Sometimes life gets weird. You lose hope, then you'll fall down, but then you'll get back up again. Sage did. So hang in there; it gets better, with time. A short story.

©2023 GIGIRUDE 𝓣hrough Struggles And Lies, A True Blind Young Love Continues. A Harlem Ghetto 90s Love Story Where A Young Innocent Sweet Soul, Jade Jackson Meets A Troubled Street Man, Juan Collins. The Complete Opposite From Each Other, His Harley To Her Joker. FIRST SERIE BOOK - PRESENTING; "𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐂"

"I wanted to give him a million reasons to live, even if none of those reasons somehow involved me..." X has led a life full of tragedies and set backs he carries scars and wounds so deep in his heart that love, life, and trust have no meaning. He's always searching for some sort of meaning in his everyday life, aching to fill the void. To calm the voice's in his head. And one day he discovers that what he needs in his life is innocence. And it comes in a form of a girl with a bright smile, pure heart, and shy soul. Her purity, her innocence captivate and make even the most impossible possible. X begins to form a bond, a bond that is tied by fate but the tragedy that shadows over them makes even the brightest fade. (Fair warning: This story just might make you cry)

The body never lies...

"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

𝘪 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘴, 𝘪𝘮 𝘢 𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘯 [𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝟤/𝟤 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗋𝖾𝖾𝗍 𝖺𝖿𝖿𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖽𝗎𝗈𝗅𝗈𝗀𝗒] cover by @backenddoll 𝙖 𝙭𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙗𝙖𝙧𝙗𝙞𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Nour Delour doesn't chase men. She crafts them. Shapes their desire with oils, honey, blood, and flame. In her Harlem candle boutique, every scent has a spell, every wick a whisper of old Southern rootwork passed down from women who knew how to make love feel like a fever. So when Rajah Thomas--the ex who ghosted her, walks by her shop window with his new girl on his arm, Nour doesn't cry. She gets even. She carves his name into wax, mixes it with her own essence, then lights the candle her grandmother warned her never to use: the 𝗪𝗮𝘅 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁. It doesn't just draw Rajah back--it 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘴 him. And this time, he returns with wet eyes, trembling hands, and a craving he can't explain. He's starving for her aroma, her skin, her darkness. He says her name like a prayer. Cries when she lets him taste her. Tells her he'll never leave again. But obsession has a cost, and magic always demands balance. As the flame burns lower, Rajah unravels. He starts sleeping outside her door. Sobbing when she doesn't answer. Losing jobs, friends, time. As for Nour? She's not untouched. She's sweating through her sheets. Moaning his name in her sleep. Bleeding from places that shouldn't bleed. The spell has tethered them by more than lust--it's welded their souls into something unnatural, and if she tries to break it, 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩. Still, there's a part of her--the part that wanted this--that isn't ready to let go. Because this love? It's not soft. It's not safe. It's 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝘆. 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐒𝐔𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐄. @GLOSSNEILES ON THE COVER ART.

"All Of Sudden Your Whole Life Changed And Life Finally Gives You Something Back."

"𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘵𝘢, 𝘴𝘰 𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘳." 𝖠𝖯𝖱𝖨𝖫 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟥 － 𝖠𝖴𝖦𝖴𝖲𝖳 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟥

"𝘛𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮."