You're All I Need

Seven

That Time She Was Challenged...

*January 1997*

By the end of January, the old home was emptied out, Sydney was all moved into Kai's home, and Max was settled into her new 2 bedroom apartment in the 65 and up apartment complex. She was in building 2 of 3. Each building had five elevators; 2 for large items and supplies and 3 for regular transportation. Of course there were emergency staircases in case of a fire but it was heavily suggested that the residents only use the elevators, which is why they had so many in each building. The buildings were only five floors high which wasn't bad at all in case they needed to use the staircases.

As for Sydney, living with Kai just felt right to her. She was hardly ever alone there. If Kai wasn't checking in on his businesses, he was home or they were out together. A few times out the week, he would have Antwan and two other guys over to hang out or they would go out somewhere but it was never more than that. He was a pretty laid back person to live with. He also knew his way around the kitchen and he wasn't messy.

She felt like she hit the jackpot.

But since she's been there, she hasn't had the chance to see Amani as regularly like she was used to. It was the second week of January and Sydney didn't have to go back for the second semester of college for another week. She hit up her best friend and told her she would pick her up for shopping and then to spend the night with her at Kai's apartment.

Holiday shopping was over but now people were spending holiday gift money so the mall was pretty crowded still. Rather than shopping in busy ass New York City, which would have been worse, they went to a mall in North Jersey.

"Ooh we can go to Ruby Tuesday's before we go back over the bridge." Amani suggested, pointing to the restaurant they passed by when they walked inside the mall. They both planned on finding an outfit to wear to a basketball game tomorrow in Brooklyn. Sydney was of course going to drop her off at home tomorrow rather than make her take the bus and train back, and while she was there she planned on going to a basketball game just like her and Amani always used to do.

"Yes I could go for a burger." Sydney stated as they walked into a shoe store. "What are you wearing tomorrow?"

"Hmm I don't know. I wanted to wear this one piece but I need a pair of sneaks to go wit' it. What'chu wearin' girl?"

"Mom jeans, black booties, a black long sleeved turtleneck body suit and a bomber jacket."

"Oh that's cute. You know there's a party afterwards."

"Really? You going?"

"I was. My girl Tanji told me 'bout it. You should come."

"Hmm...yeah maybe."

Amani looked at her, ready to ask her a question but chose to save it for when they got back to Kai's. Instead she began to look at sneakers to match her outfit she was wearing tomorrow. "So girl why Roddy told me the otha day I was his girl."

Roddy was a guy Amani was talking to on and off along with another guy. She wasn't exclusive with either but Roddy was clearly her favorite because he was the only one she was intimate with and she sometimes referred to him as her man anyway. Her harmless flirting with Antwan was just that. Harmless.

"Well you both act like it. You might as well be." Sydney said as she picked up a pair of white Keds.

"Girl he made me end shit wit' my mini roster."

Sydney's eyes widened as she looked up at her best friend. "Ohhh it's serious."

"Girl it might be but Imma still keep a secret one on the back burner just in case of emergency. It would be cute if we double dated with our boyfriends though."