Kameron

"She's been in there for hours what do we do?"

"I texted William and told him to keep Rylan for the night." I told them.

"How do you have his number?" Amara asked me with furrowed brows.

"Yesterday he said he was gonna send me t-never mind." I sighed while throwing my hand forward.

"Did she do this a lot when you guys were kids." Amara asked Zion and he nodded.

"She would lock herself in the bathroom for a couple hours then lock herself in her room for a couple hours. Then the next morning come down and make breakfast like nothing happened. But we fou.." his words trailed off as if something else had happened.

Zion glanced at his brothers and they both shrugged.

"What? What else?" I pressed.

"In the bathroom, we found out.." He glanced at his brothers once again wearily.

"What?" Amara asked.

"She was cutting herself." Mikah spit out.

I glanced at Amara and she frowned at me with a saddened expression.

"Do you thi-"

"To our knowledge she's been clean, for years. But I don't know, whenever she see's Beverly she, it triggers something inside her."

I glanced down into my lap before back up to meet his eye line.

"Could I talk to you.. alone?" Zion asked. I nodded before he stopped me. I pursed my lip before turning to Amara.

"Her."

"Wha-I-okay yeah sure whatever." I watched Amara follow Zion out and into the hallway. I sat there with her two brothers awkwardly.

"So, where do you live?" I asked Jordan.

"Atlanta."

"California."

"Mhm, I live here. In a condo." I kissed my teeth in nervousness. They eyed me.

"What's it like growing up with Ariya?" I asked while rolling forward on my heels.

"Great, she did a lot for us. Actually I remember this one time when she stayed up with me all night working on my science project when she had an essay due the very next day."

"Yeah and she stayed up with me this one night when I got food poising, she slept on the floor to make sure I didn't choke on my vomit or something." Jordan laughed a bit.

"She's a great sister, yeah?"

"The best."

"Kameron! Get over here!" I heard Amara yell.

Amara

I watched Kameron frantically run over to us and he nodded with a straight face.

"We need Khyson." I told Kameron. Kameron had been friends with him for a while, but getting him here was slim. It's Christmas Day.

"Why do we need Khyson?"

"They're f-"

"I know." He sighed.

I-how did Kameron know? I wonder if he knows about Rylan.

"You what?" Zion asked.

"Khyson told me.. about Ariya and him." He filled us in.

"I-alright."

"It's Christmas Day anyways, isn't he with family?"

"Khyson has no family, unless he's with his grandmother." Kameron told them in certainty.

"You think he's with his grandmother?" Zion asked with his lip between his teeth.

"You really think he's gonna run here at eleven at night for, Ariya?"

"Yes." Zion nodded. I glanced at Kameron in confusion.

"If they're anything like how they were when they were younger he'll get here in ten minutes."

"They were close?"

"Attached to the hip."

"I'll call him." Right as I pulled my phone from my pocket the buzzer by the door buzzed and we whipped our heads in shock.

"I'll get it." I said, walking over to the door. I pressed my finger down on the plastic and spoke.

"Who is it?"

"Amara? Is that you?"

"Who's asking?"

It's Khyson.. Ariya called me." My eyes widened and I looked back at Kameron and Zion. Both stunned as-well.

"One second." I smiled.

I release my finger off the button and turned to them.

"Do I let him up?!" I whispered.

"Yes! Hurry." I buzzed the door open and waited for him to come through. The door was knocked on and I opened it.

"What did she s-Zion." Khyson stopped in his tracks when his eyes landed on Zion. They both seemed to freeze.

"Hey guys." Khyson smiled, etched on his dimples as they all did a little bro handshake.

"Where's a-"

"What did she say? On the phone, Khyson what did she say?" I pressed on with an angry frown.

"She was sobbing, she couldn't catch her breath. Then she begged me to come over, what happened?" He asked, frantically looking around to find her.

"She's been locked in there for hours. We don't know how to get her out." I shrugged, the pain on my face imminent.

"I'll see what I can do."

Khyson

I walked down the short hallway and rounded her door. I sighed before knocking, then placing my cheek on the wood.

"Ariya, it's Khyson, open up.. please." I sighed.

I heard the knob unlock before I walked inside.

Not to be completely dishonest but I was sleeping when I got her call, so my attire was not the best. I had on some plaid pyjamas and a white tee.

She closed the door behind me before stepping back to stand in front of me. She stared up at me with watery eyes, shrugging her shoulders with a sniff.

"I did it.. again." She sobbed.

I knew exactly what she meant. Time was such an uneasy construct.

One moment your grovelling in self pity, the next you're not-that wasn't-the point is I'd never thought I'd be back in this position. Back here with, Ariya.. in my arms.

She took a step forward towards me before wrapping her arms around my torso. She buried her face into my shirt as I placed one hand on her back and one on her head.

"Make them leave." She sobbed.

What? I glanced down at her in confusion before running a hand over her hair.

"What? They're h-"

"I wanna be alone, Khyson."

"Do you want me to le-"

"No! Don't go, please, Khyson. Please don't leave me." She hugged my body tighter. As if any lost contact would hurt her.

"I'm not going anywhere, Riya. I'm right here, but if you want them to leave let me go for a second."

"Promise you'll come back?" She begged, and begged. I nodded while leaning down to peck her forehead.

"Here, sit.. one sec." I sat her down on the bed and walked out. I made sure to close the door behind me and walked into the living room.

"She wants you guys to leave."

"What?" They all spoke, confused and worried.

"Are you sure?" Amara asked with a frown.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I'll text you. I can give you guys some money for a hotel room?" I reached into my wallet while talking to her brothers.

"It's okay, thanks though." Zion ceased my hand and I nodded.

I watched as they all left though the door and I locked it. I then walked back into her room to see her staring forward with a flat face.

I closed the door and kneeled onto my knees in front of her.

"Tell me what happened?" I placed my two palms on her knees.

"She came back." She cried, something within her words killing her mind. It had been like the words triggered something deep down. Deep down that broke her.

"Beverly?"

She nodded, biting her lip in order to hold back her sob.

It was the type of cry that you couldn't stop, the type that made your breath hitch every time you breathed. The typed that riddled your nose, and made your face red.

"Come here." I leaned forward and engulfed her, making sure to keep her head within my chest.

"I-I couldn't even-I couldn't even have a dinner. I-it hurts." She gasped into my chest. I rubbed her back and noticed her breathing begin to calm.

"Help me forget."

"Ariya, I-"

Suddenly she wiped her tears and cupped my cheeks.

"Help me.. please." She ran her thumbs along my stubble while wrapping her legs around my waist. Leaning her neck back as her hands travelled to my neck. That's when the realization struck me.

"Ariya, you know I can't do that." I told her, grabbing her hands within mine to make sure they couldn't go anywhere else.

"Please, please, Khyson. I need you, I need to forget. Gosh! Make me forget."

I knew what she wanted, and a little part of me wanted it too. But I knew if we started.. we wouldn't be able to stop. She has William and I'm very much thriving singly.

I'm fine.

"Ariya." I protested.

"Khyson, I love you.. please." She went limp against my chest and I lifted my head up.

She stared up at me, I stared down at her. Ariya had something special that weakened me. She would always have the same effect on me. I knew the moment she asked me for a purple marker, and I know now.

I know just how much I couldn't resist her.

I grabbed her cheeks while planting our lips on another.

"I fucking hate you." I mumbled against her lips.

"Mhm, so do I."