November 16th

I remember them days when I used to hang in the club

So addicted to fame they say it's the same as a drug

Not a lame or a scrub no that ain't what it was

Knew this girl is somebody else's, I think I'm in love

She know she bad, but what's new?

Maybe the baddest, I want you girl

I gotta have it, what it do girl?

You cool girl, play by the rules girl

Cause, we catching feelin's fa sho

You know the game and you know how it go

Been keepin' shit on the low

Girl I'm a g I'ma stick to the code

Too many times I've been down this road

Nobodies hurt if nobody knows

Go head and call yo nigga tell him you ain't comin' home

I got you creepin' got you creepin' yea. You got a man at home, you know he cheatin'

But you won't leave him what's the reason?

You know yo man a scrub, that ain't no real love

You'd rather get even you don't need him no

He got you chasin' waterfalls..

That red light special got me gone

Girl tell me why you hollin' on?

You don't know, you don't know

Ay, I know I got a lot of hoes

But I ain't never show this side before

Even my mamma knows, so Señorita vámonos

If I never told you, that I wan't you to myself girl

Cause I'm down to show you, that I want you to be my ho—

"DJ?!" Renae called from the bathroom pausing the song as she straightened her hair. "Yo?!" He answered from the kitchen.

"Just making sure!" She replied before focusing back on her hair.

Since he's gotten here she has been on him like white on rice, but he knew she was only shaken up due to what happened.

Pressing play back on the music, she began humming along until Bryson's ringtone interrupted.

Putting the flat iron down, she wiped her hands on the towel before she picked up the phone answering his FaceTime call.

"Good morning Zuri." He greeted smiling causing her to smile back.

"Good morning old man, heading to work?" She asked.

"Yup, got a double shift to pull today. DJ there still?" He asked and she nodded. "Yeah, he's in the living room I think." She answered.

"Ok good, how you feeling? Where's King?"

"I'm feeling pretty good, I don't know I woke up and he was gone." She replied, nodding he cut the ac off.

"Prolly meeting with Keenan, your aunt called me the other day." He informed.

"About?" She asked.

"Said your mom showed up, Ahmed got her back on drugs." He announced and she shook her head.

"Did you get some good sleep?" She asked changing the subject.

"I actually did, you should check my place out soon. I have two rooms, DJ won't mind sleeping on the sofa." He joked and they shared a laugh.

"Sounds fun but you know I'm only here temporarily, once DJ is better I'm heading back to New Orleans." She reminded and he frowned.

"I really wish you would stay."

"Virginia isn't good for me anymore Dad... I have more opportunities and happiness down south." She assured.

Not wanting to argue he nodded.

"As long as Kingston is keeping you safe and happy I won't mind, just make sure you don't forget about little old me." He spoke and she smiled.

"How could I? You're my number one."

Smiling, Bryson told her he loved her before he ended the call.

Although she were grown, to him she was still his sweet little Zuri.

She would always be his little princess.

Letting the song play, Renae went back to doing her hair.

After she finished, she did her brows and put on her lashes before she joined Dajon in the living room.

"You got dressed up just to stay inside?" He asked when she picked a piece of bacon off his plate.

"What's wrong with that?" She asked taking a bite out of the bacon. "Nothing, long as it makes you happy. You still wear those contacts every now and then?"

"Yeah, depending on my mood or look I'm going for. King called me a witch one time because he thought my eyes changed colors. I had to show him my contact holders." She revealed and he busted out laughing.

"Remember when Aunt Tam got you those purple contacts and pops thought you were possessed?" He asked and they erupted in laughter.

"He thought she did something to me, he cursed her clean out. I felt so bad for him when she read him from Texas to Cali." She giggled and he laughed shaking his head.

"After that moment you fell in love with contacts."

"I really did huh?" She asked wiping her hand.

"When are you leaving?" He asked. "Whenever you give me the ok, I just wanna make sure you're fine." She replied and he smiled.

"I appreciate that."

"You know it ain't no thing, we like Pam and Gina remember?" She spoke and he laughed.

"How about Martin and Pam?"

"Oh yeah ok maybe that is more accurate." She said and he chuckled.

"Yeah it it." He said just as they heard the door knob turning.

Both looking behind them, the door opened and King walked in smirking.

"Look what I got." He spoke waving the envelope and Renae perked up.

Joining them in the living room, King sat next to Renae and Dajon pulled out phone ready to record her reaction.

"So whatever these results say, you gotta promise not to leave me." He said and Renae smirked.

"Only if I get to beat her up?" She reasoned and Dajon laughed shaking his head.

"We'll discuss that later." He replied opening the envelope and Renae laughed watching closely.

Pulling the papers out, his eyes scanned through quickly until he got to where he needed.

"What is say?" Dajon asked zooming in on Renae's face.

"It's mine." He mumbled and Renae leaned back. "It's mine." He repeated then shook his head.

"What?!" She shrieked snatching the paper from him.

Laughing quietly, King stood up and Renae eyes scanned through the words quickly.

Dajon glanced over at King seeing him pull out a velvet box from his pocket.

"Oh shit." He mumbled.

"Where does it say it's your? Zero percent means it's not right?" She asked looking at Dajon and he shrugged nodding towards King.

"It says Ze— what.. what are you doing?" She asked dropping the paper.

Getting down on one knee, King grabbed her right hand and smirked.

"What are you doing?"

"What it look like girl?" Dajon cut in and King laughed shaking his head. "Before you say this is da wrong hand, this is not a proposal." He clarified and she laughed softly.

"This is a pre proposal, a promise from me to you to always love and honor you. I promise to always be your shoulder to cry on and da one to always wipe your tears. This is my promise to you, to always respect you, keep your feelings in consideration and to always protect you. Baybeh I know you been through some shit and we've been through some shit, but I want you to know dat no matter what, I'ma always be here for you. You got my entire soul ma and I'd give my life up for you with no hesitation. You taught me how to love and enjoy it. You keep my head straight and if you will, I ask that you accept this ring as a promise to soon turn you into my wife. Renae Zuri Brown, do you accept my offer?"

Looking down at the ring then back at him, her eyes sparkled as a bright smile crossed her face.

"Speak Z!" Dajon pressed nudging her and King and her laughed.

"Yes!" She finally found her voice. Removing the ring from the box, King slid it onto her finger then pulled her into him crashing his lips onto hers.

"Ah get a room." Dajon teased stopping the video.

Pulling back, Renae stared at him with glossy eyes and smiled.

"Are you serious?" She asked looking down at the ring.

"It's your world ma, I'm just living in it."

**

Later that afternoon

"Did Rello tell you about the extra shit he was into?" Kingston asked Dajon as they walked the neighborhood.

He was carrying Renae on his back, she was still excited from earlier.

"Nah, what type of stuff was he into?" Dajon asked as they approached the park area.

"He did hits on niggas houses to get extra cash. Most of em were some uptown drug dealers that had beef with Keenan. Rello stole from too many niggas, the ones that shot you for statersv. You were caught in the crossfire for being there." King informed and Dajon shook his head.

"How they know about Renae then?"

"Put two and two together after they found out you were related to Keenan. They figured you knew about Rello extra activities and taking Renae would jog your memory." He answered.

"All they had to do was ask." Renae spoke and both guys laughed.

"Streets don't work like that baybeh, not even in movies." King told her and she pouted.

"What's your plans for school bro?" King asked.

"My pops supposed to go up there tomorrow and get my homework and stuff. My doctors notes covered my absences and the principal said he wouldn't hold me back as long as I finish the work." He informed.

"I can help if you want?" King suggested as they sat at the bench.

Renae made her way to the swing set and Dajon chuckled.

"Swings are the only thing she loves on the playground."

"She don't fuck with slides?" King asked. "Nah, said the swings makes her feel as if she's flying and talking to God." He answered and King smiled looking over at Renae.

Sure enough she had a small smile on her face as she swung.

"That's your best friend huh?" King asked.

"Hell yeah, I use to threaten to beat up grown man for her when I was little. Nigga I was six talking about whooping grown men ass." He announced and King laughed.

"I guess it's because of how tight we grew up, we were basically all we had. Her pops wasn't shit, mom was here and there and my pops and aunt did the best they could. The first time I caught Z cutting herself it did something to me and I made a promise to myself to always look after her. Even though she was older, for me it felt like I was the big brother."

"Do you feel like I'm taking her from you?" King asked.

"Nah, not at all. I'm glad you came into her life. I'm just mad at myself for almost losing my life behind some dumb shit. Here I was preaching to her about always wanting to kill herself but I went ahead and signed my own death wish when I turned to the streets." He vented.

"I went in without thinking shit through. I just wanted a quick way to make money to help with the bills and I ended up getting caught in the long run. My mom was buying drugs with the bill money and I was being stupid risking my life."

"Your intentions were pure though bro bro." King told him.

"But my decisions were careless. I turned into a hypocrite."

"But did you learn from it?" He asked. "I did." Dajon answered.

"That's all that matters then, you learned. You know it ain't for you and God gave you a chance to redeem yourself lil bro, so do right and turn your life around. If you need help you know I got you, but Nae needs you D... seeing her like that at the hospital trying to keep herself together for you, man that shit ate me up. I seen her cry and hurt before but bro, the love she has for you is something different. I don't wanna see her broken like that anymore bro, just keep your head in da books aight?"

Nodding, Dajon slapped hands with him then looked over at Renae and smiled.

"We didn't have much back then but we had us." He spoke.

"That's all y'all needed."

*

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How we feel?! How we feeeeeeel?!

I know most of y'all are waiting on me to update the other books, but I've been focusing on this book for many reasons.

My mind/ ideas will only allow me to focus on this story and this story only lol.

This book is coming to an end but there's a book 2 that will play into how the ending of this one goes.

In the end I'm also gonna give y'all another truth moment.