I open my eyes with a bright white light stinging them. I look to my left and see Lawan sitting in a chair next to me sleeping. I sit up and look around the room.

Hospital

I hang my legs over the bed and try to stand up.

"Ow!" I yell out in pain. I sit right back down. My whole body is aching.

"You okay?!" Lawan said immediately getting up and walking in front of me.

"My whole body hurts. REAL BAD."

"I'm finna go get the nurse." He said starting to walk towards the door.

"And don't try to stand up again." He said before leaving out.

I lay back down and stare at the ceiling in thought.

I think about the last thing I remember happening. I touch my side and felt a bandage on it.

Who the fuck was dem people?

What da hell I do to dem?

How they know where to find me?

I had so many questions that I wanted answers to.

Taking me outta my thoughts, a nurse came in. She gave me a check up, told me they had to give me stitches because of how deep the stab wound was, and that I had to stay about two more days. She gave me pain medicine after that and left.

"How long I been here?" I asked Lawan.

"Two days." He said.

"Mm."

"How I get here?" I asked him.

"I got a call from you, but you didn't say anything, so I called India. She went over to yo house, but nobody was there." He explained.

"How did you find me tho?" I asked him.

"She called Na Na who put your brother on the phone. He told us where yo location said you were." He said.

"He was about to go over to you himself, but he was way too far to get there, so I went. I found you laying there. Knocked out and covered in blood and bruises." He said looking down with a sad expression.

Must've been traumatizing to see.

"Who did that shit to you? Why?" He asked me.

"I don't even know. I couldn't even see ghee. They pepper sprayed me."

He looked at me with a very concerned expression.

There was just a moment of silence before Mere busted in the room.

He immediately pulled me into a tight hug.

"Not too much now. You gon pop the stitches." He lets go.

"My bad." He said rubbing the back of his head.

"I've had real bad anxiety since the moment I knew something had happened. I'm mad I couldn't come sooner." He said.

"Tell me what happened." He said.

I told him all I remembered and his face went from concerned to angry.

"You see who did it?" He asked.

"No. The pepper spray had my eyes stinging bad."

"Fuck!" He yelled standing up and walking around.

"I shouldn't have left you alone." He said.

"I mean you gotta work, and I'm basically grown. Imma be on my own sometimes."

"You know I'm not finna leave you alone nomo right? And you not aloud at night unless I know where you gon be and approve of who you gon be with." He said.

I smacked my lips.

Just when I was starting to get some freedom.

"For yo safety." He said.

"I know. I know."

"Say." He said turning to Lawan.

"Yea?" Lawan said.

"Thank you, for real." Mere said holding his hand out.

"Of course. I'm just relieved I made it in time." He said grabbing his hand and shaking it.

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