Page 18 of Tangled Hearts

Noir plopped down on the couch and filled her friend in on everything that had happened between her and Christian over the last few days.

The way she swooned when she said his name was all the confirmation Knycole needed to know that her friend was in deep lust. Noir had never been a hopeless romantic, but somehow, Christian was changing that.

She just prayed he didn’t break her heart.

“Since y’all in here talking about niggas and shit, I’m about to go make this drop.” Hov grabbed one of the packaged duffle bags.

“I’m about to go with you.” Knycole popped up ready to go.

His amber-colored eyes shot her down, halting her in her steps. “What I tell your hardheaded ass? When I feel like you’re ready, I’ll let you roll with me. Until then, stay your ass here and lock the fucking door.”

Standing as still as a mannequin, Noir’s eyes bounced from Knycole to Hov waiting for her smart mouth ass to say something else slick that would get him all riled up. On the streets, he was feared, but with them two, he was weak as hell, and both girls knew it.

Knycole kissed her teeth. “Nigga, you ain’t my daddy, and you sholl ain’t the nigga that’s putting dick in me, so miss me with all that rah-rah shit.

I’ll let you do your thing without me this time because I need to catch up with my hoe ass friend.

But trust and believe the next go ‘round, I will be riding shotgun like that gun on your waist.”

“Trust, I know I ain’t the nigga dropping dick in you ’cause if I was, you’d obey.” He trekked over to the door. “Y’all be easy and lock this damn door,” he threw over his shoulders.

“Biiiiiiiitch…” Noir drug out with her head cocked to the side. “What the hell y’all got going on over here?”

Waving her off, Knycole went back into the small kitchen to clean up her mess. “Girl, I’m nothing like you, so ain’t shit going on between us. You know how he is. I’m still trying to get him to pass the phone to me when Rock calls.”

“If you say so. Anyways, I’m staying over here tonight because Christian is taking me out on a date.” Noir twirled her finger into a loose curl that didn’t seem to want to fit into the high puff ponytail she was donning.

“Un-uh, you ain’t ’bout to have Nakorea going upside my head,” Knycole teased.

“You know she trust you with my life and won’t pop up over here to make sure everything is everything. So, you gonna flat iron my hair for me?”

“I knew your ass only came over here to use me.” Knycole fake pouted.

Sassily, Noir crossed one leg over the other. “You know I gotta get it how I live.”

Knycole laughed before splashing water on her.

It always felt good when her friend came over.

It temporarily took her mind off her fucked up situation.

But regardless of the hand she’d been dealt, she was certain things were about to change for her for the better.

Nick was still in rehab, and money was about to be coming in abundantly.

Or so she hoped. Once she was finished cleaning up her mess, she grabbed everything she would need to do Noir’s hair while they talked about everything from music to the local gossip.

Nothing was missed while they caught up as if their time apart was longer than three days.

“All this damn hair, girl.” Knycole sighed as she wrapped up Noir’s hair.

“I know but thank you for the slay you’re about to bless me with. I’m about to walk out this house looking bad as hell.”

“Looking like a bag of money,” Knycole hyped, slapping her on the ass. “Let me take a nap before Hov bring his slave master ass in here ready for me to cook something else up.”

Noir bit her bottom lip nervously. “So, you sure you ain’t feeling him?”

“I’m positive,” she half-lied. At this point, she wasn’t sure what she was feeling, and she was well aware of her need to love and be loved. It was a gift and a curse.

“Okay, but you know you can tell me anything, right? Plus, the whole hood always joked that he was more of your man than Rock was. Hov would take a nigga or a bitch down when it came to his Knyc.” Noir grinned.

Knycole only shook her head because she was well aware of what people said.

She also knew that people didn’t get the side of Rock that she got.

He had always been good to her, even if he was heavily flawed.

Because of that alone, whatever feelings she thought she had for Hov would be just that: a feeling .

“Well, thank you again. I’m about to go in the bathroom to get ready. Christian said he’d be here at five,” Noir announced, grabbing her bag before going into the bathroom.

Flopping down on the couch, Knycole wished someone was taking her out on a date.

Life was already starting to become stressful, which added to her desire for a nice night out with a boy.

With Rock, they went places, but it was mostly just hood eateries or a house party.

Just thinking about the tacky dates he’d take her on, a wild smile danced across her face.

She missed him crazy but was thankful to still have Hov and Noir to help her get through life.

At night, while Hov slept, she found herself whimpering hoping no one heard her.

She was worn out mentally and physically—something someone her age shouldn’t be feeling so soon.

That was one thing about her, she hated to feel pity from others.

Knycole didn’t want nor need the world to remind her of the shitty ass hand she’d been dealt.

When it came to her appetite for love, she still wanted it to be authentic.

And since she’d been deprived of authentic, unconditional love, she was starving.

The thought alone made her wrap her arms around herself and squeeze.

“Woo!” Noir emerged from the bathroom with her medium-length hair all over her head. “Y’all water get hot as hell. You ready?”

“Girl, you didn’t say you was going to wash your hair and shit… and you want me to do something to that in record time? Bring your bald head ass on,” Knycole fussed, rolling her eyes.

Noir snickered because she knew she omitted a few details when she asked her to comb her hair. “Don’t you want me to look pretty for my new lil’ boo?” Her lip poked out.

Knycole snatched her head back while Noir sat on the floor between her legs. “I guess, but what’s up with Paul? How he feel about you going out with his boss?”

“I don’t care what he feels. Last I checked, I was single and ready to mingle. Plus, you know I don’t love these niggas.” Noir wagged her tongue while twerking on the floor.

Knyc’s eyes rolled to the sky. “You better be still before I change my mind. And where y’all going?”

With a shrug of her shoulders, Noir texted Paul, who was texting her about being in Christian’s face. “And speaking of the devil. Paul is hitting me up now wondering what I got going on with Christian.”

“And what you say?

“That it’s none of his business. I don’t understand why these niggas don’t understand that I’m going to do what I want, when I want, how I want, with who the fuck I want.”

“Period!” Knycole slapped hands with her.

“But we know your ass is in love with the thought of love,” Noir threw out.

Knycole kissed her teeth but decided against saying anything because it was the truth.

She didn’t want to have a plethora of men.

She wanted one solid ass nigga that would always put her and her feelings first. If that made her soft, then she would wear the title proudly.

Unlike Noir, she didn’t have parents who loved her enough that she didn’t have to look elsewhere.

Noir could feel her friend’s mood change and mentally beat herself up for saying too much at the wrong time. She wasn’t insensitive; she just couldn’t relate and often put her foot in her mouth with what she said. This was no different, and Knycole wouldn’t hold it against her.

A bright idea came to Noir’s mind. “Ooh, bitch. Maybe I can get Christian to bring a friend, and you can come with us. It could be a double date.” She spun around, her eyes piercing through Knycole.

“Hell no,” Knycole declined immediately. “I ain’t trying to be nobody’s charity case.

“You wouldn’t be. Do you know how many of these niggas are itching for the chance to just smell the jam between your funky ass toes? Girl you better open those pretty ass eyes of yours and see what I see.” Noir stared at her.

Knycole thought about what Noir was proposing. It would be nice to get out the house and be a carefree teen, even if it was only one night. “If I say yes, you better tell him to bring a good-looking friend ’cause, I ain’t with the bullshit.”

Noir squealed and started texting away on her phone while Knycole continued to blow dry and flat iron her hair.

She was so excited to finally be going out on a double date with her best friend in the whole wide world.

If she was being honest, Knycole was more than just a friend.

She was her sister, and she wanted to put a smile on her face.

She deserved it, and as long as Noir had breath in her body, she was going to try to do just that.

I hope I don’t regret this , Knycole thought, thinking about what she was going to wear.

After a few hours, Noir was ready and growing impatient with Knycole, who was second guessing her decision to go out with some stranger that probably only wanted one thing from her. Especially if he thought she was anything like Noir.

“I don’t know why I let you talk me into this. I ain’t going!”

Kissing her teeth, Noir sat her phone down and walked up behind Knycole, who was in the mirror. “First off, I can’t talk your hardheaded ass into anything. Secondly, put your shoes on and let’s go. I know why you acting like this—you still worried about Rock’s ass.”

She was right. Knycole thought about what he would think if he knew she was out bopping with another man. Even though he was clearly done with her, she wasn’t willing to admit it.

“Girl bye.” She waved her off.