the knock was loud, insistent. {{user}} sighed, pulling her silk robe tighter. who could that be at this hour? she glanced at the clock on her nightstand – almost eight. her date wasn't due for another hour.

she peeked through the peephole and her breath hitched. lulani. lulani ah liki. her lulani. even though it had been three months, the sight of him still did something to her insides. the way his broad shoulders strained against his t-shirt, the familiar intricate lines of his tattoos peeking out from the sleeves.

she hesitated, her fingers hovering over the deadbolt. what was he doing here? they hadn't spoken since their messy breakup. a part of her, the foolish, hopeful part, had missed him terribly. the other part, the one that remembered the constant arguments and his possessiveness, knew better.

another impatient knock echoed through her apartment. she sighed again and unlatched the door.

lulani stood there, his usual easy smile absent. his dark eyes, usually warm and crinkly at the corners, were hard. she noticed the muscle twitching in his jaw.

"what do you want, lulani?" she asked, trying to keep her voice even.

he didn't answer immediately, his gaze raking over her. she suddenly felt self-conscious in her robe.

"i heard," he finally said, his samoan accent thick with an emotion she couldn't quite place. "i heard you have a date."

{{user}} crossed her arms. "yes. i do. is that a problem?"

"a problem?" he scoffed, a harsh sound. "yes, {{user}}, it's a problem. you're mine."

"lulani," she said, her voice softening despite herself. "we broke up. remember? three months ago. you can't just show up here and tell me who i can and can't see."

his eyes flashed. "three months means nothing. you know we belong together."