Chapter 17

SeniaMarie Milano

Tae sat on the couch as I stood at the kitchen counter and a few pieces of Rah's jewelry laid on the coffee table in front of him.

I was honestly taken back by it and I didn't know what to say or in fact what to do. This wasn't even like him. He wasn't no thief so all of this was just really confusing as hell.

I heard the keys rattle at the door and I knew it was Rah I watched as Tae looked at the door then back to me with puppy eyes and I knew he was scared.

Rah walked inside locking the doors behind him. He looked from me and to the table where he saw the jewelry.

"The fuck is this?"

"I got a call from his school telling me to come there. When I got there Mr. Milano here was sitting in the office." I sighed

"She told me she had caught Tae showing some kids in his class some jewelry that she had just known wasn't costume." I spoke as he shook his head.

I watched as walked over to Tae and he sat on the edge of the coffee table directly in his face as he took the spot on the couch. I watched intensely as he propped his arms up on his knees. Tae sat there scared fiddling with his fingers and refused to look Rah in his face.

"You stealing from me now. You pose to be my lil dawg." He said and Tae finally looked up at him with tears in his eyes.

"I didn't steal it. Everybody was talking about how they're dads owned expensive cars and stuff and how they lived in mansions so I told them you were rich too." He shrugged.

"They didn't believe me, and Christian- He said I was lying so I took the ones you left in the hallway bathroom. I was gonna give em back I promise." He said looking at Rah with fear in his eyes as Rah nodded.

"Listen to me. You don't gotta prove nothin' to nobody ouchea'. Neva in this life. That's you livin' for people yo'. Never be tryna impress nobody that don't do shit for you." He said lightly poking at Tae's chest.

"Nah look niggas gotchu messing up shit with folks who really care bout chu' that's not cool lil dawg." Rah shook his head as Tae eyes widened.

"I'm still your lil dog?" Tae asked as Rah chuckled.

"Yea you always my lil dawg. But if niggas tryna stunt on you like that again. Don't go against me, you come to big dawg." He said pointing to himself.

"I'm sorry Rah." He said hopping off the table as he wrapped his arms around Rah's neck hugging him and Rah hugged his little body back.

"Go get cleaned up." Rah told him as he smiled widely nodding and running down the hallway.

"By Friday or so we should be gone so I'm just asking for these last couple of days as grace." I spoke to him as I watched him get up.

"Nia take your ass inna room or sum'." He said wiping his hand over his face in exhaustion.

"Rahmik. I'm not playing with you, this isn't like those other times. I'm tired of your disrespect and I'm definitely tired of you feeling like you can control me..." I said as he looked at me nearly confused and his face went straight as he let out a laugh.

"So that's where the fuck you been at. You keep letting that woman gas you up forreal."

"Maybe it's what I needed to realized the kind of person you are."

"The fuck that mean?" He asked taken back.

"I'm not arguing with you Rahmik. Like I said I'll definitely be taking time off from you." I said turning on my heels walking down the halls.

"Take your fuckin' time shawty." I heard him say.

Rahmik Ford

I sat on the living room couch smoking my blunt and my music played lowly knowing now everyone must have been asleep considering that it was after 1 in the am.

My mind was all over the place. As much as I wanted to believe Nia, a part me still felt like it was a possibility. I just couldn't shake the thought. I knew she wouldn't lie, but it's amazing what people can do or say when fear took over.

I really found it wild enough that she on some shit bout moving out and takin' some time. Maybe that's what she needed. Shit maybe that's what I needed.

"You coming to bed?" I heard Nia speak from behind me.

"You concerned now..." I said shaking my head as I heard her sigh and she came around to the couch as I felt a dip beside me.

"I'm always concerned." She said in a matter of fact tone. I gave a simple nod letting blowing the smoke from my nose.

I laid back into the couch as I got better view of her. She sat facing me with both feet in the chair and soon I took in what she was wearing. She had on an extremely short see through orange night dress, I'm talking nipples out.

"You deadass." I dragged as my high began taking over.

"I'm deadass what?" She asked with her brow raised.

"You know Whatchu' be doin'." I laughed a bit shaking my head. She took her feet and rest them on my lap as I began to play with them.

"What do you even want Rahmik..." She said softly.

"I want you." I said honestly lookin' at her.

"I want us. But you be actin' like everything suppose to be smooth and perfect."

"That's not true. None of us can touch perfect I ask nothing but for standard behavior out of you and I can't get that." She said causing me to sigh deeply.

"Bro I be having my own troubles apart from us. The last thing I be needing is trouble with us. I be tryna respect whatever you on. You want time I'a give you that. I make sure to." I spoke shaking my head.

"I want respect too Rah." She said to me as my head shot to her.

"Chu' mean you want respect I always give you respect Nia."

"Rah, you feel like you can talk to me any way in which you please. Today really hurt me. You saw that email thinking that it was mine threw a whole fit and told me that I had killed something that would've been so precious to us." She said softly as I roughly bit my lip.

"I was wrong for that Nia." I said owning what I'd did .

"I'm serious about us separating for the time being Rah." She spoke as I looked a bit taken back.

"Nah we not doin' that. We gonna fix this shit."

"Rahmik you say that all the damn time, your not gonna fix it unless I show you what I mean."

"I love you, I love us, but I really gotta love me." She spoke up.

"I ain't with that shit Nia." I spoke feeling all my high drop, she looked at me saddened and took her feet off of me before pecking me on my cheek.

I wasn't for it....