"Sarah, lift up."

"I can't." I cried.

I was currently at physical therapy and I was getting frustrated because I couldn't lift up. The pain of trying to lift up after being restricted from moving for so long was so unpleasant. It wasn't unbearable, it was just uncomfortable.

My physical therapist sighed and sat down next to me. "Stop crying, Sarah. It's okay. I know it's still a lot of pain in that area, but it's going to get better. Come on, we're going to try it again, but this time I'll do it with you."

I sniffed, wiping my face with the towel next to me. "Okay."

"Alright, deep breath in and out," She said.

I laid on the gym mat, preparing myself to try to lift up. I took a deep breath and on her count, I tried to lift up.

"Come on, Sarah. Once you lift all the way up, we're going to end the session today." She encouraged, but it went in one ear and out the other.

I fell back down, tears falling from my eyes. I was super emotional because one, the pain and two, I know she's counting on me to just lift myself up and I really cannot do it right now.

"Sarah," she called out, but I ignore her, throwing my arms over my face, crying in my arms. I heard her sigh and walk away from me.

I laid there, obviously still crying because I couldn't lift myself up before I heard more footsteps coming toward me.

"Come on, baybeh. We bout ta go, aight?"

I nodded, rolling over onto my side. "Can you help me up?"

He nodded, quickly helping me up. "Why you actin like a baybeh in hea?"

"Because," I did a kid like hiccup, rubbing my eye with the back of my hand. "Because I couldn't lift up."

He smiled at me, shaking his head. "A fuckin baybeh is what you is. A fuckin chil."

He wiped my face with his sleeve and gave me a kiss. "It hurt and I really tried to get up, but it was hurting so bad a-and–" I covered my face again, crying into August's chest.

He grabbed my head, rubbing my back with his other hand. "I know, baybeh. Next week, ima help you and the therapist, okay? Stop crying, this ya first time doin any type of movin with ya lower body inna while. Stop allat cryin, lady."

He kissed my forehead and my cheek, before I pulled away. "I'm sorry."

"Don't start sayin you sawry fa pointless stuff again. We left that shit in the past, ya heard me?"

I nodded. "Yes."

August gathered my things as we prepared to leave physical therapy.

"Aight, see ya, Mrs. Pat." August said, waving at the therapist.

"Okay, see you guys next week. Sarah make sure to ice your ribs and do little things like stretching to lessen some of the pain you still have. Or you could just softly massage your ribs, but be very careful. They're still very tender and sore." She said and I nodded.

"Will do and again I'm sorry for crying and not lifting up." I apologized.

"Sarah," August said, basically warning me to stop apologizing.

"Don't apologize for that. You'll get better as time goes on. Just remember what I said about stretching and massages and you'll be brand new." She smiled, giving me that thumbs up.

"Okay, see you next week, Mrs. England." I waved as August and I walk out of the building.

I sigh as the sun beamed right on to my forehead.

"Gone get in the car, baybeh. I got this." August said, tossing my gym bag in the backseat.

I did as I was told and got in the car. I was happy to get out of the sun because it was literally about to set me on fire.

After a few seconds, August got in the car, turning the air on.

"Shit! I almost died out thea."

I chuckled, grabbing his hand. "This is that mid August weather."

"Well shit, it need ta rain or somethin." He complained, entwining our fingers together.

He lifted my hand up to his mouth, kissing it softly. I blushed, staring at his side profile.

"I love you." I said, watching his face light up.

"I know and I love you too, witcho fine ass."

I smiled, laying my head on his arm. I let my other hand grab my phone from my pocket, I go to Snapchat, which became my favorite app, and began to take pictures of myself and Aug.

"Aye, send me that."

"Why? So you can post it on your social media? Chandra sent me a little screenshot of the post." I teased, switching out of Snapchat to my messages. "Looky looky, lets see what we have here."

I pulled the picture up and read the post out loud for August to hear.

"I sound like a cornball ass nigga," he laughed. "And I only posted that picture of you, cause ma baybeh was looking fine as fuck. Whea you take that at?"

"Your place. You left for you interview and I thought I looked a little cute so I took some pictures."

"A lil cute," he shook his head. "Soon as you send that shit, I almost forgot whea I was and was bout to call yo phone and we was gon have phone sex."

"No, you were going to have phone sex with yourself."

"Then I was gon come home and tear that ass up." He stated.

I shook my head, ignoring him. As I'm scrolling through my Twitter, I see a post from a follower about August's music.

So why @AugustAlsina drop this fye ass album and ain't say shit 🤯🥵

Ain't gone lie this shit bang. Especially the song with @ChrisBrown @AugustAlsina

@AugustAlsina was first time dedicated to @SarahMarshall 👀

I hummed, clicking out of Twitter and searched August up.

"Aww, why didn't you tell me you were going to drop your album today?" I asked.

"Huh?" He quickly looked my way. "I didn't. It's not suppose ta drop till December."

"August, your album dropped today." I said.

"Nah, lemme see," I gave him my phone. I could see his eyes scanning the phone, before he shook his head. "this some bullshit, dawg!" He yelled, gripping the steering wheel. With one hand on the steering wheel, his other hand reached for his phone and called his manager.

"Calm down, Aug."

He ignored me, but nodded anyways. "Yo, who the fuck dropped ma shit taday? That shit wasn't suppose ya drop till December. Nah, fuck that. I put y'all in charge of ma shit and y'all do this. Y'all ain't even let a nigga know or give a nigga a heads up. You're ma– ION GIVE A FUCK. I PUT MA TRUST IN YOU TA MAKE SHO SHIT WAS STRAIGHT. FUCK THAT NIGGA. WHATEVER PROBLEMS HE HAD WITH ME, HE COULDA CAME TA ME INSTEAD OF FUCKING WITH MA MONEY AND MA MUSIC."

Once he started yelling, I jumped, obviously scared. I've seen him mad, but this was something different.

"August," I said, grabbing his arm. "Calm down! This isn't worth you getting upset and saying or doing something you're going to regret."

"Dumb bitch, fuck y'all." He hung up the phone.

"August." I scold.

"Sarah, do you not undastand them hoes dropped ma album months befo the release date? That's fuckin wit ma money."

"I understand, but you have to calm down."

I didn't really know what to say because I know it's only going to go in one ear and out the other. Nothing I say will make a difference in how he's going to react.

"Ima drop you off at home while I go handle business."

"No, I'm coming with you." I said.

"Sarah, I'm goin ova ta go see Peter and how I'm feelin, you not bout to see or hea shit I'm bout ta say ta that nigga."

"I don't care. I'm coming with you."

"Sarah–"

"I said what I said." I cut him off, folding my arms over my chest, keeping my eyes ahead.

"Man, fuck it, but stay yo ass right by me." He said as I nod.

Though on the outside I look unbothered, but in the inside I was going crazy. I was petrified to see Peter again.

Making a sharp turn, August pulled up at the devil's, I mean Peter's place of business.

"Sarah, stay right by me. Ion give a fuck who you see, who say hi and who stop by, stay right by me, ya heard?" He said and I quickly nodded.

"Y-yes."

"Let's go."

We got out the car and made our way toward the entrance. I quickly grabbed August's arm, to calm my nerve.

"Is that Sarah?" I heard someone say and I looked up to see Ms. Jackie. "Hey, honey."

"Hey." I waved.

It was awkward to see her, but at the same time, kinda nice too, considering I haven't seen her in months.

"Whea that nigga at?" August said.

Ms. Jackie cleared her throat and pointed to his office. "But he's busy at the moment."

"Fuck that, come on, Sarah."

As we walked toward his office, I felt like I was getting drained. It felt as if my blood in my veins and the air in my lungs were leaving my body.

"Calm down, I gotchu." August mumbled as he banged on the door.

"Hold on!" I heard Peter say along with a desk rubbing against the floor.

"Nah, my nigga, open this bitch up." August let my hand go and begin to kick and punch on the door.

"August," I said, trying to get him off the door. As much as I wanted him to get the door open and put the paws on Peter, I wasn't about to let him mess his hands up in the process of opening the door.

The door quickly opened and there was Peter, standing there zipping his pants up.

He smirked at August as some woman grabbed his face.

"You need me to stay, daddy?" She asked, nodding her head towards me.

Peter's eyes left hers and went straight to me. He smiled and nodded. "Yes, please."

"Stay fa what? Touch ha and ima beat cho ass like you ma daughta." August said, balling his fists up.

"Is that a threat?" The girl smirked.

And for some reason I could feel my blood boiling. I remember this chick. She was the one that beat me up when she thought Peter was "cheating" on her with me.

"Nah, bitch that's a promise." August said.

"You know I like it rough." She giggled.

"Aye, bi–"

"Excuse me, but you bet not like nothing over this way." I said, cutting August off.

"Ooh, you got the bitch to finally open her mouth, huh?" Peter said, making me shut my mouth. "I remember when I had that pretty little thing wide open for me. Remember screaming my name when I was fucking you good?"

"Don't say shit ta ha, ma nigga. Call ha a bitch one mo time and ima bust you in yo shit. And nah, she don't remember shit about yo weak ass." Aug said.

"Nigga, sit the fuck down. You doing all this rah rah, but you know my gorillas stay ready." Peter said unfolding his arms.

"Sit me down nigga. I been waitin fa yo pussy ass ta see me. You been doin all this duckin and dodgin, but I'm hea na, nigga. You put yo hands on ma lady and got the nerve ta start runnin. What's up, nigga? And I got goons all around this bitch."

By this time, I'm sure everyone heard the commotion going on and stood in the doorway watching.

"August, you don't want none of these problems. You really want my old bitch to see you laid out?"

"I'm not a b-word, Peter." I said, putting some bass in my voice.

"I made you my bitch when I fucking with your hoe ass."

"Nigga, let one mo thang come out yo mouth and I promise ima fly across this room and fuck you up."

"What up with it then nigga? You doing all this rah rah cause that bitch right there."

August chuckled before flying over to Peter, throwing fast hands. It was like watching a trained boxer go against an amateur.

"Yeah, bitch." August said, dodging another one of Peter's punches.

Once I seen that now some of Peter's hit were connecting, I decided to step in.

"Can y'all help and get my boyfriend off of y'all boss?" I asked the crowd behind me.

They nodded and about five guys walked toward them and broke the fight up.

"Let me go!" August yelled, pushing the guys off him.

"Aye chill." "Yo, calm down, we just tryna help." They said, failing to hold him.

"August, stop." I said, grabbing his face. I could see the minor cuts and bruises on him, but it wasn't like Peter's.

He looked a mess.

"Nah, I wanna fuck this nigga up more."

"August, no. You got him, baby. Look at him, you got him, okay?" I said, pushing him back.

Once we got out the door, I felt a pull on my hair, literally tossing me back into the room.

I tripped over my own foot, making me fall down onto the hard floor. I gasped, feeling nothing but excruciating pain in my rib area.

"Yeah, bitch round two." She grabbed my hair, throwing punches at me.

I tried to block some of the hits, but some of them were connecting. As she was hitting me, I began to think of every man and woman who has caused me so much pain and hurt.

I flipped her over and I immediately thought of Raymond, Peter, my mother, my father, and my first encounter with her.

I threw what I thought were hard punches, but I guess it wasn't hard enough because she wind up getting a hold of my hair, tugging on it as hard as she could.

"Let go of my hair!" I yelled.

She let go of my hair, sending a hard punch to my eye. I close my eye, but still grabbed her head banging it on the floor.

"Let me the fuck go, nigga." I heard August yell in the background as muscular arms came and pick me up off the lady.

"I'm pressing charges on you, nigga." Peter yelled, wiping his nose on his sleeve. I stood there in some unknown man's arms speechless at what had transpired. My eyes made their way over to Peter, he look up and smirk.

"I gotchu, baby." He mouthed.

🤦🏾‍♀️