As I surfaced from the water, shaking off the last traces of embarrassment, I found myself face to face with Amri, his eyes sparkling with amusement. Despite my initial annoyance, I couldn't help but be drawn to him, his presence like a magnet pulling me in.
I flashed him a playful smirk, my heart pounding with excitement as I leaned in closer. "You think you're so funny, don't you?" I teased, my voice tinged with mock indignation.
Amri's grin widened, his hands reaching out to pull me closer. "Maybe I am," he replied, his breath warm against my lips. "But you love me anyway."
I couldn't deny the truth in his words as our lips met in a fiery kiss, the world around us fading into oblivion. In that moment, there was only Amri and me, lost in the heat of our passion.
But as the kiss broke, reality came crashing back in, and I found myself surrounded by my friends once again. With a sigh, I reluctantly tore myself away from Amri's embrace, my mind already racing with new ideas.
"Layla, girl, let me do your lashes," I declared, grabbing my makeup kit from the nearby lounge chair. "I've been practicing, and I'm getting pretty damn good at it."
Layla grinned eagerly, leaning back as I set to work, carefully applying each lash with precision. As I worked, a sense of purpose washed over me, a newfound determination taking root in my heart.
"I can't believe how good you are at this, Kyra," Layla exclaimed, admiring her reflection in the poolside mirror. "You should seriously consider doing this professionally."
Her words sparked something inside me, igniting a passion I hadn't felt in a long time. With newfound resolve, I turned to Zyniah and Ari, offering to do their lashes as well.
As I worked, snapping pictures of their flawless lashes and posting them on Instagram, it hit me like a bolt of lightning—I wanted to be a lash tech. It was a revelation, a dream I hadn't even realized I had until now.
With renewed excitement, we made our way back to the pool, where Isaac and Darion were chilling with their friends. Mom's voice broke through the chatter, calling us all together.
"Come on, everyone," she urged, her eyes alight with excitement. "It's 8 o'clock, and we've got to get downtown before it's too late for the fireworks."
With a chorus of cheers and laughter, we gathered our things and headed for the car, the promise of fireworks lighting up the night sky filling us with anticipation.
As we hopped into the car, excitement buzzing in the air like electricity, I felt Amri's hand find its way to my thigh, a comforting weight that sent shivers down my spine. Glancing over at him, I caught his eye and offered a reassuring smile, his touch grounding me in the moment.
Following behind my mom's car, the chatter in our car turned to more serious matters as Amri and I delved into discussions about our future together. The prospect of moving into an apartment together had been on our minds for a while now, and with each passing mile, our excitement grew.
But just as we were lost in our conversation, Ari's playful interruption brought us back to reality. "Awww, young love," she teased, her grin infectious as always.
Rolling my eyes at her antics, I couldn't help but chuckle. "Shut up, Ari," I replied, playfully swatting at her arm.
Twenty minutes later, we arrived downtown, the streets bustling with excitement as people gathered to celebrate the Fourth of July. Parking a couple of spots away from my mom, we joined the throngs of people, soaking in the festive atmosphere.
As we walked around, admiring the colorful decorations and lively crowds, our conversation turned to lighter topics, like my upcoming birthday. Turning 18 was a big milestone, and we discussed plans for how to celebrate in style.
"I can't believe you'll be legal soon, Kyra," Layla exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "We're definitely gonna have to throw you a party to remember."
I grinned at the thought, feeling a surge of excitement at the prospect of celebrating with my closest friends by my side. "Hell yeah, we are," I replied, already imagining the wild night ahead.
With laughter ringing in our ears and the promise of celebrations on the horizon, we wandered through the streets, basking in the glow of friendship and anticipation. Little did I know, the adventures that awaited us were only just beginning.
As July 18th rolled around, I found myself immersed in my newfound passion as a lash tech, my days filled with clients and creativity. But amidst the hustle and bustle of work, I couldn't shake the nagging feeling in the back of my mind, a strange soreness in my boobs that refused to go away.
As I worked on a client's lashes, carefully applying each extension with precision, my phone buzzed with an incoming call. Glancing at the caller ID, I saw that it was Amri, and with a quick swipe, I accepted the call, putting him on speaker as I continued my work.
"Hey, babe," I greeted him, my voice slightly distracted as I focused on the task at hand. "What's up?"
Amri's voice came through the phone, filled with warmth and affection. "Hey, Kyra," he replied, his tone casual. "Just wanted to check in and see how your day was going."
I smiled at his thoughtfulness, feeling a surge of gratitude for his unwavering support. "It's going good," I replied, my fingers moving deftly as I worked on my client's lashes. "Busy as usual, but I can't complain."
There was a pause on the other end of the line before Amri spoke again. "Hey, did you get a chance to look at those apartments I sent you?" he asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.
I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "Yeah, I did," I replied, my mind racing with thoughts of our future together. "They look great. Thanks for sending them over."
Amri chuckled, the sound warm and comforting. "No problem, babe. Just let me know if any of them catch your eye," he said, his words filled with genuine concern.
As I finished up with my client's lashes, a sense of gratitude washed over me. Despite the ups and downs of our relationship, I knew that Amri would always be there for me, supporting me in everything I did. And with that knowledge, I felt a renewed sense of determination to chase my dreams, both in my career and in love.
As I finished up with my client, a sense of urgency washed over me. I had exactly 30 minutes to squeeze in a quick look at an apartment before my next appointment. Dialing Amri's number, I waited impatiently for him to pick up, my mind racing with thoughts of our future together.
"Hey, babe," Amri's voice greeted me as he answered the call, his tone filled with warmth and affection.
"Hey, Amri," I replied, trying to keep the urgency out of my voice. "I've got a short window to check out an apartment. Can you meet me there?"
Without missing a beat, Amri agreed, his willingness to drop everything for me filling me with gratitude. In no time at all, he arrived at the apartment complex, and we set off to explore our potential new home.
The first apartment we saw was nice, simple, and small—a perfect fit for my needs. But as I looked around, I couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't quite right. Amri sensed my hesitation and voiced his own doubts, but we decided to keep looking.
The second apartment we toured was a different story. It was spacious and had all the amenities we could ask for, but the price tag gave me pause. At $1,352 a month, it was steep, especially for a place in the hood. But Amri saw potential in it, and his optimism was infectious.
As we left the apartment complex, the weight of our decision hung heavy in the air. But despite our differences in opinion, I knew that ultimately, we would find a place that felt like home.
Back at my house, I barely had time to catch my breath before my next client arrived. With Amri by my side, I quickly set up for the appointment, grateful for his unwavering support and the sense of stability he brought to my life.
As I greeted my client with a warm smile, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement for the future. No matter where we ended up, as long as I had Amri by my side, I knew that everything would work out in the end.
