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Storm's POV

"You sure you ok?" Peyton asks me for the 5th time.

"Yes Peyton, I'm fine. Can you please stop asking me" I said to her. She sighs and nods her head. I look out the window and watch as we drive by stores and houses.

When I got home, Josh and I sat my mom down and told her everything that was going on. She cried when I told her about my heart problem and gave me a big hug. She gave me some advice and prayed with me. It was very calming. Josh and I also talked and he said that we should put our issues a side and focus on the main thing right now, which is making sure I'm not overly stressed about anything and I keep myself healthy. I agreed with him but the thought of him saying we should get a divorce isn't leaving my head. Knowing that he wants to leave me gives me a pain in my stomach. I'm sorry Josh...

I talked to Saweetie and Annie as well and they were upset as well. But as long as I take it easy. I'll be fine. Hopefully. After dinner with the ball family, I know I'll feel better.

"Sorry, I'm just worried" She says and looks down. I look at her and grab her hand.

"I'm ok, I-I promise" I said to her. She looks at me and smiles.

"Are you nervous?" She asks me.

"Yea, but also excited. I missed the ball family" I said. I really hope they don't bring up what happened and bash me about it. Especially Lavar.

"They missed you too, especially Gelo and Tina" She says.

"Ahhh, Gelo" I said as I smiled. Besides Melo, I was close with Gelo as well. I was close with Zo to but not as much as Gelo and Melo because I saw them more often. I missed them a lot.

"We're here!" She cheers as the driver pulls up to the big mansion. I looked up the hill and saw Melo's house. Melo...

"Thank you sir" We thanked the driver. He nods at us and opens the door. We get out and walk up to the door. As Peyton is about to knock, I stop her.

"Do you think this is a good idea?" I asked her as I start to second guess. Maybe this is to much.....am I ready to face them after so long?

"Yes Storm, this is a great idea. It's been 2 years, it's now or never" She says. I sighed and fixed my jacket.

"Do I look ok?" I asked her.

"You look beautiful Storm, don't worry" She says. I sighed and nodded. She nods and knocks on the door.

"I'm gonna faint, I'm going back home" I said turning around. She grabs my arm and holds me beside her. Before I try to turn around again, the door opens. SHIT!

"Peyton, hi honey" Tina says and hugs her.

"Hi Tina" She says smiling at her. She then looks at me and smiles widely. She grabs a hold of my hands and we look at each other.

"Hi Storm, you look well" She says.

"You as well Tina, it's been a while" I said and she nods.

"C'mere honey" She and pulls me into a hug. I hug her back and smiled. She hugs just like Melo.

"Come inside girls, dinner is almost ready" She says and motions inside. We nodded and walk in. I close the door behind me and she leads us to the backyard.

"We are having barbecue" She says.

"Yummy" Peyton says and claps her hands. I couldn't help but giggle. When we get outside, We see Zo and Lavar playing one on one, and Gelo sitting down on a chair.

"Look who's here" Tina says. All heads turn to us, well to me.

"If it isn't Storm Nova! Finally out of hiding!" Lavar says loudly causing everyone to laugh. I just smiled awkwardly.

"Hi everyone" I waved at them.

"Storm" I heard Gelo call my name. I turn to him and he motions me over. I look at Peyton and she nods her head, telling me to go. I walked over to him and he stands up.

"Long time no see" He says.

"Yea, it's been a while. How are you?" I asked him.

"I've been good, how about you?" He asked.

"I'm ok" I shrugged.

"Just ok?" He asks chuckling.

"Yea, I've had better days" I said to him.

"Well all have" He says looking down. It's quiet for a few seconds until Lonzo comes over.

"Hey" He says to me.

"Hi" I said to him.

"Why are you acting so shy?" He asks and Gelo starts to laugh.

"Because, I haven't seen nor talked to you guys in a while" I said to him.

"We were mad for a while, but we know it wasn't your fault" He says.

"We miss him too Storm, and we're sorry for pushing you away like that in those rough times. It wasn't easy for you" Gelo says.

"It wasn't easy for you guys as well. That was your brother" I said to them and they nodded.

"All we can do is live on for him right, we can't change what happened or bring him back" Zo says and I nodded.

"C'mere" Gelo says and opens his arms. I walk up to him and we share a hug. I hug Zo as well.

"I missed you guys" I said to them.

"We missed you too" Gelo says smiling at me, which made me smile back at him.

"How's Josh? I haven't played against him in months" Zo says.

"He's good" I told them.

"And the kids?" Gelo asks.

"They're good as well. A very smart bunch" I said as I smiled at the thought of them.

"That's good" He says.

"How's your daughter?" I asked Zo.

"Very talkative. She's starting to talk back and gets very sensitive when she's in trouble" He says rolling his eyes.

"I wonder where she gets it from" I said laughing.

"Definitely her mother" He says and we all laughed. It felt good to laugh with them again.

"Dinner is ready!" Tina calls out. We turned around and seen her and Peyton putting the food down on the table.

"Tina let me help you" I said to her and grab the bowl from her hands.

"Thank you Storm" She says and sets stuff down. Once we were down, we all sat down. Peyton on my left, Gelo and Zo across from me, and Tina and Lavar at the end of the table.

"This smells good" I said to Tina and she smiles at me.

"Let's say grace" Lavar says. We grab each other's hands and bow our head. After we say grace, we dig in and make our plates. When we start eating, it's a bit quiet. I guess this isn't awkward at all! Did you hear the sarcasm?

"So Storm!" Lavar starts. Oh no.

"What you been up to?" He asks me.

"I've just been working, and being home with my kids" I told him and he nods.

"How are they?" He asks me.

"They're good, they're growing" I said to him.

"That's good, you mentioned you were working right?" He says.

"Uh yea..." I said. I'm kind of confused on where this is going...

"When'd you start working again?" He asks me.

"A few months ago" I told him. He nods and takes a bite of his food.

"So since my son has been gone, you haven't worked?" He asks me. I knew he was gonna bring Melo.

"Yea, I wasn't in the right state of mind to be doing the things I usually do" I said.

"Because you felt guilty?" He says and I give him a confused look.

"Guilty?" I questioned.

"Yea, for Melo's death" He says.

"Honey..." Tina calls him out and he puts his hand up.

"I'm just saying, you don't attend the funeral, go missing for so long, then come back like everything is ok!" He says.

"Lavar!" Tina says looking at him. He looks at her and sighs. I blinked my tears away and looked at him.

"Everything isn't ok, and hasn't been for a very long time. It wasn't easy Mr.Ball. I seen Melo lay in front of me with three holes in chest and his blood splattered all over me. I was with him in his final moments, I saw when he took his last breath. You know how hard that was to see? And I felt like it was my fault for a very long time. I couldn't bring myself to see him get buried. I didn't want that to be the last thing I saw of him because it hurt more to see. I know he was your son and it's hard to lose your child. Just as much as it is to lose your best friend. For so long I kept my emotions bottled up because I felt like grieving him meant letting go and moving on, and I didn't want to. But over time as I let certain feelings go, I started to grieve. And I did get better and was able to function everyday because of it. I think about Melo everyday and carry a piece of him everywhere I go" I said to him and showed my tattoo. Our matching tattoos.

"I miss him just as much as you guys do, and if I can turn back time, I'd do things differently and he'd still be here" I said looking at all of them. Tina wipes a tear that falls from her eye and reaches over to hold my hand.

"For a while we were mad at you and blamed you for his death. We didn't know the full story until Peyton told us. But we want you to know that we're sorry for blaming you Storm. And we pushed you away when we all needed to be together" She says. As a tear rolls down my face, I smiled at her.

"It's ok Tina. I know it was hard, for all of you. You had every right to be mad at me" I said looking at all of them. Peyton looks at me and rubs my back.

"Oh that reminds me, I had something to show you guys" I said as I let go of her hand. I reached into my purse and grabbed the blue box.

"I had this idea a while ago and finally finished it. The meaning behind this is, not only did we lose someone amazing like Melo, so did everyone else. He had an amazing support team and had a lot of people that loved him. I feel like everyone should be able to carry a piece of him everywhere they go. So I made this" I said and opened the box. When they all look, their eyes light up.

"That's tough" Gelo says smiling.

"Yea, let me see it" Zo says reaching over for it. I give it to him and him and his brother look at it in amazement.

"Is that his chain?" Lavar asks looking at it as well.

"It's a smaller version of it" I said to him.

"Flip it around" Peyton says to them. They flip it around and read what it says at the back.

"No matter what, and no matter where, I'm always BALLin" Tina reads out loud. She smiles and looks at me.

"Storm this is beautiful" She says, I'm happy that she likes it.

"Thank you Tina, I wanted your guys permission to sell it in my store" I said.

"You can, under one condition!" Lavar says. We all look at him.

"I have to buy the first one!" He says. We all started laughing.

"Sure" I said smiling. As I was about to say something, my phone starts to ring.

"Sorry, I'll be right her back" I said to them and they nodded. I glanced at Peyton as we smiled at each other. I guess coming here was a good idea. I stood up and walked inside and answered my phone.

"Hello"

She said. It's her.

"How are you here? And where are we going?" I asked her.

She says.

"And what if I don't go?" I asked her.

She says and starts laughing.

"Look I'm enjoying myself here and-"

She says.

"What do you mean?" I ask her and she groans.

She yells and I roll my eyes.

"What if you're gonna kill me?" I asked her and she laughs.

She says.

"Wha- I'm coming"