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His light snores crackled through the speaker, almost enough to make her forget she thought somebody was about to murder her—until voices followed.

“Shit,” she whispered, ending the call. Her thumb hovered over the emergency dial, but before she could even finish scrolling, her door flew open.

“Honey, I’m home!” Noodle’s syrupy voice lit up the room.

Aku damn near dropped her phone. “Bitch! Why the hell you ain’t tell me you was coming home today?!”

“I told you I’d be back in two weeks. It’s been two weeks,” Noodle said like that wasn’t a whole vague-ass statement. She didn’t wait for an invite before climbing into the bed like old times.

Aku clutched her chest, trying to slow her heartbeat. “You got me thinkin’ I was about to die in this hoe alone. I was finna call 911.”

“Girl shut up. And guess what?”

“You better not be pregnant.” Aku sat up straighter, ready to fight. “I swear, if you break the pregnancy pact we made, I will slap the prenatal vitamins out your hand.”

“First, I didn’t agree.” Noodle cackled. “Second, No, but Ahvi might be.”

Before Aku could let the betrayal settle, she was already calling Ahvi to cuss her out. But the phone didn’t even get through one full ring before Ahvi stepped through the door with her pretty brown skin and her signature slick back.

“You pregnant hoe?” Aku barked.

“What?!” Ahvi’s mouth dropped. She threw a glare at Noodle, who was now in a full fit of laughter. “Don’t listen to that red hoe.”

Aku smacked Noodle with a pillow. “Had my pressure up. I was in here still half-sleep thinking about Malik’s lips and now I’m wide awake tryna figure out who betrayed the sisterhood.”

Ahvi shook her head and leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. She wasn’t used to being affectionate with friends or casually laying in their beds like Noodle and Aku. “Excuse the hell outta me. I came to see my favorite girl.” she cheesed.

“You gotta get with the program, Ahvi. Come lay down and catch these cuddles.” Aku patted the spot between them.

“No thank you,” Ahvi wrinkled her nose, laughing under her breath.

“Where my favorite cousin at, anyway?” Aku asked, flipping the covers off like she was about to get up and cause trouble. “I ain’t seen Little Lunar since forever. I need to touch his face and make sure I’m still his fave.”

“He in the living room, running his mouth with Bu, Pimp, and Devonte,” Ahvi announced, that everyone was in the beach house.

“Oh, the whole gang is here. “Damn, everybody’s here? Y’all really threw a whole surprise reunion and didn’t include me?” Aku grinned. She loved when they all got together, moments were filled with laughter and always a good time. “It’s too early for this, but now I’m up.”

“Aku,” Noodle whined, eyes drifting closed again as Aku rubbed her arm.

“I can touch you.” Aku was so affectionate with the people she loved. Her finger would find parts of their skin, reminding them she was there.

Just then, Kamari’s toddler feet slapped down the hallway. “Ma!”

“Mari here too? Ain’t nobody think to send a courtesy text? What if I had a man in here? What if I was gettin’ folded like a pretzel?” Aku said, throwing her arms up. “This feels like an ambush. Is this an intervention?!”

Ahvi scooped Kamari up and kissed his cheek. “Why are you like this?”

Aku opened her mouth to respond but froze. Her eyes locked onto something glittering. Her head tilted. “Wait a damn minute…” She flung the covers completely off, feet hitting the ground as she stormed over. “What’s that on your hand?”

Ahvi turned her body on instinct, trying to shield the ring, but it was too late.

“Aki!” Kamari squealed in his mama’s arms.

“Did Little Lunar’s grown-ass propose to you?” Aku squinted at her hand, reaching for it like a nosy auntie in a nail salon. “Ahvi, are you engaged and didn’t tell me?!”

Ahvi blinked, guilt washing over her face. She avoided Aku’s stare, her silence saying everything her mouth couldn’t.

Aku’s chest tightened, eyes glossing fast. “Damn. Am I really that fucked up that y’all can’t share this kind of joy with me?”

“Aku…” Ahvi whispered.

“I mean—what? I joke a lot but y’all know I love you. You know how I feel about love,” her voice cracked just a little. “I ain’t gonna lie, I be praying for this type of shit…wishing for it. But I’ll never resent y’all for having it before me. Y’all my people.”

She didn’t wait for a response. Instead, she wrapped Ahvi up in a tight hug, burying her face against her best friend’s shoulder while Kamari squirmed in between.

“My girl ‘bout to be a wife,” Aku said, the words breaking free with a choked laugh. “I’m so happy for you. But next time, don’t do me like this. I love you. And you know I love Little Lunar. I want this for the both of y’all.”

Ahvi exhaled, melting into her. “I just didn’t want to?—”

“Nope. Don’t ‘just’ me,” Aku sniffed. “Noodle! Get your fake loyal ass over here too. You supposed to be my best friend, not a secret-keeping op ass hoe wearing red.”

Noodle groaned but climbed out the bed and wrapped her arms around both of them.

“I love, love so much that even if I ain’t receiving it, I’m still gon’ celebrate it,” Aku whispered. “I know my time coming, so please don’t leave me out the wins. Let me cheer for y’all.”

They stayed like that for a few seconds longer, a warm group hug with Kamari flailing in protest.

Then Aku wiped her tears and stood tall.

“Now,” she clapped her hands once. “We gotta celebrate this shit right. I’m talking drinks, lashes, outfits. We going out tonight, and I don’t wanna hear not one excuse. Noodle, wet your hair and let them curls pop. Ahvi, take them mom jeans off—show that juicy booty. It’s up.”

Noodle groaned. “I’m still on honeymoon time.”

“Then bring the glow with you. You bitches been hiding life events and glowing in silence. Let’s be messy and loud about it, tonight. Maybe help the hopeless find some love too.”

Ahvi shook her head, but couldn’t stop smiling. “What would we do without you?”

“Live boring, uneventful, under-celebrated lives,” Aku deadpanned. “Now move. I gotta find something slutty to wear that says Congrats, girl without upstaging the bride and her fiancé.”