Stuck.

That's what Melanie felt at this exact moment right now. She didn't know if she wanted anger to take over or for carelessness to sooth her uneasiness away. Not only that confusion really rung in her head like a unforgettable beat.

Why was Nikki's papers in his car?

She seemed to ask herself this question more than she would have liked. But her mind wasn't wrapping around the situation. She hadn't seen or heard Nikki's name since their ESU days. So why was it making mentions now.

At first she wanted to believe that her eyes were just tricking her into seeing that name. But in reality, and a few more glances at the papers. It was true as ever.

Crushing down on her bottom lip Melanie mentally counted to three. It seemed to be the only thing that could calm her down right now. Because at the moment she was deciding from barging back into the apartment and bashing King's head in, smashing his windows, or simply just walking away.

And since Melanie remembered her tempered days with her ex. She decided to just walk away. Walk away from the car to be exact. Clutching King's keys and her charger in one hand, Melanie couldn't help but to look over at the folder a few times.

"Nikki? Are you serious." She mumbled to herself as she reached the last step. Making sure to hold the folder on her side as she walked in, Melanie eyes immediately met the back of King's head.

When closing the door Mariah and Breylynn had looked up to see who it was and instantly noticed Melanie's face. But expecting that she was just upset that she couldn't find her charger, they brushed it off.

Throwing the keys on the what was considered the kitchen table table Melanie wasted no time making her way over to King. Deciding to play everything smoothly she softly tapped his shoulder.

"You found it?" He asked unaware of the fist that wanted to connect to his face so badly. Unaware that he had just walked into a fight with the girl he loved so much. Or at least that's what Melanie thought.

"I need to talk to you." She state dryly. King was confused as he watched Melanie storm off down the hallway. He knew for sure he didn't have anything in his car that would piss her off. So what was her problem ?

"Everything good?" Dray asked lifting one of his eyebrows toward King. He to had noticed Melanie storm off and thought things were messed up in paradise.

"Yeah Mel just pissed that she can't find her charger." King lied as he stood up to follow her. The last thing he wanted to do was let them in own their business. Especially not right now.

"Tell her she can use mines if she don't find it." Deezy added coming out the kitchen with yet another plate. At the rate he was going this would be his fifth one.

"Mhmm." King said annoyed.

Existing from the group King took baby-steps towards his room. Right now why he had the time he really tried to dissect what could have went wrong. There wasn't a condom in his car and if it was it would be used for him and Melanie. So that was out the picture. She couldn't have found any females clothing in there. So that was out too.

Finally entering his room he closed the door but not fully. Melanie was standing up alongside of the bed with a blank expression to her face. He noticed her hands were folded behind her back as she starred a whole into the wall.

King sat at the end of the bed and waited for her to start the conversation.

He watched as her mouth opened but quickly closed and instead he watched as she pulled the blue folder from behind her back. And in that moment King felt like most stupidest person on Earth.

"You got to be kidding me." growled King as he looked at the folder. Resting his head against his hand he rolled his eyes at the thought of Nikki right now.

Shaking her head angrily Melanie threw the folder down onto the bed. "Yeah I want you to be kidding to!" The words spat out her mouth as she inched closer to him until she was almost resting on his side.

It seemed like all the alcohol Melanie had in her body had vanished. And now she felt like herself but she hated that this was going on. Did she not sit here and explain to King that she wasn't going to take this shit?

Exactly.

"I'm not even about to do the most." Melanie announced cutting King off before he could answer. A sinister laugh followed behind her response. She would be damn if she sat here and explained the situation when God blessed King with two good eyes. And not only that but common sense. He knew exactly what the was folder was and who it belonged to. Matter of fact Melanie was wondering why she was even wasting her time.

She vowed that she wouldn't let herself get all worked up if something did happen between the two of them. But then again she always thought about the infamous quote

"Every relationship has their problems. It's depends on you if you want to fix them."

"What you wanna' know?" King asked secretly rolling his eyes at the fact that this was really happening. He didn't know whether to mad at Nikki or hisself. But then again he couldn't blame her because truthfully he shouldn't have messed with Nikki in the beginning.

"Are you serious?" She laughed again almost questioning if he had really lost his mind. She was now in his face truly trying to examine what made him ask that dumb question.

Naturally King inched his face away from Melanie due to her being so close. The last thing he wanted was for Melanie to start swinging and the situation turn into something bigger than what it was.

"You know what I'm done." protested Melanie beginning to leave as she swung the door open. But suddenly something stopped her pulling her completely back into the room and shutting the door.

"Yo chill!" barked King pushing Melanie slightly on the bed. It wasn't a hard push but enough to where she was forced to sit down.

"I'm not chilling nothing." Melanie semi yelled the words at King feeling herself slowly loose it. "You telling me to chill asking me dumb ass questions. Tell why Nikki's folder was in my MANS CAR." Melanie said putting emphasis on the last set of words.

Signing to himself King started, "Thats what I was trying to tell you before you went off."

"I'm not trying to hear all that. Move out the way or you could shut up." Melanie said agitated getting up. She was met with King standing at the door giving her the blank expression she gave him earlier. He was not letting her leave this room until they settled this.

"Shut up and listen then."

It grew silent. The whole room. King was a little shocked and judging from Melanie's face so was she. Her arms were crossed, her weight was now shifted to one side making her left hip poke out, and her face was scrunched up.

Usually Melanie would have a smart response for somebody talking to her crazy just like King had done, but something made her hush.

"Look whatever assumptions you got running through your head there all wrong. I seen Nikki at the store one day and found out her son ends up playing for Coach Raymond's team. So of course that meant he played in one of our little games for the Buddy Program. Like a day or two ago her car ended up breaking down at the game, I offered her a ride back home, and that was it." King explained yet leaving out one main part.

The lunch.

And I know what your probably thinking. Why would you sit here and tell her half the truth when you know it's gonna' start something? But King was doing whatever and saying whatever it took for Melanie not to be mad. Yeah, so he left out probably one of the major parts, or at least to y'all it is, but he was simply going to lunch with her and cutting the tie after that.

He was now seeing that this thing with Nikki wasn't going to play out good. And he'll be damn if he was about to let someone like Nikki stop what Melanie and him had going on. Like they promised each other back in college, their relationship and friendship was a forever thing.

"When she got in she must have placed her stuff down and forgot about it when she got out." King protested all while pointing to the blue folder. The folder now laid in the corner and it's remains were scattered about their feet.

The whole time King had gave Melanie that speech he avoided eye contact with her. But now that he has finished his eyes were met with her browns ones starring right back at them. Normally the sweet light they had to them were gone. Her eyes were slanted a little more than they normally would be. Almost to the point where it looked as if she was squinting.

You could see her chest moving slowly. up and down with every breath she took. Her bottom lip was tucked into her mouth. If King could read minds then he could tell that Melanie was trying to figure out what to say next.

Her eyes roamed back and forth before they focusing on King. "What was she even in your car for? We got Uber, Lift, they got other football mothers that could have took her home. Why was King taking her home?" Melanie questioned while referring to King in third person.

"You joking right?" King said doubtfully shaking his head. One thing about Melanie and King were that they were good people by the heart. They loved helping out in any way, shape, or form they could.

"Ain't no jokes over here Kingston." gibed Melanie knowing King hated being called his full name. It was something he didn't mind as a kid but as he got older he grew fonder to the shorter version of his name.

Curling his lip up at Melanie he moved aside from the door. "You trying to be a comedian and shit but I'm up here being serious with you. Ain't nothing going on between me and Nikki."

King had took a seat once again on his bed. Honestly he was done with the conversation now and just wanted to return to the movie that his friends were watching. But he knew Melanie wasn't about to let this go.

Soon King felt something poking the side of his right temple. Nudging the thing off him King looked over in its direction. But in return he saw it was Melanie's purple nail poking him in his temple.

"Look at me and tell me that your telling the truth." She started moving in between King's leg. Not once did she let her finger move from King's dark skin. From the looks of it, it almost seemed like she was trying to leave a print. A print to make sure he understood he was on his first strike.

Using a piece of Melanie's shirt King pulled her closer to him. To where her chest was almost sitting in his face. Looking down at him Melanie rolled her eyes the last thing she was trying to do was be romantic with King right now.

"I'm telling you the truth." Repeated King as he rested his head on her chest.

"Move!" Melanie laughed shoving King's head off her. She barely had any chest for him to be doing all that. "For real though. I'm taking your word on this Nikki stuff but." She paused removing herself away from him. "If your actions show different just know we done." She finished with a more serious tone.

Melanie meant this.

She learned to never waste her breath on telling people what they should do and how they should treat her. Once you passed the age of where you gained knowledge of right and wrong, why should someone continue to explain that. Melanie was going to handle this situations just like she handle all her others. First, she'll make her statement clear on how she felt about it. After that however the person decided to move after that is on them.

Forget that shit and move on.

"I promise. Now can please go back so we can watch the movie." King pleaded pushing himself off the bed. Melanie gave him a slow nod before opening the door and leaving. King followed behind but not before looking back at the folder and shaking his head.

Lunch

And only lunch......