7. Beneath the a surface
The women got dressed and planned to hit the streets of Harlem.
Fly ass outfits laid across the bed. Dior perfume sprayed into the air.
Fenty lip gloss popping open on the lips.
Music playing while they hyped each other up in the mirror.
Jazz was beginning to feel like herself again, allowing the thoughts from earlier fade.
Harlem felt different from Detroit. The energy.
The vibe. The rhythm of people moving with purpose. But it was still familiar in a way.
The swag, how they put that shit on. The loud laughter from down the block.
The music blasting from passing cars. It reminded them of home, just with a different accent.
Jazz had never really been anywhere outside of Detroit, so she was excited to just be outside.
To see something new. To breathe something different.
And Kira was excited to have her by her side.
When they walked next to each other, it didn’t just feel like friendship.
It felt like sisterhood. Kira loved her deeply.
Not surface love. Not convenience love. Real love.
And she was grateful Jazz was there to experience this moment with her.
It meant more than Jazz would ever know.
They were seated outside at a restaurant Jazz found on TikTok, the afternoon sun casting a golden glow over the brownstones across the street.
The sound of Afrobeats mixed with old school R&B drifted through the open doors.
Waiters moved quickly between tables balancing trays of mimosas, jerk salmon, and shrimp and grits.
Their food had just arrived, waffles stacked high, powdered sugar dusting the top, eggs still steaming, turkey bacon crisp on the side. A pitcher of mango mimosas sat between them, condensation sliding down the glass.
As Kira sat across from her, confident and glowing in the Harlem sun so carefree, Jazz couldn’t help but drift into her own thoughts.
Her life looked nothing like this. She was a struggling single mother with no real support system.
No safety net. No one to call when she was overwhelmed.
If she didn’t show up, bills didn’t get paid.
If she broke down, there was no one to catch her.
Everything rested on her shoulders. She never really had the chance to focus on education.
Survival came first. Hustling came first. Making sure her child had what they needed came first. Dreams were a luxury she couldn’t afford.
And love? Love had always come wrapped in chaos.
She had grown addicted to toxic men without even realizing it.
The kind that kept her guessing. The kind that made her prove herself.
The kind that disappeared when things got real.
The drama felt familiar. Healthy felt foreign.
So, when she saw Sincere show up consistently, calm, and generous, it almost made her uncomfortable.
Because she didn’t know how to receive that kind of energy.
She only knew how to fight for love. She only knew how to chase it.
And that realization hurt more than jealousy ever could, yet she still had her doubts.
Jazz swirled her straw slowly in her drink before speaking.
“I do wanna ask you one thing,” she said, her tone more serious now. Kira looked up from cutting her food.
“What?”
“Sincere… how do you know that’s really who he is? Like, how do you know he’s not playing games?” Kira leaned back slightly, continuing to let her speak.
“I just feel like ain’t no man out here without a secret.
Or some type of flaw,” Jazz continued, picking at the edge of her napkin.
“It almost seems like he’s perfect. Like he’s too good to be true.
I just don’t want your heart to get broken.
I’m only saying this to protect you. Because I love you. ”
A waiter passed by refilling water glasses. Kira studied her friend’s face for a long second. Harlem buzzed around them. But at that table? Everything felt still.
“I appreciate your concern, Jazz. But no man or woman walking this earth is perfect. I’m flawed myself.” She leaned back in her chair.
“All I know is his words align with his actions. He hasn’t left me confused yet. He’s intentional with his love and giving.” She paused before continuing. “I let things flow between us like a river. And if we hit a rock, we’ll wash over that too.”
Jazz listened quietly. She nodded slowly as Kira spoke, but her fingers tightened around the stem of her glass.
“I’m willing to work with a man who knows what he wants. And the best part of it all? I just enjoy each day as it comes.” Her tone softened slightly. “I’ve never been loved like this before. But I’m not blind to heartbreak. I know it’s possible.” She held Jazz’s gaze.
“But if you’re always guarded, how will you ever know?” She smiled gently. “And for me? Sincere is worth the risk.” Jazz swallowed hard.
“That’s beautiful, Kira.” Her phone buzzed in her hand. She glanced down. A chill ran down her spine. Her stomach tightened instantly. The screen lit up again before she could even process the first message. She forced a smile.
“I’ll be back. I need to go to the restroom.” She pushed her chair back a little too quickly, grabbing her purse as if she needed it for balance.
“Okay,” Kira said casually, eating a piece of bacon, unaware.
Jazz walked toward the back of the restaurant, Jordan’s rushing against the hardwood floor.
The music felt louder now. The laughter at other tables felt distant.
She slipped into the restroom and locked herself in a stall, her chest rising and falling faster than she wanted to admit. Her phone rang, she answered
“Aye, What up doe.” Chill’s voice came through the phone, calm but intense. “So, what’s going on out there? It’s been a day, and I haven’t heard shit yet. What nigga she fucking with? I need all the details.” All Chill heard on the other end was Jazz breathing. And that really pissed him off.
“Hey, Jazz. You still there? What the fuck is going on? You know what this is about.” Her silence stretched.
“Don’t let me find out you down there having a good time when you supposed to be out there on business.” His tone lowered. “Don’t forget what me and you did that night. I got the video. I’ll send it to Kira. Jazz’s grip tightened around the phone.
“You better give me what I want, or y’all friendship is the fuck over. Remember that shit.”
“Listen… I don’t know too much of anything yet, I promise you,” Jazz whispered, turning her back toward the stall door.
“I swear I wouldn’t lie to you, Chill. You gotta calm down.
Let me work.” Her voice shook despite her trying to steady it.
“I’ve only been here for a day. Yesterday was just a girls’ night.
We’re at breakfast right now. That’s it. ” She swallowed hard.
“You gotta calm down. I’m gonna give you what you want. You don’t have to do all that.” Her free hand pressed against her chest like she was trying to slow her heartbeat.
“I still remember the way you tasted on my tongue, slow and warm, a secret I kept just between me and you. The air felt heavy between us, charged with everything we weren’t saying.
My hands traced the curve of you while I memorized every reaction, every quiet breath that slipped past your lips.
You tried to stay composed, but your body gave you away, leaning into me, craving more.
And the way you looked at me afterward… knowing you enjoyed every single minute of it, and I know you would do it all over again. ”
“That was a mistake. Don’t, don’t go there,” Jazz said, her voice cracking as the words fought their way out. Her chest rose and fell too fast, panic pressing against her ribs. “You know it was a mistake.”
“No, it wasn’t. I have the video to prove it. And if you keep playing with me, I’m sending it straight to Kira.”
Jazz’s eyes filled with tears before she could stop them.
“Why are you doing this?” she whispered, shaking her head as if she could undo it all.
Her hands trembled at her sides. “You said it didn’t mean anything.
You said we’d leave it where it was.” Her voice dropped to a broken plea.
“Please… don’t ruin my life over something we both agreed to forget. ”
Chill wasn’t trying to hear anything Jazz had to say.
Before she knew it, the line went dead, leaving her alone with the silence.
She slowly slid down the bathroom wall until she was sitting on the cold tile floor, tears falling freely now.
Her breathing grew heavy. She could hardly remember that night.
She just knew she had seen him at the club.
He started questioning her about Kira, casual at first. Then persistent.
He bought her a drink. After that? Everything was blurry.
She woke up the next morning horrified in a hotel room bed with him beside her.
No matter how hard she tried to connect the dots, she couldn’t.
There were pieces missing. Gaps she couldn’t fill.
And the not knowing haunted her more than anything.
She carried the shame ever since. Not because she knew what happened.
But because she didn’t. Even though she couldn’t remember how she got from the club to the hotel.
She still blamed herself for putting herself in a position she could not explain.
Kira walked into the restroom, her heels clicking softly against the tile. “Jazz?” she called out, glancing around, hoping nothing was wrong. Two women stood at the mirror fixing their makeup, briefly glancing at her before looking away. The sound of running water filled the space.
As Kira’s voice echoed outside the stall, guilt settled deep in Jazz’s chest. It wasn’t sudden.
It had been building. Every smile. Every hug Every “I love you.” Each one felt heavier than the last. She knew she was standing in the middle of something that could destroy the one person who had never competed with her.
Never judged her. Never abandoned her. Kira trusted her.
And that trust felt like a weight pressing down on her ribs.
“Jazz?” she called again, trying to keep her voice light.
“I’m coming. My stomach was just a little upset,” Jazz called out, wiping her eyes quickly with the sleeve of her blouse.
Get yourself together, bitch. She thought.
Jazz inhaled deeply, straightened her posture, and forced her expression back into something presentable before unlocking the stall and stepping out.
Kira instantly knew something was wrong.
She knew Jazz better than she knew herself.
“Jazz, what’s wrong?” she asked, her voice soft. She struggled to answer.
“Girl, nothing. I just feel bad for leaving my baby back home. That’s it.”
“Aww, boo. It’s gonna be okay. Your flight’s tomorrow. Let’s enjoy today,” Kira said, wrapping her arm around her neck as they exited the restroom. “You deserve to have some mommy-free time.”
The way Kira knew exactly how to comfort her instantly put a smile on Jazz’s face. It ate at Jazz’s heart that she was too afraid to tell Kyra the truth. A part of her knew she should say something before he did. Maybe if it came from her first, it wouldn’t feel as harsh.
As they stepped outside the restaurant, the cool night air brushed against their faces. Jazz reached for Kira’s hand and held it tighter than usual, her palms suddenly damp.
“Kira… I really want to tell you something,” she said, her voice trembling slightly as her heart pounded against her chest. Kyra turned to her, concern softening her eyes.
The innocence in that look made Jazz freeze.
For a moment, the words sat right at the edge of her lips.
All she had to do was let them fall. But suddenly her courage slipped away.
Her soul wouldn’t allow her to do what her heart knew she should.
“What?” Kira asked gently. “What is it, Jazz? What’s wrong?” Jazz swallowed hard and forced a small shake of her head.
“Nothing,” she said quietly, looking down for a moment before meeting Kyra’s eyes again. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m glad you’re my best friend… and that I love you.” Kira’s face lit up with a warm smile.
“Aww, I love you too,” she said without hesitation. Jazz felt her chest tighten. Because hearing those words only made the weight on her heart heavier. And as they stood there together, all Jazz could think was.
Damn… why couldn’t I just be honest?