Jordan POV

He made his first money from his TikTok videos and he was shocked by how little it was, but still, more than enough for his first go at it. He needed to grind harder and never let up on it.

His birthday was coming up and he would be twenty years old and that was a big deal. He was not even thinking of what he wanted for himself for his birthday, but what he wanted to do for Marketta.

For her Christmas gift he bought her a cheap little butterfly pendant that though she said she loved it, he knew it was cap. It was cheap, it was nothing special, and he did not put his heart into it. But he was broke, and she understood that.

For his birthday, he borrowed Manny's car, drove to the mall, and bought her something that she deserved with all the money he made and then some.

Using a newly opened credit card, he also made reservations at Maggiano's for a romantic dinner. He was doing it up big baller style.

Now with a little money in his pocket, he invested it in her.

He was twenty years old now. Somehow putting a two in front of his age made him feel more grown up. No longer a teenager but still so much growing up to do. He understood he did not know everything yet and was mature enough to admit that.

That's why learning for him was more than just in class. He still learned from his mother and older adults around him, his fraternity brothers that had been doing it longer than him, and even his peers around him.

Especially their mistakes.

He almost cheated with that pretty neo MAX Anika. If she said the word he would have. Thankfully she knew better and fixed things with her baby's father.

He learned how not to treat his girlfriend by watching his line brother. Manny needed to be honest with Laila and not keep leading her on that they were in a good relationship.

"Marketta, I know we have not been together that long if you really think about it."

Though he met her that first day on campus, it was a slow build-up to a relationship. And then he was only in it halfway, focused on pledging for weeks. Now that all they had was time together, he wanted to spend all his time with her, being the best boyfriend he could be.

"I think it's been long enough," Marketta said over her pasta. "Not saying everything is perfect, but's cool."

He chuckled at her. That is one of the things he liked about her. She was so laid back. A lot different from him, which in turn made him change and he did not see it till now. He was so wild and reckless with girls in the past. He never even had a girlfriend because he had not believed in that. Now here he was, not wanting anyone else.

"I like how things are. I know we've had this discussion before, about sex and going there in our relationship. And yes, I want it, very much, but I still feel like we need to work on ourselves more."

She nodded. "Hey, I get it. Sex changes a relationship."

This was a wild situation he felt he was in. At one point, he wanted all the sex with Marketta, when they first started hanging out. Then he could not while he was pledging. It was weeks of agony wanting to have sex, but respecting the process of becoming an EU.

Then once he was free and clear, the pledge process over, he wanted more from the relationship. Because of that, feelings evolved and he never felt so much for one person in his life.

"Ketta, I love you." There he said it, the first time saying that to a female other than his mother. Of course, this was a totally different type of love. He had to admit, it scared him.

"You...love me?" Marketta said, gathering herself and giving him a big smile.

He was never so sure of something in his life. "Yes KeKe, I love you. And I love us. I love what we have and we will only get better from here."

Marketta stood so fast from her chair and rushed over to him and grabbed him in a kiss. They were in the middle of the fancy restaurant and were the only young, Black couple there. He was not one for public displays of affection, but he lived that she was wild enough to do that.

"I love you too!"

"I know," he said with a grin. He would not have admitted it if he did not think she felt the same.

Marketta went back to her seat. "Jordan, you are some kind of boyfriend. You make a little money, you could stash it away for a rainy day or buy something dumb like most people would do, instead...on your birthday, you are treating me to this fancy restaurant I could care less about. We could have bought Micky D's and cuddled in my room."

Another thing he loved about her. She was always real and said whatever she wanted and was never pretentious.

"Let's get this food to go, plus dessert, go to your place, and snuggle and watch Netflix."

"See, that is why I love you, birthday boy."

A/N: Jordan has come a long way. I figure I make one of these guys have a happy relationship. Not Brian, not Taj, nor Manny...who would have known.