Page 84 of Standing In The Sun

“Hoe, you ‘bout to do something nasty. Give me my nephew,” Aku held her hands out. “He the only one that love me anyway.”

Kamari wiggled and whined when Lunar handed him to Aku.

“If you think that, you’re more delusional than I thought,” Noodle laughed when Kamari fell out.

* * *

Treetop was lit and packed from wall to wall with bodies swaying, lights flashing, and bass dropping in thick waves that made the floor feel like it might cave in. It was the newest spot in Jade City, and with summer on its last leg, everybody and their mama was out, holding onto those last wild nights before school started.

Ahvi stood in the middle of it all, letting the music thump through her bones, pretending like she belonged.

If she needed any reason to feel out of place, walking in withTheJacory and her two security guards was enough to push her into the corner to hide from all eyes being on them.

She never really hung out, not without watching the clock or checking her phone every five minutes. Having a father like Ish meant sneaking around was survival, not rebellion. Once Kamari came-- nights like this were impossible, they didn’t even exist in her imagination. Her idea of going out was a folding chair on Sheena’s porch, slapping cards on tables and talking shit with people twice her age or a quiet kickback with Dro and takeout food. That was her version of fun.

So, tonight felt foreign. It felt good, too, but…foreign, nonetheless.

After hitting the mall and taking food to the guys, the girls made it out. Ahvi had been pacing around her room until Lunar pushed an edible in her mouth and kissed her forehead like a blessing for her to go out and have fun.

“Go - have fun. I got our boy,”he promised, voice all soft and commanding.

Now here she was, in the club, surrounded by heat and hormones, trying to relax and not spend the entire night in her own damn head.

“This is just what the fuckin’ doctor ordered!” Aku screamed over the music, her sleek black bob bouncing as she rolled her hips. “There’s some fine shit in here, too!”

“Lord, please don’t let Aku get us in no mess,” Noodle muttered, glancing up at the ceiling.

“Girl, Jackie all in your head with that Bible,” Aku waved her off, mentioning her biological mom that she’d just started rekindling a relationship with.

Ahvi laughed, even though her stomach was doing tiny flips.

Noodle and Aku were crazy as hell together. Noodle was all calm energy and wisdom wrapped in baby hair and gloss. Aku was a wild thing—loud, reckless, and impossible to ignore. And now there was Ahvi… some weird blend of solitude and patient fire. She wasn’t sure what she added to this group yet, but it was real. Their connection…their love – it was all real, and she wasn’t about to question it too much.

Still, her mind was drifting. Always drifting back to Kamari. Was he really sleeping or just giving Lunar hell?

And what if Lunar wasn’t the man she kept thinking he was? What if she said ‘yes’ to LA and it all crumbled and she was left picking up the pieces with her baby on her hip and Ish shaking his damn head like he told her so?

There was so much on her mind that she almost forgot she was in the club and supposed to be mending Aku’s fake broken heart with drinks and ass shaking.

The DJ spun a perfect set of slow jams. Back-to-back bangers, the kind that made you feel grown and sexy. Ahvi leaned back, sipping on her drink, trying to vibe and enjoy her first kid-free night since she was locked up. But even as her hips moved, her thoughts were stuck on Lunar’s voice asking her,“What if you just said yes?”

It scared the hell out of her.

“What’s wrong with you?” Aku bumped her, catching the far-off look in her eyes. “I’m the heartbroken one. Why you lookin’ all sad?” Her gloss was shiny, eyes glistening—either from drink number five or unspoken shit clawing at her chest…probably both.

Ahvi bumped her back. “First of all, you arenotheartbroken. Second, you damn near knocked my ribs loose, hoe.”

Aku’s ears only heard what she wanted. “How you gon’ tell me if I’m heartbroken or not?!”

Ahvi sighed and turned to face her fully, her face sober now. “Because if you were heartbroken, likereallyheartbroken… you wouldn’t even be able to get out the bed. It would feel like somebody put their fist through your chest. You would cry until your body gave out and you would stop eating. You’d feel him like a sickness in your bloodstream.” Her voice dropped, “And Aku…that’s not what this is. Devin didn’t break your heart. He just didn’t become the man you needed him to be. That’s not the same thing.”

Aku’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. That shit hit something she hadn’t said out loud…hadn’t even said to herself. Because truthfully? She wasn’t mourning the man, she was mourning the dream - the picture she painted in her head. She wanted a future - he didn’t.

Noodle slid closer, her eyes flicking between them.

“Noodle, do you think I’m heartbroken?” Aku asked, like the verdict might kill her.

Noodle chewed on her lip for a second, then slowly shook her head.

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