At the Hospital

"Tell me I'm dreaming! Please Chris! Tell me this isn't real!" Aubree yelled while I held on to her. Her eyes were so swollen and red from crying. "I raised hiiiim, they killed my baby! WHY?! Somebody please tell me why!!!"

There was nothing I could say to comfort her, only thing I could do was handle it. I sent Hoody to the club to see if the cameras caught anything.

Whoever did this, had to be after me so you know I feel guilty as hell. Jermaine was a good kid man. He didn't deserve this AT ALL! My baby is heartbroken and it's killing me. Looking at Jeremiah, he just look confused as hell.

Ariel and Royalty had to see that shit man.

I'm fucking pissed. I'm killing any and everybody involved.

"Aubree baby you gotta breathe." I told her while rubbing her back.

"Chris my brother is gone. That was my baby." She looked up at me. Man she so fucking hurt.

"I know it was and you know I'ma handle this. I'm not stopping until I find out who did this to him."

"That's not going to fix anything." She pushed me away. "IS THAT GOING TO BRING MY BROTHER BACK?!"

"No baby it's not but it's going to help with the pain, trust me."

Aubree shook her head.

"Family of Jermaine Mack." A doctor called.

We all walked over to him.

"On the behalf of Sinai - Grace, we want to give our condolences. Your loved one was pronounced dead upon arrival, due to the gunshot wound to his skull. Here is all his belongings. Once again, I am so sorry."

Aubree took the bag out of his hands. His clothes, shoes, wallet and phone sat inside. She held it tight to her chest.

Rachel walked up to Aubree. "Sweetheart we're going to through this."

Aubree looked up at her and if looks could kill Rachel would be out of here.

"Baby let's get you home." I said trying to grab her but she snatched away.

"No, if you ain't Jeremiah or Ariel stay the fuck away from me."

"Are you serious?!"

"Yes, I am. I don't want to deal with nobody." She walked over to Jeremiah. I could hear her tell him to come on so that they could leave but he shook his head.

"I.I.I can't leave. I can't leave Jermaine." He said. "He's going to walk out that door any second, I'm just going to wait right here."

"Miah, he's gone." Aubree told him.

"No he's not. I know he's not. They just patching him up. Let's just wait a little bit, he'll be out soon."

"Jeremiah, we have to go." She grabbed his hand.

"Aubree, What are you not understanding man? We gotta wait for Maine. I know my brother ain't dead. He isn't supposed to leave me. He can't leave me. I'm nothing without my twin brother. Let's just wait."

Squatting down in front of him Aubree held his hands tighter. "Miah, look at me please."

Jeremiah hesitantly looked down at her.

"Jermaine is gone honey. He's not coming out those doors."

Miah just looked at her until he broke down crying. Aubree just pulled him into a hug.

"My brother." He cried. "The took my other half man."

Aubree just rubbed his head.

They stayed there for about 15 minutes until he finally got up. He took Jermaine's shirt out of the bag and held on to it. Everybody made their way out of the hospital.

"Aubree." I called before she could climb in the car.

"What?" She turned and looked at me.

"Baby you don't need to be alone right now. None of y'all do and I know you're upset. And I can't tell you how sorry I am that this happened. Just let me come with you, I just need to make sure y'all good."

"Okay Chris." She got in the car and slammed the door.

I gave my car keys to my mom and jumped in the front seat of Jeremiah's car then headed to Aubree's place. Once we got inside everybody just sat in the living room.

Grabbing Aubree's legs, I took off her shoes.

Rachel cleared her throat making all of us look at her. "This went from being an amazing night to one of the worst nights ever. My son is gone and my heart has turned into dust. I wouldn't wish this pain on anybody."

Aubree started laughing. My eyes grew and I looked at her.

"Don't act like you give a fuck about my brother." She said while sitting up. "While you was out doing drugs and chasing a married man, I raised him. He didn't even deal with you. When you was out in those streets, before you even got addicted to drugs you ain't care so now that he gone don't start with that bullshit."

"Baby." I grabbed her hand but she snatched away.

"DONT TOUCH ME!" Aubree stood up. "And I'm fucking positive that bullet was meant for you!" She screamed in my face.

I exhaled while putting my head down.

"I gotta bury my 18 year old brother! Jermaine was the sweetest kid ever and now I have to go pick out his casket! Chris I swear, if the person that did this isn't tossed in the deepest part of the ocean by the time my brother is six feet under you can just forgot about me. You can have yo ring back and the only way you'll see my son is through your mother. This is your fault! Who ever did this was after you but instead it got my baby brother. My innocent brother. There are only two people that could be behind this. Go find out who did this shit." After that Aubree headed upstairs, her bedroom door shut so hard a vase fell and broke.

Groaning I got up from my seat and called Hoody to come get me. Then I went upstairs and into Aubree's room.

She sat on her bed with Jermaines phone in her hand and tears rolling down her face.

"I know that bullet was for me baby and I feel terrible about all of this. I'm going to fix it. We're going to find out who did this and you know I'm not resting until the person responsible dies a long painful death. Whatever you want to do for your brother, no matter the cost I got you. I love you Aubree." I kissed her cheek. "Get some rest baby." I kissed her again then walked out.

Heading outside I leaned on the trunk of Jeremiah's car until Hoody pulled up.

"You got anything?" I asked.

"Yeah and you ain't gone believe this shit." He pulled out his phone and brought up the surveillance video.

I took it from him and watched. A car pulled up then the window rolled down. You could see the sparks from the gun.

Then a face poked out the window.

SON OF A BITCH!

Three Days Later

I can't sleep, I'm being forced to eat. I feel empty. This is a nightmare, I know it is. My brother is just at school, that's what I keep telling myself and it worked until my mom told me the funeral home picked up his body. And until a cop was sitting in my house yesterday showing me a picture of my brother with a hole in his head.

My heart is broken. This shit is so unfair. Jermaine was so sweet, that was my baby. When everybody turned on me he kept me grounded he never left my side and now he's gone. He helped me with Ariel the most and now he's gone.

Ariel has been sleeping in his bed. I thought she wouldn't catch on to what's going on but she's aware of everything. That just makes me feel even worse.

Now me and Miah are sitting here planning his funeral.

Im sick man.

"His favorite color was blue so he should have a blue casket." Miah said. "Ima Get his outfit, my baby gotta be fly."

"Miah I don't think he can have an open casket."

Jeremiah's eyes quickly filled with tears. "Even if it's closed I'll know he's fly."

I nodded. "Right."

"I remember when we were like 7 and Maine thought he killed the dog that pops got us?"

I chuckled. "I remember that. The dog was just sick as hell and constantly passing out then he'd pop right up."

"Yeah man, but Maine ain't know that but I did cause I heard Rachel tell you what was going on. So the dog passed out and Maine started panicking and shit and I'm like you killed him, I'm telling dad. That nigga started crying so hard. Then the dog popped up and his face was priceless man. I'd give up everything just to go back to that day."

"Jermaine would never snitch on me. I snuck a boy in the house because I thought everybody was gone but he was still there. And I'm begging him not to tell and he just kept quiet. Then when mama got home she asked what did we do and he was so relaxed was just like nothing. But I know if that was yo ass, I would've got in trouble."

"Man bro was a true ride or die. I've pulled him into some crazy schemes. He'd always give me a pep talk about how wrong the shit was but never backed out. That's my nigga man."

"I'm going to miss him." A tear rolled down my cheek.

"They're having a memorial for him at school. You should come, bring Ari and Chris."

I rolled my eyes at the thought of Chris.

"Aubree don't blame him." Miah said. "He feels guilty and you know he'd go to war for any of us. Our brother is gone and it's nothing we can do man."

Before I could speak Chris walked through the door. Jeremiah looked at me then got up. He went and slapped fives with Chris then headed upstairs.

"How are you?" He asked while sitting next to me.

"Barely making it. Who killed my brother?"

"Aubree don't even focus on that."

"Why not?"

"Because you don't need to, you got enough on your plate, I'm handling that don't worry."

"You probably don't even know."

"I do know but I'm not telling you until everything is over."

"Whatever."

"Look I know you mad but I'm not about to argue with you."

"I know you're not."

He laughed. "You really gone be like this towards me. I apologized, I'm about to take care of who did this. What more do you want from me?!"

"I don't want nothing from you."

"Well stop treating me like shit! I feel guilty Aubree. I know that bullet wasn't meant for him. But there's nothing I can do."

Rolling my eyes I sat back.

"I'm trying to be there for you and you just making shit difficult for no reason." He continued.

"Blah Blah Blah, Bitch shut u-." Before I got even finish my face was tightly grabbed by his hand.

"I know you didn't just call me a bitch."

I tried to pull away but he grabbed me tighter.

"I know you grieving but what you not about to do is disrespect me Aubree." He said while pointing his finger in my face. He pushed me away then stood up. "I'll see you at the funeral."

The door slammed as he was walked out causing me to jump.

Shit is just getting worse and worse for me.