😗sorry for any mistakes

Houston, Tx

February 20th

Monday

Caydence jumped up alert to the sounds of her 3-year-old baby sister—Kory screaming to the top of her lungs. She quickly threw the thick white cotton comforter off her body, jumping up out of bed before running out of the room.

She ran straight to Kory's room which was only 2 doors down from her room. She busted into the room seeing her mother—Shelby beating little Kory with a thin switch while Kory was pushed up in the corner with no clothes on or pamper.

"Stop! Leave her alone!" Caydence quickly hurled Shelby out the way and stood in front of Kory who continued to scream in pain from the beating she was receiving.

"Don't you fuckin' touch her" Caydence warned, pointing her finger at her mother with tears in her eyes, already knowing her mother was going to take whatever anger she had on her like she was doing Kory.

This was normal for Caydence. Shelby beating on either of her children with no care in the world. She used the excuse of being their mother and was able to do whatever she pleased or any type of 'discipline' needed.

It's been happening since her husband also their father—Quincy was arrested when Shelby got pregnant with Kory. He was wrongfully accused, of being a black man and at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Shelby didn't take it well and dealt with being a single mother now quite rough.

"Move Cay befo' your next" Shelby spat at her but Caydence didn't back down. She had a lot of respect for her mother, even was her best friend once upon of time but that all went out the window once she started beating them. For no reason at that. Just because she was angry and depressed.

All the respect and love went out the window and she would fight her mother. Especially over Kory.

Caydence and Shelby have gotten into more than one physical altercation. Being the same height and body size except Shelby was a little strong than the 18 years.

Some fights Caydence won and Some Shelby won. It just depends but with Shelby having a switch in her hand, Caydence knew this might be a fight she would lose but she was okay with that.

As long as Kory wasn't getting hurt anymore.

She knew that whatever her mother was being Kory for was childish and unnecessary. It was only 7 in the morning and most likely, it was over Kory peeing in the bed. Since Kory just recently turned 3, she was still getting potty trained mostly by Caydence.

Her mother didn't want to take care of either of them in the past 3 years. Caydence at 18 years old tried her best to potty train Kory along with balancing out school and taking on basically the mother role of Kory.

She was taking on a lot, her mother only paying the rent of the homes and other bills but Caydence kept everything together.

Kory was better at going to the potty; it was more so of her not understanding to wake up out of her sleep and go. She wore pull-ups but that clearly wasn't enough for Shelby.

She expected Kory to understand it by herself and without trying to teach her.

"S-sissy" Kory barely managed to get out, still crying. Caydence turned around and started to pick her small and bruised body up only for Shelby to start taking her switch and hitting her in the back.

Caydence held back the cries and tears and still picked her up. The pain was terrible and she wanted to fall but she has started to become immune to it since this was her everyday life.

"It's okay bookie" Caydence silently cried before ducking and diving. She took off running out of the room with Kory in her arms. She ran to her bedroom and quickly locked the door behind her. Shelby started beating on the door calling them all types of bitches, nasty and dirty.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry bookie" Caydence cried while holding her shaking body tightly to hers. It was her fault, this past week she had been waking up way early before her mom just to change Kory so she wouldn't be mad. But last night she was too caught up studying for an AP exam that she went to bed late and didn't wake up when her alarm went off.

"Huwttt Sissy huwtt" Kory cried only breaking her heart even more. She pulled back and saw all of the big whip marks and blisters on her light-toned skin.

"I know, I'm so sorry" She whispered, forgetting all about the pain and probably blood dripping from her back. She kissed the top of her head, standing up and going inside her drawers. She grabbed her t-shirt to cover up her little naked body.

"You hear me, Cay! I want both of y'all dirty bitches out of my house! Y'all better be gone by the time I get back! I don't care where y'all go. Just get the fuck up outta here! Die for all I care!" Shelby yelled and Cay just shook her head while still trying to calm Kory down.

'Die for all I care' is what it took to know, this was the last straw for her mother.

"I hate y'all!" She screamed.

Caydence understood her mother was only acting out of control because of her drinking problem and her being depressed over their father. But to treat your innocent kids like this was unacceptable. Cay meant it when she said she and her mother were best friends at a point in time but it was like a switch went off in her head after her father left.

Shelby had never even raised a finger at Cay before up until 3 years ago. Kory just started getting the same treatment a few months ago after she turned 3.

She never wanted to tell her dad because she didn't want to make him feel like an awful father when he wasn't.

She knew he was going to blame himself but she she more scared he wouldn't believe her. Shelby is the love of his life and nobody would think she would act like this.

Shelby stopped beating on the door and Kory's cries finally turned into sniffles and light snores. Cay sighed to herself, and gently placed Kory onto the bed before going to the window and seeing her mother's car was gone. She knew they only had until 5 pm today to pack up their things and leave before Shelby got back from work.

If they weren't gone, it probably would be worst for them.

She started with her things first. She knew she was going to miss school today and that failed exam was going to put a bad dent in her grade but she couldn't focus on that right now. She packed loads of clothes and shoes before going into her closet to grab the shoe book filled with $3,000.

She's been saving this money from birthdays over the past 3 years and the times she would tutor kids at school. She's been saving to get an apartment but with the economy now, she knew this wasn't enough but she was going to make due. She had some jewelry that her mother gave her years ago that she could sell.

Her phone started going off causing her to jump slightly. She made sure it didn't wake up Kory before slowly walking over to her nightstand. The pain from her back was killing her.

🫧🫶🏾

Would like facetime...

She quickly answered and waited for it to connect. "Heeyyy bi— What's wrong?" Kapri— her cousin on her dad's side and also her best friend frowned when she saw the tears in Caydence's eyes.

"I-I—We need you Pri" She started crying, mentally exhausted and in so much pain now.

"I'm already on the way!" Pri said and Caydence could hear her breathing heavy and a car door slammed shut.

_________________

Houston, Tx

February 22nd

Wednesday

Ace walked into his apartment, turning his hearing aid in his right ear off. After closing and locking the door, he turned around only to be met with a pair of Air Jordan 1's, hitting him directly in the face. "Where the fuck you been at nigga?!" Bianca—his girl of 2 years yelled.

Kacey sighed, ignoring the pain in his face. He could still hear her kinda since he was only deaf in one ear (The right ear). He shook his head before reaching down to pick up the shoe "I was makin' money B. You kno' dis" He said lowly and started walking past her to their bedroom.

"And you couldn't answer yo' phone? I've been callin' you nonstop Ace!" She yelled, following behind him and calling him by his nickname.

He threw the shoe onto the floor before reaching into his pocket and pulling his phone out of his pocket. At times like this, he wished he was deaf in both ears.

He opened his phone before going to his call log, as he thought, he didn't receive any calls or texts from her. He showed her but she just slapped the phone out of his hand causing it to fall onto the floor.

"I don't giva' fuck what that says! I called you more than once, you tryin' to call me a liar" She tested, folding her arms across her chest. Kacey just shook his head while taking off his shoes off. He was starting to get annoyed and irritated with her always wanting to argue.

"You don't hear me when I'm talking!" She screamed, pushing him causing him to stumble back a little.

He took a deep breath "Stop puttin' yo' hands me B." He stared at her face as her soft brown skin started to turn slightly red and tears filled her almond shape, light brown eyes.

"Are you cheating on me?" Her voice cracked.

He squinted his eyes at her, "Did you take your meds today? You doin' a little too much B." He muttered, walking around her and going to her side of the bed. He made sure to turn the volume on his ear aid back up because she wasn't making any sense right now.

"LEAVE MY SHIT ALONE DUMB ASS!" She yelled and started punching him in the back as he pulled the white pill bottle out and counted the blue pills. Something he had to do to see if she was just having another episode.

Bianca has bipolar disorder. Kacey was used to her having episodes like this. She put her hands on him and he would brush it off since she would 'apologize' and blame it on her having an episode. She would want to have a scream fest and he would do his best to de-escalate her screaming because next, she went to put her hands on him. Already knowing he wasn't going to hit her back.

He furrowed his eyebrows as she still was hitting him but they didn't hurt like they usually did and screaming to put her pills down. When he counted this morning, it was 34 now they were 33 so he wondered why she was acting this way if took her meds.

"I fuckin' hate you! You treat me like I'm crazy!" She pulled him to the ground by his hair, he dropped the pill bottle and pills all over the floor. She started punching him over and over to where her fist connected. He covered his face at first like always.

He knew he was a lot stronger than her and could easily overpower her but he tried to use the excuse of her just having another episode.

Abusive relationship.

That's what Kacey was in but didn't want to see it. Anyone would hit her back but he knew it was just another episode and he also knew if he hit her back, he was going to be the one in a jail cell. With him running the dirty mafia business as deep as he was, hitting her back wouldn't make it any better for him.

"I hate you!" She screamed, still hitting him until he finally got tired of it and grabbed her wrist "STOP HITTIN' ME" He finally snapped in her face causing her to jump.

Kacey was a soft person when it came to his significant others. Any other person would have been dead by now but because he loved her, he couldn't. He never even raised his voice at her before so she was shaken up now.

She started crying, trying to get away from him "Why would you yell at me? You're cheating on me! Not the other way around" She screamed and started kicking him in his side.

"I'm not cheating on you B. Chill out man" He huffed, pushing her away before standing up.

"Yes, you are! Where were you huh? Why didn't you answer the fuckin' phone!" She screamed and started picking up random things, throwing them at him. He ducked and moved out the way before going to the bathroom and locking the door behind him.

He sighed as she continued to yell and scream and beat at the door. He honestly didn't know what to do, if he told what was happening to him, he was going to be labeled as 'Weak'. If he decided to hit her back he was going to be labeled as 'Abusive'.

It was no win for any man in this type of situation. Nobody understood that hitting her back is only going to make him suffer the consequences. Him telling was pointless and nobody was going to believe him. Nobody ever believed men could get abused because they can overpower a woman but that's not true.

A lot of women take advantage of men not wanting to hit them back.

He's been trying to give her the benefit of doubt considering she does have a mental issue. She says sorry and he forgives her because she says it won't happen again. She tells him how much she loves him and would never intentionally hurt him again. He believes it because he wants her to continue to love him, he wants to help her through the issues she has.

He also know what came with her when she told him about her mental illness.

But he was getting drained and mentally, physically, and emotionally tired of it all.

Kacey shook his head and unlocked the door before opening it. Bianca stood there with an evil look on her face and tears stains. "B, I can't do this anymore" He finally said.

She punched him in the jaw and he stumbled back while holding his cheek.

"Fuck you! Get the fuck out you dirty ass nigga" She yelled, while the taste of blood was in his mouth. He started breathing heavily and shook his head before he did something that was going to leave him locked up.

"Aight" He mumbled, trying to hold his own tear back. He made his way towards her and she threw up her set but he wasn't even worried about her. He walked straight past her and went back inside the room. He went into his closet and just started throwing random clothes into his duffle bag.

He was done.

He was done being her personal punching bag when she was having an episode or just because. He was done with covering up the bruises and making up every excuse in the book for the bruises. He was tired of being taken for granted and accused of cheating. He never gave her an excuse to think he was cheating but yet, he always got accused of it.

He was done with never being good enough when he does nothing but try to prove himself to her. He was done trying to help her when she didn't even want to help herself.

"Your really going to leave? It's that easy? You never loved me" She started sobbing and he almost felt bad.

Keyword almost but he continued to pack.

He was going to leave her the apartment, she needed it far more than he did. He had enough money to get another one.

"Really Kacey?! You said you would never leave me like everyone else! Stop!" She screamed and started snatching things away from him.

"Move B" He mumbled and snatched the clothes back.

"No! Your not leavin' me. Stop! Please stop. Bae, I'm sorry" She pleaded and tears started to burn his own eyes.

He shook his head "You said dat last time, I can't keep doin' this B. You need help and I can't do it anymore." He stated while snatching things off the hangers and putting them into another bag.

"This is what you signed up for when you met me! Now you're goin' to leave?!" She started to stop him again but he pushed her away with his arm while blood was leaking from his bottom lip. "Don't touch me, Ace! You knew what it was when you got wit' me!" She screamed, holding her head.

He ignored her again. She just went on about him not loving her and how weak he was for giving up on her so easily. He would turn his hearing aid off but she was only going to snatch it and break it like the other 10 ones he had.

He finished packing up most of the clothes on the hanger before wiping the blood off on the arm of his hoodie.

"I'm pregnant! You can't leave me now" She reasoned, he stopped all movements and looked at her to see if she was serious. She smiled and wiped her tears away "See, bae we gonna be a family. You can't leave now." She sniffed.

"We can be the family you always wanted bae." She slightly smiled in hope to get him where she wanted him like always.

He looked at her tear-filled eyes before looking down at the blood on his hoodie then shook his head "We can co-parent. I'm done B" He spoke lowly before walking past her back into the room then he left the room to put the bags by the front door.

He honestly thought she should get an abortion. Bringing a child into the equation where she couldn't control herself wasn't a good idea in his opinion.

But he always wasn't about to tell her what to do with her body.

"No! you can't leave me! I won't let you" She ran past him and stood in front of the door, blocking his way.

He sighed, "B do you not see how you act? Do you not see your fuckin' hurtin' me and don't even care dawg. We don't have normal days without you puttin' yo' fuckin' hands on me but you expect me to stay?" His voice cracked while she shook her head and tears streamed down her face.

He didn't want to end things because he was in love with her but love was one hell of a drug. A drug he had to get over for himself.

"Y-you said you love me. You said you would never leave! You promised!"

"That's the problem! I love you but you don't love me. I give you everything I got man but that doesn't stop you from hittin' on me. That doesn't stop you from accusing me of cheating when you kno' I'm not. You need help, I can't keep tryin' wit' you if you don't wanna help herself" He finally expressed. He always felt as if he was walking on eggshells around her. Never was honest about how he truly felt because she has a mental disorder.

Truth be told, he was scared of her. He never felt safe around her, never goes to sleep. Sometimes he goes to his twin brother's house to get some sleep because of how scared he is to sleep around her.

"Stay! if you love me, you will stay!" She screamed while he moved her from in front of the door. She ran off somewhere while still screaming she hated him and that she was not crazy as he started to get his things out the door.

As he put the last bag outside, the sound of a gunshot went off and his body went limp when he felt another piece in his side.