Stephanie Riles, NY📍

It was dead silent in the room. Ashanti and I stood there in shook looking at this sorry ass excuse of a man. I looked over at her and she looked like she was ready to blow. I quickly grabbed her arm before she could say anything and dragged her in the nearest room. It was a bathroom. I shut the door behind us and turned in the light.

"There's something I have to say. I should've told you this when I first suspected it."

"What?!"

There was a knock on the door it was Jo'nae. I opened it and came in.

"Can ya tell me what that was all about?!"

"Hold on." Ashanti said putting up a finger. "Say what you was gon say Steph."

I took a deep breathe. "He hits on on your mom." I mumbled.

"What?!" They both said.

"He hits on your mom!" I said a little louder but not loud enough for the others to hear us.

"WHAT THE FUCK STEPHANIE!" She yelled.

I watched as Ashanti's face turned red. I can jus see the anger building up in her body. Her face, her body language, her whole demeanor changed from irritated to vexed.

Jo'nae and I tried to calm her down. One cause they would hear us and two cause she's pregnant. She's close to her due date we don't need nothing harming her or the baby.

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me sooner!"

"I'm sorry. I really am. It was hard for me to digest and I couldn't bare to tell you yet."

She looked at me and her face softened. She was still vexed but she didn't show it towards me.

She was acting calm and quiet. Which was a shocker but I know her it's not good when she's acting that way.

"Let's go." She said walking towards the door. Me and Jo'nae stopped her.

"You good?" We asked.

"Yep. I'm straight."

"You go out here you not gon start a riot?!"

"Nope." She said with a straight face.

I opened the door and allowed her to walk out in front of us.

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Ashanti Renèe Robinson, NY📍

I walked over to Jay who was sitting on the couch across from Armoni. I sat beside him and he put his arm around me.

"You good?!" He asked me. I nodded.

I looked dead at Armoni. Something about him laughing in Aaliyah face didn't sit right wit me. I'm angry. I have a reason to be. It's like niggas is so bitchy when it come to not gettin what they want that they'll stoop so low and put they hands on a woman.

I'm aware that me and my mom has a terrible relationship. But that's my mom. Not only that but she is a woman. Ion tolerate a man putting his hands on a woman what so ever. I don't care how much we hate one another.

We locked eyes for a second and he looked away. I can judge just by the look on his face that he knew that I knew and it was about to be ugly in here.

Who the fuck does he think he is?! Came her with a white polo shirt and black jeans with a chain. ALL money that my mom put it to get him that shii. The money she could've put in for me as a child. My heart was aching and I ain't like that shii.

"Baby could you get me some juice please." I said to Jay.

"What kind of juice you want?"

"Crangrape."

"Aight I'll be back." He said getting up.

A seconds later he came back with my juice. I thanked him and he sat back down.

"I wanna make a toast." I said out loud standing up. Everyone turned to me as I stood up. I fixed my dress from riding up and moved closer to them.

"I wanna make a toast to Aaliyah. You have such a beautiful soul. I'm so glad you moved on from your past. You deserve to be happy." I walked over to her and hugged her. I turned to Armoni and stood right in front off him.

"And you."

He gave me a side smile that turnt my stomach. I threw the juice at him and punched him in his face.

"Bae!" I heard Jay yell and he grabbed me.

I saw Stephanie hop up when Armoni did.

"What you gon do?" She said getting in his face. They argued back and forth while Jay tried to get me away from them.

I managed to grab a glass cup and throw it at him. It hit the side of his head that caused him to hold it.

"Control your bitch!" He yelled at Jay.

Jay turned around. "Who is you callin a bitch home boy?!"

"You put ya fuckin hands on my motha!" I said out loud.

The room grew silent. Aaliyah looked at me, Stephanie and Jo'nae looked at one another and so did the boys.

"Don't be so quiet now bitch boy." I said walking around Jay. "You were bold enough to put ya motherfuckin hands on my mother be bold enough to speak bitch!" I was in his face now.

He was taller than me of course but the height didn't phase me.

"You better back the fuck up." He told me. Jay was about to say something but Aaliyah hushed him.

"Or what?"

He approached me and whispered in my ear. "Or I can simply do you like I do her."

I pushed him back and punched him in his face again. He quickly recovered and threw a punch at me that I weaved away from. Jay pulled his gun from his waist band and fired shots at Armoni. I ducked out the way because the shots went right past my head.

"Bae! Stop it's over now!" I said protecting myself on the floor. It sounded like he was emptying a whole clip. He prolly would've reloaded and kept going if he had the ammo.

"You okay?" Stephanie asked me as she helped me off the floor.

"Yes I'm fine."

"Bae." Jay said coming towards me. He pulled me in a hug and held my head. "You good. You good."

"Are you asking me or telling me?!"

"Both? Come on" He said grabbing my hand. I looked back at Armoni's body that lay on the floor in Aaliyahs condo.

"What are you going to do about him?"

"Leave his ass for the clean up crew."

"Wait." I said ripping from his grip. I ran over to Armoni's side and checked his pockets.

"Ashanti! You dead wrong! You stealin from a dead man?!" Jo'nae said in a loud whisper.

"Why are you whispering?!"

"Ion want spirits hearing me and shit. It is not my time yet!"

"Girl shut up!" I said taking his phone out his pocket.

"Whatchu need that for?!"

I put it in my purse and grabbed Jays hand again. "Answers" I replied.