𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐄𝐒, men imagines.

literature interest, nas.

Queens, New York 1993
February 14.

Kalea mentally sighed as she read People magazine, reading the Valentines Day sequence and every celebrity who was enjoying their life with their companion like Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston.

"That dress is beautiful." Kalea leaned over the cashier counter staring at Whitney's wedding gown. The headline read: "Princess pop-star Whitney Houston and R&B bad-boy Bobby Brown ties the knot!" Of course under it was the sources take on their relationship and the media's but Kalea honestly thought they were cute together.

Five books were placed onto the counter which stopped Kalea from her magazine reading. She glanced at the books and rolled her eyes, back to work it was. It was a Sunday. . . Eddies' Bookstore's driest day.

But one loyal customer kept this store busy on Kalea's favorite day to chill.

"That dress is tight but I've seen better." Nasir's rasp was heard as he held his book card out for Kalea to take as he picked up her magazine, looking over Whitney's dress. "They married now? Shorty in for a wild ride with his ass."

Kalea scoffed, taking her magazine back, closing it and placing it under the counter on a shelf. "Y'all gon' stop doing Bobby like that. And what do you know about wedding dresses anyway?"

Nasir shrugged as Kalea took his book card, inputting his code into the computer. She read over Nasir having multiple books checked out and looked over at him—looking at her with a look of knowing.

"You've reached your book limit, Nasir." Kalea told him with sarcasm tinted in her voice.

Nasir went over the books with his index finger, "This is five books, shorty. The limit is five."

Indeed it was. "You are correct but you already have five books checked out. You know? From earlier today?" She cocked her head to the side sarcastically.

He looked at her with a smile, "So what? I'll bring them back once I'm done with these, you know that." He told her.

"The policy is five books, Nasir." Kalea smirked, "You know that."

Nasir had been coming to Eddie's since he dropped out of ninth grade. Constantly feeding his brain since school didn't know how to do so properly. His routine; he'd check out five books at a time, take about three days reading them all, and come back to borrow more books.

Kalea had been working at Eddie's since she moved to Queens with her people a year ago to save up for college— she was almost finished with her senior year. Ever since she worked there, Nasir has been there more than usual. . .For her.

On a Friday afternoon last year, Nasir was picking up books and it so happened to be Kalea's first day on the job. Once the door bell jingled, Nasir and Kalea locked eyes and studied each other's features like a DNA structure.

"Nasir! How are you, mijo?" Eddie shouted from the counter where he and Kalea stood.

"I'm straight, Eddie. How you feelin?" Nasir kept eye contact with Kalea as he spoke to Eddie. Eddie started conversation but whatever he was saying was flowing in one ear and out the other with Nasir.

"This is my new employee, Kalea. Kalea this is Nasir, the person who keeps this store in business." Eddie shared a hefty laugh.

"Nice to meet you, Nasir." Kalea flashed a cheeky smile as her dimples made themselves known. "What you got over there?" She peeked at the books in his grasp.