"black is sexy,but white is more classy."
remedy told beauty as they both stood in the mirror.

beautiful was not the type to step outside of her comfort zone,mentally or physically.

that included that way she dressed.

she was perfectly fine with her different aray of cropped t shirts and fitted jeans.

she wore different variations of the same outfit everyday, and since nobody around her seemed to have any problem with it,neither did she.

"cant i just wear like jeans? isn't this supposed to be casual?"
she asked.

"no! you're going out to eat at this fancy restaurant,with a bunch of rich people,and being accompanied by a successful med school graduate and you wanna wear jeans?"
she asks.

beautiful shrugged as she looked in the mirror.

"you have a nice body,why not show it off?"
she asked.

beautiful's face bunched up.
"that makes me uncomfortable,don't say that."

"it's true."
she rolled her eyes.
"confidence is key."

kilani sighed as she held the black dress over her torso,envisioning herself wearing it.

she hummed before switching arms,doing the same with the white dress.

"this one."
she nodded with a small smile,walking into her closet,slipping the dress on.

"see,i told you."
remedy let out a gasp.
"you look good. what are you donna do for your hair?"

kilani let out a gasp as she turned to look in the mirror,complete forgetting about her hair.

her hair was in its natural curly state,voluminous and big,though she didn't feel any motivation to do anything special to it.

she loved her hair,she didn't wanna ruin her fresh wash just for one night.

"i like it this way."
she decided on as she pulled out a pair of strapped heels from her closet.

"me too"
she smiled.
"do you want makeup?"

kilani shrugged before nodding.
"i guess,nothing crazy though. i don't like how it feels."

remedy assured her everything would be okay as she did her makeup,lightly with only mascara,concealer and lipgloss.

just as remedy was swiping lipgloss across her lips,a knock sounded from the front door.

remedy clapped her hands lightly as she pushed kilani out of her room.

"good luck."
she said before closing the door shut.

kilani let out a course breath as she walked to the front door,opening it to reveal what she assumed was damon.

he was exactly how sincere had described him.
tall,dark,and handsome.

"kilani?"
he asked as he leaned forward slightly.
she nodded.

Damon stuck his hand out with a small grin.
"i'm Damon."

kilani returned the grin before sticking her hand out to shake his.
"it's nice to meet you."

"shall we? i have reservations for this restaurant downtown."
he told her.

kilani nodded assuringly as Damon stuck his hand out to meet hers.
"may i?"

kilani hesitated before nodding,allowing him to take her hand in his as he lead her out the door.

Damon led her out of the apartment complex,out into the parking lot where his audi r8 was parked.

"after you."
he said helping her into the seat,before walking around to his own.

"so,what grade are you in?"
he asked curiously as he pulled out of the parking lot.

kilani swallowed.
"um,i'm a junior,this year."
she answered.

he nodded with a smile.
"junior year,that was a good year for me. yeah,me and my friends,we hung out a lot,partied a lot,went out for drinks."

"do you go? to parties i mean."
he asked,glancing back and forth between her and the road.

kilani halted her words as she shook her head slightly.
"no. i don't,i usually stay home. with my friends,or friend. but,i'm trying to get out of my comfort zone a little more this year."

Damon hummed.
"that's good. it's always good to try new things. so,what's your major?"

"communications."
she nodded.
"i'm studying to become a psychologist."

"my mom is a psychologist,she loved her job. she's been doing it for over twenty years now."
he mentioned.

"what school did she go to?"
kilani asked,just out of curiosity.

Damon took a right turn at the light before looking over at her with a smile.
"harvard."

kilani sent a smile his way as she felt herself get hot,feeling somewhat intimidated by his family's success.

"how long have you snd sincere been friends!"
damon asked,snapping kilani out of her funk.

she cleared her throat.
"um,almost three years. we had each other freshman year and we've been friends since."

"what about it you?"
she wondered.

"since we were like twelve. i used to play around with her brother a lot so we got kinda close."
he nodded.

"sincere talks about you a lot,actually."
he mentioned as he tried to find parking on the side of the street.

kilani's face balled up.
"really?"
she asked.

Damon nodded.
"yeah. she talks about how you're this super outgoing and confident girl,she really admires you,you know that?"

kilani froze in her seat as she tried to think about why sincere would tell such a lie.

"we're here."
he said with a smile as he got out of the car,walking around the back to open the door for him.

damon helped kilani out of the car as he greeted the front associate,yelling him his name and reservation.

in ten minutes,the two of them were seated outside,with a nice view of the city.

"what drink can i get you guys started with?"
the nice server asked as she opened her notepad.

Damon hummed as he looked through the menu.
"i'll take a vodka tonic,on the rocks."

the waitress nodded,writing down his order before looking up at kilani.

"oh,um,i'll just take a water. thank you."
she nodded.

the waitress jotted down her order before letting them know she would be back soon with their drinks to take their orders.

"so,are you on some type of,cleanse? you only drink water for twenty four hours?"
he asked.

kilani tried to find words as his eyes burned into hers.

"no."
she clarified.
"i just,don't drink,at all. i'm also,still underage so."

Damon's face fell as he looked back at her.
"you're...underage?"

kilani nodded cautiously.
"yeah. i'm twenty."

Damon hummed smartly.
"i thought you were twenty twenty two."
he chuckled.

kilani shook her head.
"why would you think that?"

he shrugged slightly.
"because,that's what sincere told me."
he answered

kilani played with her fingers under the table nervously.

"it's fine though,nothing that bothers me anyway."
he clarified.

kilani nodded just as the waitress returned with their drinks,before asking their orders.

"i'll have the shrimp scampi with the roasted red potatoes and the garlic bread."
he told her.

kilani skimmed through the menu,not really finding much she liked.
she wouldn't consider herself a picker way but at the same time,her taste buds weren't the most diverse.

"i'll just have the polenta lasagna with the garlic knots."
she ordered.

the waitress nodded as she left the table to retrieve their food,leaving the two adults to converse.

"so,i hear that you're a soccer player. that's very interesting actually,i used to play when i was younger."
he nodded.

kilani grinned.
"why did you stop?"
she asked.

he shrugged.
"my parents,especially my mother,wanted me to focus more on my studies. so once i got to high school i quit the team."

"but you loved it."
kilani said making his head nod.
"so why give it up if you love it?"

damon tilted his head as he took a sip from his vodka.
"sometimes in order to see the future in a more realistic light,you have to give up the things you love,even if you don't want to."

kilani scratched her head as she though about asking more,but decided against it.

she couldn't understand why somewhat would give up their dreams just because their parents wanted them to.

"but all in all,everything ended up working out. that extra push was all i needed. now here i am,successful,twenty five with my own place and living a life only some could dream of."

kilani hummed,taking a small sip from her water.
"your mom sounds a lot like my sister,Jackie."

the waitress reappeared before serving them their food, leaving to let them dig in.

"how so?"
he asked as he forked his food,bringing it to his mouth.

"she's pushy,always trying to make me do things i'm uncomfortable with. she's really successful and i guess she wants me to go down the same road that she did in college."
she explained.

damon let out a small laugh as he swallowed him food.
"your sister sounds like an educated girl."

kilani stuttered.
"but-she-shes not doing it for the sake of my career,she's doing it because she feels good knowing that she has some control of my life."

damon nodded.
"so."

kilani's eyebrows raised.
"so?"
she asked surprised.

"i mean,i though my mom was the same way. but it all ended up working in the end. your sister might be into something."
he said pointing at her with his fork.

kilani nodded slowly.
"right."
she said dragging out the 'i'

"anyways,let's talk about you. so,you're studying to become a psychologist. have you started doing volunteer work? there are tons of offices that are taking college students in to let them get some experience."
he asked.

"oh,no i didn't know that. um i haven't heard anything about stuff like that from my university so."
she nodded.

Damon swallowed his food.
"you say um a lot."
he said randomly.

kilani felt her heart fall all the way down to her ass as she thought of what to say.

"oh,um,i mean,I'm sorry"
she said frantically.

"don't apologize."
he shook his head as he continued to look at her,making her flustered.

kilani's leg shook under the table as she tried to figure out what to ask him to keep the conversation going.

"so,um where are you from?"
she said with a small smile.
"are you from houston or-"

"is that your real hair?
Damon asked puzzled making kilani stop in her tracks.

"i'm sorry?"
she mumbled as her face fell.

he shrugged.
"your hair,it's so interesting. is it real or is it,you know a wig or whatever they are called?"

kilani stopped speaking as she looked at him with confused eyes before answering.

"no,it's not a wig. um,it's real."
she clarified.

Damon nodded with a smile.
"cool,that's what i was hoping."
he answered.

kilani backtracked.
"well,would there be a problem if it wasn't?"

Damon took another bite of his food as he shrugged.

" i mean,i have dated tons of black girls that wear fake hair,but i just like,natural girls,if that makes sense."
he told her.

kilani groaned mentally as she felt what direction this was going in.

"however,your hair is significantly fuller than other women i've dated."
he stated.

"well,i think my curl pattern could just be tighter-"

"i think that's the answer. you know,all of the other women I've dated had these curls that kind of fall,but yours are significantly,what's the word? kinkier."
he answered.

"is that..a bad thing or-"

"no,no,of course not"
he chuckled.
"but i just want to know,"

kilani nodded.
"do you ever,straighten your hair?"
he asked.

kilani hummed hesitantly before pulling out her phone and finding a picture of her with her hair straight.

he hummed contently.
"you look beautiful."
he complimented her.

kilani nodded as she put her phone away,noticing how he had only complimented her on that one picture, when her hair was straight. but decided to ignore it.

"hey."
he said making her attention avert.

"do you wanna go to a club?"
he asked,looking behind her.

kilani turned around to see the booking club that had people walking in and out of it,just down the street.

kilani had never even been to a club. she didn't find them slightly intimidating but then again,there's a first time for everything.

"oh um,sure. why not."
she said with a fake smile as he returned it.

"great. let's go."
he stated,pulling out cash and leaving it on the table.

the two adults ventured over to the club before making it to the door.

"how am i gonna get in? i'm still a year under age?"
kilani asked him as they moved up in the line.

he shrugged.
"don't worry about it. i know the owner,we're friends."

kilani nodded before they made it to the front of the line and sure enough,the security guard let him through without question.

the club was almost completely full,jam packed with different women and men.

there were people at the bar,people on the floor,people in vip section.

kilani felt taken aback as they walked in,already being able to tell that this was not her scene.

the two sat at the bar as Damon ordered two shots,cheersing her way.

"i don't drink,remember?"
she reminded him as she peered down at the alcoholic drink under her.

he shrugged.
"we're already in the club,i won't tell. go ahead."

he sent a smirk her way before throwing the shot back,letting out a sign as he put the glass down.

"no,that's okay. i'm fine."
she clarified,pushing the drink towards him.

Damon shrugged before taking the shot and downing it quickly before two people appeared next to them.

"hey! what's up man."
Damon sent a smile the mans way as he got up from his seat,engulfing him in a tight hug.

"who is this?"
the man asked,looking in kilani's direction.

"oh,this is my date. kilani."
he nodded as the man stuck his hand out to greet her.

"kilani,this is my friend Marcus. he owns this club."

kilani nodded quietly as she took note of the woman standing next to him.

"oh,this is my business partner,destiny."
he introduced her.

"destiny,it's nice to see you again."
Damon smirked as they both shook hands.

"you as well."

Marcus looked around the club before turning back and asking,
"you guys wanna dance?"

Damon nodded without hesitation,as did destiny.

"what about you?"
Marcus asked as Damon got out of his stool.

kilani felt her face heat up as she sat back in her chair uncomfortably.

"oh,no,i'm-thats okay. i'm fine,here."

"you sure?"
Damon asked as he looked her way.

"i'm,positive."
she grinned their way before they all disappeared out onto the floor.

kilani watched as Marcus stopped at the booth,whispering in the DJ's ear before finding a woman to dance with.

the music changed before all the people on the floor found a partner,dancing to the song coming from the speaker.

beautiful watched as Damon took destiny's hand,guiding her as her hips moved to the music.

"you should go."

kilani jumped at the sound of the voice behind her,turning around to look who it was.

the bartender wiped the counter as he grabbed a glass,scooping ice into it.

"what?"
she asked quietly,even though they were in a loud club.

he pointed at Damon who was running his hands over destiny's body as they danced.

"i've been working here for years,watching Damon come in with a new girl every night,just to leave her and find another to dance with. Marcus sees it too but,he's not gonna say anything. they're friends and he have up on trying to help him years ago."
he explained.

kilani turned her head to look at the pair,pointing at destiny.
"what about her?"

the bartender sighed before pouring water over the ice.

"they've dated,on and off a few times. they're more friends with benefits than an actual relationship. did he bring you here?"
he asked.

kilani nodded as he placed the glass of water in front of her.
"he knew she would be here,that's why he came."

kilani sighed as she toyed with the rings on her fingers.

"nobody else was gonna tell you so i had to. you're a pretty girl,you deserve someone better."
he told her.

kilani sipped from the straw in her water,before answering.

"thank you."
she told him as she looked at the counter.

"i'm Devon."
he said,sticking his hand out.

kilani did the same,shaking his hand as she introduced herself.

"kilani."

devon waved at a customer that sat at the bar asking them what they wanted before they replied in his ear.

"anyways,i have to get back to work. you should call your friend to come get you."
he nodded.

"i hope to see you again."
he told her as he began making another drink.

she got up.
"you too."

kilani left a tip on his counter before squeezing through people to get to the door,unlocking her phone.

kilani hesitated,dialing their number before letting the phone ring.

the phone rang five times,making kilani think that they most likely were sleep and probably weren't gonna answer.

just as kilani pulled the phone away from her ear,the line picked up.

she heard shuffling before their voice came through the speaker.
"hello?"

she paused.thinking about what to say before shivering from the cold breeze.
"can you come get me?"

-

i'm going to the fair tomorrow and i have a game today uhhhhhhh