Concept : a girl and her daughter against the world with her toxic baby daddy, but she ends up finding someone who can take care of her and her daughter. He is a tall chipotle bag with dreads. She didn't know if she could trust him but she gave him...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
As Hakeem, Amara, and Namiko drove back, Hakeem's phone buzzed with a text from his brother Ekon.
"Yo, we're chillin' at the spot if you're free," it read. Hakeem glanced at Amara. "Mind if we swing by my brothers' place? Ekon, Aaron, and Elijah are there, and my boys KJ, J, and D3 might drop by too."
"Sure, sounds good," Amara agreed.
When they arrived, the atmosphere was relaxed. Ekon and Aaron were playing video games in the living room, while Elijah was flipping through a magazine. KJ, J, and D3 were sprawled on the couches, laughing and joking around.
"What's good, fam?" Hakeem called out, walking in with Amara and Namiko.
"Hey!" Ekon greeted, pausing the game. "You brought the whole squad."
Namiko ran over to Aaron, who scooped her up and spun her around, making her giggle. "Hey there, princess."
They settled in, with Namiko playing nearby. Hakeem joined his brothers and friends, the conversation flowing easily. Just as they were getting comfortable, the vibe shifted. The sound of a car pulling up outside caught their attention, and they saw Jabari and a few of his friends stepping out, their expressions hard.
Hakeem's eyes narrowed. "Yo, what's he doing here?" he muttered under his breath.
Jabari swaggered up to the house, his crew in tow. "What's up, Hakeem?" he called out, a smirk on his face. "We got some unfinished business, don't we?"
Hakeem stood, his posture tense but controlled. "Ain't nothing unfinished here, Jabari. You need to bounce."
"Man, you always think you run this place," Jabari scoffed, his friends chuckling behind him. "We ain't here to cause trouble, just wanna talk."
Ekon stepped forward, standing beside Hakeem. "You got nothing to say that we wanna hear, bro. Keep it moving."
Jabari's smirk faded, replaced by a look of irritation. "You think you're tough with your brothers and your boys backing you up, huh?"
Aaron, Elijah, KJ, J, and D3 all stood, forming a line of solidarity behind Hakeem. "You heard him," Aaron said, his voice steady. "Leave."
Namiko, sensing the tension, clung to Amara, who held her protectively.
Jabari's friends muttered among themselves, their bravado wavering. "This ain't over, Hakeem," Jabari spat, taking a step back. "We'll see about that."
"Anytime, anywhere," Hakeem replied coolly, not breaking eye contact until Jabari and his crew turned and left.
The group relaxed as soon as they were gone. Ekon clapped a hand on Hakeem's shoulder. "Man, you handled that like a boss."
Hakeem sighed, shaking off the tension. "Just another day, right?"
KJ grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Damn right. Now, who's up for some food? I'm starving."
They laughed, the tension easing as they fell back into their easy camaraderie. Hakeem glanced at Amara and Namiko, relieved to see them both smiling again.
"Let's get back to enjoying the day," Hakeem said, pulling Amara close. "No one's ruining our vibe."
