Part 2 of this story will be on that account ]

- The reason Duck nem don't wanna tell Mari why Messiah is after her is because they feel like she's gonna go after him and get herself killed

- And they can't let Mari kill Messiah because she already killed one person (Dakari) and that fucked her up mentally — referring back to the beginning chapters when she explained it.

- and they also know that if she were to kill Messiah it would fuck her up even more simply because of the fact that Mari was very much in love with Messiah at one point in time— so obv killing someone that you used to be madly in love with is never gonna sit right with your soul

- Messiah doesn't have anything to do with Bri'ons death, he just wants revenge for Dakari (who's the one who actually killed bri'on)

if you have any other questions lmk, just wanted to clarify that

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𝗔𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗶 𝗞𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲 | 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶

𝙷𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚗 𝚃𝚇 .

❦

I snatched my keys and my phone off of my vanity before going down the stairs and into the kitchen. As soon as I put my phone on the counter it started going off like it has been for the past hour. I seen that it was the Duck again and rolled my eyes, turning my ringer off.

Duck has been calling me since last night after I left Samiron's house. I'm guessing Samiron called him and told him that I found out about what they were planning to do to Messiah.

I haven't been answering Duck nor Samiron because I just needed time to process what the fuck I had read. Duck texted this morning telling me to come

to his house so that they can explain everything. I don't know what there is to explain. Like all were literally gonna go kill someone important to me without tellin' me shit and then come back and act like y'all had no clue what happened to him— what is there to explain?

The more I think bout it the more upset I get. Especially at Duck and Eli 'cause they know my history with Messiah and they know how I feel about him. Regardless of me and Siah's relationship issues in the past, he was there for me through a lot so I still have a lot of love for him. When my uncle died, then again when Bri'on died— he was still by my side. The fact that they were gonna kill him without letting me know a thing is selfish in my eyes.

Theres no reason good enough in this world for them to keep me in the dark about this. But I might as well hear what they have to say.

I walked out of the front door and locked it behind me before walking out to my S-Class Mercedes Benz.

I backed out the driveway and started making my way to Duck and Eli's house. The whole time I drove to Duck and Eli's house all I could think about was how I would've reacted if I found out Messiah

had died.

Mari, Duck, and Eli had been crying over Bri'on's body for the past 30 seconds, trying to keep him alive. The ambulance still hadn't arrived yet.

Blood was spilling out of Bri'ons mouth and he was gasping for air as his eyes started rolling back into his head. The sight itself made Mari, Eli, and Duck sick to their stomachs.

They tried everything they could to keep him breathing. "Please, PLEASE, keep your eyes open Bri.. I'm begging you, please don't close your eyes." Mari sobbed as she applied pressure to his chest wounds

Eli tried his hardest to not look at Bri'on. It was their first time seeing someone close to them get shot right in front of their eyes and traumatic was an understatement.

A few seconds later the ambulance's sirens could be heard coming down the already noisy street. They finally pulled to the curb where the three were hovering over Bri'on's body. Paramedics rushed over to put Bri'on on a stretcher while they yelled things to each other.

Duck being the oldest was the only one allowed in the ambulance. "G-go get your momma Mar -she ain't answering the p-phone .." Duck told them while tears rolled down his face as he rushed back towards the ambulance.

"I-i don't wanna leave him!" Mari cried harder into Eli's arms.

Eli sniffed, "Your house ain't too far, i'ma come with you. Come on.."

As soon as the ambulance started pulling off Eli and Mari ran as quick as they could to Mari's house, their clothes still covered in blood. A few people stopped and stared at them but the pair didn't pay no mind, their main focus was getting back to the house. They approached the house and the front door was already unlocked so they barged in breathing heavily, not caring how much noise they made.

Mari's momma walked downstairs in confusion hearing all the commotion, "What yall doi- Mari. why is there blood on yo clothes.?"

Chy started panicking as she looked at her daughter's shirt covered in blood and tears running down her face. She glanced at Eli who was staring at the floor with tears in his eyes and an unusual blank expression on his face.

"Are you hurt ? Wha-"

"Momma it's not mez It's Bri'on he got shot, you needa hurry!'

Without another word Cheyenne ran upstairs to get her keys. Her mind was clouded with thoughts and unanswered questions about her son. She could only hope he was okay.

Eli, Mari, and her momma rushed out the door and ran out to the car. Mari and Eli both tried calling Duck to see if there was any update on Bri'on's condition but his phone was going straight to voicemail. Cheyenne's eyes were blurred with tears

as she drove. The car was silent with the exception of Mari's crying and Eli's sniffs.

"Someone gotta tell me what happened.." Chy said looking at the rear view mirror to see Mari laying her head on Eli's shoulder as she cried.

Mari started crying harder so Eli decided to respond, "Uh, we were walkin back from the s-sto. Me, Daylon, Mari, and B, and while we were walking a car drove by and shot B in the chest. Me and Daylon started shooting back but they had already drove off." Eli said, looking down at his lap and fighting the tears in his eyes.

Cheyenne shook her head and sniffled while she

continued to drive. She always knew death was a risk in the lifestyle her husband lived, and the neighborhood they lived in— but she never imagined her son would be the one to take the fall. All she could was hope that he was going to make it out alive.

Once Mari's momma pulled into the parking lot, Mari damn near hopped out the car and ran into the hospital. They directed themselves to the waiting room and saw Duck sitting alone with his head in his hands. Mari's momma instantly ran to him.

"D-Daylon, please tell me what happened? What did they say, baby?" She pleaded and he looked up at her with tears in his eyes

"He's still in s-surgery.. " He muttered looking down at the ground. Even if Bri'on were to somehow survive this, Duck would still have nightmares about his childhood best friend's limp, bloody, body in that ambulance

All three of them sat down waiting for the doctor to come out and tell them what they needed to hear. Mari's momma sat in the cushioned waiting room chair staring at the ceiling praying silently to herself as tears ran down her face. She prayed that her first born was gonna make it out of this surgery alive and be able to live the life he wanted. She prayed that she would still be able to watch her son grow and have his own kids one day. She prayed that one day she would still be able to attend his wedding.

Cheyenne pulled out her phone and called her husband. He was home for the past few weeks surprisingly but when she woke up this morning to a text from him saying that he was gonna be 'handling business' all day. She already knew what that meant.

She hesitantly clicked on his contacted and called him. The phone rang four times before he answered.

"Waddup baby?" Travis said over the phone and Chy shook her head bitterly. "Where you at Travis?"

"I told you I was gonna be handling business.."

"Fuck whatever business you're handling. Your son got shot and we're.. we're in theNwaiting room waiting for him to come out of s-surgey." Her voice cracked.

The line went silent before Travis

cleared his throat. "I-ima be on my way." He said and quickly hung up.

Cheyenne shook her head, putting her phone back in her bag. Duck and Eli sat next to each other as tears ran down their faces. Duck stared at the floor while Eli rested his elbows on his knees with his face in his hands. They both hoped that the boy they were raised with, the boy they didn't go a day without speaking to; was still breathing in that hospital room.

Lord knows that Duck was damn near homicidal at this point— he was ready to go after any and everybody over Bri'on. He was getting ready to paint Houston red, he just needed to make sure that Bri'on was straight first.

Mari sat in the chair closest to her momma as she gripped her hand tightly, trying to get the image of Bri'ons body out of her head, and the sound of his struggled breathing and gasps for air out of her ears. She heard her mom on the phone with her dad but she didn't bother to listen. She knew he had disappointed her family, again.

Mari idolized Bri'on. He was a hustler and a hard worker, anyone could tell you that. Anything he wanted, he made sure he would get it by any means necessary. He rarely let people do stuff for him because he enjoyed the feeling of getting something

done on your own, he felt like it was rewarding.

Being from their neighborhood, Mari and Bri'on had always talked about living and getting rich together once they graduated. But Mari sat in that hospital waiting room hoping that he was still alive and they would still have the chance to live out their dreams together.

After what seemed like forever a doctor finally walked into the waiting room holding his clipboard scanning everyone's faces. "Family of Browne?" He announced looking up from his clipboard.

All four of them stood up instantly.

"How i-is my baby doc ?" Mari's mom looked at the doctor with pleading, glossy eyes, earning a look of remorse from the doctor who already knew the outcome of her son's injuries.

"When the paramedics brought your son in he was losing a lot of blood from two gunshot wounds to the chest. We were able to remove both bullets but one of the bullets did puncture his right lung. Our

surgeons were able to control the bleeding temporarily, however he is fading in and out of consciousness and he isn't able to breathe on his own at all." The doctor explained. Cheyenne broke into a fit of tears as Mari and Eli hugged her tightly.

"I-is he gonna be okay..?" Duck asked and the doctor pressed his lips together hesitantly.

"Unfortunately since he isn't breathing on his own it's too early to tell. We also saw signs of severe internal bleeding when he was first brought in and even after the surgery. We have him hooked up to a

breathing machine for now."

Mari stared at the doctor in disbelief. She was just talking to her brother an hour ago as they walked back from the store, and now he wasn't even breathing on his own.

"Can I see my baby?" Cheyenne asked in between her sobs. The doctor pressed his lips together and nodded. He led the four of them to Bri'on's room and held the door open.

As soon as they stepped into the room, Cheyenne quickly walked over to the side of Bri'on's bed and cried harder. Bri'on was laying on the bed with breathing machines hooked up. His skin looked pale

and his eyes looked lifeless and glossy.

"Idris, i- I need you to get better. " She sobbed, calling him by his middle name.

Bri'on's eyes were barely open. His body was limp and weak. He could barely get a word out due to the breathing machine he was hooked up to. He wanted to reassure his mom, or tell her something that would make her stop crying, but he couldn't even form a sentence without struggling for air.

Duck and Eli stood at the end of his bed with their heads bowed. They couldn't believe that they were witnessing their childhood friend laid out on a hospital bed in front of them struggling to breathe. The sound of Bri 'ons gasps for air only made Duck and Eli's need for revenge stronger.

Mari was on the left side of his bed holding his hand while she cried. It killed her to see her brother, who was usually always smiling or laughing, laid out on a hospital bed in this condition and she couldn't do anything to help him or take his pain away.

Bri'on faintly looked at everyone with low eyes trying to read their facial expressions. The doctor called Cheyenne out into the hallway to update her on her son's condition. Duck followed her out knowing she needed someone by her side.

Mari held onto her brothers hand and prayed silently in her head. Bri'on barely gathered up the strength to squeeze her hand slightly, causing her to crack a small smile.

"I..." Bri 'on gasped, trying to get his sentence out. His voice was low and croaked and unless you were up close next to him you wouldn't be able to hear him.

"Don't try to talk Bri. " Eli frowned.

"I-i lov-" He couldn't get the rest of his sentence out but Mari and Eli exchanged looks, both knowing what he was trying to say.

Bri leaned his head back on the bed realizing he was barely able to speak. Mari gripped his hand in reassurance and he smiled slightly while staring at the ceiling as his eyes began to force themselves shut.

Mari sat on the steps of her front porch staring out into the street of her neighborhood. The same street that her brother lost his life on just two days ago.

She had no choice but to sit alone in her thoughts with barely anyone to talk to. Her momma was cooped up in Bri'on's room for most of the day. The few times she came downstairs to interact with her kids, it would often end in a fit of tears from everyone. Cheyenne felt bad because she had no idea what to say to her daughters to make them feel better knowing she was hurting just as much as they were. She couldn't reassure them because she could barely assure herself.

Cheyenne was still dealing with the death of her own brother, Thirty's dad, and now on top of that the death of her own son. The death of a loved one is always hard to live with, but the death of your own child was unimaginable and Cheyenne didn't know that until she had to deal with it herself.

Mari's dad, Travis, came to the house the day that Bri 'on died. He was mainly there consoling Layva since Cheyenne nor Mari wouldn't speak to him. In the evenings, after he'd spend the day with LayLay, he'd leave for the night and go god knows where.

His mind was filled with frustration and rage. Someone took his son's life carelessly and left his family in pieces. But he was also disappointed in himself for not knowing how to put his family back together, or how to reassure them— especially Mari, knowing that Bri'on was her other half.

Layva was a mix of emotions, all she could do was ask baseless questions which would often go unanswered, but how could you blame her? How do you explain to a 5 year old that her older brother was murdered and isn't gonna be around to tuck her in, to take her to school, or to spoil her and buy

her useless stuff that they both knew she didn't need? Layva missed Bri'on's presence and it was taking a toll on her mentally.

Mari was expecting Duck and Eli to stop coming around and deal with Bri'on's death in their own ways but to her surprise, they still came by everyday; the same way they did when Bri 'on was alive. They would try to comfort Cheyenne and LayLay but their main focus was Mari.

Mari had known Duck and Eli since they first became Bri 'on's friends in the 4th grade but she never hung out with them personally. She found them obnoxious and annoying up until highschool when she actually started having conversations with them. But still, she never looked at them as more than "Bri'on's irritating ass homeboys" up until Bri died and they surprisingly still stuck around and comforted her she realized that their loyalty not only lied with Bri 'on, it lied with her too. They became her brothers too.

Mari sat staring at the street until she saw a familiar face walking down the side walk towards her house. She got up, dusting herself off, and started walking towards Messiah who was holding a black plastic bag from the corner store.

Unbeknownst to her, the bag he was carrying was holding the gun his brother had killed Bri'on with. Dakari claimed that Messiah owed him so he made him dispose of it. But Messiah had the nerve and audacity to stop by Mari's before doing what his brother asked him to do.

Messiah pressed his lips together remorsefully looking at Mari who clearly didn't look like herself. Her face was stained with tears, her eyes were extremely red and glossy, and she looked exhausted physically and mentally. Mari always kept herself up to par but for the past few days, she didn't bother to do her hair or get dressed up.

She had already lost her Uncle a few weeks ago and now her brother. It was too much to deal with and sometimes her mind would go to a dark place.

"Hey." She muttered lowly, looking at the ground, breaking away from Messiah's stare.

"Waddup.. " He replied. He looked at her and sighed before wrapping his arms around her shoulders and bringing her into his chest. Mari tensed up at first but allowed herself to relax in Siah's arms.

"How you been holding up..?" He asked as they clung on to each other

"Not good." Mari admitted.