"Given g(x) = x4 + 3, what will g(2) be equal to?" The professor asked the class, Lay was trying her hardest to keep up but none of this shit was making sense to her.

"What the hell?" Lay mumbled to herself, she scribbled some things down on her loose leaf paper. She was growing frustrated with this stupid ass problem. Why are numbers and letters together any fucking way?

"Chalynn? You wanna give it a go?" Professor Cassidy asked, Lay shrunk in her seat a little bit. She didn't want to feel stupid in front of her class.

"14?" She asked unsure of herself but she couldn't help it, she even tried paying attention extra today.

"It's 19." Professor Cassidy corrected her and then proceeded to tell her why it was 19. "Do you understand a bit better now?"

"Yes, thank you." Hell no.

When the class started doing individual worksheets to start on the homework. Lay was still struggling pretending to know the answer to the problem. Benji caught on and walked over to her.

"Doing okay?" He asked leaning over her desk to look at her paper. His signature Dior cologne immediately hit her nose.

"Ima be honest. No. I don't understand anything that's going on. I even paid extra attention." She sighed, Lay looked up to see him staring back down at her while she spoke.

"Okay, class is almost over but I have a study session on Wednesday if you want to come during my office hours," Benji stated, with this being one of her last semesters in school he knew she couldn't fail.

"I'll see if my daughter's father will keep her so I can come." Lay immediately wanted to face palm herself. She didn't want him to know too much information about her.

"Well give me your number, if it doesn't work out just text me." Lay wasn't trying to give out her number just in case he had ulterior motives.

"I can give you my email." He laughed slightly at her. "What's funny? How ima text you and I'm giving you my number?" She asked him with a little mug on her face.

"Aight you got me there. I'll take the hint though." He nodded taking her email, he could tell there was something different about her and he wasn't sure what it was. The way she carried herself before she was so sweet and happy but now her light had been dimmed.

Benji was determined to get to the bottom of it, starting with the first tutoring session.

*

Lay was in her criminal law class. She and a few other students had to join together to go over specific cases.

"Damn. Did she slice that nigga up? All-cause she wanted her best friend's place." Sarai started looking over the file.

"You'd be surprised. There are people out there that want your spot so bad they'll do anything. Even kill." Lay spoke thinking about Bria and the texts she had been receiving.

"Something we need to know?" Sarai asked looking at Lay with her eyebrow arched.

"I had a best friend like that once. I never believed what anybody was telling me. She hasn't killed anybody that I know about but .." Lay trailed off not wanting to bring up the texts she assumed were from Bria.

"But? Don't leave us hanging." Raheem said motioning his hands for Lay to continue with her story.

"I had to beat her ass for trying me and my man on multiple occasions." Lay crossed and uncrossed her feet underneath her.

"You hear that Raheem, she fights about her man." Sarai joked, but Lay didn't like that. She wasn't that type of girl.

"Mm .. it was more of the principle. I beat her ass because she was supposed to of been my best friend. It was more than just that." Lay had gotten smart with Sarai. Cause who was she to judge her?

"Oh no, I didn't mean it that way. Just that Raheem is a hoe and he likes to get at other folks' men." Raheem through a ball of paper at Sarai.

"Don't be telling all of mine." He playfully rolled his eyes and then Lay began to get worked up.

"I'm sorry." She said barely above a whisper tone. Her emotions were all over the place, between her pregnancy and what she saw with Key yesterday she was emotionally beat. She couldn't wait till Friday.

"Girl, don't apologize. Why are you so upset?" Sarai was a ball of energy and Lay could tell her and Raheem meant no harm but she didn't know them. They could be out to get her for all she knew.

"It's nothing, my hormones are just ... everywhere." She wasn't exactly lying but it wasn't their business. Raheem looked at Sarai with a knowing look.

"We've been partners in this class since the start. We may not have always talked but girl. If you ever wanna talk we here." Raheem gave a reassuring head nod.

"Let's start with a group text. How bout that?" The three smiled at each other and exchanged numbers. Lay was excited about the possibility of new friendships.

*

Marlee sat on the bus with Heaven on their way to Spelman University to tour the school. Instead of going with Heaven, she wanted to go with Ronny but she was busy today.

"Why are you so lost in thought?" Heaven asked stroking Marlee's hair.

"No reason at all." Marlee moved from out of Heaven's reach causing her to suck her teeth.

"Marlee if you don't want me around just say that. Don't have me come with you and then you be trying to diss me." She stated tolling her eyes and scooting away. Heaven crossed her arms and Marlee sighed.

"You just be .. so touchy. I don't know if I like that or not. We are not together and we just met a few weeks ago .." Marlee and Ronny weren't officially together but Marlee didn't want to date anybody else but her.

"I understand LeeLee." Heaven nodded her head and they were quiet the rest of the ride.

*

By the time they reached the school and made it to the touring office, the girls were almost jumping off the walls with excitement.

"Come this way if you still need to sign in and get a badge." The Spelman student spoke trying to get the rowdy group of high school kids to settle down and listen.

The girl was pretty, she had to be about a year or two older than Marlee was. Her long blonde knotless braids went passed her ass and they complimented her brown skin. The girl noticed Marlee checking for her and blushed. Heaven wasn't too happy about that either.

By the time they all settled down enough for the girl to speak. They had lost 30 minutes of the tour time.

"I'm Faith, I will be taking you around this beautiful campus today. We have already missed 30 minutes of the tour time. I'm just going to give a little bit of history about Spelman as we walk." There were three groups of girls who were very rowdy but Faith continued to speak. Marlee was at attention, next to Ronny, Faith was the prettiest girl she'd ever seen.

"We were founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, we became Spelman College in 1924. Now a global leader in the education of women of African descent, Spelman is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and we are proud members of the Atlanta University Center Consortium." Faith stated proudly, she was so well-spoken Marlee wasn't used to that.

"You just like the niggas from Morehouse ain't it? That's why you go here?" One of the girls cackled with her friend.

"I prefer women. Hence the all women's university." Marlee and Faith made eye contact right when she said that.

Marlee was in awe of the college, at first she just went for the fun of it but now that she was here. She was enjoying herself. Heaven, not so much.

"What do you say we ditch this place?" Heaven whispered, Marlee, shook her head no.

"Nah, it's cool. You can go if you want." Marlee waved her off. Heaven huffed and then pouted, she just didn't want Marlee anywhere near this Faith girl. She had a plan though.

*

During lunchtime Faith and Marlee sat by each other while Heaven sat on the opposite side. The cafeteria had so many different types of little restaurants. They had a subway, chic fil, Wendy's, some ice cream shop Marlee never heard of, and plenty of other things.

"I think you would like it here, Marlee." Faith stated taking a bite of her pasta and covering her mouth while she spoke. Her acrylics, freshly painted a light pretty pink perfectly filed in a square shape.

"I think so too." Marlee smiled back at the girl, even though Mar didn't have anything fancy on she still looked good. She was getting more into her tomboy side with her feminine touches.

"Nah, Marlee you need something more .. upbeat," Heaven smirked from across the table. Marlee and Faith were both confused as to what the hell she was talking about.

As if on cue a group of girls walked over to where the three of them were sitting. It had to be about 3-4 of them.

"Can I help you?" Faith smiled brightly at the group of young girls. Marlee instantly caught on to what was happening once she saw the smug look on Heaven's face.

Marlee delivered a warning look telling her to back off. Before Heaven could tell the girls not to go through with their plan they began to attack Faith. Marlee knew something wasn't right with her spirit being around Heaven but she didn't think shit would go left this early.

Instinctively Marlee started punching each of the girls trying to get them off, Faith. What Heaven had failed to realize was, Marlee liked to fight and was relatively good at it. She however didn't want to be around anybody who brought that out of her.

One of the girls knocked Marlee in the face causing Marlee to bust her lip. That just made her even madder and she started dragging bitches.

"Stupid ass hoe," Marlee yelled as she snatched the girl's braid from her scalp.

University police and security began to flood the school's cafeteria. Violently ripping Marlee away from the situation. Any chance she had at attending Spelman was gone.

*

"Wassup sis? How are you feeling?" Key asked Mia as he sat down on the couch. It had been two weeks since Dolph's funeral and he hadn't been by since then so he decided to stop and check on them.

"I'm okay. Just trying to stay afloat for my babies. All I can do. How are you?" She sighed taking a sip from her lemonade.

"I don't know. I'm coping with the death of Dolph and then trying to navigate this co-parent friendship shit with Lay. Tryna gets back right with Aubree. Plus I'm back in the studio." He rambled on, he hasn't had anybody to talk to in a minute.

"Lay called me the other day to check on me and the kids. We've been talking a little more, we're going to go get our toes and nails done. What's going on with the co-parent friendship shit?" Mia asked intrigued, when she had asked Lay about Key she said everything was going well.

"If this is too much sis just let me know." He started looking at her, but Mia wanted to hear anything other than what was in her head.

"Nope." She wasn't going to let him get out of it.

Key told her what had happened when they went out to lunch. The ring, the laughs, and then how he had offended her.

Mia's mouth sat agape at the comment Key had made which made him feel even worst. Mia didn't know what the hell to say.

"You told her what?" She asked shocked, she almost wasn't surprised.

"I know. You should've seen the look on her face. We were having a coo lil day too." He shook his head still cringing as he replayed the words flying out his mouth.

"Mm, Key, your brother always wanted me to keep to myself about you but since he's no longer physically here ima tell you like it is. You're messy. You manipulate that girl from here to Africa. You might not know you're doing it but giving her a ring and then treating her any kinda way expecting her to sit around for you, is manipulation. Then you're trying to get with Aubree but were out with Arnell. Messy. Get it together, Key. Dolph would want so much more for you. So do I." Mia saw a little bit of herself in Lay, she had to go through the same things until Dolph finally settled down.

"I can't even be mad at you 'cause you're right. I wanna move on but I want her in the house. I mean damn, she is pregnant with my seed. I guess I am a lil messy huh?" Key chuckled looking up from the floor.

"A lil?" Mia laughed and made a 'nigga please' face causing him to laugh as well. Mia was smiling for the first time since her man's death.

"Wait, how you know I went out with Nell?" Key raised his eyebrow.

"I went to the hair salon. The girl runs her mouth. Super sweet girl but can't hold no water."

"It was innocent. Band play needed me to take her home so we stopped for ice cream. She's married." He shrugged it off.

"Chile .. but is she happily married?" Mia asked leaning forward. From her perspective, Arnell wasn't a bad or mean girl. But now she was super skeptical of everybody.

"I have no clue, we were supposed to double date with Eli and her son. Eli needs more friends." Key thought Arnell's intentions were innocent.

"Her cousins! They miss her, but promise me something?" Mia's tone got serious.

"Wassup?"

"Make sure that co-parent friendship shit is good before you start dating anybody else. Because if not it will complicate everything else. Stop manipulating her. Be honest. Love your kids and yourself and move on. Keep God first and stay yo ass out these streets." Mia pointed a motherly finger at him.

"Scouts honor. I promise." He pulled her into a tight hug that they both needed.

"I have a perfect idea. Why don't you take Lay, Eli, Aria, and Tre Tre for ice cream?" Mia asked releasing him from the hug.

"You're telling me not asking aren't you?" He chuckled.

"You'd be right."

Mia looked over at Key who checked his phone.

Mar: I'm at Spelman they got me locked in the dean's office till I get picked up. Can you come to get me? Ion want Chalynn to trip.

Key: omw.

"Aight sis, I gotta go get Marlee. Let me know when I can get the kids this week." He hurriedly said bye to her and then he was out the door.

*

"Damn! You got hands like that? I got a couple of bitches you can beat up for me." Key joked in the dean's office as he watched the video.

"Excuse me .. Mr..?" The dean looked at him confused as to who he was.

"Mr. Glock." Marlee snickered.

"Well, Mr. Glock, you can take her up outta my office now. She is banned and not allowed to come back. The next time she steps foot on this campus I will get her for trespassing." Marlee smacked her lips but she was tired of trying to plead her case.

The two of them walked out of the office passing Heaven, Faith, and the other girls on the way out.

"I'm sorry." Faith mouthed holding an ice pack over her face. Her pretty brown face was all beaten and battered.

Marlee shrugged and half smiled at her. Key peeped, smirked, and watched some of the girls gawk at him.

When they finally made it back to the car, Key busted out laughing out of nowhere.

"You did allat for a girl?" Key asked looking over at lil bit.

"Well lemme tell you the whole story." She said mushing him in the head as he drove off. Marlee told him how everything went down.

"I couldn't see how cute she is because of allat shit that happened to her face but her body looked aight." Key was like the big brother Marlee always wanted.

"You know nobody as fine as Ronny to me but Faith. This lil sex drought would have to end." Marlee laughed. She only knew that girl for a day but she was infatuated, and she felt guilty for it.

"I mean at the end of the day, follow your heart." He wanted to say more but he was lowkey talking to himself.

"Is that what you be doing?" Marlee asked, Key looked over her from the corner of his eye.

"I follow my dick." He laughed causing Marlee to shake her head at them.

"That's why you got them, kids, now. Thank you though, I'll do that."

*

"Hi, daddy baby," Key said lifting Eli in the air. Lay walked out of her room at the commotion of Marlee and Key laughing and joking as they walked in. Lay had on a sports bra and some spandex shorts. She wasn't expecting him to pop up.

"Hi, Mar .. how was the tour?" Lay asked yawning, she had just gotten up from her nap when they walked in. Golden walked the house and spoke to everybody but eyed Lay. She was looking exceptionally good. Marlee didn't want to get into everything so she just said it went well.

"Wassup Golden?" Key asked raising his eyebrow at her, he ain't like what he just saw.

"Nothin' much. Just went to grab Lay her lil craving for the night." She said putting the bag into the fridge.

"Aight. Chalynn, can we talk?" Key kissed Eli's cheeks. She stretched reaching up to the sky and sighed. Her little belly matched her frame.

"Sure. Come on." She wanted to talk to him about him being Eli's biological father.

"Y'all better not be fuckin." Marlee scrunched her face up referencing the last time they went and "talked".

"He's made it very clear he'll never touch me again." Lay rolled her eyes turning on her heels towards her room. Key gave Eli to Golden before smirking at her.

Key watched Lay's ass move as she walked to her room so they could talk.

"Yes, Markeyvius?" Lay asked sitting on her bed, she began to rub cocoa butter on her belly to prevent stretch marks.

"How you doin? How's lil man?" He asked trying to deter what he was going to say.

"We're good. What do you want?" She asked him screwing the lit back on the lotion.

"You want some dick?" He asked her, she looked at him like he was stupid.

"I mean .. yeah. Just not yo dick." She shrugged, she was feigning for him but that's exactly why she went and bout some sex toys. She refused to be weak for Key, ever again. He had embarrassed her enough.

"Fair. So check it, why you ain't got no clothes on around Golden?" He asked leaning against her dresser.

"She's going to see my pussy once I give birth. Me walking around in this ain't bothering her. Plus, she helps me stretch so all this ain't new." Lay liked pushing Keys buttons, especially now.

"Mm .. ion like the way she looking at you." He crossed his arms.

"How does she look at me Markeyvius?" Lay smiled small, she hadn't felt seen in a while.

"Like she wants you or something." He said almost in disgust. Not that he thought it was nasty that she would want Lay or that she was gay but the thought of somebody else wanting her.