Eden

"He's so good to me, Fe" I said

"I'm happy for you" he smiled

I haven't talk to Felix in a few weeks due to his busy schedule. I had to get some FaceTime in with my best friend, I missed him too much.

"Is the sex good?"

"Felix" I tried to stop myself from grinning "You know I don't like to share my bedroom details"

"That's code for: He got my coochie doing backflips and I love it" he pursed his lips

"Amen"

"You going to hell" he chuckled

"I'll go to hell for that dick" I rapped

"Goodbye Eden" he laughed

"Noo" I pouted

"I seriously gotta go, one of the models needs me" he sighed

"Alriiiight. Love you best friend"

"Love you too" he said before hanging up

"You ready, sweetheart?" Chris came in my building

Today we're going to get started painting the place. I offered to help since the building is pretty big.

"Yeah babe" I pulled my hair back, pecking his lips "Let me give you a tour first" I grabbed his hand, leading him down the hall

"This is where I want to have a photography class on Mondays and Fridays" I showed him a medium sized room

"This is nice" he nodded, looking around

"I want two of the walls white, one of them green, and a painting on the wall by the door. I'll show you a picture of the painting when we start." I explained

"You look so happy explaining all this" he smiled

"Because I am, it's something I can call my own" I said as we headed to the next room "In here, I need it to be all white. This is where I'll be taking pictures of people on a regular from Tuesday-Thursday and on the weekends." I smiled, looking around the empty room, think about how it'd be booked and busy in a couple of weeks

"I see you've been wanting this for a long time" He chuckled

"Yeah" I blushed "Ever since I was a little girl"

"Well, let's get started so you don't have to wait any longer" he said

"There's one more room" I took his hand in mine

I led him further down the hall and we reached our destination.

"My office" I smiled "Where I'll be setting up photography dates and meetings Monday- Sunday, and occasionally taking a break from all the work. I don't know what color I want it to be in here yet."

"You forgot something" he said

"What?" I asked

"We'll be having quickies in here weekly" a smirk spread on his face

"Maurice" I playfully punched his chest "No we won't be"

"You say that now" he leaned down and kissed me

I pulled away, not wanting to get sidetracked "Nope. Let's get started"

* 2 hours later

"Lookin' good over there baby" Chris said from the other side of the room

"Same to you, poppa" I dipped my brush in the paint again

We were facing away from each other but, we'd glance back at one another every once in a while.

"What was your childhood like?" He randomly asked, still painting

"Uhm...good" I nodded, lying "Yours?"

"Then why don't you talk to your mama no more?"

"It's a lot to talk about" I said

"We got a lot of time. I wanna know all that I can about you" he said

"Ok...alright" I exhaled, getting myself prepared ""When I was like 11, I walked in on my mother snorting cocaine. She told me that if I told my dad she'd have to leave and I didn't want her to so, I didn't tell. Then one day I walked in on her again and I told her maybe she should get some help. I guess she didn't like that because, she beat me so bad...I still have scars from where she tore my flesh."

I closed my eyes, remembering every blow and whip she sent to my body. I cried out for help but, my father was at work most of the time.
I still remember how I wasn't able to lay on my back for almost two weeks. How I'd ease into chairs because it was too painful to simply sit down.

"After that, her and my dad started arguing a lot. One day, I came home from school and saw a bunch of cop cars and ambulances outside my house. I ran in, thinking something had happened to my parents. But to my surprise, it was a dead stranger in their bed. My mother was half naked, crying on the floor, and my father was being cuffed. He had caught my mother cheating with her supplier and he killed him. Two weeks after that, my mother ran off and my father was in prison. I went to see him and he told me to go get all the money out of his bank account and after graduation to go wherever I wanted and start a life on my own...I stayed in Ohio for a year, then somehow my mom found my number so, I made my way to New York."

By the time I was done, tears were rolling down my face. Since I wasn't facing Chris, I sniffled and tried to get myself together before he noticed.

"Hey" I felt his presence behind me "Eden" he turned me around face him

"I'm sorry for crying" I scoffed, wiping my tears

"It's ok baby, don't apologize for that" he shook his head, hugging me

I cried into his chest for a while, letting out all that I had been holding in for some time now. He held me close, resting his chin on my head. His arms are so comforting and assuring.

"You can help me finish up tomorrow, go home and relax for today"

"No, I wanna help." I finally got myself together "I'll be fine" I said honestly "That's just the first time I've talked about it with anyone"

"You sure you good?" He asked

"Yeah" I picked up my painting brush, getting back to work "What about you?...I never hear you talk about your parents"

"My pops is dead" he shrugged "My mama might as well be" he picked his brush up and started painting beside me

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, sniffling

"When I was little, my pops was a drug lord himself. Everything me and my mama wanted, we had. Eventually, she got greedy and wanted more. She set him up to get killed and started fucking with another nigga, trying to make him take my pops place. The nigga would beat on me and my mama almost everyday. But she stayed because he had money.
So, when I got my first gun, I killed that nigga and me, Sean, and Kevin ran away to New York." he explained "I was only 15"

"At 15? Babe that's a lot" I sighed

"Yeah, but it had to be done."

"You're right" I nodded

"Ms. Erma took me in and raised me like her own. Till this day, she doesn't know that I run a drug business"

"Yeah, I know" I chuckled "I used to ask her if she knew where you worked"

"Nosy"

"Oh please." I playfully rolled my eyes

"Wanna know something?" He asked

"Sure" I said

"When I first felt myself caring about you, I pushed you away immediately."

"Tuh. No doubt about that"

He smacked his lips "That's because I never had feelings like this for any other female. Every girl I dealt with always wanted money from me, I didn't know how to trust. I got a lot of pussy but, I never did fuck with relationships."

"I understand babe" I gave him a reassuring smile "But aren't you glad you're trying the whole relationship thing out?"

"Most definitely" he tucked his bottom lip in "Especially since I get to try it with you" he gazed into my eyes

"Somebody's becoming a sweetheart" I pinched his cheek, getting paint on it "Oops" I chuckled

"Hahaha" he straight faced me "Oops" he rubbed some paint on my arm

I gasped "Oh really?" I dipped my hand in the bucket and rubbed it on his exposed chest

"Oh you wanna play?" He said, dipping a roller in the paint

I ran, knowing he was about to get his revenge.

"I'm sorry" I laughed while running

"Too late now" I could feel him getting closer

After a few seconds of running, I noticed he wasn't behind me anymore.

Where did he disappear to?

I cautiously walked around the building, preparing for him to jump out any second.

"Babe" I called out

"I hurt my ankle" he called out

I ran, following the sound of his voice. Soon as I stepped into the doorway, I felt a paint roller going through my hair.

"Maurice!" I shrieked

He laughed hysterically, dropping the roller.

"It's funny huh?" I asked

I smeared my hand across his face, wiping the rest of the green paint on him.
Just when I was about to move my hand, he hoisted me up.

"Ah! Put me down" I giggled

"Apologize"

"I did already"

"Lemme hear it again"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" I chuckled

As my laughing died down, we began gazing at each other.

"Apology accepted" he said before we shared a kiss

He pressed my back against a half dry wall, deepening the kiss

I pulled away "We're gonna have to—repaint that" I moaned as he sucked on my neck

"Mhm" he simply responded

Our clothes started coming off, and we found our way to the plastic covered floor. We had sex right there, paint everywhere and all.

Cast in the media
Top row (from left to right): Eden, Chris, Sean, Ms. Erma, Josh, Kevin, and Candice

Bottom row (from left to right): Felix, Benji, Janae, and Nick

Thoughts?

-Carlisha ❤️