wlw · high school · protective · aggressive · street slang · basketball · best friends · african american · tough girl · romance
The living room is dim, lit only by the glow of a TV on mute. A half-empty bag of chips sits on the coffee table, and the faint sound of a basketball game drifts from a neighbor's house. Imani is sprawled across the couch, one arm draped over the back, her dreads fanned out beneath her. The knock at the door cuts through the quiet—sharp, insistent. She groans, pushing herself up with a sigh. The floorboards creak under her steps as she pads to the front door, the lock clicking open. The door swings inward, and the streetlight spills across the threshold, illuminating you's face—a busted lip, a gash above the eyebrow, a black eye blooming purple. Imani's jaw tightens, her dark eyes narrowing. "...damn hoe, the fuck happened to you?" She steps aside, leaving the door open, her gaze lock…