I : The Return

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SAGE ALEXANDER

"Uhn uh fix your face hoe."

"Excuse me? Baby you dragged me out of bed at one in the morning, deal with it." I side eyed my best friend just as my fist pounded against the black oak door.

"Oh you got an ol' nasty attitude." Nadia, taunted away, amused by my irritation.

"Hold my dick."

                                 ______

It was a Friday night in Atlanta and with this September heat all I wanted was to lay in bed and eat ice cream — not sweat out my edges. This ATL heat was no joke and her little friend, humidity didn't quite see eye to eye with me either.

Stealing glances at Belly every so often, I quietly laid in bed, working on a lab report that should've been completed days ago. With my attention stuck on Sincere and Tommy my head shot up just as my bedroom door swung open.

"Wake that ass up!"

Shaking my head, I hit pause on the movie and watched as my best friends Nadia & Kamryn bum rushed me.

"Whatcha doing?" Kamryn sung softly, plopping her thick figure down beside me.

"Well I was enjoying my night, but looks like that's over now though."

"Ok bitch, that was rude! What's wrong, bae acting up?" Nadia questioned as she climbed atop of me, pushing my laptop off to the side.

"Me and G are fine Nadi." Groaning, I reached around her for my computer. My efforts however were short lived as she swatted away at my hands relentlessly.

"My night was so peaceful, why lord." I closed my eyes and wished them away.

Peeking one eye open I grimaced as the two remained sprawled out, crowding my bed.

"Damn y'all still here?"

I had devoted countless hours to Harry Potter and Twitches as a child and for what? I had yet to receive any type of magical powers. A spell for wishing bitches away would have been perfect right about now.

"She needs some dick."

"You can't whisper for shit Nadi." Kam threw her head back in laughter while I glared at the two.

"She needed to hear it anyway, tell Gio to come handle that mama." Nadia laughed, shrugging her shoulders carelessly.

"Gio is perfectly fine where he is." I scoffed at the mention of his name. He could stay exactly where he was for all I cared.

"I caught that, but imma shut up for now." Kam zipped her mouth, letting me know she peeped.

"Anywho, my brother is having a little kickback at his place and said we can come through if we want."

"I mean I feel like I don't have a choi-."

"You don't." The two cut me off before I could finish.

"Well damn ok." I mugged them both as I rose from bed and made my way toward the bathroom, starting the shower.

Undressing, I mentally prepared myself for tonight's festivities. With my social battery holding a percentage of zero, I wasn't too sure of how the night would go.

"What time are we leaving?" I peeked my head out seeing the two lounging comfortably in my Queen sized bed, an episode of A Different World now on the flatscreen.

"You got 45 kid."

_________

This girl swears she's on a runway."

"It's a kickback Sage." Kam snickered as I stepped out of my closet, dressed & ready to go.

"What's the problem now y'all?"

"Bitch you have on thigh highs." Nadia pinched the bridge of her nose as she ran her hands through her blonde curls.

"But I have on a jersey, this is chill." I protested, smoothing the wrinkles out of my oversized navy blue Atlanta Braves jersey. Tying a jean jacket around my waist, I looked back at them as I gave  myself one last look in the mirror.

"No sis, this is chill." She pointed to Kam and herself.

Laced in her Yeezy Boosts 350 V2, Nadi wore a grey cropped Champion hoodie and adidas track pants, while Kam wore a white CAU sweatshirt and ripped jeans.

"So Im not basic enough?" I smirked and blew her a kiss before they playfully tackled me to the floor.
            

       •••

"Kids! Welcome!" I began to form a small grin as Nadia's brother Eric greeted us at the door, his bright smile instantly lightening my mood.

"Excuse you, I'm grown." Nadia scoffed, her upper lip turned up in annoyance.

"The only thing grown on you is that damn mustache, you need to trim that shit." I fought to hold in my laughter, watching on as he drug his finger across her lip.

"Fuck outta my face Eric!" She pushed at his chest, no comeback in tow.

"Don't make me pull out my belt." He tugged at his pants in a failed attempt to display his authority.

"Ok and? Imma tell Mommy!" Nadia rolled her eyes in true little sister fashion.

"See, there  you go. Always snitching and shit, grow the fuck up." Eric mushed her head backwards.

Laughing, both Kam and I stepped inside the apartment, leaving the two siblings to argue amongst themselves.

Stepping into Eric's home my ears were instantly met with Crew by Goldlink as it hummed throughout the speaker system. His living room was scattered with people laughing and enjoying each other's company, it was a vibe for sure.

"I need a blunt." Kam groaned in ecstasy as the smell of OG Kush danced wildly in the air, catching her attention for sure.

"I'll be in the kitchen." I doubled back in pursuit of finding liq. With the week I was having I needed a drink - or three.

Eyeing the assortment of liquor in front of me I found myself mixing my favorite, Henny and Red Bull .

"You sure you can handle that lil bit?" I looked up to Eric smirking at me in a teasing manner.

"I'm a big girl, I got it E." I laughed as he held his hands up in surrender.

"Big girl huh? Aight, just remember you're playing with the big dawgs tonight sis."

"You know I'm down for whateva." I smirked and continued to sip from my styrofoam cup, savoring the richness of the brown liquor. Swaying my hips, I stood back enjoying the atmosphere, until I noticed a familiar face in the corner of the kitchen.

Standing at a solid 6'5, his honey complected skin glistened beneath the dim kitchen light — as if a spotlight shone down on him. Catching my breath, I found myself taking all of him in. Running his hands through his bushy beard I watched as his face grew into a scowl.

He was back.

"I see you spotted ya boy." I snapped out of my thoughts to Eric shaking his head at me.

"When did he get back?" I blurted out quickly before cursing myself.

Fuck him, I didn't care when he got back.

"Last night, now drink up." He smirked, pouring a shot of Crown Apple into my cup.

Finding myself staring at him, I watched as he spoke with a tight lip. That same ol' scowl plastered on to his face just as it always had been.

I wanted to believe that my eyes were deceiving me, but I knew better and the growing pulse in between my thighs confirmed that it was in fact him.

Smoke Jones was back in Atlanta and I didn't know how to feel about it.

Suddenly I was 17 again and the memories of his fingertips caressing my cocoa kissed skin heated my body to its core. Wild thoughts of his tight grip around my waist created a smile against my lips as I reminisced of all the sweet nothings he whispered into my ear.

Sweet nothings they were indeed.

Taking my cup to the head, I shook off my nerves and snapped back into reality.

"Yo everyone to the living room we're playing Ring of Fire!" Eric's voice rung through my ears as I talked myself down.

"You're stressing yourself for nothing girl." I reassured myself one last time before joining the others.

"Bitch is that Smoke?" Kam whispered into my ear as I took a seat on the couch next to her.

"Mhmm." A nod was all I could muster, still in shock that he was here.

"Girllllll." Kamryn shook her head in disbelief watching as he stood off to the side in the corner, his low eyes surveying his surroundings.

"You good?" Nadi now stood in front of me, blocking my view of him.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." I waved her off, knowing I would be anything but. As my heart fluttered a mile a minute I could only wonder as to why he was back in Atlanta.

Was he back for good?
Was this a visit?
My want for answers ate away at me as I sat spaced out in a room full of people.

"Ay yo Sage, it's your turn mama." I looked up to all eyes on me.

"Sorry." I smiled meekly as I flipped the red playing card.

"9 is rhyme, let's go." I cheered as my flipped card revealed a 9, meaning I had to pick a word and everyone had to follow suit in rhyme until someone messed up.

"Hot." I started it off and watched as the living room became full with laughter.

We continued Ring of Fire for awhile before half of the room ended up drunk off of their asses.

Deciding to take a break on the liq we all lounged around nodding to Traphouse 3 as two blunts were being passed around in rotation.

"Aight bro, I'm out." My eyes wandered over to him, watching as he slapped hands with E before exiting the condo.

We hadn't spoken a word to each other all night and I was grateful, afraid that my mouth would betray me. However, I️ must say, seeing him leave without as much as a head nod in my direction created a knot in my stomach.

Was I simply just an old flame?
Maybe he didn't recognize me, four years had passed and a lot had certainly changed about me, both physically and mentally - I was far from the 17 year old he last saw, I was a woman now .

"Sage you've been zoned out all night, you good?" Kam asked, her voice filled with concern.

"Im good, just ready to call it a night." I smiled softly, hoping no questions would be asked.

"We just got here." Nadia pouted and checked her phone for the time.

At 3:10 AM I was completely done for the night and wanted nothing more than to sink into my bed and sleep.

"I know, but I forgot to finish that lab report and y'all know Professor Hemingway doesn't play when it comes to her assignments."

"You sure that's it?" Nadia eyed me knowingly.
She read me like a book and I hated it with a passion, but what could I say - we were best friends after all.

"Yes mom." I chuckled before standing and grabbing my wristlet.

"Well let me use the bathroom before we leave." Kam spoke before I waved her off.

"Nah, y'all stay and have fun. It's fine."

"Skrrrt, fuck no." They both turned to each other before turning their attention towards me as if I had lost my mind.

"Sage no. We came together, we leave together." Nadia stood to her feet. "Kammy you got the keys?"

"Y'all I'll be good, I promise." I stressed as Kam glared at me relentlessly, neither of the two were feeling this at all.

"Are you calling an Uber?"

"From here to the apartment is like a 10 minute walk, I'll be fine." I began walking toward the front door.

"You're going to walk home? In those boots?"

"Honey, try again." I laughed as she shook her head agreeing. I wore heels everywhere, this walk would be nothing.

"I swear you better call me as soon as you get home, matter of fact FaceTime me until you get there hoe." Nadia rolled her eyes as she called me on FaceTime right then and there.

"Bye, see you guys at home." I hugged the two as they remained in the doorway until they couldn't see me anymore.

      •••

"What the fuck is wrong with me?" I groaned looking down at my phone as the clock read 3:20 AM.

I don't know what possessed me to walk home at this time at night, but when you're ready to go, you're ready to go.

"You're almost there sis." I hyped myself up as I continued to walk down the streets of Atlanta.

"Oh God no." I sent up a quick prayer as I noticed an all black G-Wagon pulling up beside me slowly.

I sped up my walk until the window rolled down slightly, a set of familiar low eyes staring back at me.

"It's a little late to be out here walking mama, you need a ride?" I shook my head declining his offer.

"No thank you, Im good." I declined politely and kept walking. I was five minutes away from my apartment, I would be fine.

Trailing behind me, the driver window rolled down completely, revealing the last person I wanted to see.

"Get in." His voice was stern yet warm, but I didn't take kindly to orders and he knew that.

"Excuse me?" I turned around completely, perplexed as to why he was hounding me to jump into his truck. "Like I said before Im good." I rolled my eyes and stood waiting for him to pull off, only to be met with laughter.

"Look shorty I ain't bout to do all this back and forth shit wit you, get in the fucking car."

Huffing, I contemplated on if I really wanted to do this or not.

"Fuck it." Going against my better judgment, I walked around to the passenger side.

"Sage." He smirked as I slid into his truck. The smell of Gucci Guilty and loud immediately hitting my nose as I buckled my seatbelt.

"Smoke." I rolled my eyes as he released a deep chuckle that sent quivers down my spine.

"That's how you feel, I'm Smoke now?" He smiled and nodded, his attention back on the road as he pulled off.

Sitting next to him felt surreal as I thought about how time had been nothing but good to him. He looked meal worthy dressed in a black Gucci hoodie and black jeans, his feet laced in Balenciaga's. His style had always been simple and it was nice seeing that hadn't changed. His skin was decorated with more tattoos than I remembered, a few on his face now. The only thing that hadn't changed was his smile. Very few had the privilege of seeing it, but I was happy to see it had remained after all these years.

"Still overdressing huh?" He shook his head as he surveyed my outfit.

"We don't need to have a conversation, just take me home please." I looked him over swiftly before focusing my attention on the window and the passing streets outside.

"You got it mama." He held his hands up in defeat before asking for my address.

The remainder of our ride was silent as we both sat unmoved by the sounds of Future.

"This you?" He asked as he pulled into my apartment complex.

"C156, that's me." I nodded as he parked the car and killed the engine.

"Thank you for the ride, good night." I looked over to him before quickly unbuckling my seatbelt and grabbing the door handle.

"Sage I just want to apologize." He grabbed my hand and turned towards me.

Four years later and I was finally getting the apology and explanation that I had so desperately longed for. Only now that it was here I no longer cared to hear his excuses.

"You left." A soft whispered escaped my lips.

"What?"

"You left. You packed up and left and didn't say shit to me Raheem. Not a single text or phone call, you just left with no warning." I snatched my hand away and sat back looking at the man that I once loved plead his case.

"Sage, I'm sorry it was never supposed to go down like that."

"I know we were both young, but damn, I guess I just didn't mean shit to you huh?" I chuckled angrily.

"Don't say that shit, you know I loved you Sage." His eyebrows furrowed in anger as I continued to chuckle.

"Nigga fuck you." I shook my head in distaste as I tore away from his gaze and exited his car.

"We'll talk later, goodnight Sage." He watched as I made it to my apartment door safely.

"Fuck outta here Raheem." I waved him off before entering my apartment and throwing my belongings to the floor. "I'll get them later." I shrugged to myself as I finally made it to my bedroom.

"He just had to come back." I sighed falling back onto my bed.

Smoke Jones was back and that only meant one thing for me, trouble.

        ___________________

& the story begins!
First impression of Sage and Smoke?
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