Awaking from my slumber, my phone buzzed loudly, echoing throughout my new apartment. I sat up slowly from my bed and answered it with no desire to change my evident sleepy tone.

"Hello." I spoke, at least two octaves lower than my normal voice.

"Hello, am I speaking with Ms. Montana Moore?"

"Yes. Who is this?" I asked, much more alert now.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Ross. I'm a therapy specialist over at the Home Springs Behavioral Rehabilitation Center."

"Oh, yes. Hello. Is everything alright? Is Joey okay?" I went onto ask.

Joey was checked into the rehab about a month ago after everything went down. I hadn't spoken to him since because they didn't allow it. They were very strict but he just wanted to get better so I was happy that he was still willing considering the circumstances.

Unfortunately, Lorenzo ended up going back to jail after taking the rap for what Joey did that night. Lorenzo simply made him promise that he'd do better and he did. He promised.

"Joey is fine but I need a favor from you. It's detrimental but it'll definitely help him."

"Anything." I shrugged, I'd do anything to help him.

*

"I'm nervous." I expressed to Ms. Carol and Teesh while we sat in the waiting room of the rehabilitation center.

What Dr. Ross was asking me to do was going to be so hard but I had to. I had to so that I could help him. He wouldn't progress if I didn't.

"You'll be fine and we'll be right out here." Ms. Carol spoke.

"Yeah and then we're going to the mall to get something cute for this party tonight." Teesh spoke, looking up from her phone as I playfully rolled my eyes.

"Montana." Someone spoke, making us all look up.

"Hello." The three of us spoke in unison as Dr. Ross introduces herself.

"Montana and I spoke on the phone about some things."

"Yes. She told me." Ms. Carol nodded.

"Make sure the security guards are on point. He's really strong." Was all she said and Dr. Ross nodded.

"Ready?" She asked me and I nodded, swallowing hard.

"You got this, Mon." Teesh encouraged as Dr. Ross and I made our way to the back.

"So we're only doing this because we need to knock him off of his high horse. The plan is to let him come to terms with it then see how we can build from there." She explained while we walked.

"If he can do it, then we know he truly loves you and if ever decided, you can leave the relationship in one piece."

"I get it." I nodded.

"Oh and another thing, he's off his meds today for the session because I need to get through to him while he's not on anything. I want him to stop using them as a crunch and being so dependent on them. You understand?" She asked and I nodded.

"Completely."

"Alright. This is the room. Are you ready?"

"Does he know that I'm here?" I asked nervously and she shook her head no.

"Okay." I nodded, wiping my sweaty hands onto my denim jeans.

She then slowly opened the door and Joey was sitting in the chair, squeezing a stress ball.

"Hello." Dr. Ross spoke, getting his attention.

He looked up unenthusiastically until he saw me.

When he did, he stood to his feet and hugged me tightly, lifting off of my feet.

"Hi." I spoke, hugging him just as tight. I'd missed him so much this entire month.

He mushed his head into my neck, leaving small kisses as Dr. Ross smiled.

"I see someone's happy to see you. I haven't seen him smile once until today." She spoke as he put me down and smiled.

"What's up, ma? Whatchu doing here?"

"I came to see you. I missed you." I expressed and though this was true, there were many more reasons for this visit.

"I missed you too, baby." He pulled me in for another hug, softly kissing my lips.

My heart fluttered, looking into his eyes. I missed everything about him and I was just happy to be in his arms again.

*

After the love fest finally died down, Joey was seated and Dr. Ross and I sat directly across from him.

"Alright. So down to business.." She started.

"I told Montana to come in today so that she could sit in at one of our therapy sessions."

"..because you and I were talking a week ago about your triggers."

"And remember, we discovered one."

"Yeah." Joey spoke up, not even able to take his eyes off me. I shyly smiled as he licked his lips. I could read the look on his face and I already knew what time it was for him.

"Montana, it's you." Dr. Ross spoke up, making us break eye contact.

"You're one of his triggers. Joey's very protective over you." She explained to me and I nodded. I'd already knew this.

"And the way that I discovered it was by telling Joey you were seeing other guys."

"He immediately went off the deep in." She explained.

"Right. He's always been that way." I contributed to the conversation.

"That's because she's mine." Joey spoke up with a shrug.

Dr. Ross looked at me and raised her eyebrows. She was mentally letting me know that we definitely had to do this, Joey was too far gone. I simply nodded, looking down.

"So do you feel like Montana owes herself to you?" She then asked and I looked up, watching as a smirk crept onto his face.

"Nah.."

"Be truthful. That's the only way I'll be able to help you, Josiah." She explained and he shrugged.

"Aight. Yeah, I guess." He spoke and I raised my eyebrows.

I was told not to say anything in response to his answers but it was going to be hard not to after hearing this.

"So you believe she owes herself to you as if you own her?"

"Yes."

Shaking my head, I looked at him and now he wouldn't even look me in my eyes.

"Why do you think this?"

"She's mine and that's it." He shrugged.

"I'm the first and only one that been up in it, I been playing the best friend nigga for years. I mean I feel like I deserve to-"

"..own her?" She cut him off and he shrugged.

"If that's how you want to word it then so be it." He said, finally looking up at me.

"Is that how you really feel?" I couldn't help but to ask and he just looked at me, staying silent.

"Is it?" I repeated.

"Yeah, ma and I'm just being honest."

"You don't own me, Joey." I expressed, fed up by his words.

"Why don't I?"

"Because you don't. I'm my own person and I can do as I please."

"What that mean?" He sat up from his chair, putting his elbows on his knees.

Dr. Ross took notes as he did and I simply gathered my words.

"It means, I'm not your property. I can do as I like, just like you can. It's my life. If I want to date or see other people then I'm allowed that."

"Yeah and get them niggas fucked up." He spoke nonchalantly.

Furrowing my eyebrows, I watched him for a few moments before I looked to Dr. Ross. She gave me a knowingly look and I knew I had to do what I had to do now for him to be better. I just hoped he didn't hate me too much.

A few moments later, security came in, strapping Joey to his chair like they'd promised they would.

"What's up? What I do?" He smirked, looking at both Dr. Ross and I.

"Baby, what I do?" He looked at me as I bit my bottom lip nervously.

"You didn't do anything." Not able to hurt him. I really didn't want to.

"Tell him, Montana." Dr. Ross spoke and I sighed deeply.

Tell me what?"

"Joey.." I started.

"What's wrong, baby? You pregnant?" He asked and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"No, Joey. What the hell?" I asked, he was throwing me off.

"Josiah, stay silent so that Montana can explain to you what's wrong." Dr. Ross explained and he nodded calmly.

"Joey, you aren't the only person I've been with." I expressed, lying through my teeth like Dr. Ross asked me to.

"What?" His entire demeanor changed.

"You aren't-"

"Montana." He cut me off, laughing.

"Watch what your saying to me. I'm trying to be better, baby."

"Then let me speak." I mustered up the courage to say as he looked deeply into my eyes.

"You aren't the only person I've been with. There's another guy.." I trailed off, looking away from him.

"Montana, I watched you bleed."

"I'm not talking about my first time. You're my first, Joey. Just not the last."

Trying to break away from the security guards, he breathed heavily as a smirk appears on his face.

"Montana." He spoke sternly while I looked at Dr. Ross nervously.

"Look at me!" He spat and I did as told.

"You fucked somebody else?"

"Yes." I spoke, breaking my own heart. By the look on his face I could tell this was fucking with his pride but to Dr. Ross that was the goal. She had to break him then build him back up.

"Who?" Josiah went onto ask.

"Montana." Dr. Ross spoke up so that I wouldn't make up a name or say someone we'd both knew like I'd planned.

"Nah, let her tell me." Josiah butted in.

"I'm going to leave." I told Dr. Ross and she nodded.

"Nah, get the fuck back here and tell me!" He snapped as I stood to my feet and he tried hard to break away from the security again.

"Montana!"

"Get better, Joey. Okay?" I spoke, letting a single tear escape my eyelid.

"I love you."

"Montana!"

*

excuse mistakes. I'll edit later.