"What's up?" Kingston asked pulling Renae into him not putting 2 and 2 together yet.

Before Renae or Malik could speak, Keenan stepped into the house and sent a blow into King's face almost hitting Renae in the process.

Renae screamed, "KEENAN STOP!" She yelled trying to break the fight up when Kingston body-slammed him.

Both fighting like strangers on the street, Renae looked back at Malik for help.

"Don't just stand there!" She yelled shoving him back.

Seeing that he was of no help, she took it upon herself to get between the two.

Catching King's arm before he connected with Keenan's jaw again, she used her short frame and stood in front of him giving Keenan no choice but to get back.

"What da fuck is your problem?!" King yelled about to move Renae out the way to get him again but she used what little strength she had and backed him up into the wall.

"That's my fucking cousin nigga! Are you dumb?" Keenan asks removing his shirt ready to go another round.

Shaking his head, Malik tossed King's stuff on his sofa and stood in front of Keenan.

"Cousin?" King asked furrowing his brows, looking from Keenan then to Renae, Bryson's voice began to echo in his ears.

"Zuri no!"

"Z what the hell is this?" Keenan asked and she looked at him confused.

"What?! How was I supposed to know?" She asked.

"Nigga we talked about her every damn day, you can't tell me you did not know!" He spat flipping the table over and King chuckled.

"I'm a grown-ass man woe, if I knew Nae was Zuri, I would've backed off." He told him.

"I can't believe this shit," Keenan stressed pushing Malik out the way.

King politely moved Renae out the way and walked up into Keenan's face.

"You know it ain't no pro'lem wit me woe." He told him and Keenan mugged him.

Looking over at Renae, he shook his head disappointedly, picking up his shirt he gave King one last look before he walked out the house.

"Library shorty," Malik mumbled then chuckled.

"Damn... what a small world." He added and King rose a brow.

"You got something you wanna say?" King asked taking a step forward and Renae blocked his path.

"Nah, this shit actually funny. Y'all niggas needa talk, that's all I'm saying." He replied then looked at Renae.

"We gon fight lil girl." He told her then slapped hands with King before he left out.

Renae picked up the chairs that they knocked over then looked over at Kingston.

"King I swear I didn't know." She spoke grabbing an ice pack out his freezer while he cut the stove off.

"I'm not in da mood Nae." He replied tossing the stuff in the trash.

"Stop man." He stressed turning his head away when she tried to put the ice on his lip.

"Why are you mad at me?" She asked.

Ignoring her, he turned to walk out the kitchen and she followed him.

"I didn't know." She said as she followed him up the stairs.

"My homeboy is yo fucking cousin."

"What does that mean?" She asked, shaking his head he picked up her bag and shoes.

"I can't do dis." He told her and she furrowed her brows. "What? Are you serious right now?" She questioned putting the ice pack down.

"I gotta take you back home, it ain't right." He stated trying to walk around her but she got in his way.

"You're pushing me away because of him?" She asked on the verge of tears.

"I can't do it Renae..."

Staring at him, he looked away and shook his head.

"Ok." She spoke nodding slowly, "After everything... this is exactly why I should've kept my distance from you." She said snatching her stuff from him.

"That's ok." She added sliding her feet inside her slippers then rushed out of his room refusing to let him see her cry.

"Renae where you going?" He asked following behind her.

"Don't worry about me, I got myself like always." She answered putting her bag over her shoulder and jogged down the stairs.

"Let me take you home Nae."

"I'm good on my own, goodbye." She spoke slamming the door in his face.

Staring at the door, he clenched his jaws and balled up his fists.

"FUCK!" He yelled punching a hole into the wall.

He was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Respect his homeboy/ boss or follow his heart and go after the girl he was starting to fall in love with?

All is fair in love and war, right?

**

June 19th

"You're not getting on any rides?" Dajon asked Renae as he got in line for the bumper cars.

"No." She answered sliding her hands into her back pocket.

Things haven't been the same with her since she and Kingston had their argument.

She wasn't speaking to her mom or Keenan.

Just when she thought things were getting better she got slapped in the face.

"So you're gonna watch me have fun?" Dajon asked and she nodded.

Truthfully she didn't want to be at the Carnival but he begged and begged her.

Shaking his head, he showed the guy his wristband before he let him through.

Looking around the packed area, she smiled at the happy couples wishing it was her.

Watching Dajon race the other people inside, she found a nearby table to sit at, they've been here for an hour and she was ready to go home.

Seeing the crowd of people part like the Red Sea, she looked behind her seeing a circle of the guys that Keenan had beef with.

She found it amusing that the locals were afraid of a bunch of wannabe "bad boys" who couldn't even handle being in the back of a police car for 3 minutes.

Shaking her head, she watched as each guy scanned the carnival as if they came looking for a fight.

One of the guys who favored Michael B Jordan looked her way and winked.

Rolling her eyes, she turned back around and focused back on Dajon.

Once he finished with that, they walked around until they found a rollercoaster.

"You gotta get on one ride Z."

"I'm good." She answered simply, sighing he went to stand in line and she sat at the table busying herself on her phone.

Taking a selfie, she went and checked the photo out.

Nodding in approval, she decided to post on her Instagram.

As she assumed, King was the first to like it. Shaking her head, she placed her phone down.

"Can't wait to get out of here." She mumbled sliding the money into her pocket.

Feeling a presence behind her, she turned around seeing Keenan, Malik and the new guys they trained at the basketball stand taking turns shooting shots.

"Great." She mumbled turning back around only to come face to face with King.

Rolling her eyes, she picked up her phone completely ignoring him.

Getting up, he sat next to her and she scooted away.

"Don't... touch me." She gritted snatching her hand from him.

"I've been blowing yo phone up like crazy Nae." He spoke and she shrugged scrolling through her timeline.

"Can we talk?" He asked and she laughed.

"You can act all hard but don't forget I know you ma." He told her.

Standing, she slid her phone inside her pocket and he got up following her.

"I'm sorry." He apologized grabbing her arm gently and she snatched from him once again and shoved him back.

"Don't touch me!" She yelled pushing him again causing a few people to look their way.

"Aight... you got it." He replied stepping back, turning back around, she leaned on the rail locking eyes with Dajon.

"I'm fine." She mouthed seeing the look he had in his eyes.

He liked Kingston, he was a cool dude.

But he hated the fact that he allowed Keenan to come in and tell him as a GROWN man what to do which led to him hurting Renae in the process.

He understood Keenan's frustration but he also knew that Renae was happy and that was taken away from her over some weird "bro code"

Kingston walked over and stood next to Renae.

Looking over at him she turned her nose up then shook her head.

"I shouldn't have ended things da way I did." He spoke.

"Don't care." She replied, grabbing her earphones out her pocket, she plugged them up to her phone.

Hitting play on her Lil Wayne playlist, she put her earphones in sure to cut the volume all the way up so he would get the hint.

Laughing to himself, he gave a slight nod.

"Can't say I ain't try." He stated before putting his hood on and walked away.

Cutting the music off, she placed her phone in her pocket just as Dajon was coming down the stairs.

"Why are you acting like you don't miss him?" He asked nudging her.

"It's better that way."

**

"There go Keenan right there," Dajon spoke pointing ahead, Keenan, Kingston, Malik, Rello a few girls and the new guys were walking towards Mountain Trashmore.

It was going on 8:30 and Renae was ready to go.

"Come on DJ, I'm ready to go home." She stressed dragging her feet.

"Just let me say wassup, don't act like he ain't our cousin." He told her before jogging to catch up with Keenan them.

Shaking her head, she zipped her jacket up and walked slowly, not wanting to see Kingston or Keenan.

Bryson bought her a car 2 days ago, it was sort of as an "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you" gift.

So she's been applying to different customer service jobs so she could save up to take her Real State courses before she got her license.

She thought she could just get hired at a Real Estate agency but they told her she had to take an online pre-course, then take 2 exams and once she received her certificate she had to go and buy her license.

It was a lot but that's something she wanted to do so she could have the proper knowledge of how to buy houses, how to flip them, what not to do when renting and so on and so forth.

Her plan was to leave this state to start a new beginning, but so far on jobs... nothing.

She made sure to stand a good 12 feet away from them and kept her eyes specifically on Dajon.

In all honesty, she didn't trust any of the guys that hung with Keenan.

She could spot the fakes and undercover snitches a mile away.

But her cousin was grown.

Seeing Kingston looking her way, she blew out a breath and turned around facing the entrance of the Carnival.

Some people were leaving and some were just now getting there.

Checking the time on her phone again, she looked up at the night sky and took a deep breath.

"Somebody take me now." She mumbled, closing her eyes, clearing her throat, she looked down at the grass wishing her life was better.

Egypt has been trying to get her to go to therapy with her but she refused.

She was done with putting her trust into the system and getting fucked over every time.

"Damn" she cursed looking up when somebody damn near took her shoulder off her body.

"Oh, my fault you were in the way." The girl spoke then snickered.

Staring at her, Renae's eyes averted behind her seeing that it was the gang that had beef with Keenan them.

"This is legit a whole mountain area," Renae replied and she stopped walking and backed up.

"What was that?" The girl asked cupping her ear and Renae rolled her eyes.

"This is not a small area." She repeated, the girl and a few of her friends walked up on Renae.

"Bitches think because they're related to a wannabe King Pin they hot shit."

"Yeah ok, argue with yo mama," Renae replied dismissively as she turned her back towards them seeing Keenan them walking her way.

Something she didn't need.

"What you say bitch?" The girl asked then pushed her, "See." Renae mumbled as she turned around slowly.

"Don't put yo hands on me." She warned.

"Girl, what the fuck you gon do?" Another girl asked shoving her back.

Shaking her head, Renae slid her phone into her back pocket seeing where this was about to go.

Without responding, she cocked back and hit the first girl then punched the other friend.

If they were gonna jump her, she rather she had the upper hand for a moment.

The guys formed a circle around Renae making sure Keenan them couldn't get in.

"Work that hoe, Mimi!" A third girl yelled, feeling someone pull her hair from the back, Renae began to hit the windmill connecting each swing to every girl within range.

"Get the fuck off me!" She yelled pushing who she assumed was Mimi back then charged at the other girl breaking the barrier.

Keenan them were now fighting with the guys and the cops who were standing on the sidewalk watching were now making their way over with their tasers and guns drawn.

Rolling around in the grass, Renae rolled over on top the girl cocking back sure to add more power with every hit.

Mimi and another girl ran over and started hitting her from behind.

Jumping up, she grabbed Mimi's ponytail then kicked her other friend in her stomach before she swung Mimi to the ground.

Breathing heavy, she clenched and unclenched her fists as she tried to keep the flashbacks from coming.

Seeing that she was distracted, both girls tackled her to the ground and started swinging on her.

Covering her face, she squeezed her eyes shut as the memories came rushing in.

March 2nd

"What happened to your eye?" Macy, one of the girls Renae became associated with asked.

She was bipolar and had split personalities, but was the sweetest person you'd ever meet.

"I fell." Renae lied looking at the tv.

"Trying to get dress in the dark? I've done it way too many times." She replied then laughed and Renae just nodded.

Seeing a woman eyeing her from the other side of the lounge, she looked behind her trying to see if she was staring at someone else.

"Is she staring at me?" She asked, "Who?" Macy asked playing with her teddy bear.

Nodding at the lady, Macy giggled.

"Don't mind her, she's just mad because you aren't crazy like the rest of us." She told her and Renae laughed softly.

One of the Doctors walked over and whispered something into her ear.

Renae caught on to it but brushed it off.

Focusing on the tv, she and Macy had small talk until it was time for them to go back into their rooms.

As she was walking down the hall, she noticed the lady following her.

Taking her key card out of her pocket, she pressed the elevator button repeatedly until it finally open.

Stepping on, she waited for it to close only for the lady to step right on.

Standing in the corner she eyed Renae the whole ride.

Trying to ignore her, Renae stepped off when she got to her floor only for the lady to get off as well.

Once Renae got to her room, she tried to close the door but the lady pushed it open and Renae stumbled back.

"This is my room." She told her, "You think I didn't see you?" The lady asked walking towards her slowly.

"See me what?" Renae asked.

"Talking to my boyfriend." She said and Renae laughed walking towards her bed.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She spoke turning back around, seeing the blade in the lady's hand Renae stared at her funny.

"I saw you!" She screamed charging at Renae, it was as if her feet were stuck and her mind wasn't registering what was going on until the lady sliced her chest.

Screaming, Renae held the area only for the lady to slice her shoulder as well.

"STOP!"

"NAE!" Kingston called trying to pull her off of Mimi.

She was banging her head into the ground while choking her.

He saw the look in her eyes realizing she blacked out.

"Renae! Shit... stop!" He exclaimed finally pulling her off the girl and when they fell backward, Renae sent a kick right into Mimi's already bloody face.

The cops were now arresting and tasing people.

"Get off me!" Renae screamed trying to break free from Kingston.

"It's me Nae." He said trying to calm her down but she was beyond pissed.

The only thing she was seeing was red.

Wiggling out his arms, she picked up a nearby rock and ran towards the girls.

Kingston, Malik and one of the guys from the other gang all ran behind her to stop her not noticing the 2 officers standing a few feet away with their taser gun drawn and ready.

Before Renae could get to the girls, both officers shot the tasers hitting her right in her back.

Dropping to her knees, Renae dropped the rock before she fell face-first into the grass.

"What da fuck are you doing?!" Kingston shouted making his way towards the officers but Malik kept blocking his path.

"Stand down!" The officer commanded pointing his gun their way while the other officer still had the taser on Renae.

By now the crowd was standing back in fear watching as Kingston, Keenan and a few others made threats to the officers.

Renae, in pain, tried to roll over but couldn't feel half of her body.

In the midst of the guys yelling at the other cops, the first one made his way towards Renae and placed her arms behind her back.

"W-what are you doing?" She asked, ignoring her, he placed the handcuffs on her then pulled her to her feet roughly.

"Aye?!" Kingston yelled pushing Malik out the way.

"What da fuck you doing?" He asked running towards the officer only to be tackled by another one.

What started out as a good day, was now ending in a terrible night.

*

*

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Oh shit