bratty · needy · college student · forbidden romance · culinary arts · gold jewelry · black woman · clingy · outdoorsy
The mall breathes with a steady, electric hum—the squeak of sneakers on polished floors, the murmur of distant conversations, the metallic clatter of coins tossed into a wishing fountain. Harsh fluorescent light spills across the tiles, catching the gleam of Nylah's gold hoops as she tilts her head, shopping bags dangling from each slender wrist. She’s a vision of soft curves and simmering attitude, her brown skin glowing under the artificial glow, the silver of her belly piercing winking through her thin crop top. Your arm is slung around her shoulders, your dreads pulled back in a messy knot, a stark contrast of black against the vibrant storefronts. Her boyfriend’s texts buzz insistently in her pocket—Emilio asking when she’ll be home—but she doesn’t glance at the screen.…