- 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 -

- The Dress -

                                                                        Zahir's POV
                                                                      ———————

"Zahir, get yo ass down here, now!" I hear momma yell. "Aight hold on a sec ma!" I yell back. She stay on my case.

"Aight Taylor, I'm finna call you later." I smile a lil and hang up. I put my phone in my pocket and rush downstairs. "Yeah ma?" I look over at dad, busy cooking. I look back at momma and fold my arms. "You're in debt? Why won't you ask us for money baby?"

I frown and hug her. "Ma, y'all are struggling too. I can't do that to you." My dad looks over to us and smiles. "We want nothing more than to help you reach your goals." I sigh and nod. "Thanks dad, but nah. I got it y'all. Picked up another...side hustle."

My mom looked at me a lil confused, my dad...he already can tell. He walks over and leans over, his mouth next to my ear. "Not the drug business. I went to prison for almost a decade for that. Don't risk it..." Pops whispers to me. Mom, curious, asks, "Don? What'd you say?" She asks suspiciously. "Nothin' baby." He gives her a lil kiss, I roll my eyes.

"I can go back upstairs now?"

"Yea baby, go ahead. I love you, don't be afraid to ask us for help, 'kay?" Momma replies. I nod wit a smile and kiss her forehead. I run back upstairs and call Taylor back.

"So, you said you got a pretty friend fa me?" I ask Taylor wit a smirk. "Yep. Her name's Lorena. She's Puerto Rican and American. She's really a sweetheart and funny as hell. I really want you to meet, considering you're both my best friends."

"Aight then, when I'm finna meet her?" I ask, gettin' a lil excited about this girl. "Hmmm when are you free?"

"I only got two classes tomorrow. One at 11am and one at 1pm, so any time before or after classes." She thinks for a bit and starts typing on her phone, which I assume she's texting Lorena. "Okay, she can't do tomorrow." I frown a lil and nod, sighin and laying back in my bed. "Just...text me whenever it's set up, aight?"

"Yeah sure, I gotta go, Lorena's calling." I nod and hang up, getting a text from my brother, Zion. Unlock the door? He's here? Why?

I run downstairs, unlocking the door and smiling. "Yoooo. So, what's up?" I ask. He gets interrupted by my dad, who walks over here, nosey as hell. "Ohhhh what's good son?" Pops says excitedly. Zion's face lights up and he hugs dad, patting him on the back and coming inside.

He immediately grabs me and yanks me upstairs. "Woah, what the hell? You good?" Zion sighs and pulls me to the room to chat, I think.

"I heard...from yo friend I think. Taylor or something." My eyes widen, she a snitch! "Wait..." Why did he go see her in the first place?

"What...did she tell you?" I try playin' dumb, "Zahir, c'mon. Don't act fool right now." I look at him, face straight. "How this even...how?" I stutter, a lil lost for words. "Yo lil friend saw me at starbucks or somethin' like a week ago. She had told me and then some girl bumped into me at the door, cute as hell, walking over to her. She prolly told that lil friend too."

Lorena? That was prolly the girl he saw. Oh shit, that's finna give her a bad impression. Ian even get to meet ha yet!

"Well...shit mane." I mutter.