Page 19 of Tangled Hearts

“How about this? If you start to feel uncomfortable, we’ll leave.” Noir looked at her with pleading eyes. She was feeling Christian and wanted to spend some time with him.

Knycole took a deep sigh and agreed. “Okay, hoe. What time they coming?”

“They’re already downstairs. Let’s go ’cause they’ve been waiting for a lil’ minute,” Noir told her.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Bitch, you was having a whole meltdown. I was letting your crazy ass sit in that for a little,” Noir said honestly. She knew her friend needed to do that sometimes before she stepped in and helped out. It was how they operated.

Without any more words being said, Knycole wrapped her arms around Noir. “You’re the best hoe friend a girl could ask for.”

Noir pushed her away. “And this is the thanks I get.”

They laughed before turning all the lights off and walking out the door.

“Are we riding together, or is his friend driving his own car?” Knyc asked while they walked down the steps.

“I think his friend is driving his own car, but he’s going to meet us there. Christian said something about buddy having to change his clothes or something,” Noir responded.

That was okay with Knycole. She’d prefer to ride in the car with her friend anyway.

Since Christian was a little older than them, she figured his friend would be too, and that made her nervous.

She was far from innocent, but she’d never dealt with anyone his age, and that made her slightly uncomfortable.

Being from the hood, she’d seen the young girl, older man story play out more than a few times, and it never ended well.

She also prayed that her friend didn’t end up on the wrong side of the story.

Noir was all about a dollar, and since the older dudes were the ones with it, she knew it was only a matter of time before she found herself caught up.

“Damn.” Christian’s eyes ran up and down Noir’s thick frame.

Noir spun around giving him a full view of her. She wanted to display every curve she had, so she wore a fitted red dress with a pair of crisp white air force ones. She looked sexy and sporty while her tresses swung across her shoulders. “You like what you see, daddy?”

Knyc choked on her spit trying to contain her laughter.

“Keep talking like that, and I might wife your fine ass up,” Christian said, wrapping his tawny-colored arms around her body. She wasn’t short, but he still stood over her. She giggled while in his arms. “What’s up Knycole?”

“Hey.” Knycole waved, already feeling like the third wheel. Her eyes roamed around, not knowing where to look without looking crazy.

“You ready?” Noir asked while he still had his arms around her. He smelled so good to her and being in his presence made her feel like she was out of her league.

“Hell yea. Let’s roll.” He directed them to get in while he went to the driver’s side.

Inside the car, Knycole looked around, afraid of touching anything. He was in a Benz, and she felt out of place. Never had she been close to something so luxurious. “This is nice,” she said out loud.

“Thanks. This my newest one, and this bitch is bad,” Christian bragged, but not in a bad way. He was used to nice things since his empire was once his father’s. He had the privilege of growing up with materialistic items.

“When you gon’ let me spin it ’round the corner?” Noir asked to make small talk.

He shrugged. “Whenever you want to.” Usually he would decline such a request, but for one reason or another, he liked her.

Knycole grinned from the back. Maybe he isn’t so bad , she thought. Maybe she had him all wrong. Only time would tell.

They pulled up to a nice restaurant that didn’t look too fancy but very different from what Knycole was used too. Her nerves started to get the best of her as her stomach rumbled and started to ache. Bubble guts were threatening to ruin her blind date.

“You okay?” Noir asked, knowing how her friend got.

Knycole nodded.

“Come on. My boy is already in here waiting,” Christian said with a smirk on his face.

Knycole had no idea what the smirk was for, but she brushed it off and followed the cute couple.

On the inside, the restaurant was nicely decorated doing just as much justice as the outside.

The scent of the sizzling food engulfed her senses, reminding her that she was hungry and had the bubble guts.

Two things that didn’t mix. She was so caught up in trying to calm her stomach, she wasn’t paying any attention to Noir, who was trying to get her attention.

“Knycole.” Noir growled under her breath, jabbing her elbow into her friend’s side.

“Ouch! What?” Knycole finally looked at Noir, then at the boy standing in front of her. The same sensation from earlier ran wild in her belly, except this time it was butterflies.

“Sup, Knyc?” Hov grinned, looking just as nervous as she did.

He checked out her outfit and nodded in approval.

The bell bottom flare jeans hugged her thick thighs before covering her whole foot.

Knycole’s feet were tiny and looked invisible under the wide jeans.

Her nice sized breasts sat perfectly under the Tupac graphic tee that she tied up in the perfect spot, showing just enough skin.

Without warning, she wrapped her arms around him whispering for only him to hear. “I’m glad you’re not some creep that I was going to have to call you about.”

“And I was going to air this bitch out. Why didn’t you tell me you wanted to get out the house?” Hov asked, still whispering in her ear.

Noir watched the two of them engulfed in one another as if they were the only two in the room. She knew there had always been chemistry between them, but they’d never been in a romantic setting before.

Knycole shrugged. “It’s not your responsibility to take me out. It was Rock’s,” she stated matter-of-factly.

He couldn’t explain it, but her words hurt his feelings a little, so he pulled back from her. “Come on and sit down. These white people already look scared.”

Knycole nodded and sat down in the chair he’d pulled out for her. He’d always done stuff like that for her and Noir. Hov wasn’t taught much of anything, but for one reason or another, when it came to the women he loved, he was a gentle giant.

“Glad you could make it. I figured you wouldn’t want Knycole out with any of the dog ass niggas I have as friends.” Christian chuckled as he dapped Hov up.

Not wanting Knycole to read too much into what Christian just said, he decided to change the subject. “What kind of food they serve here?”

Noir was hip to what her longtime friend was trying to do and played along. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Y’all know I’m picky as hell and don’t eat a lot of stuff.”

“I like to try new things,” Knycole chimed in. Not knowing when your next meal was coming, you learned to like just about anything.

Christian scratched the back of his head, bringing attention to the tsunami formed by his waves. “I ain’t never ate here,” he confessed.

Hov clutched his stomach laughing. “So, you was trying to impress Noir’s ghetto ass?”

Knycole tried her hardest not to laugh as well.

“Nigga, I’m far from ghetto.” Noir threw her napkin at him, rolling her neck.

Christian gripped her thigh. “I like ghetto,” he said with a lusty smirk on his face.

She kissed her teeth trying not to let him see her blush.

“Then you’re with the right girl,” Knycole mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear her and laugh.

The four of them looked over the menu asking the waitress a thousand questions about what was what. Since Knycole liked all food, Hov told her to get whatever she thought she wanted, even if she wasn’t sure she’d like it. He knew the struggle, and like her, he liked to try different foods.

“Just give me some chicken tenders,” Noir told the waitress, not caring about the look she gave her.

“We only have chicken tenders on the kids’ menu. Is that what you want?” she asked snidely.

Christian looked at her like she was crazy. “Ain’t that what the fuck she just said? I don’t give a fuck what menu it’s on. Bring her that but in adult size,” he snapped.

Hov smirked because he was only seconds away from checking her pale ass. Again, when it came to Noir and Knyc, he didn’t play the radio.

Noir blushed like a schoolgirl, not expecting him to take up for her.

She thought he would’ve been turned off by her simple food choice.

Christian was wanted and desired by women and girls from all walks of life.

She was certain he’d been with a few bad bougie bitches.

Maybe he had, but he didn’t make her feel like he was out of her league.

“So, I’ve been thinking about dropping out of school,” Knycole blurted out. She’d been thinking about it ever since she found herself raising herself.

Hov snorted. “Good thing you’re only thinking about doing it because you’re taking your ass to school.”

Noir looked between the two of them. As soon as the words slipped from Knycole’s mouth, she hoped Hov would shut the thought down.

No matter how much Noir wanted to be a kept woman, she was still going to walk across the stage.

That was the least she could do. Plus, Nakorea wouldn’t allow anything less.

“Good thing your name ain’t Nick,” Knycole sassed.

“Play with me and see won’t I drag your hot ass to school every day. The fuck you gonna do if you ain’t in school anyway?” Hov’s roasted, honey-brown eyes waited for her to respond. He was so dominant without having to do much.

“Yea, I mean, I don’t know you like that, but—” Christian was interrupted.

“All the reason why you should mind your business.” Knycole rolled her eyes, not caring about the death stare Noir was giving her. “Nigga, you ain’t in school no more, and I thought we were going to be partners,” she directed to Hov.

His hand ran down his face. “If you don’t go to school and graduate, we ain't gonna be shit. I’ll give you your money back and be done with the shit. And let’s not talk about me not being in school like you don’t know why. If I could, I’d stay my black ass in school and do something with myself.”

“But again, you ain't my daddy, and I wasn’t asking you for permission.” She crossed her arms over her chest, pouting.

Noir understood her friend more than anyone at the table.

Although Hov was familiar with Knyc’s living situation, he didn’t understand the emptiness her friend felt.

“Knycole, I don’t want to graduate without you.

Plus, you’re the smartest person I know.

We’ll breeze through this last year with ease.

You being smart as hell and me copying off your paper is the perfect vibe. ” She snickered.

Knycole smiled because Noir was right. “If I stay in school, you have to get your GED,” she said, still looking at Noir before whipping her head towards Hov.

His eyes grew big. “Say, man, I ain't doing that shit. I’m good, Knyc.”

“Then so am I.” She shrugged.

The waitress came out with all their food, not making eye contact with any of them. “Hope you enjoy,” she said before scurrying off.

They dug into their food, not saying much. For the most part, everyone was enjoying it.

“I’m gonna look into those GED classes,” Hov said, taking a bite from his fried shrimp.

Knycole reached over, grabbing a piece of his steak. “Then I guess I’ll stay in school.”

Noir was happy for both of them.

“That’s some real nigga shit,” Christian complimented. He was only a few years older than Hov but was proud of him for even entertaining the idea of going back to school. His chest swelled with pride.