She said waving her arms in a circle.

"Shut up." He said mushing her head causing whoever to be on the phone to laugh. "Ew who deep ass voice is that." Khari said snatching the phone and running.

"Give me my phone!" She chased after him.

"Who you?" He asked the boy as ran around the house.

"Malcolm." The young boy said.

"Yo ya name grown as hell, you like my sister?" He asked.

"Yeah. She cool." The young boy said.

"Nope, he ain't shit! I used to use that line!" Khari yelled next causing Nevaeh to take the phone back.

"You so damn annoying yo."

"You cussing? I'm snitching." Khari joked.

"Rat." Nevaeh said walking back to her room. Khari laughed and went into the kitchen and grabbed something to eat. He sat at the island and scrolled on his phone. He stopped seeing a picture of Kiara and her little tree she got. She sat in front of it with a mug and she had a smile on her face that was big and adorable. Khari liked the picture and smiled at the sight.

"Khari come help me with these bags." Courtney said walking into the house with Nyla in one arm and bags on the other. Khari sat his phone down and began helping.

"Where's pops?" He asked as he bought in the last bit of bags.

"Had to run some errands. What you want for dessert on Monday? Apple pie or Banana pudding?" Courtney asked.

"Banana pudding, you know I'ma pick that." Khari laughed as he picked Nyla up of her car seat. "Hey best friend, I missed you." He said holding the small child next kissing her cheek receiving a smile.

"Where's Vee?"

"Upstairs talking to some lil boy." Khari said playing with Nyla.

"I like him, he's a sweetheart."

"You met him?" Khari asked.

"Yeah. Don't tell your dad though, you know how he get." Courtney gave Khari a knowing look causing Khari to laugh. "Someone's calling you." Courtney said hearing his phone vibrate. Khari sat Nyla in his arms and walked to his phone, answering it.

"Hey." He answered seeing Kiara's name.

"Hey, what you doing today?" She asked him.

"Nothing much, just chilling with family." He shrugged.

"Oh, I was gonna ask if you wanted to come with me to the mall, everyone else is busy." She asked.

"Yeah, I'll slide. I'm meeting you or you want me to come get you?" He asked, hoping she'd say pick her up.

"You can pick up since you offered."

"Ard, I'll be there to get you in like 30." He laughed at how well he got swindled into picking her up. They hung up the phone and a smile was plastered across Khari's face.

"Someone's happy. Who is she?" Courtney asked taking Nyla from Khari's arms.

"Don't worry about it, y'all nosey as hell in this household." Khari laughed.

"Pot calling the kettle black." She shook her head. Khari ran upstairs to his room and changed into something more chill. He changed into a red sweatsuit and some new sneakers he recently picked up. He grabbed his keys and headed out.

Like he said to Kiara he pulled up to her apartment in 30 minutes. He let her know he was outside and she came walking out in a pair of sweats and oversized tee shirt, hoodie and bubble coat. He loved her style and it just fit her perfectly, from her graphic tees down to her sneakers. Kiara got into the car and fastened her seatbelt.

"Hey." Khari said pulling off.

"Hi." She smiled.

"So what you gotta get from the mall and what made me so special to be invited?" He asked with a smile.

"My gift for Troys mom and my mom and because you were the only one who's life was boring at the moment." Kiara told him causing his smile to fade.

"I should let ya ass walk." He said glancing over at Kiara seeing her roll her eyes.

Once the two made it to the mall, they went to the places Kiara said she needed to go. They then began walking around shopping around for themselves. As the two looked inside of a shoe store, Kiara eyed a pair of Nikes, she lifted the shoe up and looked at the price tag next balling her face up at the price. She sat the shoe down and walked to the next shoe.

"Why you do that?" Khari laughed next picking up the shoe and looking at the price. "Oh." As his voice dropped.

"Yeah, I'm not paying 400 dollars for shoes, that's my rent, I don't need them that bad." Kiara sakd picking up the Nike 270's

"What size you wear?" Khari asked.

"No." Kiara spat.

"All I did was ask what size you wear." Khari surrendered.

"A 6 in Women's." Kiara said.

"Baby ass feet." Khari mumbled.

"Speak up bozo." Kiara defensively said. Khari picked up the shoe and walked off.

"Yo, you got these in a 7?" Khari asked the women at the counter. She nodded and walked to the back and came back out moments later with the Jordan box, Khari pulled out his card and watched her swipe. The lady put the shoes in the bag and handed them to him. He walked back over to Kiara and pretended as if he didn't buy her a pair of shoes. When she was finished shopping they left out and grabbed something to eat at the food court.

"Ard so you mean to tell me if you could have any superpower you choose to fly?" Khari questioned Kiara, he thought as a creative person she would rather have something like Telekinesis or mind reading, not flying.

"Yeah, I just wanna fly to all the places I've always dreamed of visiting and I trust myself more to fly somewhere than a airplane pilot." She shrugged as she stuffed her mouth with Chinese food.

"You scared of planes?" He never thought he'd meet someone who was afraid of flying. He was always on a plane, he loved it, he had a list of places he wanted to travel to, he just never gotten a chance to explore them.

"Yeah. I've never been on one but just hearing the fact that they be dropping? I'm good, I don't want no static." She told him.

They continued their discussion, they went on and spoke on whatever came to their minds, politics, cartoons, personal things. Anything that came up. They threw their trash away and drove around the city before heading home.

"Thank you for taking me on my errands." Kiara smiled causing Khari to laugh at how goofy she was.

"No problem. Enjoy ya holiday." Khari said putting the car in park.

"You too." Kiara said beginning to get out of the car.

"Can I least get a hug?" Khari teased. To his surprise Kiara got back in hugging him then getting back out. "Oh Kiki, here." He said grabbing the sneaker bag from behind his seat and handing it to her.

"Stop." Kiara demanded

"Nope. Now back up so I can pull off before you argue me down." Khari demanded causing Kiara to step back and for him to pull of like he said he would.

Khari didn't mind buying her anything, it was his way of showing affection, he believed if he had it he's gonna use it. Today he learned so much about Kiara and they almost talked about her situation, Khari wanted to tell her that he was the one who saved her from being raped but he didn't know how'd she take it and he definitely didn't want her to that, that's the reason he's being so kind to her because it wasn't, he genuinely liked Kiara, he enjoyed the chase, even though he shouldn't be and yes he felt bad for doing so but he couldn't help it, any chance he could get with her he would take it. He knew she had feelings for him ever since that night of the kiss that wasn't just a 'drunken kiss' it had meaning behind it and he was determined to get her to express that to him. Khari just didn't want her to think this was the last time he'll have her back, no matter if it was materialistic or beneficial, he was gonna help her no matter the situation.