Darnell couldn't tear his eyes away from her as she moved through the mall, a vision that made his pulse quicken. "Damn! That girl over there is a baddie," he muttered under his breath, appreciating the way her curves swayed with each step. "Man, if I was her boyfriend, I'd treat her like a princess."
Before he could finish his daydream, Spencer's voice cut through his reverie. "Ayo, Darnell, that girl you were staring at just walked into Footlocker," he announced, nudging Darnell with a mischievous grin. Jordan, always the instigator, joined in. "Yeah, man, you should go in there and talk to her."
Darnell took a deep breath, his resolve firming up. "Yeah, y'all right. Imma make her Mrs. Darnell Hayes," he declared, his friends cheering him on as he walked purposefully towards Footlocker. Spencer and Jordan hooted in support behind him, their encouragement boosting his confidence with each step.
Inside the store, Darnell spotted her browsing the sneaker racks, her presence drawing him in like a magnet. Summoning all his courage, he approached and gently tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around, her eyes meeting his with a curious sparkle.
"Hey, I'm Darnell," he greeted her warmly, trying to keep his nerves in check.
"Hi, I'm y/n," she replied sweetly, her smile sending a wave of relief through him.
"So, um, I had noticed you, and I thought you were really beautiful," Darnell confessed, his voice steadier now that he was face-to-face with her. "So I thought that I would come and talk to you."
Her response was both kind and playful. "Wow, that's really sweet. You're really cute yourself," she complimented him, punctuating her words with a playful wink that made his heart skip a beat.
"Thanks," Darnell said, a grin spreading across his face. "Well, I was wondering if I could get your number so we could hang out sometime?"
"Of course," she agreed readily, reaching for his phone as they exchanged devices to input their numbers. With a sense of accomplishment, they swapped phones back, their interaction feeling like the beginning of something special.
Just then, Spencer and Jordan appeared at the entrance of the store, their boisterous voices breaking the moment. "Ayo, D! We gotta go!" they called out, their enthusiasm palpable as they gestured for him to wrap up his conversation.
Darnell chuckled softly, bidding y/n a quick farewell as he turned to join his friends. As they walked away, Spencer and Jordan continued to tease and congratulate him, their camaraderie making him feel like he had scored a victory not just for himself, but for their whole crew.
