MONDAY • 7:42 A.M. • WESTBROOK HIGH • MIAMI, FL

“Blossom!” Jacey yelled from across the parking lot.

Blossom looked up from her phone, rolling her eyes with a smile.

“Girl, why you hollerin’? I’m right here.”

“’Cause you walk slow as hell.”

The two bumped fists before heading toward the school doors, Gabi trailing behind them with Ziion.

“You still ain’t tell Kaleb you like him?” Ziion teased.

Gabi almost choked on her juice.

“I do not like that boy.”

“Mhm.”

“He ugly.”

“Then why you keep lookin’ over there?”

Gabi’s eyes widened.

“I wasn’t even—”

Before she could finish, somebody snatched the juice out her hand.

“Damn… this good.”

Kaleb.

He took another sip with the biggest grin.

Gabi gasped.

“Kaleb!”

“What?”

“That’s mine!”

“You ain’t say that.”

“I literally just bought it!”

He shrugged.

“My fault…”

“…I’m still keepin’ it though.”

Saint and Kaidon burst out laughing while Gabi stood there ready to swing.

“You so aggravatin’,” she muttered.

Kaleb smirked.

“I know.”

⸻

Inside the hallway…

Girls lined both sides, whispering the second Saint walked in.

“There he go.”

“He so fine.”

“I heard he single again.”

Makayla rolled her eyes.

“As he should be. Ellain still the only girl that looked good with him.”

Ellain flipped her hair, acting unbothered.

“He’ll be back.”

Saint walked right past them without so much as a glance.

“Morning, Saint!”

No response.

“Saint!”

Nothing.

Kaidon laughed.

“Y’all be wastin’ y’all breath every morning.”

Saint adjusted his backpack.

“I got class.”

As they turned the corner, Blossom accidentally brushed shoulders with Saint.

He looked at her.

She looked at him.

“Damn. Watch where you goin’,” Saint said.

Blossom frowned.

“Boy… you bumped into me.”

“Nah.”

“You blind?”

“You must be.”

She laughed.

“Whatever help you sleep at night.”

Saint shook his head.

“You got a mouth on you.”

“And?”

“And one day somebody gon’ humble it.”

Blossom stepped closer.

“You volunteering?”

The hallway instantly got quiet.

“Ooooh.”

“They finna start already.”

Saint looked down at her with a little smirk.

“You funny.”

“I know.”

“Nah…”

“You annoying.”

She smiled.

“So are you.”

Jacey grabbed Blossom’s arm.

“Girl, come on. He ain’t worth missin’ first period.”

Blossom rolled her eyes.

“Trust me… I know.”

She walked off without looking back.

Saint watched her for a second.

Kaidon nudged him.

“What?”

“You ain’t never let nobody talk to you like that.”

Saint shrugged.

“She talk too much.”

“But you ain’t check her.”

“I said she talk too much.”

Kaidon grinned.

“Yeah, aight.”

On the other side of the hallway, Jacey looked over at Blossom.

“You do know that’s the first girl I’ve ever seen argue with Saint without folding.”

Blossom smirked.

“He ain’t nobody special.”

Across the hall, Saint happened to glance her way.

For a split second, their eyes met again.

Both of them looked away at the exact same time.

Neither of them knew that this wouldn’t be the last time they’d get under each other’s skin. In fact… this was only the beginning.