2 ONE.

"Seriously? That's great Shamika, does he look hot?"

Amaya rolled her eyes at the talk she heard way too many times in her life, everyone in her small friend group seems to be obsessed with the word "soulmate" personally the female had no despise towards it, but instead it's someone she despised.

Shamika Tamia Williams, and her were the only people left out of three to haven't find theirs yet. But today, seems like Amaya would be alone, not that she has a problem with it.

"He was my co-worker all this time, I can't believe I've never noticed it before," Shamika gushes out happily, pointing to her wrist where her tattoo lays peacefully, "Glad I asked for a pen today. How about you Maya?"

The called girl eyes her friend, eyes void of any emotions, "Nothing, but I'm glad you found yours Sha," she mutters out in a tone of slight excitement, "I just don't think soulmates are the one, you know what I mean?"

"I know baby, but you know sooner or later you'll have to meet him, right?" a burgundy haired girl — Nevaeh Lorde Johnson, or Vaeh is what she prefers to be called, asks Amaya with a toothy grin, "I'm sure he'll make you believe in soulmates."

Amaya nods slowly, only forcing herself to do so, wanting the topic to be changed instantly she grabbed her coffee, "I gotta go back home, mama will be mad if I'm out too late. Promise that I'll help with dinner," she stood up, slinging her backpack and squeezing past chairs after chairs, "I'll see you guys tomorrow?"

Her friends waved her bye, yelling out small joking insults — a thing they always do when one of them has to go first.

Amaya pushed open the café door, the soft winter breeze of December caressing her soft dark skin. She's always hated winter — only because once she fell from her snow sled, leading to a one-month stay in the hospital along with a broken leg. Pretty cool, huh?

Her mother always tells her about a song named Savior, a song that reminded her of the daughter she birthed, Amaya Rae Collins. Twenty-two years young, blessed with honey colored eyes and soft dark skin everyone is jealous of.

"Ma, I'm home," Amaya calls out softly, the creaking from the door probably notifying her mother way earlier than she did. Throwing away her shoes to the side, she slid her feets into the soft fluffy slippers her mother had gotten just a few years ago.

"Amaya honey, can I trouble you for a minute?" The raspy voice belonging to her mother rang loudly, though hoarse, Amaya still thinks it's the softest melody she hears everyday, "I forgot that we ran out of eggs and I need them for today's dinner, is it possible if you—"

Before the woman could finish her request, Amaya chuckles, "Sure Ma, I'll be going now so dinner won't be late," planting a soft kiss on her mother's left cheek, Amaya went back to where she came from, tying her white laces and out she goes.

God, winter do hit fast here. Just a second out of her home sweet home and she feels like crawling back into it, snuggled in her thick blanket. Thankfully, the store isn't far from home, so just a bit turn here and there and she will be home soon.

"Amaya my darling, how are you doing?"

Amaya snapped her head to the side upon entering the local supermarket, there she met eyes with the owner — Mrs. Jenkins, the nicest woman other than her mother, preferably her second mother here in the city.

"Ah, Mrs. Jenkins, I'm great, thank you for asking. How about you?" She replies, grabbing the famous red colored shopping basket just in front of the cashier stand.

"I'm doing great, how is your mother doing?" The kind woman asks, punching some buttons on the cashier.

"She's doing very okay, how about Damari? Is he okay?" Amaya replies back, who's Damari if you might ask? Mrs. Jenkins' twelve years old son who Amaya thought as her own little brother, "I hope he didn't get into any fights after that last one a few months ago."

Mrs. Jenkins cackled, opened her lips and said, "That rascal got into another fight just a few weeks ago!"

"Oh, that's bad. Is he okay?"

"A few scraps here and there, but he's breathing."

"That's a great thing to hear, anyways, send him my regards. I need to get some eggs or ma will get mad," Amaya told the woman, waving her hands slightly as a sign of see you later, which was replied with another wave.

Walking from aisle to another aisle, Amaya grabbed a few snacks she likes before actually grabbing the thing she was here for in the first place. Priorities.

"Mrs. Jenkins, do you have that sour lemon candy I had the last two weeks?" Amaya peeks through an aisle, hoping that the woman would nod or at least give a sign of yes, she had been wanting to eat those now, "The very cute little ones, how should I explain this? The animals shaped ones."

"Oh darling we're out of those, we will be restocked by next week though so be sure to be back!"

Although dejected by the answer, Amaya scoot over to the cashier and paid for her stuff, "Tell your mama I said hi Amaya, careful on your way home!"

"Got that Mrs. Jenkins, see you later!"

Taking a sharp breath, Amaya began her walk home. Standing on one side of a crosswalk she begin humming a random tune to ease her boredom, once the light turns bright green her legs moved as fast as possible.

Passing dark alleyways got her anxiety build up over the top, maybe it's because of stories she heard in the past —

"Yo, I ain't even playing with you no more. Give me all your shit and I'll let you go alive."

Hearing those words, Amaya was forced to stop on her tracks. Facing the back where a voice came from a small dark alleyway by the corner, betting on whether or not she should run or take a look. But I guess curiosity killed the cat since the decision had fallen to the latter.

Making her way down the street, her head peeks around a rough brick wall. Hands clenched tightly around the plastic bag full of her groceries, there she didn't really know if she should be terrified or angry.

"Please, Daishen I'm begging you man. I told you I ain't got the stuff," A male seemingly on his twenties if Amaya were to guess, the lack of light made it nearly impossible.

"Then you know what the fuck happens don't you?" The so-called 'Daishen' whisper shouted, sending a bone cracking punch to the other male.

Amaya wasn't sure where he had gotten hit, but winced at the sound the punch created. This Daishen guy must be crazy.

"I'll give it to you tomorrow bro, I don't got no stuff today!"

Daishen discarded the male's words, gripping on his hair with his left hand, "Then die," he mutters out.

Okay. One thing Amaya hated was a person telling another person to die, and she knew this wasn't the time to show herself. Who knows what this Daishen guy is capable of? But the word "run away" when someone is in trouble doesn't sit right with her.

"Are you insane?" She yells out.

The two male looked at her, but Daishen — he blinks at what she said. His hand letting go of the male's hair.

"Say that shit again."