"Bruh where that nigga King at?" Rod asked approaching Keenan.

"He ain't answer his phone, he been slipping lately," he answered, looking at Malik and he shook his head.

"Don't he gotta view you for missing meetings?"

"I'll call him," Malik spoke up. He knew Rod just wanted to see a fight, he was truly worst than a woman.

Walking off to the side, Malik went to King's contact. Clicking on it, he waited as the phone rang a few times before King answered. "A few, did you forget we were supposed to meet at the court to watch the new recruits get jumped in?"

"Das' today?"

"Bring yo ass few, Rod out here tryna start shit... being messy," He stressed.

King laughed, "Between who?"

"You and Keenan, just hurry up," hanging up, Malik walked over towards Keenan and the group. "Four new members, you think they valid?" He asked.

Keenan shrugged. "I don't trust none of 'em like that to try and roll with us, but they're good for the time being."

Malik nodded, "King should be here in like twenty minutes, his ass was sleep."

"He needa stop staying up like he a damn vampire." Keenan replied.

Rod and Malik busted out laughing. "Yoooooo that's a good ass analogy." Malik laughed harder.

"His ass be walking around looking like the walking dead. He 'ont know what the fuck sleep is."

Everyone busted out laughing even the little kids that were ear hustling.

"You hell few," Rod said.

Keenan chuckled. "I'm just talking shit."

"Stop running and fight!" Rello, the head of the young boys yelled to the newbies.

"I'm not feeling tha' last one." Kingston whispered to Keenan.

"The one with the locs?" Malik queried.

King nodded.

"Me either, his ass looks like he'd run if we got ran up on."

"Yo?" Keenan called and the boys stopped fighting, "Come here." He nodded towards the timid looking boy.

"Yeah?"

"What you here for?"

"My cousin wanted me to join with him." He answered.

King was automatically against it, "Dis ain't what you wanted to do?" King asked.

"Nah not really, it ain't me."

"Aight, go home we'll talk with yo cousin." Keenan spoke in a dismissive tone.

Nodding, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and made his way down the black path.

"Speaking of cousin," Keenan mumbled as Dajon headed their way.

"There go lil hitta right there," Rod grinned, slapping hands with Dajon.

Before he could do the gang handshake, Keenan smacked Rod's hand down. "Don't be doing that shit with him."

"What you meannn like? I thought he was valid?" Rod was confused and a bit offended.

"Did you hear me say that? Don't let me catch none of y'all asses doing that shit with him." Keenan eyed the crew before looking at Dajon and motioned for him to follow him.

"Yo ass always getting somebody in trouble." Malik said to Rod before walking towards the circle of the newbies getting boxed in.

"That's his middle name, gotta watch his ass." King added.

Rod looked at him. "What's that supposed to mean?" He asked.

"Exactly what I said."

***

The next afternoon

"Bryson told me you met a guy," Egypt smirked as she and Renae sat inside Tropical Smoothie.

"We're friends," Renae corrected.

"Is that who you've been hanging with lately?" She meddled.

"Yeah," Renae casually answered, removing the lid from her cup.

"Does he know that you stay in a hotel?"

"No... I don't think I'm comfortable with telling him that stuff yet."

Egypt nodded, "So... where do you two normally meet?"

"The dance studio, or I'll have him meet me at Wendy's... Sometimes the library." She shrugged.

"How long have you guys known each other?"

"We bumped into each other in January and just kind of been seeing each other ever since. We've been building a friendship for about three weeks or a month... something around that line," she answered.

Egypt sipped on her drink for a moment before deciding to change the subject, "I have some good news."

Renae stared at her.

"Bryson found us an apartment,"

Renae wasn't moved by her mom's smile. This was a repetitive cycle and she was tired of getting her hopes up for a few short months.

"How sure is it?" She decided to ask.

"I meet with the lady tomorrow, no credit check," Egypt promised. "I'm positive it's ours."

Renae cracked a slight smile. "Oh ok... if we get it let me know."

"You don't sound so excited about us getting out of that dirty hotel."

Renae shrugged, "Expectation leads to disappointments."

"This is for sure though, Renae."

Just like the rest, Renae thought then cleared her throat. "That's good mom, really."

"Maybe you can start looking into colleges?"

Renae just gave a simple nod before changing the subject, "Did you enjoy your date?"

Egypt blushed, "I did... not sure what he has planned for us but I'm gonna enjoy the moment."

"Yeah... happy for you guys."

"Everything ok with you?" Egypt asked.

Renae nodded, "just fine," she mumbled, picking up her phone when King's name appeared.

"Doesn't sound like everything is fine."

"I'm fine,"

"If you weren't would you tell me?"

"Mm-hmm," she stood and tossed her smoothie in the trash.

Standing as well, Egypt picked up her purse. "I gotta get back to work, will you be ok out here?"

"Yup, I'll see you later."

"Walk me out, I think that's Bryson pulling up right now." She said.

Renae nodded following her out the shop. Waving at Bryson, she gave her mom a quick hug then walked in the opposite direction as she went ahead and called Kingston back.

"I thought you were about to ignore me today." He spoke soon as he answered the phone.

Renae smiled softly. "No, I was having a small lunch with my mom."

"Where at? I might be round tha' way."

"I'm like a twenty or thirty minute walk from the McDonald's and Wendy's area."

"Finna bust dis U, you're around where tha' Hardee's and shit at?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm at Tropical Smoothie... well not anymore but you get the picture." She told him and he chuckled.

"Wait by tha' shopping center, I'm about five minutes from you."

"Ok, I'm actually gonna go inside Food Lion and grab some things if that's fine with you?"

"Yeah you straight, I'll be there." He assured.

Smiling softly, she waited for the car to drive by before she crossed the street. "What's the plans for today?" She asked.

"Movies, I know you tired of working on tires." He laughed and she laughed as well.

"It's actually fun, but I wouldn't mind watching movies." She told him as she walked inside the grocery store.

"Sheesh," she huffed, rubbing her arms.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing, it's just cold in here, I didn't wear a jacket today, it was too hot."

"You know how tha' stores get," he said, "I'm finna park." He told her.

"You don't have to come in."

"Nah, it's cool, I gotta pick some stuff up for us anyways." He said.

"Ok, I'll be up front waiting." She told him.

"Bet."

**

"You hate chocolate ice cream?" He asked looking at her shocked and she nodded.

"It tastes bitter." She stated then made a face and he chuckled. "I gotta be like hungry or in a mood to eat it or high as fuck." He announced and she laughed.

"I don't even like to eat it if I'm on my cycle, I'll eat chocolate cake before I get chocolate ice cream." She spoke and he laughed agreeing.

"Dat chocolate cake hit different when you're high though." He announced.

"I believe it." She replied getting up to put her plate in the trash.

He made Cajun flavored pasta with jumbo shrimp, sautéed spinach and grilled chicken with garlic bread.

"Did you want me to pour you a glass of kool aid?" She asked from the kitchen, pausing the movie, he got up and walked into the kitchen.

"I got it."

"I do want a slice of dat cake you made though." He said and she smirked.

"You said I couldn't cook remember?" She asked and he chuckled.

"You said you were better than me, I said dat was a lie." He corrected and she kissed her teeth.

"I'll be sure to take it home with me then." She replied after taking the cake out of the oven.

"Nah, we gon' fight if you do." He said grabbing a few paper towels to dry his hands off.

"You'll lose that battle as well." She replied grabbing out a few zip lock bags to stuff the icing with.

"Say dat again?" He challenged walking up behind her and she laughed placing her hand on his chest to push him back and he chuckled when she couldn't move him.

"You can't beat me." He told her as he sized her up.

"I can, but I choose to be a good person." She joked and he laughed backing up.

"That's what I thought."

"Better run." She tried to whisper but he heard her and walked up and picked her up.

"Ok stop!" She squealed when he threw her over his shoulder and pretended to drop her.

"Say I won." He spoke pretending to drop her again and she screamed grabbing onto his shirt.

"You won, you won!"

Laughing, he put her down and she slapped his arm.

"Such a bully." She said about to turn around but he wrapped his arms around her and backed her up against the wall.

"What'd you say?" He asked nuzzling his face in the crook of her neck.

She couldn't even speak, the fact that he was even this close to her really had her feeling a way.

"Ok stop." She spoke pushing against his chest but he assumed she was still playing.

"I wanna hear what you just said." He replied grabbing her hands and pinned them above her head.

Closing what little space they had between the two, Renae tried to free her hands from his hold as images of the Doctors flashed in her mind.

"Ok... King stop." She panicked breathing unsteady.

Realizing that she was serious, he released her hands and stepped back.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry ma." He apologized stepping back some more.

"I'm ok." She spoke softly as she rolled the sleeves of her sweater up.

"I need some air."

"Nae?" He called reaching for her hand but she shook her head.

"I'm ok." She repeated as she walked out the kitchen quickly, once outside she walked down his driveway some and sat down on the ground placing her head between her legs as she took slow breaths trying to calm her breathing.

But the more she tried to calm herself down the more she felt as if her lungs were squeezing together.

2 months ago

"Bed time at eight? That's a little too early isn't it?" Renae asked one of the older ladies as they were ushered out of the lounging area.

"Go to sleep early, you wake up early." She replied walking away, furrowing her brows, Renae walked down the hall by herself.

It was hard trying to make friends when everyone seemed to dislike her.

Once she reached her floor, she stepped off the elevator and walked down the long dim hall.

Once she reached her room, she swiped her card it took a few second before it flashed green before the door opened.

Walking inside her room, she closed the door and walked over towards the small bed.

Laying in it, she stared up at the ceiling just as the lights in the building went out.

"I'm officially in hell." She mumbled turning on her side staring at the wall.

Hearing keys and someone whistling, she figured someone was just doing a walk about until there was a tap on her door.

"Brown?" The deep voice asked.

"What?" She replied sitting up, not responding, he opened her door and she furrowed her brows.

"What'd I do?" She asked about to stand up until she saw him reaching for his slacks.

Hoping her mind was just playing tricks on her, she kept her eyes on him until he approached her and pushed her down.

"What the hell? Get off of me!" She screamed trying to use her knees to push him off of her but he smothered her with one hand and held her legs down with the other.

Shaking her head frantically, she started kicking her legs wildly, unable to keep her still he sat up and she kneed him right in his balls.

Groaning, he held him and she tried to get off the bed but he grabbed her hair.

"Be quiet!" He gritted then sent a punch into her stomach causing the air to leave her body.

Getting off the bed, he dragged her off causing her head to hit the hard floor.

Her vision became blurry as she looked around for something to hit him with.

But the pain from the fall was starting to get the best of.

Towering over her, she squeezed her eyes shut as he felt up her body.

"Renae?" King called shaking her, "STOP!" She screamed pushing him back, hurrying to her feet she went to make a run for it but began to get dizzy.

"Nae?" He called again getting up and rushed over towards her when he saw her trying to use the side of the wall to keep her up.

"Stop." She murmured waving in front of her, unable to walk any further, she leaned up against the wall and blinked her eyes repeatedly trying to see what was in front of her but things started to get fuzzy.

"Shit man." Kingston cursed catching her before she collapsed.

Pressing his index and pointer finger into her neck he checked her pulse.

"Shit." He repeated carrying her bridal style, rushing inside his house, he laid her down on the sofa and rushed into his bathroom to get a cool rag.

Placing the rag on her forehead, he sat down on the carpet next to her and just stared at the tv screen tapping his foot rapidly.

Ten minutes had went by before she slowly started to regain consciousness.

Opening her eyes, she shielded them from the light as she looked around the familiar area.

"King?" She called lowly as she went to sit up but stopped herself.

"I'm right here." He told her getting up and sat on the side of the coffee table.

Removing the rag from her forehead she stared up at the ceiling trying to blink away the tears.

"I'm sorry." She croaked covering her face, "Nah, it's my fault ma. I gotta learn boundaries." He told her as he eased over onto the sofa and pulled her into him.

"I'm so tired." She cried hitting her fist into the palm of her hand.

"I know ma, you gotta keep fighting." He told her and she cried harder.

"I can't! I'm tired!" She snapped trying to push him back but he wouldn't let her.

Hitting his sofa cushions repeatedly, she let out a heart wrenching scream before she broke down.

Laying back, he pulled her on top of him as she cried hysterically.

Things were really starting to take a toll on her not just mentally but physically and in her defense she was ready to go any day now.

If it stopped her reliving what she went through, she was fine with leaving this Earth.

It was too much for her and she was tired of keeping a brave face.

She was dying on the inside, quicker than anyone noticed.

*

*

*

Thoughts?