Chapter three

Micah Armani Valentine
Atlanta, Georgia
August 30th, 2024 – Friday

Uncle Luke’s Garage

The game had been canceled—something about the opposing team being sick. Instead of sulking over it, I decided to head to Uncle Luke’s garage and get some work done. Cars didn’t break themselves, and the garage always had a way of clearing my head.

Lying on my back under a car, I focused on loosening a rusted bolt, my headphones blasting music to drown out the world.

“Hey, Micah,” a voice called, followed by a tap on my knee.

Startled, I slid out from under the car, squinting up at the figure standing over me. My jaw tightened when I realized it was Gabby.

I sighed heavily, pulling my headphones off and wiping grease onto my overalls. “What do you want, Gabby?” I asked flatly, not bothering to hide my irritation.

She tilted her head, pouting like she always did when she wanted something. “I miss you, bae,” she said softly.

My eyes narrowed. “My name is Micah, and I’m not your ‘bae’ anymore. So stop calling me that,” I said, rolling my eyes and sitting up.

“Micah,” she whined, her voice grating against my patience. “Why can’t you just forget the past and move on? We were good together.”

I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head as I stood up to face her. “Move on?” I repeated, staring her down. “You stole from me. You manipulated me. And you cheated on me—on my mom’s death anniversary, Gabby. With some college dude. After you promised me it was over.”

She flinched, but I wasn’t done. My voice was calm, but the words carried all the weight of my anger. “You looked me in the eye, swore up and down that he was out of the picture. And then I get a picture of you two kissing, sent to me by him, no less. The same day I asked you to come to my mom’s balloon release. You knew how bad I needed you that day. But nah, you couldn’t even be there for me.”

My voice cracked at the end, and I cursed under my breath, hating the emotion that threatened to spill over.

Gabby’s eyes glossed over with tears, but I didn’t care. “Micah, for the last time, I was lonely,” she said defensively. “You were so depressed—you shut me out! What was I supposed to do with that? Just sit around and wait for you to snap out of it?”

Her words hit like a slap to the face, but I kept my composure. I clenched my fists, breathing deeply before answering. “You were supposed to be there for me, Gabby,” I said quietly but firmly. “That’s what loyalty is. That’s what love is. But you? You bailed when I needed you the most.”

I grabbed my cap from the workbench, adjusting it as I turned away from her. “If you’re not here about a car, I don’t want to talk,” I said, my voice cold. “We got nothing left to say.”

“Micah,” she pleaded, stepping closer. “I’m sorry, okay? I know I messed up, but Devin was just a fling. He didn’t mean anything to me. You mean something to me. I miss you—your hugs, your kisses—”

I cut her off, my voice sharp. “And I missed your loyalty, Gabby. But we don’t all get what we want in life, do we? I’ve moved on. You should too.”

Her lips trembled, and for a moment, I thought she might actually back off. But then she stepped closer, her hand brushing against my back.

“Micah,” she whispered, her voice low and soft, “I know you still love me. I know you miss the way I touched you, the way I made you feel. You don’t have to act like you don’t care—”

The moment her fingers grazed my back, something inside me snapped. I spun around and popped her hand off me.

“Don’t touch me,” I said, my voice steady but laced with venom. “You disgust me, Gabby. You really think you can come in here and say a few pretty words, and everything’s cool? That I’ll forget how you humiliated me? Nah. You need to get this through your head—I don’t like you, I don’t love you, and I damn sure don’t miss you. I’m over you. I’m finally getting my mind straight, and I’m not about to let you mess that up.”

Her tears spilled over then, and for a second, I almost felt sorry for her. Almost.

“Micah, please…” she whimpered.

“Get out,” I said, my voice rising now.

“Just hear me out—”

“I SAID GET OUT!” I yelled, my voice echoing through the garage. My fists clenched at my sides as I glared at her, daring her to keep pushing me.

Gabby froze, her lip quivering as she stared at me, realizing I meant every word. Slowly, she grabbed her purse off the hood of the car, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

“I hope you’re happy, Micah,” she said bitterly, her voice shaking as she turned to leave.

I didn’t respond. I just watched as she walked away, her heels clicking against the concrete until the sound faded completely.

The silence that followed was deafening, but I welcomed it. I leaned against the workbench, taking a deep breath and rubbing my temples.

I thought about the way my chest had tightened when I saw her, the old wounds she’d reopened with her words. But instead of drowning in that pain, I let it pass through me. She was the past. And I wasn’t going back.

Sliding my headphones back on, I grabbed my wrench and slid under the car again. There was work to be done.

I stayed under the car longer than I needed to, tightening bolts that were already secure, just to keep my hands busy. My mind, though, wouldn’t stop replaying the scene with Gabby—her touch, her excuses, the tears I didn’t trust.

I thought I was over her, but the way my heart raced told me otherwise. Not because I still loved her, but because of the anger she stirred up in me. Anger I thought I had buried.

The sound of the garage door opening snapped me out of my thoughts. I slid out from under the car, wiping my hands on a rag as Uncle Luke stepped in. He was built like a tank, his broad shoulders filling the frame of the door, a cup of coffee in one hand and a clipboard in the other.

“What’s got you looking like you’re ready to throw hands?” he asked, his sharp eyes scanning my face.

I shook my head, tossing the rag onto the workbench. “Gabby stopped by.”

He raised an eyebrow, setting his coffee down. “That girl’s got some nerve. What’d she want?”

“Apologies and a second chance,” I said bitterly, grabbing a wrench and tossing it between my hands.

Uncle Luke let out a low whistle. “And you didn’t kick her out right away?”

“I did, eventually.”

“Good.” He leaned against the workbench, crossing his arms. “That girl put you through hell, Micah. Don’t let her drag you back there.”

“I’m not,” I said, more for myself than for him.

Luke studied me for a moment, then nodded. “Alright. Come on, let’s finish up this car. That engine’s not going to fix itself.”

We worked in silence for a while, the clanking of tools and the hum of the radio filling the garage. My hands moved automatically, my mind still buzzing.

When we were done, Luke slapped a greasy hand on my shoulder. “Good work, kid. You heading home?”

I looked at the time. It was late, but not too late. “Nah. I’m gonna hit the court for a bit.”

He grinned. “That’s more like it. Clear your head, but don’t forget to lock up before you go.”

“Got it,” I said, grabbing my gym bag from the corner.

The outdoor court was quiet, lit only by the flickering streetlights. I dropped my bag on the bench and grabbed my basketball, letting the cool night air settle over me.

Dribble. Step back. Shoot.

The sound of the ball swishing through the net was the only thing that kept my thoughts in check. With each shot, I felt the weight of Gabby’s words lifting.

“You weren’t giving me attention…”

Dribble. Drive. Dunk.

“You were depressed…”

Spin. Step. Fadeaway.

I stopped, resting my hands on my knees as I caught my breath. My chest burned, but it felt good. Cathartic.

I looked up at the stars, my mom’s voice echoing in my mind. Go play ball, baby. Go play ball.

I smiled faintly, grabbing the ball again. One more round. For her.

For me.

8:45 PM

Walking into the house, I noticed the garage was filled with boxes labeled with the twins’ names. That could only mean one thing: they were heading back to college. Shaking my head, I made my way inside and into the kitchen, where my dad was sitting at the counter, eating some banana pudding while working on his laptop.

“Wassup, Pops,” I said, opening the fridge and grabbing a Gatorade.

“Hey, son. How was work? Uncle Luke isn’t working you too hard, is he?” he asked, glancing up at me.

“Nah,” I said with a grin. “Nothing I can’t handle. Plus, I made $800 today, so I’m good.” I pulled out the roll of cash I had in my pocket and waved it.

My dad laughed. “Oh, big money now, huh?”

He leaned back in his chair and took another bite of pudding. “The twins are heading back to their dorms on Sunday. I was thinking you might want to ride up to Greensboro with me.”

“Of course,” I said, twisting the cap off my Gatorade. “Who else is gonna help you carry all those boxes into their dorms?”

He laughed as I headed upstairs. “Good point, son.”

As I reached the top of the stairs, Sofia called out from her room. “Oh, baby!”

I turned back, raising an eyebrow. “What?”

“You still want me to retwist your hair before we leave?” she asked, smiling.

“Definitely,” I replied. “Lemme shower and stuff first, and then I’ll come to your room.”

Opening my bedroom door, I tossed my stuff onto the bed before heading straight to my bathroom. I turned on the shower, letting it heat up, and went to grab my speaker to blast some music, but it wasn’t in its usual spot.

“Aiden…” I muttered, narrowing my eyes.

I walked to the other end of the hall, where I could already hear him yelling into his gaming headset.

“Aiden, I’m coming in,” I announced, opening the door.

He paused his game and looked up at me, smiling innocently. “Hey, Bubba, what you looking for?”

“My speaker. Where is it?”

“Oh, my bad. I was using it.” He quickly handed it to me.

“Appreciate it, lil’ man,” I said, taking it. “How was school? Those grades good?”

“Yep,” he said with a proud smile. Then, he pushed me toward the door. “Now go, Micah, I’m talking to my girlfriend.”

I paused, blinking. “What girlfriend—”

Before I could finish, Aiden slammed the door in my face. I stood there for a second, laughing and shaking my head. “This kid…”

Back in my room, I threw on my shower cap and turned up my YoungBoy playlist, the bass vibrating through the walls as I stepped into the shower.

15 Minutes Later

“Whew, it’s hot as hell in here,” I muttered, stepping out of the shower. I grabbed my toothbrush and brushed my teeth while tossing my dirty clothes into the hamper. After digging through my drawer, I found some black polo boxers and shorts, pulling them on quickly before grabbing a matching black T-shirt.

I spotted my sister’s cocoa butter lotion—technically mine now—and lathered it on before slipping into my Lilo & Stitch slides. With my phone and chain in hand, I walked down the hall to my sisters’ room.

Aye, y’all know Aiden got a girlfriend?” I said as I walked into Maya and Sophia’s room, plopping down on Maya’s beauty chair.

Both twins turned to look at me in sync. “What? Who?” they asked, their eyebrows shooting up.

“I don’t know,” I said, leaning back in the chair. “But he stole my speaker, and when I went to get it, he was on the game talking about—”

Before I could finish, the door flew open, and Cameron’s voice boomed through the room. “HOW’S MY FAVORITE FAMILY?”

Keith followed right behind him, grinning ear to ear.

“Who the hell let y’all in here?” Sophia asked, laughing as she got up to hug them.

“Jasmine did,” Keith said, shrugging. “We weren’t doing anything since Cam’s game got canceled, so we figured, why not come bother Micah?”

Cameron smirked. “Plus, it’s always fun messing with you twins.”

Sophia rolled her eyes and pushed Cameron playfully. “Well, don’t get too comfortable. And Maya, don’t act all bougie—go say hi.”

Maya sighed and rolled her eyes but gave both of them a quick hug before turning her attention back to me. “Alright, Micah. Sit still and stop moving. I need to retwist your hair before these clowns make themselves at home.”

Maya wasn’t one for being overly friendly, but she had her moments. Meanwhile, Sophia was always the sweet one, balancing out Maya’s sharp edges.

Keith plopped down on Maya’s bed, and Cameron sat on the floor picking up Sophia iPad , watching Maya set up her products.

“I’m so glad you’re fixing our boy up for the big date tomorrow,” Cameron grinned, leaning casually against the wall.

“A date?” me and the twins said in unison, our voices dripping with confusion.

“Baby, you didn’t tell us you were dating again,” Maya teased, giving me a playful shove on the shoulder.

“Cause I’m not,” I said, turning in my chair to glare at Keith and Cameron. “What the fuck y’all did now? It’s always something with y’all. A nigga can’t just relax.” I shook my head, already feeling the headache coming.

“Well,” Keith started, rubbing the back of his neck, “Skylar wants to go to the fair tomorrow, but she’s going with her friends, and she doesn’t want them to be third-wheeling, so…”

“And since she doesn’t want her friends third-wheeling, I’m going with Kamiya’s mean ass,” Cameron cut in, grinning proudly like he’d just cracked the code to world peace. “Hopefully, I can apply more pressure and let her see how smooth I am.”

“Okay, but what does that have to do with me?” I asked, my face blank.

“They got a friend—Maila—and they don’t wanna leave her out,” Keith said, now hiding his face under a pillow. “So I told them I’d bring you along so she wouldn’t feel lonely.”

The twins exchanged glances and shook their heads like they couldn’t believe the audacity.

“So, basically,” I started, crossing my arms, “y’all want me to go on a triple date so y’all can hook up with Kamiya and Skylar?”

Keith and Cameron both grinned sheepishly, the guilt written all over their faces.

“Wait, hold up,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “Maila? The cheerleader? Doesn’t she date that Liam dude?”

“Hell yeah, that’s her,” Keith said, nodding. “But nah, Kamiya said they broke up earlier this year. She’s single now.”

“Not y’all trying to set Baby up,” Sophia said, shaking her head. “Is the girl cute, at least?”

“Yeah, hold up,” Cameron said, pulling out his phone. He scrolled through Instagram and passed it to the twins.

“Ouuu, she is pretty,” Maya said, scrolling through Maila’s pictures. “Oh my God, look at her! She’s got hair like Mommy.”

“Micah, she’s cute,” Sophia agreed, nodding enthusiastically. “I say you go.”

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. “Yeah, she’s beautiful. I can’t even lie. I got a class with her too—she sits behind me.”

“Wait, why am I just now hearing about this?” Keith said, sitting up with a surprised look on his face.

“No, for real,” Cameron chimed in, nodding like he had just uncovered a hidden secret.

“Because, for one, we don’t talk,” I said, shrugging. “And two, I thought she was still dating Liam, but I guess not.”

I paused, glancing between them. “Plus, I don’t know anything about her to start a conversation, so it’d be awkward as hell.”

Cameron shot me a look. “That’s exactly why you should go, Micah

It’s not like you got other plans, plus Maila’s cool people, twin,” Keith said, a smug grin on his face.

“Go, baby. You need to get out this house,” Maya chimed in, her voice sweet yet firm.

I let out a sigh. “Whatever. I’ll go. But y’all gotta stop planning these random-ass tasks without asking me first,” I said, looking at Keith and Cameron with a raised eyebrow.

Keith’s face lit up. “Bet, lemme text Skylar and tell her we good for tomorrow.” He pulled out his phone, eager to send the message.

“Aww, what if y’all really click?” Sophia said, smiling mischievously. “You guys can go on more triple dates.”

“Definitely the plan,” Cameron added, his grin widening.

I shook my head, trying not to smile at their enthusiasm. “Well, we’ll see. Don’t get too happy just yet,” I said, unlocking my phone and scrolling through my messages.

Then, something hit me. “Oh shit, I forgot why Gabby came by the shop today,” I muttered under my breath.

The twins’ expressions instantly shifted. Maya shot me a look. “Oh hell no, you should’ve called us so we could whoop her ass,” she said, her tone low but full of fury.

Keith’s face scrunched in disbelief. “No way in hell she want to come around here again.”

I exhaled sharply, leaning back in the chair. “Yeah, she did. Came to apologize and all that, trying to act like she didn’t mess everything up. But you know how that goes.”

Maya scoffed. “She doesn’t get to come around here playing the ‘I’m sorry’ card. After everything she did?” She shook her head. “Nah.”

“No deadass, she really did my twin dirty, but aye, it’s light under every tunnel, man,” Cameron said, a serious expression crossing his face. “Just keep your priorities straight—basketball and them good-ass drawings you be doing.”

“Fasho, twin,” I replied, dapping him up. I appreciated his words—he always knew how to keep me grounded.

“Well, since you going out tomorrow, I’m gonna do two-strand twists. They’ll fit your face,” Maya smiled as she adjusted the supplies on her table.

“Oh, and Micah, please leave the ‘I don’t talk first’ bullshit here and not on your date tomorrow,” Sophia added, her voice teasing but serious.

“On God, Micah,” Keith chimed in. “Because your ass will definitely be quiet as hell if someone doesn’t speak first.”

“Especially if it’s not someone you already know. You’ll give them the quiet Micah treatment,” Cameron said, shaking his head like he already knew how it was going to go.

“Mane, y’all shut up. I talk when I feel comfortable,” I said, rolling my eyes. “First, I gotta read people, but I ain’t rude.”

“You be rude to them girls in the hallway,” Keith teased.

“What?” I blinked at him, confused.

Sophia flicked my neck lightly. “Why you being mean, baby?” she asked, her voice soft with a hint of amusement.

“Bruh, them girls just be flirting and smiling in Micah’s face, and all he does is nod at them,” Cameron laughed, shaking his head.

“You should see them, dawg. They be like, ‘Hii Micah,'” Keith said, flicking his eyelashes in a dramatic imitation.

The twins burst into laughter, and I couldn’t help but smile. They knew me too well.

“Not baby having girls chasing him,” Maya said with a smirk.

“Mmcht, you should see my requests, dawg,” I said, shaking my head as I scrolled through my phone. “Them shits are loaded.”

“Alright, I’m done, baby,” Maya said, standing up and looking at me with a satisfied grin as she passed me the mirror. “Take a look.”

I grabbed the mirror and checked out the fresh two-strand twists Maya had done on my hair. “Oh, shit. Hey, Micah’s girls aren’t gonna know what to say on Monday,” Keith joked, laughing loudly.

I smiled, appreciating Maya’s work. “Thanks, sis,” I said, hugging her. “You always come through.”

“No problem, baby,” she replied, smiling back.

I heard Cameron’s voice from across the room. “Aye, I saw some banana pudding in the fridge. Please tell me Jasmine didn’t make it,” he said, looking around like he was on a mission.

“Nah, I made it, boo,” Sophia said with a wink, clearly enjoying his reaction.

“Ahh, hell yeah,” Cameron and Keith both shouted as they flew down the stairs, heading straight for the kitchen.

I shook my head, smiling at the chaos that always seemed to follow them. “Alright, y’all, I’m gonna go hang with the boys. See y’all in the morning,” I said, grabbing my keys and heading for the door.

“Oh, and Micah,” Maya called after me.

“Hmmm?” I raised an eyebrow, pausing at the door.

“Be nice and actually make conversation tomorrow. Just be you,” she said, looking at me seriously. “Even if you don’t like the girl, she’s still gonna be your friend, okay?”

“Yeah, I know,” I said, nodding. “You’ve told me before.”

Sophia stepped closer, standing on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. “I know you have trust issues with girls now, but not everyone’s like Gabby, okay?” she said softly, her eyes filled with understanding.

“Night, baby. Say your prayers before you go to sleep, okay?” she added, giving me a final kiss on the cheek.

“Yeah, I got you. Night, y’all,” I said, my heart feeling full of love as I headed out.

I shut the door behind me, feeling a mix of emotions. Tomorrow was a new day, and despite my nerves about the date, I knew I had to just be myself. The weight of the past lingered, but I was determined to leave it behind and focus on what was in front of me.