Aria walked through the door of Isa’s house carrying two heavy suitcases, one in each hand. His eyes lifted from the blunt, and he kicked back on the leather couch as they stared at each other. He pulled the smoke into his mouth, then lifted one foot to the coffee table and blew the smoke up into the air.

“Fuck you doing here?” he asked. “Walking your lil’ ugly ass up in here like this yo’ crib. You lucky I ain’t blow your head off.”

She set down her bags. “Shut up and come here, boy.”

Isa wasn’t quick to move. Despite the fact that his heart was beating so hard he could hear it in his ears. He had never been happier to see someone in his life. He hated that Aria had the power to ruin or revive his day with just her presence. He turned his gaze to the big screen on his wall.

Fucking stubborn-ass man, she thought.

“Oh, so you’re in your feelings? You’re just going to ignore me?” she asked. She nodded. “Okay.”

She stepped high-heeled feet over his legs.

“Move, man!” Isa fussed as he pushed her out of the way so he could see the basketball game playing.

Aria waltzed right over to the television and picked up the baseball bat he kept hanging on the wall. An autographed A-Rod bat from a World Series game. His pride and joy. One of many because Isa was a sports junkie.

“Fuck you doing, yo?” he asked, irritation playing in his tone. “That shit signed as fuck. Shit ain’t no toy.”

“Oh, it’s signed?” she mocked. “You care about this bat, huh? You were just being a big-ass baby and ignoring me seconds ago. Now you can speak?”

“Man gone with that shit,” Isa grumbled, scratching the top of his head as he lifted the blunt to his lips. “Ain’t you supposed to be with your people? You can’t fuck with me. You said that. I’m over it. Take ya’ ass back to ya’ folk and get from in front of the TV. A nigga got ten bands on this game.”

Aria swung the bat, cracking the TV screen, then tossed the bat at him as he stood from the couch.

“You done lost your fucking mind!” he barked.

“Next time, you better act like you see me when I walk in this bitch!” she shouted.

She started to walk away, but he caught her wrist and pulled her into him roughly. Aria slapped him, and Isa wrapped her. His one hand was large enough to capture both of hers.

“Go home to your people before I knock your head off,” Isa said.