Chapter 12 - Push and Pull

The next day feels like a blur for Trey. He's been trying to focus on work, trying to shake the vibe Zay left at his crib, but it's not working. That nigga's still in his head, still lingering like a shadow. Trey's good at pushing shit out of his mind, but Zay? Zay ain't the type of person you can just forget.

Trey just finished a call when his phone buzzes with a text. He looks at it.

Zay: Yo, you busy?

Trey frowns. It's been a few hours since Zay left, and this nigga still tryna act like everything's all cool. Trey don't know if he should be annoyed or just give in and tell Zay to fuck off.

Trey: What you want?

Zay: You free to talk?

Trey sighs, running his hand over his face. The nigga's persistent, and it's startin' to get to him. He thinks for a second, then taps out a response.

Trey: Aight, I got a minute. What's up?

Zay: I'm outside.

Trey's stomach drops. He look out the window, and sure enough, Zay's car's parked right in front of his building.

Trey smirks to himself, shaking his head. This nigga don't listen. Trey grab his jacket, figuring he might as well handle this shit now before it starts messin' with him more.

When he steps outside, Zay's leaning against his car, looking all relaxed like he didn't just send Trey into a spiral earlier this morning.

"Yo, Zo," Zay says, flashing that same cocky grin. "You lookin' good today."

Trey raise an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "Shut the fuck up. What you want, Zay?"

Zay chuckles. "You so hostile. Just tryna see how you doin'."

Trey steps closer, his gaze sharp. "Nigga, you don't care how I'm doin'."

Zay shrugs. "Maybe not. But I'm still here, ain't I?"

Trey stands in front of him, close enough that he can feel the heat radiating off of Zay. He's tryin' to keep it cool, but it's hard when this nigga's standin' there lookin' like he own the place. Trey hates it.

"You don't get it, huh?" Trey says, his voice calm but firm. "You keep pullin' up on me like this, and I'm gonna start thinkin' you got intentions. And I don't fuck with that."

Zay looks at him for a long second, his face serious for the first time in a while. Then he smirks, leaning in a little. "You really think I'm here to cause trouble?"

Trey don't move, his eyes narrowing. "Yeah. I do."

Zay laughs, shaking his head. "Ain't that something. You really think I'm just some nigga out here messin' with you for no reason?"

Trey clenches his jaw. "Yeah, that's exactly what I think. You're pushin' buttons, Zay. All you do is talk. You ain't real."

Zay raises an eyebrow, leaning in closer. "You don't know shit about me."

Trey feels a shift, his heartbeat picking up. That's it. That's the moment. Zay's too close, and Trey don't know whether to push him away or pull him in.

Without thinkin', Trey grabs Zay by the collar of his hoodie and pulls him forward, their faces inches apart. His chest is tight, breath coming quicker. He's mad, but there's something else under that anger.

Zay doesn't pull back. Instead, he keeps his eyes locked on Trey's. "What's up, Zo? You gonna hit me? You gonna push me away, or you gonna let me in?"

Trey's mind is spinning, and for a second, he forgets where he is. His hand tightens around Zay's hoodie, but his other hand reaches up, resting on Zay's jaw. Zay doesn't flinch. He just stands there, waiting for Trey to make the next move.

Trey knows he shouldn't. He knows this is some dangerous shit. But something about Zay got him feeling reckless, and for the first time in a long while, Trey wants to do something that ain't safe.

"You tryna play me, huh?" Trey mutters, his voice low and tense.

Zay smirks. "Nah, Zo. I'm just tryna see if you'll let me."

And that's it. Trey can't hold back anymore. He closes the gap between them, his lips crashing against Zay's in a heated kiss.

For a moment, it's all fire-angry, hungry, raw. Zay doesn't hold back either. His hands grip Trey's waist, pulling him closer, his tongue sliding against Trey's as if they've done this before.

Trey's heart is racing, and he don't know whether to pull away or dive deeper. But Zay makes the decision for him, taking control, pushing Trey back against the car, and leaning into him even more.

But before it goes any further, Trey pulls away, his chest heaving as he stares at Zay, his eyes wide with confusion.

"You-what the fuck, Zay?" Trey says, voice shaking.

Zay's grin is there again, but there's something else in his eyes, something deeper. "I told you, Zo. I ain't goin' nowhere."

Trey looks at him, trying to process it all. "You serious?"

Zay shrugs, his hand brushing against Trey's cheek. "I'm always serious. You just gotta stop runnin' from what's real."

Trey steps back, shaking his head. He ain't ready for this shit, but it feels too damn good to stop. "You think this is easy for me?"

Zay chuckles, stepping closer again. "Nah. But nothing worth having is easy, Zo."

Trey can't say shit. He just stands there, trying to figure out how the fuck he ended up in this mess.