𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨: 𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘴

                    ╰┈➤ 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: crappy writing, gen is hopeless

𝐓𝐇𝐄 students of Brooklyn Visions Academy, often were allowed to briefly visit home on the weekends with the promise that they would promptly return at 8:15 am on the following Monday.

For those whose families resided some place else, they were allowed to remain at the dorms. Melody Patel did not do that.

Her family all resided in the Hamptons, a trip she dreaded making every holiday. So instead of enjoying having the whole entire dorm to herself, she chose to follow her favorite fraternal twins back to their three bedroom apartment on Nostrand Ave.

"You would think they don't feed this girl at home." Genesis remarked, her head resting in her palm as she watched the black haired girl fervently spoon jollof rice into her mouth.

"Speaking of home, Melody, go home." Gideon stood beside his sister, watching Mel's shameless indulgence. "Quit eating all our food, this is a one income household."

"Plus child support!" Genie chirped, Mel rolled her eyes. "You guys love me here and you know it." "We love you, we don't love you eating three days worth of our food." Gideon crossed his arms.

"Leave her alone." Olumide walked into the kitchen, aggressively wiping his grimy hands against his neon orange vest. "She's just appreciating fine cuisine." "Thank you." Mel smiled up at the older man.

"And since you like eating so much, you can help us do the dishes." Gideon smirked, rolling the sleeves of his sweater up as he approached the overflowing sink. Genesis blinked slowly, "Who's us? I have to meet Miles in-" she quickly glanced at her faux diamond encrusted watch that Miles had bought her from a pawnshop.

"Six minutes." She smiled, digging through her pocket, pulling out a tube of her honey lip gloss. Mel and Gideon shared a knowing look. He turned on the faucet, watching his sister apply the product to her plush lips. Olumide rolled his eyes.

"Abeg, you still pawning after that boy?" He watched amused as she fluffed her hair in the reflection of the silver stew pot. "I'm not pawning over him, because I'm never going to tell him how I feel."

Mel rolled her eyes in annoyance, handing Gideon the sponge. "Just tell him." She groaned. "What's the worst that can happen?"

"He could reject her, he could find her weird, he could laugh in her face, he could become uncomfortable about the whole thing causing their friendship to end." Olumide listed, shoving his younger brother to the side as he lathered soap onto his grubby hands.

Gideon glared at his brother who shrugged, "Just being realistic." He turned to Genie who was now shrugging on her worn pair of black knee high boots. "Are you familiar with the myth of Icarus?"

"Of course." She pulled the boots over her ivory white tights in a hurried fashion. "Icarus met his untimely demise because he disobeyed his father's orders and flew too close to the sun, melting his wax wings."

Olumide nodded, drying his hands. "That's right. So think of it like this. You're Icarus, your heart is your wax wings, Miles is the sun, I'm Daedalus. And I'm telling you, confessing isn't the way to go."

Genesis strutted back into the kitchen, "So what you're saying is, coming to close to Miles will melt my heart?" Olumide nodded, placing a reassuring arm on his younger sister's shoulder.

"Well, if she don't tell him soon her heart is going to start bursting out her eyes and ears. You should see the way she looks at this guy." Gideon teased, handing Mel a dish to dry. Genesis flipped him off. "Maybe you just need an outlet, you write poems about him?"

"Fills up almost her whole notebook." Mel mumbled, Olumide huffed, glancing at the ceiling in thought.

"You're a bit of a hopeless romantic, write him a letter." He shrugged, opening the fridge. "A love letter." Genesis mumbled.

"Exactly." "Your points are so contradicting, first you want me not to confess, now you want me to confess in the corniest way imaginable." The curly haired girl crossed her arms. "I didn't say send them, picturing yourself pouring your heart out into all these letters should be enough to suppress your feelings." He explained. Genesis nodded slowly, her phone began to buzz, vibrating against the granite countertop.

"I've gotta go." She smiled, grabbing her phone and making her way towards the door.

"Fly safe Icarus."

𝐓𝐇𝐄 sound of a camera shutter rang through Mile's ears as he watched his best friend excitedly take pictures of the New York skyline.

He scoffed playfully, "You've seen this view about a billion times Genie." "And every time I'm reminded of how gorgeous the world truly is." Genesis sighed.

Gen and Miles had been friends for years. They trusted each other with any and everything. In fact, Genie prided herself on being the first person (after Ganke but that didn't matter) to know Miles's secret identity.

He trusted her with his life, and for her the same.

Miles watched her scroll through her photos in adoration, taking a sip of his blue raspberry slush is. Genie dangled her legs over the edge, kicking them softly. She turned to Miles snapping a picture.

The flash of the camera shocked him, he blinked rapidly. "There's no way that's a good picture, I didn't get time to pose or nothin." He attempted to grab the camera out of Genie's hands but she dodged him swiftly.

"Come on princess, I don't even look good in that photo." "You always look good" She muttered, examining the photo.

A heat rose to Miles cheeks, clearing his throat. "You flatter me darling." He deepened his voice, putting on a faux British accent.

Genesis laughed, throwing her head back. "I'm pretty sure you just offended the entire country of England." Miles smiled, "Whaddya mean mate? My Bri'ish accent no good enough for y'a?"

Genesis laughed, grabbing a gummy bear out of the half eaten pack. "You're awful." She snickered. "Yeah but you love it."

Genesis gazed at him hopelessly, hearts in her eyes as she smiled at him. He was her best friend, he wasn't going to hate her. She just needed to get it off her chest. "Miles, I've been meaning to tell you this for a while."

He turned to her, his big brown eyes gazing at her curiously, she could feel her heart melt.

Icarus.

She couldn't do this, "You know you can tell me anything Genie, I'm your best friend. That's what we do."

But she really wanted to.

"So what do you wanna tell me princess?" "I lo-" he looked down at her, admiration in his eyes. Her wings were melting. She like Icarus, had flown too close. But they would not meet the same demise.

"I love your style. Our tastes are so contrasting but there's some sort of comfort I find in the differences." She spat out. Miles blinked at her curiously, "I'm glad you think so. I like your style too, you're kind like city girls meets bookworm."

"That sounded like an insult wrapped in a compliment." "It kinda was."

𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐒,

I am a poet. That is how I will always be defined. And as a poet does I poured my thoughts into my poems.

My hopes, my fears, my regrets, my desires. And unfortunately for me and my sanity, my heart desires you.

I don't even feel strange about it, it makes sense to me. You're one of the best people I know.

This is uncomfortable to me, writing this letter, I think I may have to cut it short. What if this is like that book, To all the Boys I've loved before? I doubt you've read it.

What if Gideon sends you all these letters? Ruins our friendship? I can't do this.

I will one day, it's just not today.

I love you Miles, my sun.

Always yours,

 G.S

LOVE SPEAKS!

Thank you for all your support. I am painfully in love with Miles 42 I'm so tempted to write a book for him but I got four books to work on. Not proofread.