Fake dating the king of the neighborhood certainly had its perks, but what happens when being in a relationship is one of them? Monique Freedman is Harlem church royalty, soloist of the Heavenly Way Choir and the pastor's perfect, pristine daughter. But as time goes on she's starting to get tired of the same routine. She is completely invisible to her long-time crush-the polished head deacon's son. Desperate to get his attention, she breaks out of the box that she's lived in all her life, and she needs the perfect guy to help her do it: Amari Jones. Amari is the undisputed king of the block, heads turn when he enters the scene. But beneath his sharp exterior is a quietly ambitious, architecture-loving guy who has been secretly smitten with Monique since they were kids in Sunday school. Two issues: He doesn't play games, and that would include fake dating. But if her father, Reverend Freedman, saw them together he'd flip a lid. But a summer in Harlem has its own way of changing the rules. When a hesitant deal forces them together, Monique finally gets to see a world beyond the church. She comes to understand the spirit and the culture of the city she calls home, and she does it with Amari by her side. As fake dates and summer block parties melt into late night conversations, Monique realizes that the guy she was never supposed to like was the only guy that was listening all along.

not your typical love story.

☆. ❝𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘?❞ 𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐘𝐀𝐇, 𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐂 𝐖𝐀𝐒 a disaster, chaos within tragedy, wallowing in his feelings every day. Never expressing what he felt, yet he was so angry at everyone for not noticing. Angry at himself for not expressing anything. Angry about the circumstances he was forced into. Then he meets her. Aaliyah, the girl whose eyes sparkled with adoration when he came around. The girl whose actions were never malicious, radiating kindness everywhere she went. When he loses her, he stays quiet, packaging himself into a persona that's easier for people to digest. Until Isaac sees Aaliyah again. Until he has a chance to make things right. Until Isaac gets the person who never once made him feel small or misunderstood. The person whom he thinks he could be with for 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲.

When it's smoke, we get to spinnin' while the sun out I ain't never lackin', I pump gas with my gun out

"𝐈 𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐆𝐎 𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 , 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐎 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐅𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐘"

Siri, play You Da One by Rihanna... Something about him feels like a warning- and a promise. A Chicago Love Story

and i don't need you hanging out wit bitches that you better then