Detroit has always been the type of city that carries its own unique name with pride. Full of nonstop hustlers who move with dignity, each chasing their own dream. Trevon Gardner is one of them: a rapper finally gaining real attention, trying to turn his talent into the life he's been chasing forever. Xamira Evans is a gifted cosmetologist with her own blueprint, living life to the fullest. Their worlds don't usually collide...until one unexpected moment changes everything. Now they have to face the consequences. Will it bring them together, or tear them apart?

"It's only you fa' me, I swear."

𝑅𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟, 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑦, 𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑎 𝐼 𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑛, 𝑀𝑎𝑚𝑎 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑙𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑦 𝑡𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑚𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒'𝑑 𝑏𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑖𝑡 𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠, 𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑧𝑦 ℎ𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑠

"You want tater tots, I'm finna make some." Kamaria rubbed her stomach feeling hungry. "Why you say it like that?" "Say what, like how?" She questioned, raising her eye brows in confusion since she hadn't said anything out of the ordinary. "You say Ta-ter like Tay-Tah. Like Tayta." He kept his eyes trained on her, not missing how the corners of her mouth twitched trying not to smile. "Imma call you that now." He declared with a shrug. "Uhh no you ain't, and you could've just said you ain't want none." She shut it down waving him off. "Okay...Tayta." He smirked. --- Ever since a small child, Kamaria had always been the feisty middle child bringing life to every situation with her vibrant ways. She never took mess from any one, and was big on defending herself. Toting a big heart, she always saw the good in people, which had to be her best and worst trait wrapped in one. Known for her spirited ways, her life is turned upside down when one deadly night occurs. Changing her life for the worst. Samir was always the outgoing friend of his group. Known for his unapologetic attitude, he never had to feel like an outsider with his two bestfriends. Although the life of the party, Samir struggles to be contempt with living a normal teenage life, always finding himself in the middle of troubling situations. It wasn't until one fatal evening that changed his view on life, forever. Fast forward years later, brilliant and ambitious Kamaria finds herself struggling with her academic life as the trauma she has endured takes a toll on her every day life. Focused on securing her future life throws her in for another loop when the past she had been avoiding shows up with a bright smile on his face, crashing full force into her life. Being back in the presence of one another their worlds collide in a whirlwind of emotions and an undeniable connection between the two of them. Started; October 20th 2023 Published; October 22nd 2023 Finished; February 29th 2024

𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻 noun : a state of extreme joy. she was in 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 ever since she met him.

𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦..

Damn, college really is the best part of yo life. Especially at an HBCU.

"𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.. 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘀, 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘀" © -𝙼𝙾𝙽𝙴𝚈𝙲𝙷𝙰𝚂𝙴𝚁 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝙳𝚄𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐒 ✍︎︎

"You just don't look....safe." Essence said while sipping her drink. "Naw, I only ain't safe for the niggas that hate me." "But for you, I'll be real cautious..."

"Do you think we're soul mates?" She asked, lifting her head in order to lock eyes with him. It took him a moment, mustering up his answer. Thinking about how they were so alike, but so different. How they had been through similar things and had the same outlooks on certain perspectives in life. The connection that they shared. It was like she was made specifically for him. No one would ever be able to hold a candle to her and the way she made him feel. She was his person, and he was hers. "To be honest...yeah." He replied, wrapping his arm around her. --- Knucks is a misunderstood teenage girl, deemed as destructive to the society with her reoccurring outbursts and rebellious behavior. Anger fuels her defiant spirit but beneath her exterior, lies a vulnerable girl searching high and low for someone to help her through a time of crisis. Bones quiet and reserved, has nothing but a hard exterior looking from the outside in, when in reality he is just an innocent boy. He's fighting to keep his head above the water also known as life, that is trying its hardest to submerge and break him down mentally. When the two teenagers find themselves in an environment far away from home with others just like them, it leaves both of them separately hopeless about the outcomes of their future lives. One night upon meeting each other, one felt as if they had nothing to live for anymore, while the other felt the same way only holding a different meaning a sense.The night bringing them closer than ever eventually has to come to an end. It's up to the two of them to carry out the strange but alluring connection made with each other, or leave it in the night they met. SLOW BURN; 2 books in 1 STARTED; FEB 19th 2024 PUBLISHED; MARCH 3rd 2024 FINISHED; SEPTEMBER 29th, 2024