(by the end of the chapter PUHLEASE lmk if y'all get the title LMAO)

(play song now <3 )

𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫
𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟖
𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 : 𝐀𝐓𝐋 𝐛𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡.
𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: 𝟑:𝟎𝟎 𝐩.𝐦.

"I still don't see why you have get ready," C grumbled as he put his car into park. You rode home with him because he was supposed to take you out straight after school but you insisted on stopping home so you can put down your school bag and bring an actual purse. Plus you wanted to freshen up, which was understandable since you were at school all day. For some reason though, it didn't register in his impatient boy brain.

"I'll be out quick. Five minutes tops," you respond getting out the car.

"Oka-"

"Wait no. Make that seven. Just in case." You quickly shut the door before he got the chance to argue and jogged up to your house. Your mom and dad were home, which was rare because of their busy schedules. And of course, so was your Uncle Levi since him and your father moved as a unit. "Hello parentals," you say flipping off your sandals to stop in the kitchen.

"Hola mamita," your mom came to kiss you on the cheek.

"Hello child unit," your dad joked. "How was the first day of senior year ?"

"Good. Imma head out for a bit," you respond, grabbing a water bottle to take upstairs.

"Whose car is that outside ?" Your uncle called, squinting his eyes as he peaked out of the blinds.

Shit. "A friend."

"Who's a boy ?"

"Yeah. Anyways I gotta freshen up. Byeee," you say kissing your dad on the cheek and quickly heading upstairs before any further interrogation.

As you were reapplying some perfume, touching up your makeup, and fixing your hair, your dad and uncle somehow slipped by your mom and out the door. They said that they were going to "run out to pick up something for dinner" that night. "Hello," your dad said to the boy in the car. His window was rolled down since it was still hot in ATL and he was scrolling through his phone. The seriousness of your dad's voice scared him and like a phantom, Levi somehow managed to get to the driver's side of the car.

"Woah ! You sure know how to sneak up on people," Connie said half-jokingly as he let out an awkward laugh. Then, he cleared his throat and sat up realizing maybe now wasn't the time to joke around.

"What's your name son ?" your dad questioned.

"Everyone calls me C."

He nodded. "You look familiar."

"Do I ? Are you a fan of track ?"

"As a matter of fact yes. Me and my colleague here watch my daughter run," he answered, motioning his head to Levi who was still standing at the driver's window. "Speaking of, how do you know my daughter ?"

"Mutual friends." C's face looked stressless and he felt like that too. However, all he could think about was one wrong move and all his operations would be down the drain. And since he planned on seeing you more often, unbeknownst to you, now was the time to make a good first impression.

"I'll be frank. Do you know who we work for ?" Levi asked leaning a little on the top of the car, which made C cringe but out of respect for you he tried to dismiss the feeling. Something he'd never do and usually charged people for, as you saw the other night.

Act dumb, C thought to himself. "No but I'd love to be enlightened." His use of the word 'enlightened' was a joke to himself, that he had to talk proper around people you knew.

"Detective Smith and Detective Ackerman," he answered.

"Ackerman ? You're related to Mikasa."

"Correct-"

"Hey ! What's this little meeting y'all got going on ?" You surprised the three men as you slightly pushed passed your dad to get into the passenger seat.

"Just introducing ourselves to your friend," your dad replied. "Me and your uncle are going to pick up something for dinner. What do you fancy ?"

You laughed at his forced proper English. "Um what about-"

"Don't worry about her Mr. Smith, I'll treat (y/n) to dinner," C called from your car.

Your dad gave him a look. Not really an angry one but it was definitely a glare that you noticed. "Alright then. Remember it's a school night (y/n). Stay safe." He pulled you into a hug.

"Will do. Love you," you responded, giving him a peck on the cheek before hopping into the car. Levi made his way back to the passenger side to see you off. "Bye short stack," you teased.

His eyes lowered. "Bye headgear," he responded with the old nickname he made for you when you were a mere preteen and you had to wear obnoxious headgear every night to bed.

You laughed knowing you got under his skin and turned to C. "You ready ?"

"Yup." C then leaned forward to make eye contact with the two men. "Have a good evening Mr.Smith. You too Mr. Ackerman."

"You as well," Levi answered but your dad only nodded and faced another direction.

C rolled up the windows and began to drive off. "I'm so so sorry. They're not usually that bad but they've been so protective after.. this thing-"

"What ? A bad break up or something ?"

You nodded and quietly answered, "Yeah."

"Who would break up with miss Perfect ?" he asked.

"You'd be surprised."

Realizing that this might be a more serious subject, he dropped his joking demeanor. "Don't let this hype you up but whatever he did, you don't deserve to be treated badly.. or something."

You smiled, "That's really sweet." Uh oh, wipe that smile off your face, you thought to yourself. "But I'm still mad at you," you teased.

He sucked his teeth. "I know. I know," he sighed. "I told you I'd make it up to you."

"Where are we going anyway ?" 

"I asked JuJu and Bryson what stuff you like. So first we're going to this book shop that sells records too. And then we'll get something to eat. Whatever you want," he answered nonchalantly as he clicked on his turn signals. 

"Can we go to that soul food place you took me to ?"

He scoffed, purely out of surprise. "The Princess doesn't want five star ?"

"That was way better than any five star I've had," you answered, recalling how as soon as you got in the house, you tore the platter up.

Within a few more minutes, C parked in front of the shop he told you about earlier. The both of you got out of the car and walked into the shop, C making sure he held the door open for you. Like a kid in a candy store, you were immediately infatuated with the shelves of books and large collection of vinyls they had. 

You immediately walked over to the poetry books, assuming that C was following behind you. However, C made his way to the counter and slipped the cashier a hundred dollar bill. He knew that you wouldn't let him pay for the many things you were probably going to walk out with, so he did it ahead of time. "This is for anything she picks up. If it comes out to more just let me know."

The cashier, who was a late middle aged black woman with hazel eyes and dark skin, smiled a smile that exposed her gold front tooth. "Alright na'," she responded as she took the bill and put it on the side of the register. 

C smiled and quickly found you crouched down in an aisle, looking through all the books. He crouched down next to you. You already managed to pick up a few Marvel comic books, one with Miles Morales on the cover, your favorite superhero. "Do you see anything ?" he asked.

"I found these comics, this book my mom told me about, anddd," you paused to pull out the book of Tupac's poems from the shelf to show him. "This." You hand them the books to hold so that he could look at their covers and the back of them. 

"You read comics ? Nerd," he joked. 

"Ha. Ha," you respond condescendingly. 

"That's cool though. Me and my brother used to read comics together but now he only does. He has like a whole collection."

You nodded. "That's pretty cool."

"Wanna check out the vinyls now ?" C asked because he wouldn't admit it to you, but he had an impatient urge to look through them. 

"Imma look at a few more but I'll meet you over there," you reply, not taking your eye off the spines of the books. 

"Alright." He left you, hesitantly, to look at the vinyls. 

Coincidentally, that's when you got a phone call. "Hello ?" you say, holding your phone up to your ear and trying not to talk loudly. 

"An inmate at Fulton County Jail would like to call you. Do you accept or decline ?" the automated voice spoke.

"I accept," you replied. Luckily C still had your books in his hands so you stepped out of the shop for a bit, telling him that you'd be right back. 

After you accepted the call, a few seconds of silence led followed until you heard your brother's voice. "Hello ?" he spoke.

"Hi Nicky. What's up you don't usually call on Monday's." Saying this, you began to get a little more worried.

"I know but I just got some news I think you'll like to hear."

"What ? They finally got the hot fries back in the commissary ?"

"Better."

"Well what is it ? I'm out right now."

"Out ? With JuJu and Bryson ?"

"No. Never mind that. Continue talking."

"Anyways.. So boom. I was in my cell, kicking' back talking to my cellmate-"

"Oh how is he by the way. Jonathan right ?"

"He's meh. His son's birthday passed not too long ago so he's a little moody. But anyways. Stop interrupting nigga."

You laughed a little, "Sorry and I hope he's doing well. Continue."

"Okay so I was talking to my cellmate and then the one guard.. you know with the bald head, he told me I had a visitor but usually you call a few days before you visit. So here I am about to shit myself, thinkin' dad came up in this bitch but then I get there. And then my lawyer sitting there with folders on the table."

"Folders ? With what in them ?"

"I'm getting to that bro. So I sit down and make sure to cross my legs to look proper. And remember when I told you and ma' I applied for parole and I got into those credit earning programs ?"

"Yeah.."

"Well now I'm eligible for a parole hearing. So I can probably get out by your birthday."

God finally heard your prayers. You jumped up and down and squealed excitedly, forgetting that you were in public. "No way ! You're lying, Nicky."

"Damn (y/n). You bout to bust my eardrums and shit."

"Boy I don't give a fuck. When's the hearing ?"

"It's Thursday. I know you have school but I was wondering if you and ma' could come ? I understand you be busy-"

"Are you kidding ? I wouldn't miss it."

"Great. I gotta go now. Be safe and whoever you with make sure they take care of you because your brother's coming home."

You laugh once again. "Boy nobody's scared of you. I love you. See you Thursday."

"I love you too."

With that, you were in a mood ten times better than you were before. You trotted back into the shop to see C with two vinyls in his hand. "Hey ! Sorry I didn't expect that call to go on for so long."

"You seem happy. Who was it ?" he asked, still scanning through the vinyls in a crate next to the one you started looking through.

"Damn you in my business ?" you asked, jokingly. 

"Oh shit. My bad-"

"I'm kidding. It was just my brother."

"So tell me about your brother.. only if you want."

"Umm," you picked up a Lauryn Hill vinyl as you thought how much to tell him and how to do it. "Well about a year ago he got locked up. It was a misdemeanor but they obviously trumped up the charges. So ever since then I visited him every week up at Fulton and called as much as I could. "

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. He might get out on parole. Just gotta wait til' Thursday to see," you responded. 

"That's great ! I hope everything goes well. But did you say he was at Fulton ?" 

"Yup." While talking, the two of you walked up to the counter to pay. You put up your books and the two vinyls you managed to pick out. The cashier rang it all up and it came to eighty dollars. Pretty pricy but you didn't mind so you began digging through your purse and as you gave your card to the woman, ,she put her hand over yours. "Don't worry about it baby. This sweet young man covered it for you."

"And these," C added, putting the two vinyls he got onto the counter. 

"Alright. You two are all good," she said as she bagged up the things. The two of you got your bags and got into the car. 

"Okay read to eat ?" he asked.

You glared at him. "You're not slick."

A mischievous grin grew on his face. "What're you talking about ?"

"You paid that lady beforehand."

C sucked his teeth. "I'm treating you, Princess. Just sit back and relax."

"Thank you," you grumble under your breath. 

"What was that ?" He leaned closer to you, keeping his eyes on the road. 

"You heard me." Pushing him away, slightly you took a deep breath. "Thank you," you said more clearly. 

"No problem."

Like he said earlier, he took you to Maribelle's Soul Kitchen, where your favorite cashier was waiting. "If it isn't the Princess and Prince of Paradis. How ya'll doin ?" Kash called from behind the counter. He walked to meet the two of you and bowed down, kissing your hand. "Madame," he said in a posh accent. You giggled before he led you guys to a "special table" he had set up for you guys. Without you knowing, while you went out to answer your brother's phone call, C called Kash and asked if he could set up something special for the two of you. 

Kash led the two of you through the back of the shop and up stairs that led all the way to the building's roof. There was a table set up with a white table cloth and vanilla spice candle lit. It also had rose petals leading up to it and fairy lights strung around the rooftop. To top it all off, the view you guys had looked onto the city's skyline, right as the sun was entering its golden hour. 

"Thanks man," C said sliding him a fifty dollar bill for an extra tip since, surprise. C had already paid for the meal. He knew at this point you were going to have a fit if you found out. But truth be told, C didn't mind spending money on you at all. Besides the fact that he was having a good sales' month, you were worth it to him. Worth more, as a matter of fact. 

Kash disappeared down the stairs to start working on your food. C walked up to pull your chair out and waited for you to sit down before pushing your chair in and sitting down himself. You were caught in the middle of taking a few pictures of the golden hour but after you set your phone down on the table. "I'm impressed," you remark. 

C was to captivated in the way the sun was hitting your beautiful brown skin. "Oh-Yeah. Well I had to do something special for you."

"I'm sure," you smile while taking a sip of the homemade lemonade that was already set out for the both of you. "So."

"So ?"

"So this is your first date," you say. 

"Yeah," he answered, his cheeks turning a little pink. 

"Are ya nervous ?"

"Me ? Nervous ? Absolutely not."

"So why do you go by C ? I assume that's not your birth given name."

"Damn. Your father's interrogation skills must've rubbed off on you, huh ?" he laughed. "But honestly I go by C because it was easier for my abuela to remember. I've done it since I was younger so I guess it always stuck."

You let a moment of silence go by for a second. "Can I be honest ?"

"Yeah."

"I wasn't expecting that. Like at all."

"Well because nobody knows that much about it. Except for Sasha and Jean."

You nodded. "You guys seem so close."

"They mean the world to me. Kinda like how you are with JuJu and Bryson."

"You kidding ? They mind as well be my brothers."

"Okay my turn to ask a question."

"Shoot."

"How is it ?"

"Hm ? How's what ?"

"How's like living in your house. Your brother's in jail, your dad's a detective. Surely it's not easy."

It was a pretty deep question to ask and if it was anyone else in any other circumstance you'd probably be on the defensive side. However, since he was so open about his at home life and things concerning his family you answered him to the best of your ability. But that wasn't the only reason you shared with him. You couldn't put your finger on it but something about C helped you be more open. C made you comfortable. And that was something not even Porco could do in the two years you were together.