N I N E T E E N

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'Back against the wall, middle fingers in the air

Busting through the crowd, they gon' feel me now

Straight shooter from the hip, yeah, we heavy in here

Tell me get 'em, then I got 'em (get 'em)'

_-_

K I N G

Omari smiled, pecking Maya's soft lips while she tried to avoid his shower of kisses. Keira smiled while she observed the two. She could see that her brother was happy - something he hadn't been for the past four years. Kameron eyed the couple before turning to Tracy (her best friend) to avoid the sight.

A loud cry made everyone freeze in the kitchen, "WHAT THE FUCK DEVONTE?!"

"What the hell..." Omari muttered.

He loosened his grip on Mayalika, pecking her temple, "I'll be back." before he slipped out of the comfort of the kitchen and into the sweltering beams of sun that shone into the back garden.

A small crowd had formed around the attraction. Omari had to push his way through just to see two women and a baby, who sat on the hip of the younger woman. The older lady was glaring heatedly at Devonte. Omari pushed through the swarm of people until he was standing directly in front of the two.

"What the hell is going on?!" He questioned.

His dad shrugged, "That's what I'm wondering." he replied calmly. The woman snorted rolling her eyes and gazing into Devonte's eyes. She was a beautiful woman: her skin a clear shade of chocolate and her curly hair surrounding her found plump face that was etched with lines that only came from experience in life. Her full lips were set into a pout and her small eyes narrowed at Devonte.

Devonte folded his arms hotly replying, "She's drunk, when I tried to take the bottle of whiskey from her she got upset."

Omari cast his eyes down to her hands where a bottle of whiskey was being nursed. He sighed, feeling a headache coming on.

"Mum, what are you doing here?" He turned to the older woman before casting his eyes on the other woman, "And why did you take it upon yourself to bring Quinn?" Quinn scoffed.

"I didn't invite her, she invited herself and secondly I wanted to come to see this new girlfriend of yours." His mother smiled.

Quinn stubbly rolled her eyes at the sound of his new 'girlfriend'. Quinn had accidentally bumped into Omari's mother, Denelle in Walmart on the bakery aisle.

Denelle had been looking at already made baked goods to bring to the cookout when she had been ambushed by Quinn who was lay waiting her. Quinn had quickly hurried onto the aisle towards Denelle a grin on her face.

"This is why my ass doesn't shop at Walmart no more. Always running into people I don't wanna see." Denelle mumbled before smiling falsely at Quinn. She hadn't seen the thot since she had left her son for another man, pregnant and married.

"Mamma D is that you?" Quinn exclaimed pushing her trolley in the direction of the older lady. Denelle had fought the urge to roll her eyes as she stared at the younger girl, she reminded her of Blac Chyna - a hoe who popped it open at the sound of money.

"Chile, I told you to call me Miss Davies," Denelle said.

Quinn giggled lightly, her baby whining slightly in her pram. Quinn glanced down at the restless child before turning her sights back onto Denelle.

"So where are you heading?" Quinn questioned.

Denelle paused, "Well...I'm on my way to a cookout at my ex-husbands' house. Nothing big but I'm going to see my kids."

Quinn perked up, her eyes gleaming, "King's going to be there?" Denelle nodded hesitantly, "Is it okay if I tag along, Reign's father's out of town and..." she trailed off.

Denelle sighed, "Well-"

"Great, I'll meet you in the parking lot." Quinn smiled, a glint in her eyes as she began to walk off, leaving a stunned Denelle in her wake.

Now here they were, a flustered Denelle who stood slightly to the side - whispering harshly to her son and ex-husband while Quinn waltzed around not seeming to notice the daggers that were being thrown her way.

"I didn't want to bring her, I truly didn't but I couldn't get rid of her!" Denelle proclaimed. Her words were slightly slurred - indicating she had been drinking.

Denelle was always an alcoholic, it was the thing that ruined her relationship with Devonte. That and the fact that her husband had chosen to sleep with her close friend, they were both flawed people but they managed to look past their differences for the sake of their children. Although they both still secretly loved each other they put their children before their unhealthy relationship.

Devonte glanced at Denelle, "So you went to Walmart to buy those cinnamon buns," He nodded his head towards the buns that had been placed in a container as if Denelle had made them herself.

Both Denelle and Omari glanced at him, "Out of this whole situation, you only got the fact that I didn't make these!" She threw the container at him, scowling as it only hit him on his bicep before landing dully on the floor. Devonte raised his brow at her.

"Right, can you two not argue. We need to focus, " Omari stepped in before it got heated, "We need to make sure Quinn and Mayalika don't meet." Omari ran his hand over his waves, anger settling in.

"Too late for that." His mother stated, staring over his shoulder. Both men glanced over in the direction of the drinks table where true to his mothers' word Mayalika and Quinn stood both seemed to in a conversation.

"Shit," Omari mumbled.

/@/

M A Y A

"How long have you and King been dating?" Quinn sought, tilting her head to the side as she assessed the curvaceous woman that stood before her.

"About nearly three months now!" Mayalika beamed.

Quinn smiled back at her, shifting Reign as she regarded her beginning to slip. Maya cast her eyes down to the small baby that was balanced aloft on her hip.

"She's adorable. How old is she?" Mayalika smiled, cooing at her. 

Reign tilted her head to the side before smiling brightly at Mayalika. She reached her hand out for Mayalika to take - which she gladly did, babbling nonsense to her. Quinn frowned at the interaction, stepping back slightly so that Mayalika was forced to let go of Reign's hand.

"She's three years old, she's going to be four in a month," Quinn stated. Mayalika nodded, noticing the shift in Quinn's attitude.

"MAYA!" Someone shouted. 

Both women turned to see Denelle barrelling towards them, clutching a bottle of whiskey in her hands. Mayalika raised an eyebrow, wondering who the hell was this woman and why did she look like she was about to tackle her.

"Care to take a walk with me?" She questioned but it came out as a slur of words. 

Quinn narrowed her eyes at the interaction between them. Not once since she had known the woman had she been this friendly to her - even when she and Omari first began dating yet here she was greeting Maya like a long lost friend. Mayalika nodded at the woman turning to say goodbye to Quinn only to find that she had disappeared.

'Strange', Maya thought.

Denelle began to walk leisurely around the spacious back garden, talking about Omari's childhood to their relationship. Now they were both sitting on the edge of the pool, their feet encased in the warm water of the pool - their shoes sitting idly alongside them. The sound of old school R&B permeated the back garden as the sound of people singing along filled the air.

"For the first time in four years. This is the first time I've seen my son smile." Denelle told. Maya glimpsed at the older woman, trying to see if she was telling the truth. She was.

"You know since he got out of his last relationship, King started to bury himself into work and he started to become distant," Denelle breathed, "Tonight was the first time I saw my son in a year." She murmured.

Mayalika's eyes grew in shock, "That sounds horrible, I couldn't imagine what that must've felt like." Denelle smiled bitterly.

"I played a part in it though. I'm not entirely innocent." She took a swig from the bottle.

"Look at me! I just got out of rehab a month ago and I'm already back to drinking." Denelle glanced down at her lap.

She had been forced to go to rehab when her eldest child, Kameron had found her passed out in her apartment, close to death. The betrayal of her husband and her best friend had done that to her - turned her to find relief in the empty bottle of alcohol she found herself drinking. 

Mayalika grabbed the bottle out of her hand, shocking Denelle, and taking a deep swig. There was a pleasant silence after that while both women shared the bottle, basking in each other's company while the sun descended gradually before them.

/@/

K I N G

It was now nine. Omari smiled, dapping up a few of his uncle's and cousin's preparing to leave. He glanced out towards the pool where his mother and Mayalika still sat. They had been there for more than five hours.

Omari walked towards Janet, stealing a plate of food from her before going to join his sister at the table. Keira and Kameron glanced furtively in his direction before continuing their conversation. Stacy, Kameron's best friend glanced at Omari, biting her thin lip.

A shiver of disgust ran through him. Not only was Stacy eight years older than him but she resembled a rat what with her beaky nose and thin lips that were always drawn on along with her non-existent brows. Her hair remained thin and oily which caused her face to look more haggard.

Omari quickly got up from the table, heading out towards the pool where his mother and Mayalika still sat. He watched from nearby as his mother spoke briefly to Maya, patting her shoulder before collecting the empty bottles along with her shoes before heading in the direction of the house. She caught Omari's gaze, shaking her head before entering the house - in search of her ex-husband.

Just as Omari took a step forward, a gentle hand clasped around his bicep. He spun around - fighting the urge to roll his eyes as he stared down at Quinn.

"Can we talk King?" She whispered, "Privately."

/@/

M A Y A

Maya swung her legs around in the pool, her eyes fixated on the ankle bracelet that resided on her left ankle. It had been a present from her older brother, Javion. He had given her it for her 18th Birthday. Maya had refused it, not used to the expensive gifts but her brother had forced her to accept it. 

Maya was so deep in her own thoughts that she didn't realise someone had accompanied her at the side of the pool.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Maya turned her head to see that Kameron had joined her. She had cast her sandals to the side and her feet were now brushing Maya's in the water.

"The sunset - I mean. Every night, I always watch it before I go to bed," Kameron turned to meet Maya's gaze - smiling tenderly. Maya had only seen Kameron in the kitchen with a skinny white girl; never bothering to interact with Mayalika. Yet here she was, trying to have a conversation with Mayalika about sunsets.

"They're beautiful," Maya whispered. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear - she could feel Kameron's gaze burning into her. Maya peered down at her white leggings that were pushed up on her thighs.

"I can tell you love my brother," Kameron whispered.

"You seem like a smart girl. You see that girl you were talking to earlier? That's his baby mamma, Quinn. He dumped her when he found she was pregnant." She stated. Mayalika's eyes widened in shock, although it didn't surprise her. Omari always gave off a hostile vibe that followed him around.

"I know right? He's so cruel." Kameron said.

Mayalika gazed at the girl that sat next to her. She clearly resembled her mother with her big eyes and curvy figure that daunted anyone in her presence. She flipped her bone straight hair, pursing her lips before she began to speak again, "Just two weeks ago I had to go pick up my best friend Stacy from his house." She spoke nonchalantly

"Really?" Maya sought, her eyes glassing over. She didn't want to be here anymore.

Kameron glimpsed at her insignificantly, "Yup, I mean he may be my brother and all but he doesn't know how to treat girls." there was taciturnity after that. It swallowed Maya whole when she grovelled in her feelings.

"I best be going back inside. I promised I'd give Janet a head start on those dishes," Kameron softly pronounced. Petting Maya's shoulder, she rose from her place moreover commencing a walk back to the house, leaving a desolate Mayalika in her wake.

Maya glanced up at the sunset that was starting to decrease along with her trust in Omari's words. She knew she shouldn't feel this way as she felt like she wasn't trusting him yet she couldn't help but feel as if he wasn't being faithful to her.

She glanced in the direction of the house, catching a glimpse of Omari standing with the white girl who she could only guess was Stacy. Maya shook her head - nigga's weren't shit.

_-_

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