The unexpected ride

The school grounds were nearly empty as Kamsi walked through the deserted corridor. The day had been long, and she was ready to head home. However, Patricia had other plans. She stepped out from the shadows, blocking Kamsi's path with a menacing glare.

"I thought I told you to stay the hell away from Xavier," Patricia spat, pushing Kamsi back with a rough shove.

Kamsi stumbled slightly but quickly regained her composure. Her eyes met Patricia's with unflinching resolve. "If I recall correctly, you told me not to mention how you begged shamelessly for Xavier's love in front of his house. How did that work out for you? Oh right, he shut the door right in your face."

Patricia's face flushed with embarrassment. Tyler and Camielle, standing nearby, exchanged wide-eyed glances. They had never heard Patricia being so publicly humiliated.

"O my gosh, Trish, tell me she's lying," Camielle said, her face contorted with disgust.

"Of course she is," Patricia replied instantly, her voice lacking conviction.

Kamsi rolled her eyes at Patricia's denial. "For the last time, stay the fuck away from Xavier and the T3," Patricia warned, her tone dripping with menace.

Kamsi's gaze hardened as she shot back, "Maybe before you go about firing empty threats, you should first learn some self-respect. Begging for attention where you're clearly not wanted is just pathetic."

The trio was left stunned, their mouths slightly agape as Kamsi walked past them with a confident stride. Patricia stood frozen, her anger replaced by a mix of humiliation and frustration.

Unbeknownst to them, Xavier had been watching the entire confrontation from the school rooftop. He sat there, leaning against the railing, a smirk of satisfaction playing on his lips. He admired how Kamsi handled Patricia's taunts with fearless composure.

Zendaya, who had been waiting in the school's driveway, was already seated in the car when Kamsi arrived. As Kamsi approached the vehicle, she greeted her mom with a warm smile.

"Good afternoon, Mom," Kamsi said as she hopped into the car.

Mrs. Chibuike, looked up and smiled in return. Zendaya, noticing Kamsi's slightly tense demeanor, asked, "What took you so long?"

Kamsi settled into the back seat, brushing off the concern. "I ran into Patricia on the way. She tried to cause some trouble, but honestly, I don't think it's anything to worry about."

Zendaya's eyes remained worried. "Are you sure? Patricia can be pretty intense."

Kamsi nodded confidently. "I've dealt with worse. I can handle her."

Mrs. Chibuike started the car, and they began driving away from the school. Zendaya's concern eased slightly, but she kept an eye on Kamsi, hoping her friend's confidence was well-placed.

Xavier stormed up to Patricia and her friends, his face a mask of cold fury. He stopped a few feet away, his eyes locking onto Patricia with an intense gaze.

"I thought I told you to stay the fuck away from Kamsi," Xavier said, his voice low and menacing.

Patricia tried to maintain her composure but couldn't hide the flicker of fear in her eyes. "What are you going to do about it?"

Xavier's expression darkened. "Although my mom told me not to hit girls, I wouldn't have minded smacking your head if you'd even pulled a strand of her hair."

Patricia's face went pale. Tyler and Camielle looked on, their faces reflecting a mix of shock and concern.

"This is your last warning, Trish," Xavier continued, his tone unwavering. "Stay the fuck away from Kamsi. If you don't, you'll regret it."

With that, Xavier turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Patricia and her friends stunned and speechless. The gravity of his words and the intensity of his gaze made it clear that he was not to be taken lightly.

After finishing up her assignments, Kamsi slipped into her comfy pajamas and noticed the balcony from her room. A thought crossed her mind—maybe she should check if Xavier was out there, just to thank him. She approached the balcony, her gaze searching for any sign of him.

Just as she was craning her neck to see if Xavier was on his side of the balcony, she heard his voice.

"Didn't realize you missed me that badly," he teased, his tone carrying a playful edge.

Kamsi's face flushed with embarrassment. "I was just checking," she replied quickly.

Xavier chuckled softly. "Hmm."

An awkward silence settled between them. Kamsi cleared her throat before speaking up. "I wanted to thank you for yesterday. For watching over me."

Xavier's response was a noncommittal hum, leaving the silence to stretch between them. Feeling it was odd to thank him without offering something in return, Kamsi turned and hurried back inside. She emerged shortly with a small box of her mom's homemade cookies.

"Here," she said, extending the box towards him.

Xavier raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "What's this?"

"It's a little thank you gift," Kamsi explained. "My mom's homemade cookies."

Xavier scrutinized the box for a moment before shaking his head. "That won't be necessary."

Kamsi's shoulders slumped slightly, but she was determined. "I insist."

Xavier considered her insistence, then said, "Well, if you insist, then there is something you can do for me."

Kamsi's curiosity piqued. "And what's that?"

Xavier smirked slightly, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Be down in ten minutes."

With that, he turned and walked back into his apartment, leaving Kamsi puzzled but intrigued.

As Xavier retreated back into his apartment, Kamsi was left standing on her balcony, puzzled but intrigued by his cryptic request. She glanced at the clock—already past 10—but decided to follow through with his instruction.

A few minutes later, Kamsi was quietly making her way downstairs, trying to avoid waking her mother. She was halfway out the door when Mrs. Chibuike appeared in the hallway, her eyes narrowing as she saw Kamsi slipping outside.

"Where do you think you're going at this hour?" Mrs. Chibuike asked, her tone a mix of concern and curiosity.

Kamsi hesitated, quickly coming up with a plausible excuse. "Zendaya's been having cramps and I want to lend her some medicine. We live in the same building, so I thought I'd drop it off."

Mrs. Chibuike raised an eyebrow but seemed satisfied with the explanation. "Alright, but make sure you're quick about it."

"Sure, Mom. I'll be back soon," Kamsi promised, stepping outside with a sigh of relief.

She made her way to the ground floor, where Xavier was waiting. He greeted her with a devilish grin. "Glad you could make it. I thought we might take a late-night stroll. You mentioned earlier that you were tired of your boring life. How about I make it more interesting?"

He tossed a helmet towards her with a playful smirk. "Hop in."

Kamsi caught the helmet and looked at him in surprise. "You're not serious, are you?"

Xavier's grin widened. "Oh, I'm very serious. Let's go. Trust me, this will be an adventure."

Kamsi hesitated for a moment, then, intrigued and unable to resist the promise of something different, she put on the helmet and followed Xavier. They left the quiet neighborhood behind, embarking on a night that promised to be anything but ordinary.