"Mani, you really my peace." ❀*̥˚───❀*̥˚ Imani don't do rappers. Not when attention come before intention, and every smile hide a secret. But when a late night studio session her best friend forces her to go to, puts her in the path of Messiah James, a rising star with a quiet demeanor and a dangerous smile? She starts breakin' all her own rules. Cause sometimes, the one you run from is the one sent to heal you. And ain't nothin' louder than a man who love quiet and choose you soft. She swore she wouldn't fall. He say she ain't gotta, cause she already his.

A talented boy from the roughest part of town earns a scholarship to a prestigious, predominantly white high school, where he's thrust into a world of privilege, pressure, and cultural clashes. Paired with the no-nonsense "boogie" black girl for a school project, he's initially put off by her sharp wit and unapologetic confidence. But as they work together, he discovers there's more to her than meets the eye-her passion for life, fierce independence, and determination to break free from expectations even when her adoptive parents are morbidly controlling and mentally abusive. Over time, their unlikely bond blossoms into an undeniable romance, and with her by his side, he finds the strength to confront the challenges of balancing two worlds, all while striving to fulfill his basketball dreams. But it's not just his game that gets a makeover-his perspective on life, love, and self-worth is completely transformed.

❛𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆?❜ he asked, voice low like it wasn't meant for nobody but her. 𝒛𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐡 didn't speak, just tilted her head a little and stepped in close. she traced one of the tattoos on his arm, finger light like a whisper...when she finally looked up, slow and lazy, doe eyes glinting beneath her lashes--she kissed the corner of his mouth. once, twice--then pulled back. 𝒐𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢 smirked. ❛𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒔𝒐.❜ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ She doesn't speak-not out loud, not anymore. Zariah Hart's been quiet since the night she lost everything, and moving to The Palisade at Skyview Apartments was supposed to give her a fresh start. No expectations. No questions. Just peace. But peace gets complicated when a man like Omarion Jordan starts showing up in it. He's nothing like she expected. Tatted, quiet, with eyes that read people better than they speak. A mechanic with a past he doesn't explain-and a presence that says more than his mouth does. He doesn't ask about her silence. She doesn't flinch at his reputation. Somehow, that's enough. What starts as simple glances turns into shared space. What feels like comfort turns to something neither of them planned for. But Atlanta doesn't forget what people try to bury. And sometimes, the loudest truth is the one you never say out loud. 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐃: 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐄 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓