7:30 p.m

Finished a little early King but everything should be how you want it. I'll call you tomorrow morning.

     - Mike

"I really underestimated him." King thought to hisself as he tucked the spare key in his back pocket. Bawling the note up he threw it on top one of the counter and headed through the hallway. The shop and salon were connected by a short hallway that then eventually lead you to the restrooms. 

Reaching the salon King was amazed at how different the salon looked now. The new design that Mike picked out made King's plain idea look like trash. Although he excepted Mike to do a good job since he had been a decorator for over fourteen years.

The atmosphere of the room was even better now. The walls were a light brown now that gave the room a warm feeling. Black trimming followed the wall professionally. Three hair dryer chairs sat perfectly in a row, the clear dryer glistening in the light. Next to that was the washing station plus styling. All chairs were black with silver detail.

Across from that we're two comfy tan couches, where the people could wait. From there in the next corner plastered on the wall, was a sparkly mermaid banner with a fluffy white chair. After the girls were done getting all made up they could sit in that section and make videos and take photos.

Around the whole salon decor of black pride were hung up giving you this proud feeling of yourself. Things like suck as: as painting of two little girls with huge puffs holding hands, another one that said my kinky hair is the best part of me, and the last one said black is beautiful.

King couldn't help but to feel a sense of completeness with his business. Originally, King went to ESU to major in engineering but he something made him changed his mind. He never liked the fact that he had to take orders from another person. Although he obeyed King still wanted to be his own boss. So he switch his major to business and also took a passion in photography.

"Looks nice babe." A soft voice spoke causing King to slightly jump.

Looking from what his focus was on King looked over his shoulder to see Melanie standing in the door frame. Her all black scrubs complemented her luscious brown skin, she swore a slight smile that made the room immediately feel cozy, and her curly hair was pulled into high puff. A few of her edges had curled up giving her face this funny affect.

"Hey Mel." King greeted her pulling her into a hug. I wrapped my arms slowly around her rocking us a little bit. Something I always felt right about being close to Mel.

"You for real?" He questioned breaking up the hug to scan over the room. Melanie was unaware of how much her opinion mattered.

"Yes look at it!" Mel reassured him opening her hands as if she was representing the room to him. Personally the colorful shimmer wall where people could take pictures was her favorite part.

"Good because all praise goes to Breylynn and Mariah." He said standing behind Melanie now. He slightly rested his head on her shoulder as he kissed her neck then her cheek.

"Love you."

"I love you too." Melanie cooed smiling. "I'm about to FaceTime Bre and Mariah so they can see." She continued as she opened her FaceTime app. Melanie was so thankful Apple had finally made a three person call, actually more than three.

Releasing her King decided to go back to the front of the shop and look around. The official opening wasn't until two weeks from now and King was trying to perfect everything. He wanted his shop to almost feel like home to some people.

Suddenly King felt a buzzing sensation in his pocket. Pulling it out he clicked the home button.

Nikki now
Hey again lol

Looking over at Melanie who talked cheekily with her best friends of their work. King thought about just clicking the power button, but his friendly characteristics didn't let him.

Nonchalantly King replied back.

Wassup.    7:46 p.m

Placing his phone back in his pocket he joined Melanie. Snatching her phone King placed his face in the frame of the camera so Mariah and Breylynn.

"Come on now King!" Melanie yelled standing on her tippy toes trying the steak the phone back. But every time she tried to swipe it back King just shoved her arm out the way.

"She showed y'all or was y'all just talking?" He asked catching Melanie hands. He tried to be careful not to get scratched by her nails. King never understood how Mel's job let her have false nails with dealing medicine and other things.

"She showed us fool." Mariah answered.

"Yeah you see I was right about the couches going with the color of the wall. And the shimmer wall." Breylynn added as she placed the FaceTime call on pause before returning again.

"That was Mel who said brown and brown wasn't going to go together." King corrected her looking over his shoulder expecting a slap. But Melanie was to busy observing her nails to see if King had messed them up. "Baby I didn't touch them." He said laughing.

"Yes you did because my thumb starting to hurt." Melanie playfully pouted as she waved her arm back and forth. As if that would help the pain go away. "I want another full set since you messed this one up." Melanie demanded all smiles now.

"Full set?" King repeated to hisself giving her a confused face.

"Yes boo boo." She agreed laughing as she held up her hand to his face.

"Alright." King simply agreed also as he Melanie on him so she stood in front of him.

"And I didn't say that. I said that the dark brown couch at North Ave wasn't going to look right with these walls." Melanie reclaimed making sure the knew exactly what she said. She never liked her words to mixed up.

"Don't come for us." Breylynn acknowledged acting as if she was mad.

"When the opening date because I want to bring Xavier over there?" Mariah asked referring to her five year old cousin. He was the cutest thing ever in the eyes of Breylynn and Melanie. His black straight hair was always trimmed and styled nicely in a flip back hairstyle. Just like Mariah he had the biggest beautiful dark brown eyes. The chubbiest cheeks graced his face that had a dimple on the light side. The only difference between Mariah and him were their skin colors.

They were both mixed: half African American and Hispanic. Xavier skin had more of a browned tint than Mariah's.

"Two weeks from now. So on the twenty first." King remarked thinking about the correct date.

"The salon to?" Breylynn wondered. She was due for a touch up of her frontal sew in.

"Everything will be open. To be honest it may be open before that I gotta' complete a few little things." King suggested letting his hand rest on Melanie's hip. At the moment he was excited to be around her since he didn't get to text her that much today.

"I love the big moves your taking King." Cheered Mariah giving the camera a big smile. Mariah and Bre were like his sisters so of course they were proud of anything he accomplished.

"Me too." Breylynn added. "But don't think we forgot about the talk we have to have." She reminded him giving him a slight smirk.

Melanie was lost for a moment but then it soon dawned on her. Let's say that the girls were very over protective of the boys that their friends or in their life. But they were still acceptive of them they just needed to understand the guidelines.

"And what is this talk about?" King inquired raising up his left eyebrow.

But before Mariah could go into detail Melanie felt something vibrating on her butt.

"Your phones ringing King." She acknowledged as King rushed to pull the device out of his pocket. Thankfully after Melanie said what she had said she turned back around to continue talking.

FaceTime       now
Nikki
Missed Call

Swiping the notification off his screen he decided to send a quick text.

Nikki
Can't talk right now kinda busy.  8:01 p.m.

"Checking something on his phone."

Snapping out of the text King focused his attention on Mel. "Why am I always to topic of y'all conversations?" He asked jokingly regaining his position behind Melanie.

"Because you need to listen to what they have to tell you because its important." Melanie answered giving him a duh expression.

"Now that that's clear, since you could be a potential law of ours there's somethings you need to know. If you are planning on being with our friend you must devote your whole time and life to ONLY HER." Mariah yelled pointing her finger at King.

"Which basically means our friend time is valuable. So it's either your ready to be her husband or not." Breylynn flat out told King.

Melanie couldn't help but to burst out into a fit of laughter at her crazy friends words.

"Her husband?" King repeated hysterically. Like he had said before he had no attentions of ever hurting Mel. She was the only girl he ever wanted and he wasn't about to mess that up for a quickey.

"Yes my husband." Melanie repeated making sure he got it into his thick skull.

"You need me to translate. Su mardio!!"

"Sí, su marido." Breylynn added on.

"Okay I understand. I plan on saying I do one day." King reassured them kissing Melanie's hand.

"We'll see." Melanie spoke taking her hand away.

From that night on until ten o'clock Melanie and King stayed in the shop and chilled. He ordered them some Waffle House from down the street and even rigged one of the shops tv's to his Firestick. Finding a comedy movie Melanie and King ate and enjoyed each other's company.

Except for the times Nikki kept texting King. He tried his hardest to ignore them so Melanie wouldn't think nothing of it. Although he was safe to say that he was not entertaining Nikki in any type of sexual or flirtatious way.

Nikki 8:52 p.m
Somebody said that coach Ray called another practice with your boys Tuesday..is that true?

Thinking to hisself as Melanie killed herself laughing at Kevin Hart, the funniest man to her. He did remember something about Wayne telling him that he'll be a little late Tuesday. But King could have swore he was talking to someone else.

Not sure I'll text him tomorrow. 8:54 p.m

Thxs ohh yeah Trey said he had so much fun running out there with the boys and you. He said he's coming for you next time 😂. So you've been warned. 8:56 p.m

I'm not even gonna' lie he is good but I'm not trying to dust anybody's kid lol.  8:56 p.m

I gusss we'll see Tuesday who'll win   8:57 p.m

Existing out the messages he placed his phone on side of him before cuddling back up with Melanie.

"Everything good?" She questioned King's time that he had spent in his phone.

"Yeah." He answered turning up the volume of the movie.

Never ever lie to her, he thought to hisself.

I know I know

This chapter was so boring but I needed to at least put something up.  I've seen that a few (new) people have been taking an interest into this story and I thank them for that. And I especially thank the people who been with the story since the first chapter lol. But I felt like I needed to put something up cuz it's been a little minute. I'm working on trying to be consistent with this story.