𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫.

9.

4/5/25

"ZEKIAL MONROEE"! The announcer screams. Zeek just won first place running 800 at his track meet.

His granny and friends are in the crowd cheering for him as loud as possible. Even Leah came to support him. She's been ignoring his calls but decided to show up since he's been working so hard for this day.

Since that was the last of the track meet he jogs over to everyone and they all give him a hug. "Hey granny, hey everyone else" he says when he finally reaches.

Him and leah make eye contact before he looks down. "I gotta get to work grandson but i'm proud" granny says before hugging him and heading back to her car. She's been working a lot lately just to have some extra cash in her account. "Okay granny love you".

Mari, Mel, and kel all sit down staring at Leah and Zekiel to see whose gonna say something first. "are y'all gone talk orrr" Mari says while waving his arms around.

Leah rolls her eyes before zeek grabs her hand and they walk out into the parking lot.

"Thanks for coming mama" he says before trying to hug her. She steps back "It's leah, and your welcome. You did good". Zeek runs his hands down his face before staring at leah. i really messed up. He thinks.

"Ok, anyways look i'm sorry for having kiori in my car but it wasn't even like that. Her family is abusive and she called me to come get her one night when something happened. I dropped her straight off at mari's house and then went home i swear" He says before sighing.

Leah stares at him for a minute before hugging him and sobbing into his chest. Even though he's sweaty and musty she doesn't care. Zeek hugs back wrapping his arms around her and letting her cry for about 15 minutes till she calms down.

Mari and everyone else walks past them and waves goodbye. 9/10 They going exactly where they always go. Straight to his house.

Zeek opens the car door allowing leah to climb in and then he goes around and starts the car. "you ate?" he questions and she shakes her head yes.

Zeek knew she was lying so he pulled up to taco bell and ordered a party pack with 2 slushies. "Thank you" she mumbles he nods his head. Since it's a friday her curfew is late or she can just sneak into her window after hours.

"Aleah, why'd you start crying" Zeek questions breaking the silence in the car. Leah sighs.

"It just caught me off guard i guess. You didn't have to communicate or express yourself to me but you did. I'm grateful to have something like that" she says while smiling. Zeek also internally smiles before he nods and continues driving.

After driving and eating in comfortable silence they pull up to zeeks house . This is Leahs first time here but it looks exactly how she expected.

"hurry up ma'am" he says while staring at how slow she's getting out of the car. she huffs and playfully rolls her eyes before smiling and running to the front door.

When they walk inside it smells just like lavender and cornbread. Leah looks around the house while following behind Zekial. They head down to his room which is shockingly clean.

"Okayyy it don't smell like roaches or anythinggg" Aleah says while plopping on his bedsheets.

Zeek laughs before sitting next to her "You expected me to be dirty" he says while eyeing her. she side eyes him and turns the other way.

"You wanna watch princess and the frog with me" she says while looking zeek in his eyes. He folds and looks the other way then he says yes. "Ok give me your remote sir". Leah says while holding out her hands.

"Zeek would you love me if i was that frog" Leah says before looking over at a sleeping Zekial. "sleepy self" she says before turning the tv down and snuggling up to him.

She has 2 hours before she has to go back home. After dozing off glass breaks upstairs causing zeek to jump up.

Leah jumps up too and notices the look on his face when he grabs a gun out of his nightstand.

Zeek makes a 🤫 face before walking upstairs. Nobodies here. The front door is wide open and one of the side windows are broken.

He hears shuffling and turns around seeing Leah. They both walk out of the front door and into Zeeks car.

"I'm finna take you home mama" Zeek says breaking the silence and Aleah just nods since she's still a little sleepy.

When he finally pulls up to her house she sighs in relief seeing that everyone else is outside.

"bye mama i love u" he says before they hug and kiss. "OUUUUU" 2 of the younger kids scream while looking in the car window. Aleah laughs and steps out of the car.

Zeek gets a call from his granny which is shocking. He answers and doesn't hear anything but silence. Then a voice starts talking but the phone is breaking up. "you...kill.....next..5. Then the phone hangs up.

Now zeek is scared so he speeds to mari's house to see if they playing a joke to scare him.

short filler chapter.

y'all finna be mad at me buttt the book about to start getting interesting.