She's almost over.. we almost done.. this is 11,600 words by the way..

Keep in mind the point in my books is to show character progression. They won't respond or react to things the way they did before because the point is for them to grow, mature, and learn to understand eachother. I don't write shoot out drug cartel books lmfao. I like writing people in different scenarios with different personalizes and showing development. So... yeah.

𝘝𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵

"Wait let me get a picture before you wash them off." India pulled her other phone out to take a dusty nail flick instead of ending the live. They were so cute to her and she didn't really know why.

The girl got up to wash her hands so she took some time to read her comments. People liked when she went live while she did nails since she didn't have a YouTube channel so she did when she remembered.

"Do I do forex? No. I'm not interested. When I open a salon should I make it to where you still have to book? Well I won't be the only person in there so I guess it's optional but me personally? I think I'll only do walk ins on the weekend." India sighed, tapping her hands on the table while she waited for her client to finish washing the dust off of her hands.

Some clients were awkwardly quiet but she just ignored it and did their nails quietly.

"I keep seeing comments about my age and I'm turning twenty in a few months."

aminasworld_ did you have planned pregnancy? If not any regrets about doing it now?

"Yeah but not really. It was supposed to be planned but I wasn't getting pregnant and I still don't know why, then I randomly got pregnant. I don't recommend being pregnant at a young age by the way, I've been taking care of myself for years so adulthood and responsibility isn't new to me. So don't turn eighteen and move out with your boyfriend then decide to have a family because you see other people doing it."

aminasworld_ but isn't that what you did?😂

"No.. I moved out when I was seventeen and lived by myself for over a year, then we moved in together because it just made sense since neither of us were ever at our own place. I'm going at my own pace, everyone should go at their own pace. The point wasn't don't do that, the point was don't do it because a YouTube couple doing it while you tryna be a smart ass bitch." She rolled her neck and heard the client laughing.

aminasworld_ I'm just saying you might regret it later and you shouldn't have done it because people change over time and you don't even really know who he is. if we being honest, two years is nothing.

"I noticed a lot of people have this idea of what he's like in their head based on.. damn near nothing because he doesn't even have an Instagram anymore. And it's wrong as fuck. Like I said I've been taking care of myself since I was thirteen so can't nobody tell me I wanna grow up too fast and I'm rushing it. Life made me grow up faster I'm just riding with it now because I don't desire the same shit other people my age do, simple as that." India shook the bottle of top coat while the girl sat down drying her hands off.

She hated people telling her she was too young for what she wanted. She wasn't too young when women years older than her wanted to fight her over her boyfriend or bully her on social media like the keyboard stomping bitches they were.

"Like bitches deadass wanted static over my nigga. Little did they know he wouldn't blink at em if they sprayed water in his face,

"Period. You live one time don't let nobody tell you how to live based on what the next bitch doing. We all live different lives." Her client finally said something. Sometimes girls came in and were completely silent until the last minute or until a conversation started with whoever was watching her work.

"Thank you."

jinesaaa where your boyfriend at?

"Work." It was that or he was picking Eli up from school. He stayed away from home for days at a time but she didn't question it because she knew he was just holed up somewhere doing 'loser ass nerd shit' like a 'loser ass nerd' in Zeik's words.

Which was true. He'd been into computer programming and coding since he was fourteen and real estate work was just something he'd found interesting. For the past year and a half he'd dedicated his time to software development practice, coding, e commerce, and drop shipping websites. It was funny to India because she knew that was the last thing someone would think of looking at him.

therealnia why you explaining yourself to bitches like we don't be outside LMFAOOOO

"I'm just being nice."

aminasworld_ I was just playin you can pipe down though sis. Bitches talking crazy on live but I was just chatting, guarantee a bitch won't touch me. But that's beside the point. Don't get a big head I was just giving conversation.

"You just getting blocked girl I don't know where the animosity came from but positive vibes only stink. Third strike." India sighed, blocking her when finished polishing one hand and put it under the lamp.

She didn't know why but sitting on live and talking to her followers was fun. It wasn't a day she usually worked but she accepted a squeeze in because she was bored and wanted to try something different. If someone wanted to be negative and annoying it was just easier to block them instead of not going live because she genuinely enjoyed interacting with people her liked her while she was working.

-

"That's not where that piece goes stupid ass idiot." Jade looked at Serenity like she was dumb while they tried fixing Eli's bed. He meant to just drop him off for the week but as soon as they got there Eli jumped on it and the frame broke.

So he went and picked up the broken piece from the furniture store and had been trying to fix it for the past three hours. But dumb ass Serenity didn't know how to do literally anything so everytime he asked her to do something she fucked it up and he had to go back and do it. It was a simple task she managed to complicate.

"You are so damn stupid. I mean that."

"Can you stop being rude? I said I didn't mean to and you just keep on starting with me and I'm trying to fix it." Serenity looked at the box of nails confused. She really was trying to get it right.

"I'm being rude cause you being annoying. I don't even know why you looking at nails because you supposed to be finding your power drill. Really ready to just punch you in the back of the head."

"Nothing new. Nothing different. Same old same old."

"I never punched you in yo head but I'm about to."

"Okay relax." She mumbled, smiling to herself while she scrolled through NBA young boys tagged on Instagram. When Jade turned around to see what she was doing after hearing her go quiet for a few minutes he looked over her shoulder and sucked his teeth. Attention span of a teddy graham cracker.

"Imma break it."

"You gon pay for it too."

"I paid for that one what's your point? You got five seconds." He turned his attention back to the bed frame seeing he was almost done. He just needed her to get the leg onto the head board now. That was supposed to be all they were doing but she's broken it even further so now they were getting to the initial task.

"Whew that man so fine. You ever look at somebody and just know they got a big ass di- oh. Sorry. The pony tail threw me off I thought you was one of my bitches."

"You sucked my dick with my momma in the car I'm not arguing with no slut. Now be quiet and put this shit together while I go get a popsicle. I wanna go home."

"Theres no reason for anyone to be this me-"

"When I get back it better be together cause imma still go home, I'm done helping you cause you just stupid beyond repair." He sighed and got off the ground, leaving her there while she tried thinking of something to say back but failed miserably.

"He really be chewing me the fuck up." Serenity mumbled, feeling the need to reach for her wig.

When he walked out Jade picked his phone up off the couch and saw twenty missed calls. From who? India obviously. He had a bad habit of not answering his phone. Of course he'd call back but he knew she'd still be pissed off.

Shebouttacussmethefuckoutbutitdontmattercausebaecallingggg.

"What?"

"You mad at me? I'm on my way home now."

"I don't care."

".. so don't come home?"

"Stay wherever you at obviously you like it there more than you like it here if you never wanna be home or around me so fuck you I don't care. You hate me that's fine I can do the same just don't call me or bother me when you need me because I won't answer ugly." Then she hung up. Jade knew she really was annoyed but it was hard to take her serious sometimes.

-

When he got home she was laid up in her usual pissed off position.

"You mad at me?"

"Yes."

"Sorry I didn't answer the phone after I finished what I was doing. I dropped Eli off with Serenity but he broke his bed so we were fixing it. But she stupid as fuck and can't do shit right so it's still broken but that's beside the point."

"I don't like when you don't respond I get scared something happened to you. When did you two get so friendly anyways?"

"We we're cool before we.. separated, broke up whatever you wanna call it, and then we got back cool after deciding to grow up and drop the teenage drama so I don't know. I hope you not saying you bothered by it after spending months trying to get me to be nice to her."

"I'm not saying don't be nice I just felt weird about you not answering while you with- nevermind." She didn't wanna be a bitch or come off as insecure.

"Just say what you gotta say."

"Nevermind."

"Okay then." He could tell she wanted to say something else but didn't feel like arguing with her so he just ignored it.

India refused to admit that to herself. It wasn't really bothersome to her until he'd clarified what his feelings for her really were before they'd met. But she still didn't wanna be that girlfriend.

At first she wasn't really anybody important then a year later he admits he really cared about her and was stuck on her until he met India. So it just felt weird now and she almost felt like she was just a replacement for Serenity sometimes. But saying something seemed unfair because he really wasn't doing anything wrong, and she really felt like she was just being insecure.

"You going to sleep mad at me?"

"I'm not mad at you." She wasn't. She was mad at herself. India wanted to be more mature and understanding but it seemed like she could never catch a break, and for whatever reason she didn't feel secure in their relationship. The last thing India wanted was to make him feel like he was being unreasonable and needed to adjust for her when it had nothing to do with him.

Regardless of who she was with, what they were doing, or how they were treating her, her problem would remain the same because it was with herself. She'd gotten more confident but she knew she had to work on herself more. Knowing he loved and wanted her wasn't her goal, she wanted to completely trust that she was good enough and lovable to herself.

Sometimes she just needed to snap back into reality and remind herself that she was fine the way she was and her only major flaw was forgetting that.

"You upset about me and her being 'friends' or whatever? You can be honest I just don't want you feeling weird and not saying anything."

"It's not that. I really was just worried."

"Then stop crying girl. I didn't know me not answering the phone made you that nervous, I'm home and everything's fine so relax.. I'll start sharing my location if it makes you feel better." Jade sucked his teeth and pulled her closer to him.

They'd never really shared locations because at first he made it very clear he just wouldn't do it when they first began talking, despite her not really asking. He just threw it out there like the asshole he was and she shrugged because she didn't give a damn where he was. But it'd been two years and a change in circumstances so he offered it.

"You don't have to.."

"I don't want you to be here scared or no shit like that. I'll keep my ringer on too, that was my fault."

"Why you being so nice?" India pulled away and looked at him funny.

"I'm just happy I guess."

Jade was beginning to think he was going into the happy wife happy life stage despite them not being married. Even though they had a lot of life to experience and there was no rush on commitment he didn't see a problem with them doing what they wanted in that moment just because other people their age weren't.

Financially stable and in a healthy (for the most part) relationship. People in their thirties had kids and hated who they were with, didn't want kids in the first place, and had shaky ass careers. Age didn't guarantee you'd be a good, consistent, responsible, or caring parent.

"You actually excited?" She looked up at him curiously. Of course he was it just felt good hearing him say it.

"Duhhh. I keep thinking of names but when I say them out loud I just don't like it."

"I think they'll be a boy. I don't know why maybe it's because boy names keep popping up in my head but yeah. You know what name I don't like? Malachi. It's too much work to say even though it's not super long. I don't know why it just pisses me off."

"Not too much.. I like Micah."

"Hell no. Messiah?"

"You hate Malachi but like messiah? Um..."

"It's harder to say shut up. Izaiah. Or Isaiah. Isaiah and Elijah. Elijah and Isaiah."

"You might've just did something. It's funny that I'm twenty one talking about what imma name my second kid. When people are reincarnated do they end up with their soul mate from their past life? What if we've been meeting over and over for the but at different times or some shit?"

India just looked at him and nodded knowing he'd start rambling out what'd been thinking all day but didn't stop to call and say to her. At the end of the day everyday he just laid against her and said everything he'd been thinking since leaving the house. It took ten or fifteen minutes.

"And I never thought I'd be saying none of what I'm saying or what I've said to you like in general but I feel good I don't know. Like it ain't no pressure or no random shit I didn't expect. I kept thinking about waiting another three years but bro that would be fucking boring. Three years doing the same shit in the name of being young and grown like I ain't been grown my whole life? Boring as fuck. I also started working on a website for some lame ass gaming company but it's gonna look good when I finish, and the last programmer they hired was ass because the website crashed all the time and it was just a ugly as fuck. And I don't wanna meet your brother tomorrow but whatever."

"Well that's too bad. He knows I'm not gonna listen but he always wants to be right so whatever. I can't go back in time and be a kid again but I can enjoy where I'm at now, and I'm past getting drunk and going out, and all that shit. It's fun but that's not what I look forward to everyday and I'm done explaining that."

"I been getting drunk since I was thirteen that shit is not exciting."

"That's just ghetto..."

"And?"

"Forreal though I worked in a club, got jumped and stabbed, temporarily paralyzed, and sexually assaulted, worried about eviction, worked overtime, paid bills, worked two jobs, and was putting up with you by the time I'd turned eighteen. I'm grown and I said what I said."

"Facts. I definitely matured since then though so be light on the 'you'."

"Hm."

"Like now that I think about it I did a lot of the shit I did before because I was bored. Like when I fucked Serenity after we broke up? I was like fuck it, oh well. Then I felt bad like damn dickhead why you do that? Then I did it again because I got bored and lonely again. Yeah I don't know what I was on."

"You really never cheated on me? Cause you did some trifling shit and now that I think about it I shouldn't put it past you so I'm calling you on it now."

"No for real never cheated but I was getting down for sure when we broke up. Like after we made up and said we'd be friends. That time I got with Elena I was so sad afterwards. Post nut clarity deadass had me ready to cry."

"That's what you get for being gross. If I did something like that you'd still be crying about it."

"I only really got sad when she tried hugging me when it was over. After I nut don't touch me.. I miss my girlfriend that ain't my girlfriend.."

"Some shit.. you should just keep to yourself. Because I almost punched the shit outta you."

"Ugh slap me bae." He put his weight on her and she mushed his face away.

"Ew move."

"Let's do some sex. Get nekky." Jade sat back up and she tried acting like he wasn't there.

"Don't you have something to do?"

"No. Nothing to do but be in your face."

-

Xander looked over at Jaylani while she stared out of the window annoyed. It'd been five months since they last saw one another and she was ready to go home already.

"You.. was serious when you said you cheated back?"

"Duh." She shrugged.

"Like a kiss?"

"Now you know...." As soon as the words left her mouth he felt himself about to cry but held it in when she looked at him confused. Niggas.

"You give him head?"

"Yup." Jaylani lied and watched him put his face in his hands, full blown crying and sniffling at this point. She didn't know what he was saying through his teary mumbling but it was aggravating her. He was aggravating her in general.

"Bruh you supposed to be my girl and you just telling me you cheated on me like it ain't nothing, real casual. On top of that you sucked his dick, how you even feel okay with that? You really heartless as fuck and don't even care that you hurting me I swear to-"

"You cheated on me first.. and didn't say shit or be honest about it at all, then the bitch posted it and said you got her pregnant. Embarrassed the hell outta me, how you even feel okay with that? You wasted four years of my life now you bothering me because I took five months back."

"Why do you hate me?" He wiped his eyes