Page 12 of Blake University: HBCU Chronicles – Yon & Imole

The bass was still humming in ’s chest as they stepped into the Mega Phi Psi house. Someone had left the porch light on, and the remnants of the pregame party were still scattered across the living room; red cups, half-eaten wings, and a speaker that hadn’t quite died yet, still mumbling the tail-end of a chopped and screwed playlist.

tossed his jacket on the arm of the couch and dropped into his usual spot. Ace followed, pulling off his custom crimson and gold boots like they personally betrayed him. Porkchop headed straight for the fridge, coming back with three cold waters and tossing one to each of them.

“Bruh,”

Ace said, cracking his knuckles, “not you damn near proposing to that girl on the dance floor tonight.”

Porkchop laughed so hard he wheezed.

“Boy, you was lookin’ at her like you just saw your future and your taxes.”

rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“Y’all stupid.”

“I’m serious, dawg,”

Ace said, leaning forward.

“Usually by now, you’d be ghosting somebody or kicking them out before breakfast, if that. But you... you was dancing. Like full-body, slow jam, soul-touching dancing.”

“Shut up,”

chuckled, shaking his head.

“Y’all act like I ain’t allowed to vibe with somebody.”

“Oh, it was a vibe alright,”

Porkchop said, flopping down beside him.

“That girl had you locked in. You wasn’t even lookin’ around the room like you usually do.”

Ace pointed at him.

“Facts. She had you smiling like a simp.”

“Man, chill,”

said, but he wasn’t mad.

“It’s not even like that.”

“So, what is it like?”

Porkchop asked.

hesitated for a moment, then shrugged.

“She’s just... different. Real. She ain’t in my face for clout or none of that. She’s smart, chill, kinda shy but when she lets it out?”

He whistled low.

“There’s something special about her.”

Ace raised an eyebrow.

“So what, we slowing down now? Getting sentimental? Lighting candles and writing poetry?”

gave him a look.

“Nah, dumbass. I’m just saying, Imole ain’t that type of girl. You don’t just try to hit and dip. You either come correct… or don’t come at all.”

Porkchop let out a dramatic “Oop!”

Ace leaned back, impressed.

“Alright, I see you. Mr. Maturity. Mr. I Got Feelings.”

“Shut up,”

muttered, but he was grinning now.

“Real talk though,”

Ace added, rubbing his chin, “her homegirls weren’t bad, either. Her girl, Lala? That white dress? Whew. She got that natural curve where her ass meets the small of her back. Made Her ass extra plump. I think I’m about to see what’s up. No cap.”

“I knew you was feelin’ her!”

laughed.

“You was posted up by the bar like a security guard.”

“I was being strategic,”

Ace said, adjusting his imaginary tie.

“Can’t just pounce. You gotta approach with confidence and hydration.”

Porkchop nearly choked on his water.

“Man, Stormii had me on the ropes. She threw it back like she was trying to reset my spine.”

Ace howled.

“Not reset your spine!”

“I ain’t even mad,”

Porkchop said proudly.

“I’ma text her tomorrow and ask how her knees feel. That’s called aftercare.”

The room erupted in laughter.

“Yo, did anyone see Gravy? He said he was going to meet us there. Man, that nigga missed a party.”

Ace commented as everyone shook their heads as if to say no one saw him there.

shook his head, leaning back into the couch, the noise of his brothers buzzing around him. But even with the jokes and the chaos, his mind wandered back to Imole. Her laugh. The way she looked at him like she wasn’t impressed by the title, just the man.

She didn’t need to try hard. She just was. Occupying space in his mind like a missing piece of a puzzle. And that alone? That was dangerous. In the best way.

Tree

The sheets were damp with sweat, the air thick with musk and heat. Tree lay on his back in the dim hotel room, one arm slung behind his head, the other lazily twirling a blunt between his fingers. The city buzzed faintly through the cracked-open window, but inside, everything was still.

Almost.

The other body beside him stirred, warm and slow.

Tree exhaled, smoke curling toward the ceiling like a question he didn’t have an answer to.

“Yo… I swear to God, if I gotta hear one more thing about like he’s some kind of fuckin’ legend…”

he muttered.

“I’mma snap.”

The body beside him shifted closer, resting a hand on his chest.

“Mmm. Still bothering you? Maybe you need to find a new hobby.”

Tree scoffed, licking his lips.

“Nah. It’s not even him, it’s the way people act like he perfect. Like he don’t got skeletons, like he some damn role model. He ain’t better than me. Never was.”

The other person was quiet, listening. That’s why Tree liked coming here. No judgment. Just understanding and enough closeness to forget the outside world for a while.

Tree continued.

“He walk around like he untouchable. Got Imole acting like she's royalty now, too.”

I was feeling that girl when she had braces on her teeth. Shawna warned me about her and I warned her about him.… but now it’s personal. Ever since I saw Imole and getting close when she was tutoring him, I knew that nigga would slip and try to get with her. I never pretended to like even when he was dating my cousin. Shawna warned me that he had pull and his family was well connected. But I didn’t give a damn. Shawna just couldn’t stand any girl she saw as a threat, and even though Imole wasn’t a girly girl, her natural beauty outshined most females on campus on any given day and Shawna knew it.

“You see how he looked at me at the step show? Like he had shit figured out. Like I wasn’t even a threat.”

A soft chuckle beside him.

“Maybe because you’re doing too much.”

Tree turned his head sharply.

“I’m doing what needs to be done. People forget what happens when you give a man like that too much power. Somebody gotta remind him who really run this.”

A pause.

“Y’all both frat, what ever happened to brotherhood, unity and all pro-Black shit?”

“That nigga ain’t my brother. He could neva be a PR- Phi Rho!”

Eyes rolled as Tree belted out the loud and obnoxious Frat call.

“I need you to do me a favor.”

Tree turned on his side, looking at the naked silhouette.

Then the other voice, quieter: “You want me to keep watching him?”

Tree smirked.

“I knew I could count on you. Yeah. Keep your eyes on him. And her, too. Imole ain’t innocent in this, she got wrapped around her finger, but I see through her. She’s just another girl that wants to be worshipped. She gon’ learn, though.”

Fingers slid down his chest, soft and deliberate.

“You’re obsessed.”

He chuckled darkly.

“Damn right I am.”

They kissed again; deep, rough, needy. As their bodies tangled once more, Tree whispered against skin: “Let me give you something else to watch tonight.”

The hotel room blurred back into moans and movement, but somewhere in Tree’s head, the plan was already unfolding. And the person beneath him? They weren’t just playing along. They were part of it.