𝐊𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐉𝐀𝐇'𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 / 𝐃𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐈𝐄 𝐁

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟖: 𝐊𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐉𝐀𝐇'𝐒 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄.

When Khadijah woke up the morning after, she tried not to do the walk of shame as she quietly padded into the kitchen for a glass of water. Her mother sat at the breakfast table—always awake bright and early—nursing her hangover, and drinking tea—she looked at Khadijah with a raised eyebrow, watching as her daughter tried to hide her limp, her left leg wobbling unsteadily.

Timera also knew that was not Khadijah's shirt.

Thankfully, she didn't say anything, and Khadijah could go back into her room undisturbed. She took a sip of her water, setting it on her nightstand before she lifted Arion's heavy arm, and crawled under his body.

She relished in the warmth that radiated off of him. He snuffled above her, reaching out with his other arm to pull her on top of him, so she could lay across his broad chest. He snored, snoozing blissfully unaware, as Khadijah watched the sun rise through her curtains—watching the Bronx come to life. Listening to the sound of Arion's heartbeat, she let it lull her back to sleep.

When she awoke again, Arion was awake this time, one hand hovering behind Khadijah's head holding his phone as the other hand rested comfortably on the lower half of her back, beneath her shirt, right above the swell of her ass. Khadijah blinked up at him blearily, and it took Arion only a second to notice she was awake, a smile spreading across his face in an instant.

"Morning, pretty girl." he mumbled to her, voice rough with exhaustion, "You sleep good?"

She slept great. For the first time since her father died, Khadijah had never felt so well-rested.

"Mhmm," Khadijah hummed, ducking her head, yawning against Arion's skin. "Did you?"

"So good," Arion confirmed, tilting his head to kiss her forehead. It was then that Khadijah noticed the bonnet on her head, reaching up and feeling the fabric curiously.

"Did I put my bonnet on last night?" Khadijah asked, grimacing when she felt a wet patch of drool on Arion's chest, using her shirt to wipe it off.

"Nah, I did it, you were knocked the fuck out," Arion chuckled, the sound vibrating through Khadijah's body, "I didn't know how to tie the headscarf and shit, so I just put that on for you 'cuz your hair—" Arion paused, pursing his lips to stop himself from laughing. His lips twitched upwards insistently, and Khadijah frowned at him.

"Does it actually look that bad?" She asked, sitting up, straddling him. Khadijah moved to throw her leg over to walk to her mirror and check it for herself, but Arion grabbed her waist, keeping her rooted in place.

"No, it doesn't, Jah," Arion tried to reassure her, but he still had that funny look on his face and Khadijah didn't quite trust his word. She snatched his phone, swiping off of Instagram and using his camera. Slowly, Khadijah lifted up the hem of her blue bonnet, gasping in shock at the state of her hair that laid beneath it.