SARIYAH MARTIN North Carolina

Kaelix lay stretched out on the floor, his jacket folded into a makeshift pillow and his body half-covered by a thin blanket. The quiet hum of the early morning filled the room as sunlight began to peek through the blinds.

Sariyah stirred in the bed, her eyes slowly blinking open. The unfamiliar sight of the small, cozy room brought her back to reality. For a brief second, she forgot where she was. Then she heard the faint sound of Kaelix's steady breathing.

She glanced down, finding him sprawled out on the floor beside her. He looked uncomfortable, his long legs sticking out from beneath the blanket.

"Stubborn niggas ," she mumbled under her breath, shaking her head slightly.

The smell of breakfast coaxed Sariyah out of the room and down the hallway. In the kitchen, Malik was already at the table, tapping away on his phone. Dede sat across from him, her tiny hands gripping a sippy cup.

Morning," Malik said, not looking up from his phone.

"Morning," Sariyah replied as she grabbed a cup of orange juice.

She sat down across from Malik, who finally glanced up, giving her a curious look.

"So you was really staying with Kaelix?" he asked, leaning back in his chair. Sariyah stopped in her tracks for a moment. It the top of the morning and here Malik was being nosey.

Sariyah raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, why?"

Malik smirked, his gaze flicking toward the hallway. "Just seems... different. He don't usually bring people around."

Sariyah took a sip of her orange juice. "You must got him whipped fr" he said causing her to laugh.

"We are just— what friends? Yeah we know" he cut her off making her almost spit her orange juice out because of her laughter.

Before Sariyah could respond, the back door creaked open. Trey stepped inside, carrying a toolbox.

"Trey, you're back early," Kaelix's mom said, bustling into the kitchen.

"Yeah, finished up sooner than I thought," Trey muttered, setting the toolbox down with a thud. His eyes flicked to Malik briefly before settling on Dede, who was waving a piece of bacon at him.

"Hey, princess," Trey said, his tone softening as he ruffled Dede's curls.

Malik shot him a look but stayed quiet, his phone now forgotten on the table.

Trey didn't spare Malik a second glance, instead grabbing a cup of coffee and leaning against the counter. His gaze eventually landed on Sariyah, who met his stare without flinching.

"And you are?" he asked, his tone flat.

"This is Sariyah," Kaelix's mom interjected quickly. "She's a friend of Kaelix."

"Kaelix is here? For what?" He muttered his tone now cold.

"His visiting baby. And we are all hoping he is gonna stay" She said.

Trey kept a gaze on her, one that didn't make Sariyah feel uncomfortable but more suspicious than anything.

Kaelix stepped into the kitchen a few minutes later, pulling a hoodie over his head. He froze when he saw Trey, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Didn't know you were back," Trey said, his voice casual but edged with something unspoken.

"Yeah, well, here I am," Kaelix replied, moving to pour himself some coffee.

"You plan on staying long?" Trey asked, crossing his arms.

Kaelix's jaw tightened, but he kept his voice even. "What's it to you?"

Trey chuckled, shaking his head. "Just asking. Don't need you bringing no extra drama around here."

"Don't worry about me, I'm good" Kaelix shot back, his tone clipped.

Sariyah watched the exchange quietly, sensing the tension thickening between them.

Kaelix's mom cut in, her tone sharp. "Alright, enough. Kaelix, get yourself a plate. Trey, don't start anything this early in the morning."

Trey shrugged, turning his attention back to Dede. "You finish your breakfast, princess?"

Dede nodded, grinning. "Yep!"

Trey smiled, but the moment felt jarring—his warmth toward Dede clashing with the indifference he showed everyone else.

Malik leaned toward Kaelix as Trey left the room, his voice low. "I cant stand that nigga."

Kaelix glanced at him. "Yeah? Why?"

Malik shrugged, but his expression hardened. "Just don't like the way he acts like he owns the place. He only cares about Ma and Dede. Ion think he ever even asks me how I'm doing."

Kaelix frowned, but he didn't say anything, his gaze lingering on Trey's empty coffee cup.

Later that afternoon, Kaelix stood on the back porch, his hands gripping the wooden railing as he stared out at the overgrown yard. The faint sound of a basketball bouncing in the driveway reached his ears—Malik, shooting hoops alone.

Sariyah stepped outside, closing the screen door behind her. She had changed into a simple tank top and shorts, her braids tied back. She leaned against the railing beside him, her shoulder brushing his arm briefly.

"You been quiet all day. Whats wrong?" she said, tilting her head to look at him.

Kaelix shrugged, his gaze still fixed on the yard. "Ain't much to say."

Sariyah smirked faintly. "That's a lie. You got a lot on your mind. I can tell."

Kaelix glanced at her, his expression softening slightly. "What, you a mind reader now?"

"Don't have to be,not with that mega mind you got" she said, crossing her arms with a hidden laugh and smile.

He shook his head at the lame joke she had made before his face turned serious.

Kaelix didn't respond right away. He let out a slow breath, leaning back against the railing. "It's weird being back here. With them"

"Because of Trey?"

Kaelix shook his head. "Not just him. It's... everything. Feels like I don't fit here no more."

Sariyah studied him for a moment, her eyes flicking over his tense posture. "You think they're better off without you?"

Kaelix hesitated, his jaw tightening. "I don't know. Ma seems happy now. She got Trey. Malik's holding it down."

"And you think that's enough?" she asked softly.

He didn't answer.

That evening, Kaelix walked into the living room to find Trey sitting on the couch, flipping through the channels. A beer sat on the coffee table in front of him, half-empty.

Trey didn't look up as Kaelix entered, but the tension in the room was immediate.

"Yo, Malik!" Trey called out, his voice carrying through the house. "Where's the remote for this damn TV?"

Kaelix crossed his arms, leaning against the doorway. "You could just get up and change it."

Trey turned his head slowly, his eyes narrowing at Kaelix. "What you say?"

"I said, you could get up," Kaelix repeated, his tone flat.

Trey let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Man, you been here one day, and you already tryna run shit."

Kaelix pushed off the doorway, stepping closer. "I ain't trying to run nothing. Just saying you don't gotta be yelling at Malik for no reason."

Before Trey could respond, Kaelix's mom walked in, holding a basket of laundry. She immediately sensed the tension, her eyes darting between the two men.

"Kaelix, leave Trey alone," she said, her tone firm. "Trey, stop yelling. Malik's probably in his room."

Kaelix's jaw tightened, but he nodded, stepping back. This was his house and he had nowhere to go. He couldn't step up to him anyways.

Trey smirked, picking up his beer. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

Later that night, the house was quiet. Sariyah lay on the bed, scrolling aimlessly through her phone. Kaelix was in the connected bathroom of their room getting ready for bed.

"Did you know your mom asked me to go grocery shopping with her on Friday? I think she's warming up to me." Sariyah smiled.

"Yeah that or she wants to talk to you without anyone around" Kaelix laughed "you just had to ruin it huh?" She gave him a serious look.

Kaelix chuckled softly as he stepped out of the bathroom, a damp towel slung over his shoulder. He glanced at her on the bed, her legs tucked beneath her and her phone still in her hand.

"I ain't ruin nothing. Just saying, My ma sneaky like that," he said, tossing the towel onto a nearby chair.

Sariyah rolled her eyes, setting her phone down on the nightstand. "Well, if she starts interrogating me, I'm blaming you."

Kaelix smirked, pulling the thin blanket off the floor. "She won't. She might not like you yet, but she don't hate you."

"Yet?" Sariyah arched a brow.

Kaelix shrugged, a faint grin tugging at his lips. "You gotta earn that stamp of approval. Malik ain't lying when he says she don't trust people around her kids."

Sariyah leaned back against the pillows, watching him spread the blanket on the floor. His movements were deliberate, careful, like he was trying not to take up more space than he felt he was allowed.

"You know," she said after a moment, her tone quieter, "you don't have to sleep down there every night."

Kaelix glanced up at her, his brow furrowing. "What you mean?"

She hesitated, her fingers brushing over the edge of the blanket covering the bed. "I mean, it's not like we're strangers anymore."

Kaelix studied her for a moment, unsure where she was going with this.

"You've been sleeping on the floor out of respect or whatever," Sariyah continued, her voice soft but steady. "But if you want, you can sleep up here tonight. It's not a big deal."

Kaelix's lips parted slightly, but no words came out. He just stared at her, his eyes searching hers for something—confirmation, maybe, or permission to close the space between them.

"You sure?" he asked finally, his voice low.

She gave a small shrug, though there was a flicker of something more vulnerable in her expression. "Yeah, I'm sure. It's up to you"

Kaelix nodded slowly, standing up. He grabbed the pillow off the floor and hesitated for a brief second before moving toward the bed.

He laid down carefully, keeping to his side of the mattress. The bed creaked under his weight, and for a moment, neither of them moved.

"You good?" Sariyah asked, her voice breaking the silence.

"Yeah," Kaelix replied, turning his head slightly to glance at her. "You?"

She smiled faintly, pulling the blanket up over her shoulder. "I'm good."

The room fell quiet again, but it wasn't the kind of silence that felt awkward or heavy. Instead, it felt... easy. Like the space between them was shrinking, even if neither of them was ready to admit it.

Kaelix turned onto his side, his arm resting just inches from hers. "Hey," he said softly.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you"

Sariyah tilted her head toward him, her gaze meeting his in the dim light. "For what?"

"For making this feel... normal. Me and you feel like the only real thing right now" he murmured trying to sound as nonchalant as he could.

She didn't respond right away. Instead, she gave him a small smile, her voice barely above a whisper. "Goodnight, Kaelix."

"Goodnight, Sariyah."

And for the first time in a long while, they both slept soundly.

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CHECK INNNN thoughts on the characters so far?? Sariyah? Kaelix? Their dynamic?