These quiet thoughts of you been going on for years now....
- J Cole
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A year later....

"Is the air on Melanie?" Mariah asked as she fanned herself with her freshly manicured nails. She was sitting in the passenger side of my car with two full vents on her and was still complaining.

"Didn't I tell you that three seconds ago when you asked me that the last time." I said through clenched teeth. My friends had a way of testing me and my patience.

"Me estás matando niña." Mariah spoke fanning herself quicker. Mariah and I have been friends since kindergarten back when she would bring me hot Cheetos everyday to school. I think she may be part of the reason as to why I have a strong addiction to them. From there we stayed friends all the way to the end of middle school.

Her parents decided they wanted a better education for her so they sent her away to some private school. It was mostly for the rich and snobby so I couldn't understand how Mariah made it her whole four years. But she did. I attended her graduation and that's where I found out she would be attending ESU with me.

"English." Brelynn joked as she raised her phone up to capture another Snapchat selfie. Brelynn on the other hand I had never met a day in my life until Mariah told me about the one friend she had at her preppy school. It just so happened to be Bre. The two shared the same situation. Parents wanted a better education for them-not saying that the school I attended was horrible-it's just some parents differed. Well it didn't matter because all three of us graduated with a 4.0 and higher, gained academic scholarships to ESU, plus a full paid tuition, dorm, and some food expenses on ESU. Truly Mariah and Brelynn had to wake up everyday at five and leave at four in the afternoon while wearing hideous plaid skirts for nothing.

Anyways, Mariah was a little nervous letting me meet her other friend. She thought it would create some barrier between us two and end our friendship. But come to find out Bre was the missing piece we needed to our duo. From their we roomed together in our three bedroom dorm, and became the best of friends.

Now we were graduates of East Side University with the same remaining high GPA-this year 3.7's and higher. I would attend medical school after this summer. Mariah would start her public service job promptly on August 8th. And Brelynn was also attending medical school but for a different reason. We had all accomplished our biggest dreams and the only thing stopping us were our minds with all its crazy ideas. So we dedicated this summer as our get away from life until it returned to chaos in August.

"Did you guys even listen to Mr.Gomez ?" Mariah asked laughing as she sat up from being all sprawled out. Mr. Gomez was our foreign language teacher our freshman year of college. It was an easy class but I just never really cared for my foreign language classes.

"Yeah listen to him bore me to sleep." I answered taking a sharp left onto a long road. Mariah laughed while giving me a soft push which made her gain a laugh from me. Looking through the rear view mirror Brelynn shook her head while smiling.

"Enough about school we're done with that." Brelynn stated causing both of us to say mhmm. It was true. The four years we spent at ESU were the most difficult ones of our lives. College truly tests whether your prepared for the real world or not.

"Yeah you right." I said making another turn down a street. Today we had planned to just chill out and explore a couple places. But nothing really special since nothing was on our agendas. Suddenly I felt my phone vibrate as I straightened the wheel and looked down at my lap.

"Woah! Lani look." Mariah said tapping me. My foot immediately smashed the brakes causing the car to screech. The car had almost smashed into a big orange sign that read Dead End.

Behind the sign was almost a foot long block with people all across it. There were children running around throwing water balloons. People posted up on the block shooting dice. BBQ could be smelt from a mile away mixed in with other restaurants that were serving things right outside their doors. People talked, laughed, and dance to the loud music that blasted from the speakers.

"This some type of block party?" Brelynn asked taking the words right out my mouth. She had now unbuckled her seatbelt and now had her head sitting in the middle of Mariah's and I.

All of our faces wore a shock expression as we watched the big party unfold in front of us. The problem was what was the occasion? According to Instagram no parties were planned for this week due to the rain they expected. And ESU wasn't holding any reunions anytime soon.

"Excuse me miss?" Mariah called at the brown skin women who held her son's hand as they existed the party. They both wore white t-shirts and blue jeans. I always thought it was cute when mothers and their children dressed alike.

The women didn't answer just simply nodded her head upward. Taking that as a yes Mariah spoke again. "What's going on?" She asked pointing toward the crowd that seemed to grow larger by the seconds.

"That?" The lady asked almost hysterically. All three of us didn't find anything funny so we continued to stare at her. "Oh y'all for real. Girl some guy name Kingdom or Kingston just opened up a new barber shop down there. So I guess as his grand opening he hosted a block party for the neighborhood. This was the same street his grandmother grew up on so he built it not to far from her old house. It's a really nice place plus he's giving out free haircuts and everything to the children and the adults. He the one that lined up my baby." She said grabbing her son's head and turning it around.

The cut was fresh.

"Thank you ma'am." Brelynn spoke breaking the silence.

"Girl y'all welcome." She said waving us off and continuing down the street. Watching her walk away the silence grew back into the car especially on me.

"Maybe she was talking about another Kingston." Mariah confessed up hoping it would clear the air.

"There's only one Kingston we know and that's Melani's Kingston." Brelynn corrected her sitting back in her seat. Although I didn't feel like listening to none of them they had a point. I only knew one Kingston in my life and right now it was a possibility that he was the host of this block party.

"Welp its only one way to find out. Go park the car." Mariah demanded shoving her nails into my skin as she nudged me to start back up the car. Rolling my eyes I listened and drove up a little bit, and found a parking space at a near by park. Thankfully the walk wasn't far and once we slipped past the sign we were fully into the block party.

"This is nice." Bre said pulling back out her phone and going onto Snapchat. That bitch lived on there and would die on there.

I'm just saying.

Not knowing where we were going we continued to follow each other, well Mariah's lead as we tried to pass through the crowd. If this was only held for this block I didn't understand why the hell it looked like the whole United States was invited.

After what seemed to be about a good five minutes we were across from Mama Jay's and in front of us sat a building. The building had a beautiful mural along the side of the wall. People stood out in the streets snapping pictures of it. Judging by the little signatures on the side it had been painted by children from the middle school up the street. Aside from that a line stood outside the barber shop and wrapped around the building. Like the women said children and adults, females and males, were lined up getting their heads done.

"Y'all I really want some Mama Jay's right now." Brelynn whined as she looked across the street mesmerized.

"Ouu y'all I seen a snowball stand back there and it looked so good." Mariah added searching through her purse for her wallet.

"And right now I see King." I spoke dryly as I looked over at the group of guys who were talking. About four of them stood in a circle type stance as King laid against the mural with his hands on his head listening to one of the guys speak. I was suggesting it was Dray since the figure was tall and light. From the views I had King looked good no scratched that, he looked to damn good. His chocolate skin looked even richer as the hot sun blazed against it. Which was why he wore a yellow beater that had dark blue letters that red out SMIFF. The matching blue hat hid his curly hair but showed off his sexy face. A year ago Dray had started his own clothing line and right now King was supporting him by wearing his products. Like the usual a gold chain hung from his neck and a black watch was wrapped around his wrist. To bring the outfit together he wore dark blue jeans and a pair of blue matching shoes.

Once again King was fresh as usual.

"Really?" Breylynn asked turning her attention away from the restaurant. Mariah did the same as now all three us starred at the group. Which was a bad idea cause now King had noticed us and was headed towards this way.

Come on! I thought as smacked my forehead.

______________

Feeling a pair of eyes on me I looked amongst the crowd until my eyes were met with her big brown ones. I dismissed myself from the boys and explained how I would be right back. Walking towards the three I smirked a little bit as I watched Melani smack herself in the head.

I loved when she got nervous.

"Long time no see. Wassup y'all?" I greeted them as I watched Melani roll her eyes. I knew she was still upset about the event that went down New Years night but I couldn't help it.

"Hey King." Mariah said smiling from ear to ear as she gave King a hug. I watched as Mel side eyed her and blew her breath. Mariah was like my little Mexican sister I didn't ask for. Every since the first day I knocked on their door she had been nothing but nice to me.

"Come on Bre." I said opening my arms for her to.

"No I don't want to hug none of y'all. It's to hot for that." She stated seriously, but soon bust out laughing and giving me a hug. She was always the goofy one.

Once I released them I opened my arms for Mel but only to have her press them cat women nails into my chest and move me out the way. Just like I figured she was still mad.

"Hey to you to Melani." I said placing my hands in my pockets. I couldn't let her know that I was kinda hurt that she didn't want to talk to me.

"Congratulation King. I'm really proud of you." Mariah stated looking around inside the barber shop. At the spot we were standing at we were right next to my barber shop. So if you looked over my shoulder you could see the mural and a little bit of the shop.

"Yeah this is something big." Brelynn added giving me a smile. Although I appreciated all their condolence it would have still been nice for the girl I loved to say she was proud.

"Thanks I appreciate it." I said giving them a weak smile. I needed to talk to Mel but I didn't want to be disrespectful and ask them to leave. So I had to figure something out. "Oh yeah by the way theirs a salon in the back of the store. A lot of the females been coming in and getting their hair done. I hired a couple stylist and all that. But I would love to get some feedback from two women I know I trust. So how about y'all go and check it out. Tell me what y'all think or what I need to get done." I lied. Well not entirely. To be completely honest the salon was going to need a women's touch and that was something I didn't have. All I did was pick a color, a few couches, and like two pieces of art. If I had to really do things myself I would have painted the walls pink and threw glitter every where since I guess that's what every girl liked.

"Us?" They both asked in unison as they pointed their fingers against their chest. I shook my head yes before having both their faces light up. Brelynn started to make her way into the store gaining a few stares from the people that stood in line.

"When you go in there Mariah just tell Deezy I sent y'all in to check out the salon for me." I explained as she hurried off.

It was now me and Melani.

"Before you even start talking despite us not being cool at the moment I'm still proud of you and your shop. This was something big you did and that deserves its praise." She said folding her arms across her chest. Her voice was low and calm meaning she truly didn't feel like talking the me. The yellow shirt she wore looked amazing against her dark brown skin. Her hair was in these large twisted braids that brought out her baby doll face even more. The jeans she wore hugged her little hips and butt she had back there. The shirt stopped a little bit under her chest exposing her belly button and a little of her stomach. Her plum color lipstick sat on her plump lips bringing together her makeup.

She look beautiful, I thought as I rubbed my hand up and down my cap.

"Mel we need to talk." I spoke seriously as I finally looked in her eyes. They were always this dark brown color but since the sun shined so bright in our town they had turned a light brown color.

She shook her head no and gave me a small chuckle before walking off. "I think I'm done talking with you King." She said placing air quotations around talking. "I said that I was proud and I truly do mean it but this whole us thing I'm completely over. I wish you nothing but the best."

"No mel." I said grabbing her arm and pulling her back to me. Her big eyes had now grew wider as she looked down at my arm. "Real talk Mel we're twenty one years old. We're not them little kids back when we met in freshman year at ESU. Your my best friend and I'm yours and it's time we start acting like it. We both played a role in this friendship being how it is now and it's time we own up to it. I owned up to mines but I need you to do the same. Im not letting you walk out my life again. Hate me or not we in this till the end." I had let everything out. I let all that anger and feelings I had built up. And the only thing I hoped Mel could do was do the same.

She was now silent and starring away from me. I could see a tear threatening to leave her eye but she hurried and wiped it away. She blew out a deep breath and slowly removed her arm out my grip. "This whole friendship been backwards since the day we met." She said shaking her head as a smile appeared. I couldn't help but smile when I seen hers. "But your right. It's time I start acting my age. So yes I do own up for not calling you or texting you. We were both in the wrong and we understand that. I guess every time you tried to come back I was just hurt that you left. I missed my best friend so much so I guess I got a little out of hand. But we gotta' promise to stop leaving each other. To stop the talk one day and drop the next. I want the old us back." She said looking up at me.

I could have did a backflip and a split when I heard her say that. For the past year Mel and I had been falling apart and all we both wanted was to just be friends again. To have the old us back.

"I said until the end and I mean it." I said placing my forehead on top of hers. She laughed a little bit as I grabbed her hands and intertwined them together.

"Till the end." She repeated.

Something felt so right about this moment and i didn't want it to end.

"King what was that kiss about?" She asked below a whisper. You would have thought I was the flash as to how quick I dropped her hands. I knew we had to talk about it and to be honest I was the one that wanted to address that but knowing Mel she never let anything slide. But today was the day. With us leaving the past in the past I only wanted to focus on the future with her. Which meant her being more than just my friend.

It was now or never. Her full little lips had turn into a warm smile as she looked at me for an answer. "Mel every since the day I ran into you, you've always gave me this feeling. And the day you became my friend was one of the best days of my life. But I can't go on lying to you about how I really feel. So I guess I need to tell you that I-."

"Aye bro you sent two chicks up in the shop?" Deezy loud mouth shouted instead of asking. Mel and I broke apart a little as we noticed that we seemed a little to close to each other.

"Yes Deezy I told Mariah to tell you that they were checking out the salon since I'm about to let them go ahead and decorate it and all that." I answered agitated that he had ruined our moment.

"Oh okay. Because one of them feisty as hell. She got mad at me and had got to speaking a whole different language. I had to pull out google to figure out what the hell she was saying." Deezy said laughing as he pointed back at the shop.

Mel and I couldn't help but laugh at him.

"Yep that's Mariah." Mel said shaking her head.

"Hey Lani I ain't even see you there." Deezy joked as he dapped her down. Deezy and Dray have known Mel since our freshman year of college. We all clicked it off and soon all became friends. But it was kind of weird because somehow Dray and Deezy never met Brelynn and Mariah.

"Ima' be in there in a little to tell them the news just watch the shop and make sure everybody good." I said shooing him away. He looked between Mel and I, smirked, and said he would catch us later.

"He still a trip." Mel mentioned looking in at the shop.

"Yeah and so are you, but enough about us and everybody us. How about we walk over to Mama Jay's and I get you and your girls something eat?" I suggested knowing it would take her mind off asking me again about New Years.

She turned around from looking at the shop and gave me a big koolaid smile. "Come on best friend." She said happy intertwining her arm around mines.

I faked laughed as I smiled down at her. "Yeah lets go best friend."

I hated to keep her mind wondering about the little things that I did. But they were like signs I wanted her to catch but she never did. So I felt like it wasn't my place to really tell her then. But these feelings that I got for Mel been going on for years now and my patience of hiding them were coming to an end.