08/09/2026
CONCRETE ROSES
Chapter Two — Don’t Fall
By noon, Nia had convinced herself that KJ’s little speech hadn’t gotten to her.
By twelve-fifteen, she had checked her phone six times.
By twelve-thirty, she was irritated with herself.
“Girl, just text him.”
Nia looked up from the client sitting in her chair.
“What?”
Tasha was sweeping hair off the floor.
“You’ve been staring at that phone like it’s gonna text you back.”
“I’m working.”
“You ain’t fooling nobody.”
Nia rolled her eyes.
Her phone buzzed.
She glanced down.
KJ: You eat yet?
She smiled before she could stop herself.
Nia: Yes.
Three dots appeared immediately.
KJ: That’s a lie.
Nia laughed.
Nia: How you know?
KJ: Because you always forget to eat when you’re busy.
She stared at the message.
He really did remember everything.
KJ: I’m bringing you lunch.
Nia started typing.
You don’t have to.
She erased it.
Typed:
Okay.
Deleted that too.
Finally:
Nia: You can bring me something if you want.
She hit send and immediately regretted it.
Tasha peeked over her shoulder.
“Ooooooh.”
“Mind your business.”
“You just invited that man to bring you lunch.”
“I did not.”
“You absolutely did.”
Nia shook her head.
“Whatever.”
Twenty minutes later, KJ walked back through the door carrying a white takeout bag.
“What’s up, ladies?”
Tasha smiled.
“Hey, boyfriend.”
Nia’s eyes widened.
“Tasha!”
KJ laughed.
“Boyfriend?”
“She plays too much,” Nia said.
KJ looked at Nia.
“She ain’t lying.”
Nia tried not to smile.
“You hungry?”
“Yeah.”
They sat in the little break area in the back.
KJ handed her the container.
“Chicken, rice, green beans. You said that’s what you like.”
Nia stared at him.
“How do you remember all this?”
He shrugged.
“When I care about something, I pay attention.”
She looked down at her food.
Nobody had ever made caring look so simple.
“So what you doing tonight?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
“Good.”
She looked up.
“Good?”
“Yeah. I’m taking you somewhere.”
“Where?”
“You’ll see.”
“KJ…”
“What?”
“I don’t like surprises.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you surprising me?”
“Because you need to learn how to let somebody do something nice for you without asking a million questions.”
Nia laughed.
“You’re annoying.”
“And you like me.”
She shook her head.
“I’m still deciding.”
KJ leaned back.
“Take your time.”
His confidence irritated her.
But secretly?
She liked it.
⸻
That evening, Nia stood in front of her mirror changing clothes for the third time.
She finally settled on dark jeans, a fitted black top, gold hoops, and heels.
Her phone buzzed.
KJ: Outside.
She grabbed her purse.
When she stepped outside, KJ was leaning against his Chevy.
He looked her up and down.
“Okay.”
Nia raised an eyebrow.
“Okay what?”
“You look good.”
“Just good?”
He smiled.
“You know you look better than good.”
Nia tried to hide her smile.
“Where are we going?”
He opened the passenger door.
“Get in.”
She hesitated.
“KJ.”
“Nia.”
“Tell me.”
“Trust me.”
She stared at him for a second.
Then she got in.
⸻
He took her to a little restaurant downtown.
Nothing flashy.
Just good food, dim lights, and a quiet atmosphere.
Nia looked around.
“This is nice.”
“I figured you deserved something nice.”
They talked for hours.
About childhood.
About dreams.
About mistakes.
KJ told her he’d spent years trying to be somebody the streets respected because he didn’t know how to be somebody he respected.
Nia listened.
“I don’t want to be that person anymore,” he said.
“Then don’t.”
“It’s not that easy.”
“No,” she said softly. “But it can be that simple.”
He looked at her.
“What you mean?”
“You wake up every day and decide what kind of man you want to be. Eventually, your decisions become your life.”
KJ smiled.
“You always talk like you got all the answers.”
“I don’t.”
“You sound like it.”
“I just know what I don’t want anymore.”
He nodded.
“What’s that?”
Nia looked down at her hands.
“Chaos.”
The smile disappeared from his face.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
She looked up.
“Then don’t.”
KJ reached across the table and took her hand.
Nia froze.
His thumb brushed gently across her knuckles.
“I’m serious.”
She looked at their hands.
Then at him.
For the first time in a long time, she didn’t feel like she needed to run.
And that scared her more than anything.
⸻
When KJ dropped her off later that night, he walked her to her door.
Nia turned toward him.
“Thank you.”
“For dinner?”
“For tonight.”
He nodded.
“I had a good time.”
“So did I.”
They stood there in silence.
KJ stepped closer.
Nia’s heart started pounding.
He looked at her lips.
Then back into her eyes.
“I’m gonna kiss you.”
Nia whispered, “Okay.”
His lips met hers.
Slow.
Soft.
Nothing rushed.
Nothing demanding.
Just enough to make her forget every reason she’d promised herself she wouldn’t fall again.
When they pulled apart, KJ rested his forehead against hers.
“You still deciding?”
Nia smiled.
“Maybe.”
He laughed.
“Goodnight, Nia.”
“Goodnight.”
She watched him walk away.
Then she closed her door, leaned against it, and touched her lips.
She was smiling.
And she hated how much she liked it.
Because somewhere deep inside, a tiny voice whispered:
Don’t fall.
But another voice whispered back:
Maybe this time, you don’t have to.
⸻
Across town, a woman sat in the passenger seat of a parked car.
She stared at the picture on her phone.
KJ.
And beside him…
Nia.
Her jaw tightened.
She zoomed in on the picture.
“Who the hell is she?”
The man driving glanced over.
“You know him?”
The woman smiled.
“Oh, I know KJ.”
She locked her phone.
“Better than she ever will.”
