23 parts Ongoing MatureEighteen-year-old Malik Carter has always felt out of place in his rough Newark neighborhood. A talented artist with dreams of escaping to a world bigger than the one he's trapped in, he finds solace in sketching portraits of the people around him-especially his girlfriend, Jada Ellis.
But when Malik meets Devin Tate, Jada's charismatic and mysterious stepfather, he feels something he's never felt before-a magnetic pull that shakes him to his core. Devin, a former musician turned community activist, carries an air of wisdom, strength, and a past that Malik can't help but want to unravel. Their connection begins with stolen glances and deep conversations about art, music, and escaping cycles of struggle.
As Malik spends more time at Jada's house, his growing attraction to Devin becomes impossible to ignore. He knows it's wrong-Devin is married, Jada trusts him, and their world wouldn't understand-but the heart doesn't follow rules. When a chance encounter turns into a moment of passion, Malik is left grappling with guilt, desire, and the weight of a love that could ruin everything.
Caught between his feelings for Jada, his forbidden love for Devin, and the dangers of living his truth in a place that won't accept it, Malik must decide-will he risk everything for the love he's always craved, or will he bury his desires to protect the people he cares about?