"remember, the marking period ends in two weeks,so make sure all of your work is turned in and you're studying for your quizzes."
keith's professor said as he ended his lecture.

"have a good rest of your day,i'll see you all tomorrow."
his professor said with a smile,dismissing his students.

keith packed up his things,shoving his laptop into his bag before making his way out of the lecture hall.

"keith! keith!"
keith let out the biggest,most aggravated sigh he could at the familiar voice.

"hey,i've been trying to catch up with you but everyday,you bolt out of here like you stole something."
sincere said with a laugh,catching up to him.

"what do you want,sincere?-"

"i was just hoping that we could talk. just for a little bit?"
she asked.

"i don't see why,we're not friends and i don't wanna be yours anyway,goodbye!"
he said with a small wave,before she grabbed his arm.

"no,please. just talk with me,at least for a little."
she asked.

"what could you possible want from me?"
keith asked,maneuvering through the people who parted for him like he was  Moses.

"i just need you to talk to beautiful for me,please."
she asked desperately,making keith turn his face up.

"the fuck you need me to do it for? you got a mouth and legs,go do it yourself."
he told her.

keith had never been a disrespectful man. his mother would probably whoop his butt if she could hear how he was talking to her right now.

but to be fair,sincere did bring out the worst in him.

"i know but,remedy and beauty both blocked me and i can't seem to catch up to them when i see them in between classes. km just so swamped with work right now,and i don't know if you know but,they put in a request for me to be moved to a different dorm and now I'm staying with this weird,carefree,messy ass freshman,who can't do anything right-"

"no i knew,i just...didn't care."
he shrugged,opening to door to the parking lot.

"but keith-"
she stumbled backwards,almost getting hit by the door.

"keith,i know i've made some mistakes,but i just i really need some help. just talk to them for me-"

"listen,i'm not the messenger for you and your little ignorant bullshit decisions. whatever the fuck you got going on between you,remedy and beautiful,sounds like a you problem. now,i only have two women in my life that i'm worried about as of right now,and i'm thinking that you're not that clueless,as to think that you're one of them."
he told her, opening his car door and getting in.

"now if you'll excuse me, i have business to take care of."
he stated shutting his door.

"but keith please,i just want-"

keith put his finger up as his phone let out a ring, silencing her.

"hey gorgeous."
keith said with a smile,before starting his car up.

sincere let out a sigh as she peeked into his car,looking at his screen,which read beautiful<3 with a phone next to it.

"yeah,yeah i'm not busy."
he said with a smile,waving to sincere as he let his tinted window up in her face.

keith put her on speaker before driving out of the parking lot,making his way to Johnny's shop.

"i have an appointment with Johnny in like twenty minutes,i'm gonna stop and get something to eat before i get there. why what's wrong? is there something wrong?"
he asked.

"no."
she giggled at his urgency.
"nothings wrong,i just wanna see you. i just got home from class,can you come over after?"

"beautiful,don't play with me,i will cancel and turn this car around-"

"no! no,go to your appointment. just come over after,i'll still be here."
she told him.

"are you sure? you don't want anything to eat or nothing?"
he asked, making her sigh.

"no,i just ate. just come over after okay?"
she told him,making him smile.

"okay."

-

"keith,if you keep getting tattoos we're gonna have to start doing them on your ass. we're running out of room."
Johnny said,making keith laugh.

"then you better get ready,cause i'm not stopping."

he stated,adjusting the beanie on his head.

even though he had just cut his hair,not even a month ago,it had already started growing back slowly but surely.

it was still very short,but it had started to curl ever so slightly underneath the beanies he always wore.

he found himself continuously buying and wearing them after he cut his hair,for two very prominent reasons.

one,he though he looked quite good in them.

and two,his haircut made his forehead look big as hell.

so,within the past month,beanies had become his best friend.

"so what's going on with Mrs. Davis? you propose yet?"
he said with a smirk,continuing the tattoo.

"shut the fuck up. we're not even dating,we're just taking it slow."
keith shook his head.

"right,right,that's good. so,how do tracy and chris feel about her? or have you not told them yet?"
he wondered,wiping the area before continuing the tattoo.

"um,they don't know about her. i haven't even though about that,but um maybe soon."
he stated.

Johnny kissed his teeth.
"come on man,eventually,you're gonna have to tell them-"

"i don't wanna rush anything"
keith stated.
"we've only been close for like three weeks now,there's no need to be in a rush to have them talk,or meet."

truth be told,keith had trust issues.
he had never really though about marriage,or kids,or really anything that wasn't happening within the next month.

but he knew that beautiful was probably one of those white picket fence type people.

you know,the perfect family,the golden retriever,take your kids to the park on the weekends type.

and he didn't really know if he could be that.

Johnny shook his head as he began wiping down keith's fresh tattoo.
"okay man,whatever you say."

-

"i told you not to bring me anything,i just ate."
beautiful smiled,as she opened the door letting keith in.

"i know,but it doesn't hurt to have a little extra."
he told her setting the bag of food on the counter,taking off his shoes.

"where's remedy?"
he asked,making his way up to her room.

"with Craig,she just left like an hour before you got here."
she nodded at him.

"well come on"
he motioned for her.
"come lay with me."

she let out a shy laugh as she put her hands behind her back.
"i have to use the bathroom,i'll be up in a second."

keith looked at her with begging eyes as he held his hand out for her.

"go! go pick out a movie,i'm coming!"
she told him,making him shake his head before entering her room.

he let out a grunt as he laid down on her bed,taking off his jacket because he knew she didn't really like the idea of outside clothes on the bed.

he found the remote to her tv before turning it on,scrolling through channels and services trying to find something.

just as he had settled on save the last dance 2,his phone vibrated on his chest,making him pick it up and look at the caller ID before answering.

"hey mama, what are you doing?"
he spoke into the phone,turning the volume down on the tv.

"hi my love,i'm just getting started on dinner,i'm making giada lasagna and caprese salad with pesto sauce,and crème brûlée for desert."
she said through phone.

he could tell from the tone of her voice that a smile was evident on her face.

"that sounds so good mom,can you save me some,i've been living off of chick fil a and microwaveable meals-"

"ah ah ah,i don't wanna hear anything! i taught you how to cook your whole life,you know how what to do. get up and make your own food."
she told him with a soft voice.

and she was right.
tracy had always had keith in the kitchen for every recipe and every meal.

it was her job as a mother to teach her children life lessons,and she felt that knowing what to do in the kitchen was one of them.

"i know,i know. where's dad?"
he asked,putting his hand behind his head.

"he's in the shower,getting ready for dinner."
she let out a sigh.

"how's he been?"
keith asked,worried about his mom.

"same old same old. always working,day in and day out. you know he barely sits with me for dinner anymore,i'll be lucky if he does tonight. he just come and gets his plate and sits in the office. he can't even take twenty minutes to eat without doing paperwork."

she said in distress.

"i'm so sorry mom. i'll be sure to call him later on-"

"actually,that's what i called you for."
she told him.
"i was wondering if you were free to come over next weekend. i wanna have thanksgiving dinner,and spend some time with you."
she stated.

thanksgiving was just over a week out,and all the students were preparing to finish up some work before having a much needed break.

"i think it would be good if we all could spend some family time together,before Christmas."
she said.

"is he gonna be there?"
keith asked,pausing the movie.
she sighed.

"i'm not sure keith,he's been pretty busy,i haven't talked to him since last week."
she explained.

"i know you two don't have the best relationship,but can you please just put it aside. i just wanna have a good holiday,with my two beautiful children and my husband,that's all i ask for."
she told him.

"i know mom,i know. don't worry,i'll be there. i promise,just let me know."
he mumbled.

"okay,baby. is there anything else going on in your life,anyone special?"
she wondered.

keith contemplated telling her about beauty,she was someone special.
but he didn't wanna make a big deal out of it,just in case it didn't end up working out.

which he prayed it would.

"um,no not that i know of. but if anything comes up,you know you'll be the first one to know."
he clarified.

"okay my love,i'll call you soon,stay safe;i love you"
she told him,just as beautiful walked into the room,making him immediately smile.

"i will,love you too."
he told her,hanging up before beauty laid next to him in the bed.

"come here."
he told her,pulling her on top of him,making her smile.

they laid in silence,the only noise being the movie playing in the back round,as keith ran his hands up and down her back,massaging it as she played with the sides of his beanie.

"hey,i wanna ask you something."
he said out of nowhere,making her raise her head from his chest.

"are you busy on Friday night?"
he asked,making her look up to think before shaking her head.

"good. i was wondering if you wanted to come with me and my friends to round one. it's this arcade type place like an hour away,we're gonna go play laser tag,do some other stuff. you can bring remedy and my friend,calvin, is gonna bring his lady,you wanna come?"
he asked.

"of course,i wanna go."
she smiled up at him.

"good,i was beginning to think that i would have to go all alone,be a third wheel."
he joked.

"never."
she replied,as they sat silently,keeping eye contact.

"i wanna kiss you,so fucking bad right now."
keith said,out of the blue.

"then do it."
she mumbled,keeping eye contact.

keith slid his hands behind her neck,before licking his lips before pulling her into him.

knock knock!

"shit."
keith said,rolling his eyes,making kilani smile.

she got up from his chest,making her way out of the room,as keith got up behind her.

he picked her up on the stairs,carrying her down the rest of the way,making her laugh.

"put me down!"

she giggled,making him shake his head,hugging her as she tried to get to the door.

"keith!"
she whined,as he wouldn't let her go,laying kisses on her cheek and neck.

she stopped her fit of giggles,as she let him keep her arms around her,before opening the door.

keith could see her smile fall and the color drain out of her face from the side of where he was standing.

keith furrowed his brows as he took in the woman standing in front of them with a look of disbelief on her face.

she was dressed in a white blouse,with black dress pants and a pair of sleek heels with red bottoms.

her hair was pulled back into a low bun and she was holding a white and brown Prada bad on her arm.

beautiful straightened her posture slightly,causing keith's arms to fall from around her shoulders.

"hi mom."
she said timidly,playing with her fingers behind her back.

"hello kilani,i've been calling and texting you nonstop for the past hour,where have you been?"
she asked.

keith took note of the woman's very soft but intimidating voice.
it was dripping with wealth and class and judging by the clothes she had one,keith was right.

"um,my phones been dead and i haven't had the chance to put it on charge."
she lied.

the woman nodded slowly,just as her eyes panned over to keith standing next to her.

"and who might this be?"
she asked,looking keith up and down.

"um,this is-"

"keith,Keith Davis,it's a pleasure to meet you mrs.braxton."
he said,extending his hand out.

she hummed,keeping her arms close to her,not returning the gesture.
"i'm sure it is."

keith nodded, letting his hand fall back into his pockets.

"what's going on with your hair my child?"
she asked,in confusion.

beautiful tucked the strands of curls in from of her face behind her ears,trying to fix the messy ponytail on the back of her head.

"i was gonna do it...today."
she mumbled,clearing her throat.

"what are you doing here?"
she asked,in a cautious tone.

the woman let out a small sigh,fixing the purse on her arm before looking back up to her child.

"well,i was out doing some shopping with a few friends of mine, Tamia,Sheryl and few others,and since you haven't been answering your phone i thought i would just drop by and tell you myself.

our thanksgiving dinner will be next Friday,i don't expect you to stay the whole weekend but i do wanna see you and so does everybody else. Grandma and grandpa miss you and they haven't seen you in months,and neither have your aunt and uncles."
she nodded.

"but thanksgiving isn't until Saturday."
she told her,shifting her weight from one foot to another.

"i know that Kilani,but we're having our dinner on Friday,it starts at five."
she told her sternly.

"okay,i'll be there."
beautiful nodded,clarifying.

the woman let out a sigh.
"please,and while you're home,i need you to figure out what to do with those dogs. they're driving me crazy,they're huge,they're hyper and they get dirty fast. you know that you're the only one they'll listen to."
she added.

beautiful nodded,as the woman then looked back over to keith.

"and while you're at it,you can invite your...friend,if he wants to come."
she said.

"oh,i think he's busy,so he probably won't-"

"i would maybe ask him about his schedule first before you assume,yes? it would be nice for you to finally show up to a family function with something to talk about other than soccer,don't you agree?"
she interrogated her.

"yes,mother."
she replied,not making an effort to look over at keith.

"good,i'm glad you agree. i'll hopefully see you both on Friday,at five sharp."
she sighed.

"and i hope that this...friend"
she glared at keith.
"isn't getting in the way of your studies. believe me,i've heard the stories of the young,innocent,girls just like her going to college and coming back reckless with all the tattoos,and piercings and the lack of etiquette."
she said,looking at the tattoos covering almost every inch of keith's body.

"trust and believe,she will not be one of them. my children have very bright futures ahead of them,and i won't let anyone,and i mean anyone,get in the way of that."
she told them both,but mostly keith.

the two both stood in silence,looking at the woman in front of them.

"that's all."
she finished off,before turning to leave,stopping herself.

"oh! i almost forgot. Kilani would you please make an effort to speak to both of your siblings and not just one. Jackie's been trying to get in contact with you and she can't seem to catch you when you're available,call her."
she demanded.

"i will."
she told her.

the woman let out a sigh,before taking her eyes off of the pair and exiting the complex without a goodbye.

-

edited*