Solace

Omniscient POV

"Wake up, boo. It's your last year."

Tyrese groaned, pulling the comforter over his head.

"I'm not going today."

Sage laughed before snatching the blanket clean off him.

"Boy, if you don't get up. You ain't missing the first day of your senior year."

Tyrese squinted at the sunlight pouring through the curtains. He'd barely slept after being up late the night before playing on the game, and every part of his body begged him to stay in bed.

From downstairs came the familiar sound of little feet stomping across the hardwood floor.

"No! Mine!"

"Imani!" another tiny voice yelled before bursting into laughter.

Tyrese smiled despite himself.

Devonte and Imani were already causing chaos.

The two had become the heartbeat of the house. Devonte, four years old, somehow had endless energy from the moment he opened his eyes. His little sister Imani, only two, followed behind him like his shadow—copying everything he did, even when it got them both in trouble.

"See?" Sage said, folding her arms. "They've been up for hours. You can survive getting up."

Tyrese sighed dramatically before swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

"Aight, aight. I'm up."

"Good. Breakfast's almost ready."

She ruffled his hair before walking out of the room.

Tyrese stretched, grabbed his towel, and headed for the bathroom.

⸻

About twenty minutes later, he walked downstairs dressed and ready for school.

The smell of breakfast filled the kitchen.

Mir sat at the island scrolling through his phone while Enzo packed Devonte's lunch. Sage was flipping pancakes with one hand and trying to keep Imani from stealing strawberries with the other.

"Mornin'," Tyrese mumbled.

"Morning," everyone replied almost in sync.

After scarfing down breakfast, Ty grabbed his backpack and headed toward the front door.

His phone buzzed.

Patooties 🫶🏾 was FaceTiming.

Ty stared at the screen for a second before answering.

The moment he picked up, pure chaos filled his speaker.

"Dumbass, I wasn't even talking to you!" Za shouted.

"Nigga, yes you was!" Ky shot back.

Nas was damn near crying laughing in the background.

Z sat in the front of her vanity fixing her edges in the camera like none of the arguing had anything to do with her.

"Y'all so extra," she muttered with a smirk.

Before Ty could even say anything, another voice chimed in.

"'Course you pick up last, wanna-be mysterious ass nigga."

Jelani.

Ty let out a quiet laugh.

"Man, fuck up."

Everybody started laughing.

Ky leaned toward the camera.

"So... y'all ready? Last year."

Zion let out a dramatic sigh.

"Thank God."

Ty couldn't help but grin.

Senior year had officially begun.

After finishing breakfast and saying goodbye to everyone, Ty slung his backpack over one shoulder, grabbed his keys, and headed outside.

"Tyrese!"

He stopped with a sigh, already knowing what was coming.

"What?"

Sage stepped onto the porch, phone in hand.

"Come here."

Ty muted the FaceTime call before shoving his phone into his pocket.

"For what?"

"It's your last first day of school. You takin' a picture."

Ty threw his head back.

"Sage... c'mon."

"Boy, quit all that. Get over here."

Grumbling under his breath, he walked back over.

"This embarrassing."

"I don't care. Stand right there."

She fixed the collar of his shirt, brushed a piece of lint off his hoodie, then took a step back and held up her phone.

"Smile."

"Nah."

"Tyrese."

"...Aight."

He gave her the smallest smile he could manage.

Click.

Then she started a video.

"Nah, you supposed to whip it up first day."

Tyrese side-eyed the camera. "You ain't say allat, nae."

"Aye, whip it first day!"

Sage looked down at the picture, then replayed the video. A grin slowly spread across her face.

"My baby's a senior."

"Don't post that."

She smirked.

"And will."

Ty shook his head with a laugh as he headed out the house. He pulled his phone back out of his pocket, unmuted the FaceTime call that was still going, then climbed into his car, starting the engine.

His black Charger roared to life as he backed out of the driveway.

"Ty," Z spoke up, leaning closer to her phone. "Can you pick me up? I don't feel like driving today."

Ty didn't even hesitate.

"Man, no. The fuck I look like?"

"Damn, fuck I thought." Zion shot back.

The whole call erupted in laughter.

A second later, Za cleared his throat.

"Aye... can you pick me up? My car still in maintenance."

Ty nodded.

"Mhmm. I got you. I'm finna pull up. Be ready."

For a moment, the call went unusually quiet.

Then Zion broke the silence.

"Wow... this shit crazy."

Ty already knew where she was going with this.

"So this how it is?" she continued dramatically. "Niggas leaving they day ones high and dry."

She placed a hand over her chest.

"What happened to bros over hoes?"

Ty kissed his teeth, shaking his head with a quiet chuckle.

"Girl, shut up."

Before he could say anything else, Jelani smiled into the camera.

"It's okay, boo. I can come pick you up."

Z froze for a split second.

The confidence she'd been talking with disappeared as a small smile crept onto her face.

"Oh... aight."

Nasir immediately started fake gagging.

"Man, I'm finna hang up on y'all."

Everyone looked at him.

"Tryna be cute and shit. Fuck all y'all."

He pointed at the camera.

"Y'all ugly."

The screen disappeared as he ended the call.

Ty laughed, shaking his head.

"Dumbass."

Everyone else was still laughing through the disconnected call before Ty ended his side too.

"Aight. Bye. See y'all at school."

He tossed his phone onto the passenger seat and turned onto Za's street.

Pulling into the driveway, he put the car in park and shot Za a quick text.

Ty: I'm here.

⸻

Za jogged down the porch steps, backpack slung over one shoulder as he adjusted the black-framed glasses resting on the bridge of his nose.

He opened the passenger door and slid into the seat.

The moment the door shut, Ty caught a whiff of his cologne.

Clean. Warm. Familiar.

It mixed with the lingering scent of Ty's own woody cologne and the faint smell of weed that always clung to his hoodies.

His eyes wandered over without thinking.

The morning sun spilled through the windshield, making Za's light skin glow. His locs were a little messy from rushing out the house, but his lineup was still sharp. The silver studs in his ears caught the sunlight, while the chain around his neck rested neatly against his black T-shirt.

Then Za smiled.

Deep dimples settled into his cheeks.

Ty's gaze lingered for a second.

Pretty-ass nigga.

"...Good morning," Za said, catching him staring.

Ty blinked, cleared his throat, and looked back at the road.

"Wassup."

They reached across the center console and dapped each other up.

Ty put the car in drive.

"What happened to your car?"

"The A/C stopped working."

Ty nodded.

"Hmm."

"I appreciate the ride."

"I got you, my heart," Ty replied casually. "Wasn't 'bout to let you walk to school."

Za's heart skipped.

My heart.

He knew Ty called people nicknames all the time.

Twin.

Gang.

Bruh.

But...

For some reason, hearing my heart hit different.

He turned toward the window before Ty could notice the small smile creeping onto his face.

Ty's phone suddenly lit up across the dashboard.

Mari

Ty answered without thinking, placing the call on speaker as he kept driving.

"Hey, bae. Where you at?" Mari's voice blasted through the car.

"I'm pulling up right na." Ty replied.

Za looked out the window, listening.

Ty's voice had always been calm.

Never too loud.

Never in a rush.

Even when everybody else was yelling over each other, he somehow stayed level.

It was...calming.

"I can't believe we don't got no classes together," Mari whined.

"Mhm."

That was it.

Just one hum.

Za almost laughed.

Everybody who knew Ty knew he wasn't much of a talker. He'd always been the quiet one, usually sitting back listening while everybody else carried the conversation.

Mari, on the other hand...

"So that's it?" she snapped. "Bro, you so dry. You don't be saying shit. You don't like me or somethin'?"

Za resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

Here she go.

Every conversation between them somehow turned into an argument.

Ty drove with one hand on the wheel while the other absentmindedly rubbed at his goatee and let out a tired sigh.

"Bro... don't start."

Za stared out the passenger window.

He couldn't wait until they got to school.

Those two did nothing but argue. Every. Single. Day.