Duane and Diana, exes from From Friends to Forever, return in this serialized romance set in Rose Hill. Once the high school couple everyone adored, they seemed destined for a happily-ever-after… until Duane made a decision in college that tore them apart.
Now back in Rose Hill, they’re thrust together again when their friends Trey and Serenity announce their wedding… and pair Diana and Duane as each other’s dates in the wedding party.
Their forced proximity brings out old feelings, and the story has subscribers eager for the next episode.
Check out this snippet from one of the newest episodes:
DUANE
I was making my way out of the vault and through the bank’s lobby, my eyes searching for a familiar face.
But my interest in that faded away rather quickly when I heard the crackling sound of thunder and witnessed the instant downpour of rain through the bank’s large windows.
My eyes closed, and I kissed my teeth. “Fuck.”
I watched as Rose Hill residents ran through the rain, looking for cover.
“Damn.”
I had gotten distracted after seeing Diana and hadn’t checked, once the app was opened, if the forecast warned about rain.
Not that it would have made a difference. I was already away from my home when I noticed the clouds and didn’t have an umbrella.
Still, I walked my way out of the bank, pushing open the door to the sound of rain pouring out of the sky and pounding against the concrete.
“Damn,” I repeated to myself.
“You don’t have an umbrella on you either, huh?”
I turned toward the voice to see Diana standing beneath the bank’s awning on my right side.
“Man.” I shook my head as I made my way to her. “They didn’t say anything about rain. I know I’m not buggin’.”
“They definitely didn’t say anything about rain.” She giggled. “If they had, I would’ve worn something different. Hence why I’m standing here.”
I gave her look a quick scan. Cool-ass oversized vintage camouflage jacket with a sherpa hoodie that was open, showing the white tee and jeans she wore underneath. But what made me do a double take—and made sense of her comment—was what she wore on her feet.
I whistled while shaking my head, my heart truly breaking for her. “Damn, Di.”
She squeezed her eyes closed. “I know. Please don’t say anything. I’m already trying to keep from getting pissed and calling up a local news station to cuss someone out.”
I laughed.
Diana finished her look with Air Jordan 1 Retro High OGs with the satin black toes. These sneakers were so her—high-demand, fashionable, blending luxury and streetwear, which was her through and through. The satin finish that was giving her anxiety was the exact detail that gave the look a crisp appearance, along with the leather details that made them stand out.
I kissed my teeth as I peeked down at them again. I could feel her pain. “You’re wearing the one thing that isn’t rain-friendly, homie.”
She held a hand up and slowly shook her head. I had to laugh at that.
“Where you get these from?” I asked next. “Definitely not from me.”
She gave me a sidelong glance. “A sneaker shop in Manhattan.”
“When, Di?”
She balled her lips to keep from smiling. “Two years ago.”
I slapped my hand to my chest as if she’d hit me there, and she snorted a laugh.
“Damn,” I exhaled. “You had beef with me that thick that you would go and cop kicks from a total stranger?” I fisted my coat near my chest, exaggeratively. “I’m hurt.”
She rolled her eyes. “Wait till I tell you the only reason I come to the bank on the weekdays in the afternoon is because I know I won’t run into you.”
I gasped, and she hollered a laugh.
“Cold-ass world.” I smiled to myself as I stared out in front of us as the rain poured down.
“Rainy world is more like it right now.” She sucked her teeth. “I knew I should’ve just gone home when I saw those clouds looking like that when I stepped in here.”
“Same,” I said lowly.
I turned to scan the area, my eyes falling on Harmony Brew Cafe’s sign a block away to our left.
I couldn’t help the smile that pulled at my lips.
“Harmony Brew is up the block,” I said, gesturing with my thumb. “If you wanted to… only if you wanted to…”
She looked over at me.
“We could wait out the rain over there.”
She leaned forward to see past me and in the direction I pointed.
Her attention went to her sneakers next. “I don’t know. I really don’t want to get these wet. They’re limited edition.”
“Listen.” I shook my head. “You know out of everyone who could feel your pain, it would be me.”
She blinked her pretty eyes in response.
“I’ll tell you what.” I pointed down at her sneakers. “If they get messed up as we get out of the rain, I’ll restore them. I’ve restored worse.”
She held her stare with me.
“Plus, to get from here to there won’t cause too much damage,” I added. “Satin is tricky when it gets wet, true, but I can guarantee you I can bring them back to life. You got my word.”
She folded her bottom lip into her mouth to bite as she looked past me and in Harmony Brew’s direction again, contemplating.
Those lips. I’d kissed those lips so many times in our youth. One of the best kissers I’d ever encountered. To this day. I wonder if that had changed as much as the woman herself.
“Okay,” she sighed out. Her hands were in her braids a second later, gathering them up and into a bun using a rubber band she retrieved from her bag to secure them. Her hood was the next thing to go over her head. “But we’re running and not walking, okay?”
“Bet.” I smirked. “I’ll race you.”
END OF SNEAK PEEK
Serialized stories are just the beginning. Wait until you see the alternate story endings that take beloved characters even further!
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