Lark POV

After the fiasco that was Ross and Frankie getting into it over her, she withdrew from Frankie a bit because she was annoyed by his part of it. He did not have to tell Ross they were sleeping together. That was brutal and unnecessary.

She realized she was wrong for asking Ross for the money and letting him come down, but she was going to make sure he knew taking the money meant nothing.

Now, what was she going to do for the money?

"Lark, I'll help you get the money. You don't need a thing from that asshole. I'm your man now, right?"

Frankie went on and on about how he wanted to take care of her and her financial situation, but it wasn't his responsibility. Frankie didn't have any money. He was on an athletic scholarship and his parents didn't make much to send him much extra. He didn't have a job, where was he going to get the money?

"Frankie, I'll just go to my parents and beg and I'm sure they will give it to me."

Although that was the last thing she wanted to do.

She finally got a job, working at the school's theater box office. It was not much, but if she had enough hours it would be doable. Now no one had to worry about trying to step in and be her hero.

Except that the first installment was due in a week.

"My parents. I can ask my parents," Frankie offered.

"They don't know me. Why would they do that?"

"Because I told them how special you are to me." He rubbed her cheek. "You know how I feel."

Yes, and she had not responded to him saying that four-letter word. What could she say? Say it back and not mean it? She cared for Frankie, but she wasn't sure if what she felt was love. She needed more time to figure things out. And she had to figure out this financial thing on her own.

"Hey what's up, L-Boogie," Kenyon greeted her in the one class they had this semester. It was nice having him in class because that meant they could study together and not call it tutoring sessions. Kenyon ended up getting a B in the class she helped him with last semester.

"Hey Kenyon, you're treating my girl right?"

"Always," he said. "She told me you were having a little financial issue."

"Really?" She slapped her forehead. Now that was crossing the line telling Kenyon about her problems. What was Zavrina thinking?

"Don't be mad at my girl, she's just worried about you."

"I'm still going to strangle her. Kenyon, it's not your business."

"You don't have the Minority Leadership Scholarship?"

"No, my parents make too much."

"It's not based on need, it's based on what you bring to the table and the essay you write every year." He pulled out his phone and typed on it. "But listen...I'll loan you the money. How much do you need?"

"Excuse me?"

"Don't trip Lark, you helped me last semester, I never paid, it's only right."

"But I-"

"How much do you need?"

Was it going to be okay borrowing money from Kenyon or would there be strings attached? She was not that friendly with him, except for the fact that he was dating Zavrina. How could he trust that she would pay him back? And how did he have that amount of money stashed away?

"I need about two thousand for the first loan installment, I just got a job, that can pay for some, but I also am trying to-"

"Okay, I'll send it to you."

She was speechless. She sat there the rest of the class amazed that she didn't have to worry about that bill anymore. But how did Kenyon have access to that kind of money? And did Zavrina know? She had to tell her.

Soon as she left class, she headed off to the Student Union and Zavrina's office. She knew she had office hours at this time so she knew she would be there.

"Hey, soror."

"Zav, I don't have any money problems anymore."

"Awesome!" She jumped up from her desk. "Did your parents come through? I bet they feel bad for what they are trying to do."

"No, I didn't even call them. Kenyon gave me the money."

"My Kenyon?"

"The only one I know. We were just in class and he told me that you ran your big mouth, and then he said he would give it to me...I mean loan it to me. I plan on paying him back."

"Kenyon is giving you how much?"

"Two thousand."

"Girl!"

"I know. His parents rich or something?"

Zavrina shook her head. "No. I mean, his mother died. He doesn't talk about his father much, except they aren't close. Anyway, cool. That's nice of him."

"I feel so much better now that it's taken care of." She let out a breath. The next item she had to clear off her mind was dealing with Frankie. "So ummm...Frankie...he said he is in love with me."

"I know, I was there, I heard." Zavrina sat back at her desk.

"I think he thinks I'm supposed to say it back."

"Only say it back if that's what you feel."

Well, the short answer to that was, she didn't feel that way. The long answer, maybe she could, she just needed more time to feel that way. She knew there were stronger feelings than what she felt for Ross, but it still felt soon.

Like soror Jill said on her morning show, maybe she had moved on too quickly. Frankie could just be a rebound guy.

Was he?

***********

One thing she knew for sure, was that sex with Frankie got better and better. Since she had no one else to compare it with, she compared him with himself and it kept getting better.

The first time, she wanted it so badly, yet she was timid about what she wanted. She held back, and let him do everything. But the more times they had sex, the looser she became, and wanted him more and more. She saw what all the hype was about sex.

In her room, clothes were long gone, they kissed and touched each other in bed, but she pulled away from him before he reached for the condom on her desk.

"Let's try some different positions."

He laughed at her but she was so serious. Frankie was the one to take charge and say what went where and when, but just because she was new to sex did not mean she didn't know about sex. Missionary was only one position and it was the most basic and boring.

"I want to get on top."

She pushed him back on the bed and straddled his lap.

"Girl, do you even know what you're doing?"

She looked down into his gorgeous eyes, kissed his neck, and then proceed to kiss down his well-defined chest. Sometimes she wondered how she was so lucky to be with a guy like Frankie. Gorgeous, popular, and super talented. He may not be a first-round draft pick for the NBA, but maybe. The little she knew about basketball, he could surely make a team with his skills, and ISU had players that went on to the NBA.

What that meant for her, she was unsure of. All she knew was that she had fun with Frankie. She liked him and that was enough.

Frankie moaned and twisted at her kisses. "Lark baby, are you teasing me?"

"I'm getting you aroused."

"I've been aroused, girl." He stroked her back. "I want you so bad!"

She smiled at him but continued kissing all over him. She could feel his hardened length on her thigh, but she kept him waiting. No, she had no clue what she was doing, but at least she enjoyed herself and hoped he was too.

She grabbed the condom and opened it, never having even touched a condom before. How hard could it be to put one on her man?

"Need some help?"

"I got this!"

She hoped she was putting it on correctly. She held his length and slid it on, and it looked fine. She watched Frankie put them on with ease before. He knew he was her first, but it also let her know he'd been several girls, throughout high school and in college. She did not need the number, she figured a guy like Frankie wasn't sitting around saving himself.

She did not want him to get bored either, he could easily move on.

Being on top she felt she was in control, and also show him how he made her feel. Sexy and desirable, versus when she was with Ross, she felt like only his arm candy. Be by his side and nothing else. Frankie never treated her that way.

If sex was like riding a bike, she still had the training wheels on. But the more you rode, the better you became. And she kept riding him till he reached his climax and pulled her down to his chest.

Breathless, he stroked her back, while she smiled pleased with herself.

"That was incredible."

She kissed his chest, not knowing what to say. His racing heart thumping on her cheek was beating as fast as hers.

"Lark girl, what are you doing to me?"

She looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

He sat up in the bed, carefully taking off the condom. "Give me a sec."

He tossed the used condom and cleaned himself before he got back in bed with her, pulling her in his arms.

"I told you how I felt Lark...but you never said anything about how you feel about me."

She knew he was going to bring that up. She thought he said the "L" word in the heat of the moment and it meant nothing.

"I...I like you a lot." Of course, that sounded lame and he would not be happy with that.

"That's not the L-word I wanted to hear, but okay." He kissed her. "No pressure, but what I feel for you is a lot stronger than like. If you don't feel the same for me now...I will make you fall in love with me. I promise you that."

She sighed and lay in his arms. How could she not fall in love with a guy like Frankie?

A/N: I don't know what to do with Lark sometimes, but I knew I did not want to rush her with feelings for Frankie. It's bad enough, in my opinion, she went right into another relationship before truly ending the other...I want to give her some time to sort her feelings out.

And what's up with Kenyon giving Lark that amount of money?