My phone rang loudly, awaking me from my slumber. I slowly sat up, hearing the pouring rain and thunder outside of my bedroom's window.

Grabbing my phone, the call from Teesh ended and all the other missed calls popped up. I had missed calls from Ms. Carol, Teesh and my own mom whom I haven't spoken to since I moved out.

"What the hell?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

Deciding I'd call them back after I showered, I looked at the time. I raised my eyebrows, seeing as how dark it was outside for it to be 8'o clock in the morning.

"Today's going to be a drowsy day." I spoke to myself as I sat my phone down and stretched my body.

A few moments later, I heard loud banging on my front door. I immediately expected Joey since he said he was coming over this morning.

"Why is this man banging on my door like the police?" I turned my lip up, making my way over to it.

"Montana!" I heard Teesh's voice, making me furrow my eyebrows.

"Hey, Teesh." I spoke as I opened the door and she came inside frantic.

Standing there, she caught her breath, breathing my heavily.

"Girl, whats wrong?" I chuckled, she was drenched from the pouring rain.

"Montana, I have something to tell you." She shook her head and I knew it had to be something serious because of the look on her face.

"What's going on?"

"Josiah." She started and I raised my eyebrows.

"Josiah's dead."

"Wh-what?" I spoke, completely in shock and she nodded her head, pulling me in for a hug.

I said nothing as I stood allowing her to hug me.

No way. I thought.

"Girl, no he's not. I just spoke to him last night." I laughed, pushing her off of me.

"Montana." She looked at me seriously and I flagged her.

"Don't come to my damn house spreading lies, Teesh." I rolled my eyes, making my way to my room to grab my phone.

I was calling Joey so he could shut this bitch up.

Walking into my room, my phone was already ringing and it was my mom.

"Hi, mom." I spoke, answering the phone and she was bawling.

"Montana. Baby."

Coming to reality, I began to think that this was real. Why else would she call me crying?

"Mom, what's going on?" I asked in a worried tone now.

"Josiah's gone, baby."

Tucking my lips, I said nothing. I sat there in shock, not even able to move my body.

"Monty." I heard Teesh calling me as she came into my room with tears in her eyes.

Hanging up the phone, I sat it down as I stared into space. I couldn't believe this. I didn't want to believe this. I didn't believe it. At all.

"What happened?" I spoke barely above a whisper.

"He got shot while sitting in his car some time last night. They're saying around 1 in the morning." She managed to tell me and my heart broke into a billion pieces.

He's not gone. He can't be. Was all I kept thinking.

"No." I shook my head.

Walking passed her, I put shoes on and grabbed my umbrella before leaving the house. I was going to his house, there was no way he was gone.

*

Making it to his block, I saw no one. Usually there's a bunch of guys on the corner but today there was no one there.

Tucking my lips, I made my way to his house and there were so many people there. Seemed as though the entire hood was out in front of his house.

"No. No. No." I said quietly to myself as people began to look at me with sympathetic eyes.

"Monty." I heard someone calling within the crowd but I simply ignored them, making my way into the house.

As soon as I did, I heard Ms. Carol screaming. She was screaming so loud and crying so hard. She was hysterical and that's the moment I realized all of this was real.

Joey was gone.

*

I sat in my room with all of the lights off with my phone on DND. It was pouring down raining still and I hadn't spoken to anyone since the news and I didn't plan on it for a long while. My heart was broken and it ached every second.

"Why?" I spoke quietly, looking down at the floor.

I'd yet to cry because still none of this felt real. I kept hoping that he'd call me or text me and say that this was all a joke. I couldn't bare to be without him or even do this without him.

"Not Joey. Not my baby." I spoke, tears forming in my eyes but I refused to let them fall.

We have a baby on the way. No way my baby's gone. He'd never leave us. I thought, breaking my heart even more.

Hearing hard knocks on the front door, I slightly jumped as I furrowed my eyebrows. I wondered who it could be and I secretly hoped for it to be Joey.

Making my way to the door, I looked out of the peephole and saw Melahki. I sighed deeply, wanting him to go the hell away but reluctantly I opened the door.

"Could you please leave?" I asked, confused on what he wanted anyway.

"Damn. Did I do something?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

I had no interest in talking to him or even caring about his existence right now.

"Get the hell away from my door for before we have a problem." I snapped and he scoffed, looking at me.

"Oh I guess you're mad about the Joey nigga? Heard he died and shit." He laughed, shaking his head while I scolded him.

"I thought you were done with him though?" He asked with an amused face.

Standing there, I waited for him to even think about disrespecting the love of my life because I would have him ended in the matter of seconds.

"You know what though, alright. I'm leaving." He laughed again, turning on his heels.

"Oh yeah and before I go, I just wanted to tell you that the pussy was trash and I killed his bitch ass."

"That's for my brother Mesiyal, bitch." He spat before walking off.

My breath got caught in my throat as I watched him leave.

This man is dead.

*

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