Kendra

      It was about fifteen minutes before one when I walked into work; being a cashier at Guess wasn't the most glamorous job in the world but my employee discount was well worth it. I nodded my head at Anna, a co-worker I happened to be friends with, and headed to the back room to punch in before joining Joyce at the register. A couple of guys in the men's section checked me out and I tossed them a smile as I grabbed a stool and positioned it in front of my register and sat down. Yes, this was a supposed safety violation but there was enough room behind the register to maneuver and damn it I was wearing heels and it would be hell on my feet to stand for the next eight hours straight.

      "What's up girl?" Joyce asked me as I adjusted my low rise capri’s to make sure my ass wasn't out for the world to see before pulling down my white blazer.

      "Nothing much," I replied with a shrug.

      "I heard there was this crazy assed party last night," she replied and I already knew where her mind was going.

      While Joyce and I were cool, I knew the real reason why she tried to get close. Just like every other female who realized I dated Jabaris Houston, she was getting close for the hook up. Darnell was her man of choice, she'd brought his name up enough times to prove that point, but she'd be willing to settle for Chris seeing as he was the only other single guy in the crew.

      "Yeah, there was," I replied as the ring from the doors' sensor sounded as a new shopper walked in.

      My first reaction was to turn towards the door and it took everything to keep my mouth from dropping. Walking in was Jabaris's God sister dressed casually enough in a dark blue denim mini that she had resting dangerously low on her hips with a pearl, and what looked like rhinestone, chain belt looped haphazardly through the belt loops. The skirt was so low that it was clear to tell that her wax of choice was Brazilian. A simple white tank with a plunging neck line covered her torso and a tan cropped crochet cardigan was over that. Metallic gold accented high top, converse inspired, Gucci sneakers covered her dainty feet and a matching metallic gold Gucci purse rested at her elbow. As she got closer I noticed a pair of gold pearl and diamond earrings gracing her ears while a matching ring dressed her right ring finger.

      She must have felt my gaze though because she glanced in my direction and nodded her head in acknowledgement before heading over to the denim section and began to finger through the jeans. Joyce elbowed me to draw my attention back to her before asking me the question that she really wanted to ask.

      "Was Darnell there?" she asked.

      "Yes," I replied, "I mean it was his best friend's birthday so of course he was there."

      "Was that bitch Shantice there?" she asked me as if the girl's name left a bad taste in her mouth.

      "I didn't see her," I replied with a shrug.

      As far as the females Darnell happened to sleep with, Shantice was the one he slept with the most. Honestly, I didn't see what he saw in her. Sure, she was attractive but we lived in the MIA. You crossed attractive women everyday so that was nothing. Maybe he was genuinely interested in her but I wasn't too sure about that. In my opinion, guys who were seriously into a girl didn't go around fucking other bitches.

      "So did you tell him that you had a friend who was interested in him?" she asked.

      Friend? Now where did she get that idea? I mean we were co-workers and, yeah, we got along better than I did with some of the other females here but I wouldn't take it as far as her being a friend. "No, I didn't. Obviously you see him quite a bit. Why don't you just tell him yourself?"

      "I can't be acting all desperate and what not," she replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Ayanna

      After twenty minutes of surveying the store I finally had everything I had came in there for...well everything I liked, at least, and headed over to the register to pay for my clothes. As fate would have it that Kendra girl my brother was dating had the register that wasn't servicing anyone. I placed my clothes on the register and waited for her to finish scanning my clothes as my phone rang making Ciara and 50 Cent's Can't Leave 'Em Alone resound through the store as I pulled my limited edition white Motorola Razr from my purse. Darnell's face popped up on the screen to let me know it was him calling and I couldn't stop the smile that spread over my face as I answered the call.

      "Hey baby," I spoke as a greeting.

      "What're you doing?" he asked.

      "Shopping," I answered.

      "You're a shop-a-holic," he replied in amusement.

      "Don't act like you don't buy a lot of shit either," I replied.

      "Are you free right now?" he asked changing the subject.

      "I can be," I answered.

Kendra

      I shook my head as I tried to inconspicuously watch Ayanna. The girl was bad, I'd give her that, but I still had reservations about her. There was something about her that made me uncomfortable. Maybe it was the fact that she threatened me with a smile or maybe it was the fact that she represented an unknown aspect to Jabaris's life but either way it was going to take a lot more than I was getting to get me used to her. She ended the call with an I love you and turned her attention to me. I paused from bagging her clothes to give her the total.

      "Your total comes to $576.26," I replied. "Will this be cash or credit?"

      "Cash," she replied as she opened her purse and tossed her phone in it before grabbing her wallet, which happened to be the same metallic gold as her purse, and pulled out a small stack of bills and quickly counted out six crisp one hundred dollar bills and placed it on the counter.

      I grabbed the black marker the manager gave each of the cashiers to mark bills higher than a twenty and marked each bill before placing them under the register and counting out her change. Once she hand her change and receipt in the confines of her purse she grabbed her bags and turned to walk away. Before she was out of hearing range she paused and turned to me, "I just thought I'd invite you to a little get together tomorrow night."

      "Really?" I asked her skeptically and she smirked before answering.

      "Yeah, it's a little something for the family but since you're my brother's girl I thought I'd extend the invitation."

      "Hmm," I replied.

      She shrugged before starting to walk again. "Feel free to show up or not. Jabaris knows the location."

      "Who was that?" Joyce asked once Ayanna was out of hearing range. Hearing Ayanna speak of Jabaris as if they were family didn't go unnoticed.

      "She's Jabaris's God sister."

Shantice

      My best friend Cherish and I were strolling through South Beach looking through the windows of the luxury shops. While we didn't have Roberto Cavalli or Dolce & Gabbana money it didn't hurt to look. Besides I was still seeing Darnell and even though we weren't official or anything he would, on occasion, hit me off with a couple of bills that I used to upgrade my wardrobe.

      "Isn't that Darnell?" Cherish asked as she pointed towards Dolce & Gabbana, which was two stores up.

      Sure enough there was Darnell; I would know his sculpted 6'3" frame anywhere but the problem was that he wasn't alone. Standing next to Darnell with his arm wound protectively around her waist was this petite women who looked completely at ease with the possessiveness Darnell expressed in her favor. They paused in front of a jet black convertible Mercedes roadster that I'd admired as Cherish and I strolled along the street, and placed a bag in the trunk. At that moment I was able to get a frontal view of the girl and I had to admit that she was attractive, even though it took everything to get me to acknowledge it.

      "Are you going to say something?" Cherish asked me after a moment of silence.

      "What would you have me say?" I asked her suddenly finding my Baby Phat shoes very interesting.

      "How is it that you're as calm as a cucumber while your man is over there with another woman?" she asked me.

      I rolled my eyes at her and tried to gather every bit of courage I had in me before making my way over to the 'happy couple.' If nothing else came out of this confrontation at least my existence would be made known to this...tart, crowding my man's personal space. I smoothed my thin shirt over my low rise jeans before clearing my throat. The two turned their attention to me and the girl looked on curiously as Darnell's face hardened. Okay, so maybe this wasn't the best idea.

      "Can we help you?" the girl's smooth voice asked curiously.

      "Actually no you can't," I told her and turned my attention to Darnell, "but he can."

      "Don't start with me today Shantice," he warned.

      "What? So I was just some jump off to you?" I asked him as anger suddenly built up inside of me.

      "Look," he said with a frustrated tone, "we were good together but I told you from jump that I wasn't looking for anything serious. I thought you understood."

      "So this is it?" I asked him in shock.

      "Baby, maybe the two of you need some time to talk?" the girl I'd ignored for the last couple of minutes spoke up.

      "That's not necessary," he replied.

      "You sure?" she asked, "Because I wanted to pick up some things from Chanel."

      He looked between the two of us before nodding. Darnell shook his head at me as he popped the alarm back on the car and left me standing there as he lead her down to Chanel.

Ayanna

      "I'm not going to question you about your personal life since we've been separated," I replied as the woman at the make up counter went to get the products I'd ask her for, "just as I don't expect you to question me."

      Darnell looked like he wanted to do just that and find out who'd been occupying his place in my life while he was away but it just didn't matter. Just like all the other women he'd been with didn't matter. I didn't stress the trivial shit and I knew him well enough to know that he'd slept around; shit he was a man and as much as he loved me I knew he would be only so faithful while three thousand plus miles separated us. While he had other women occupy the void I filled, I had someone else fulfill somewhat of the void he left behind. Of course my void wasn't filled with a fraction of the bodies that filled his but that was neither here nor there.

      I was finally with the man I loved...the only man I'd ever been in love with and I was ready to start over with him. His other females no longer mattered just as my other man no longer mattered. They were secondary in the grand scheme of things.

      "Are you sure that's the way you want it because I'm prepared to lay everything out there," Darnell retorted.

      "I have no desire to hear about the other women you've been with," I replied as the woman came back with my cosmetics and their special edition 15.20 oz. of pure Chanel N°5 parfum.

      "Alright," he replied before handing the woman his credit card as she gave him the total of my purchases before asking me if there was anywhere else I wanted to go.

      "Back to your house," I answered drawing a smile from him.

Kendra

      It was a little after eight when Jabaris picked me up. Honestly, I wasn't even sure whether or not I was going to take Ayanna up on her offer but I figured why not? Jabaris didn't give me any specifics that would give me a hint as to what to wear, other than to bring a bathing suit, and while I wanted to look good Ayanna did say the party was for family and I didn't want his mother thinking he was dating a hot girl so I wanted to looking good but not hoe-ish. That threw quite a few of my bathing suits out of the running as well. After much deliberation I decided on a simple pair of pink Juicy Couture velour pants and a matching hoodie.

      The ride to, wherever we were going, was a lengthy one and I was ready to get this thing started. I was tempted to take a quick nap when Jabaris pulled into this exclusive gated community, one of many Miami had to offer, and pulled up to this huge assed house by the water. Houses in this neighborhood were spread quite a bit apart but it was clear that almost everyone, if not everyone, owned a yacht and it was docked in the back of their house.

      "Who lives here?" I asked Jabaris curiously.

      "My Godparents," he answered before turning off the ignition and exiting the car.

      I felt myself freeze momentarily as I realized that Ayanna had invited me to her house, even though it was advertently. Why did she do that?

      "You comin'?" Jabaris asked me as he paused in the middle of the walk way that lead to the house.

      Smart ass, I mumbled to myself as I made my way over to him. We had just gotten to the stair when he deviated from the direction we were going and lead around the back of the house where everyone else was. Nervousness overcame me when I realized that it wasn't just a party centered around the teenage-early twenty age range but also had Jabaris's parents and adults around their age parlaying and I began to realize that when Ayanna said family gathering she meant it. Nervousness overtook me and suddenly I didn't know how to act. I mean I expected some 'adults' but I didn't think that nearly 2/3 of the party would consist of them.

Ayanna

      I walked out of my house carrying a Heineken and a blended Bahama Mama. My cute burgundy two piece was concealed using a thin burgundy and white tunic, which was perfect seeing as it would stop my father from having a stroke. Just as I was about to board the yacht Darnell, and a few other choice people, had relocated to I saw Jabaris walk in with Kendra at his side. Jabaris was waving and hugging various family members while Kendra tagged along looking uncomfortable. Being the host I am, I decided to head over and free her from the nerve wracking situation.

      "Hey you two," I replied as I made myself known. Jabaris pulled me in one of his patent body crushing hugs before releasing me and saying what's up while Kendra just waved. "I just wanted to let you know that we're all on the yacht. Why don't you join me Kendra?" Kendra nodded and politely separated herself from Jabaris and the people he was around and followed me onto my father's yacht.

      "Thank you," Kendra replied as I led her onto the deck.

      "You're welcome. You can change into your bathing suit downstairs. The bathroom is the first door on the right," I told her before heading over to the Jacuzzi where Darnell was waiting for me.

      I handed him his beer and placed my drink on the floor next to his head before pulling off my tunic and slipping into the hot, bubbling, water. I sipped my drink and I positioned myself in his lap and leaned against his chest. His left hand rested against my stomach as he closed his eyes and rested his head again the porcelain of the tub.

Kendra

      Fifteen minutes after entering the bathroom I'd made into a dressing room, I walked out adorned in a silver one-piece that, while revealing, was much more covering than my various bikini's. I made my way back to the top deck and paused in surprise when I noticed Ayanna and Darnell were cuddled up together. Talk about a revelation. Well this was certainly a change and I couldn't wait to see how this new relationship would work out. So many girls fancied themselves being the one to make Darnell faithful, or at the very least become the one he favored among the others. It'd be interesting to see how Ayanna handled the new situation she was thrust into.