Page 117 of Kentrell

“The dynamics of our friendship,” she said, like it was the simplest thing in the world. “You think just because we’re friends, we all stay in these neat little boxes. Straight. Normal. Predictable. But life ain’t neat, Z. People bend.”

“Iknow, Ayesha,” I said, exhaling hard through my nose. “You’re focused on their sexuality—but I’m more stuck onthem.On who they are to us. But I get it.”

My nostrils flared as I breathed, trying to calm the storm inside me. “I mean... you didn’t feel some type of way when youfirstsaw them?”

I gave her a long, side-eyed look, suspicion etched deep in my face.

Ayesha’s bottom lip tugged between her teeth.

“I wouldn’t say that…” she murmured, like the words were trying to escape without her permission.

“What?” I pressed, frowning. “Shaka!”

The nickname slipped out like instinct—what our granny always called her when she was caught doing something she had no business doing.

Ayesha burst into laughter, no shame, no remorse.

“Youdidn’t!” I gasped, clutching my chest.

She hesitated. Her fingers twisted in her lap like they were trying to tattle on her.

“Well… it wasn’t like it was aregularthing,” she finally admitted, voice barely above a whisper. But the glint in her eyes? Guilty. Giddy. Completely exposed.

My mouth dropped open. I damn near choked.

“It only happened a few times,” she said quickly.

“A few?! How many times is a ‘few’ times?”

I couldn’t even process all this. My cousin?My cousin?!Withthem?!I was mad. I was stunned. But in hindsight... a part of me was lowkey relieved they’d kept it quiet. Had I stumbled acrossthatscene back in high school, younger me might’ve straight passed out.

“Don’t worry about it.” Ayesha pursed her lips with fake innocence, like she didn’t just detonate a grenade in my brain.

“Do you still let her?” I asked, my tone sharper than I meant it to be.

“No!” she snapped, a little too fast.

I gave her a look. The kind that saysgirl, please.

Her burst of laughter gave her away.

“Yeah, right,” I muttered, folding my arms, but I couldn’t keep the smirk from tugging at my lips.

“I don’t do it as much as Stacia,” Ayesha shrugged, unbothered, like she was talking about meal prep or gym days.

“But trust me, cousin—a good munch is hard to come by.”

Her words slid out smooth and unashamed.

And while I couldn’t fully agree, I didn’t exactly disagree either.

I wasn’t experienced when it came to multiple partners. I’d never need to be.

Because Kentrell was enough.

Morethan enough.

He’sthe whole reason I was in this mess.

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