😗sorry for any mistakes

Houston, Tx

September 7th

Friday

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Kacey held his thumb down on the screen of his phone, just staring at the picture Caydence posted on her Instagram story. He sighed to himself the more he stared at the picture, wishing they were back on good terms.

It's been a week since Caydence asked for space from him. Although Kacey thought she was bluffing—she showed him a lot plus more that she wasn't.

The only time she spoke to him was when it concerned Kory's birthday party tomorrow. Kacey was miserable right now, he couldn't stand himself for what he said to her. How much he hurt her, the image of her crying in front of him because of something he caused just didn't sit right with him. He's been sending her apology flowers every day since but he knew it wasn't enough.

Even if she did forgive him—which he doubted would be anytime soon. She will never forget him calling her a hoe. Kacey didn't even mean it, he didn't know why he said it, especially at that moment. He didn't know how he was going to get her forgiveness but he'll probably do anything for it.

Relationship-wise, Caydence was the first woman she truly cared about for him. Not for what he could provide and give her. Not because she felt bad about him being deaf—she cared and loved him for him. Who he was inside and out—and he fucked it up because he couldn't watch his mouth.

Because he couldn't be so defensive when he knew she was right.

"You miss her boy?" He asked Benji who lay in his lap. "It's okay, she ain' like you anyway but I miss her. Badly," He sighed again, lifting his finger from the screen and then clicking the heart-shaped button. He would send her heart eyes but she was just going to leave him on seen again.

Kacey knew he messed up because she didn't even wear the bond bracelet anymore. Every time he tapped it, he would get no response and when she did post on her Instagram story, he saw the bracelet nowhere on her wrist.

"Aight, I think I finished," Remi spoke up, sitting on the other side of the couch Kacey was currently sitting on. He honestly forgot he was sitting there."You quoted the articles you used?" Kacey questioned, holding his hand out for the computer.

"Yeah," Remi responded as he gave him the computer and then scooted down some closer to Kacey. "Can I ask you somethin'?" He asked while Kacey moved Benji off his lap and to the side of him then put the computer in his lap. Kacey nodded in response, correcting the font of the paper. He didn't know how many times he had to explain to him that he needs to use Times Roman and not Arial.

"How long have you and Cay been together ?" He asked. Kacey looked at him from the side of his eye first before responding "We made two months next week," He answered.

Scrunching up his face a bit, Remi looked at him in shock "Foreal? I thought you were gonna say two years or somethin'," He lightly chuckled, taking back some. Kacey paused his movement of typing on the keyboard, it did feel like they have been dating for longer than what they really have. "How you get ha' to be your girl tho?" Remi curiously questioned.

A small smirk grew on Kacey's lips "She asked me to be her boyfriend before I could get the chance to," He responded, thinking back to the night Caydence asked him to be her boyfriend in his bedroom. That night, specifically July 18th will always hold a special place in his heart. He felt so special, he hasn't even felt that by anyone. Especially women.

Remi's eyes grew double in size "How did you get her to do that? You're fugly," He stated. Kacey looked over at him with a hard mug displayed on his face. Remi quickly put his hands up in surrender "I was jus' playing. Don't shoot me," He spoke quickly as he scooted down at the same time.

Like that was going to help.

Kacey only shook his head at him "I'm 'fugly' but you can't write a basic research paper. Sounds like you got yo' priorities messed up," He pointed out "Say somethin' about me hearin' and I'ma shoot you foreal," Kacey warned seriously without looking at him.

Remi dropped his shoulders and quietly sucked his teeth. He reminded Kacey of an annoying little brother sometimes, he was quick at the mouth. Never knew how to close his mouth sometimes but it just showed all the boys he was gradually becoming more open with them. Like they hoped he would, they didn't want him to always live in fear of them.

"But nah, onna real note. How did you do it? Cay is lowkey mean to everyone besides you, Duke, and Aurora. She is mean to her own sister," Remi lightly chuckled "I understand though, Kory talks a lot for a six-year-old," He scratched the side of his neck, and Kacey couldn't agree even more. She will try for everyone's patience besides her dad and granny.

"Why? Are you tryna steal my girl or somethin'," Kacey joked.

"No. I don't want you to shoot me behind her," Remi spoke honestly, making Kacey silently laugh to himself. At least he knew.

"It's this girl at my school that I like but I'on know how to get her to like me back. I told her I'm a hood nigga because girls at my school like that she told me I get robbed by hood niggas and I'm really a dork," Remi explained and Kacey burst into laughter causing Benji to jump up at the sound of him.

Kacey didn't know what was funnier, him telling the girl he is a hood nigga or her calling him a dork.

Remi furrowed his eyebrows, trying to hide the fact he was actually embarrassed. He didn't know why he just admitted that out loud, it made it worse how hard Kacey was laughing. He never laughed this hard before but Remi definitely made his night with that one.

"W-why?" Kacey struggled to even say. That's all he could think of at the moment was why.

"I jus' wanted ha' to like me," Remi muttered and slouched his body inside the gray couch. "Girls at my school only want you if you are toting a gun," He added.

Kacey's laughter finally started to decrease. He held his stomach, trying to calm himself down. "Nah—that's— that's somethin' aight," He muffled a laugh. "A dork is crazy tho, why you wanna be wit' someone like that?" He lightly chuckled.

"She's really pretty and smart. Most dudes at school jus' see her as an easy fuck but it's more. She is funny when she ain' trying to act like someone she isn't. She tries to act dumb so people don't know how smart she really is,"

Kacey nodded his head as he listened to him "If all she cares about is you toting a gun and being a hood nigga, all that shit about her that you see goes out the window. Until she wants to be who she is hiding from everyone else, she ain' worth it. A girl is gonna like you for who you are, not for who you wants you to be," Kacey expressed. It took Kacey a long time to understand that.

"Be yourself, if she thinks your a 'dork' then oh well. Another shorty out there will appreciate you being a 'dork'. At the end of the day, you are being yourself and that is the realest thing you can do," Kacey advised before going back to reading the paper.

"You needa stop focusing on girls and focus on this school work. This shit is pitiful," Kacey grumbled, not liking what he was seeing on this computer.

Remi sucked his teeth "My teachers ain' never taught us how to right now research papers," He huffed in frustration.

_________________

Houston, Tx

September 8th

Saturday

After securing his car door locked, Kacey walked up the walkway of Caydence and Kapri's townhouse. Once making it to the door with his hands full of bags and flowers, he used his pinky finger to press the button of the ring doorbell. He waited a few moments first before hearing the locks on the door twisting. The door swung open, revealing Caydence with her natural blank expression—her hair wrapped in her orange silk scarf while dressed in a white tank top—showing her hard nipples and a belly piercing.

Kacey furrowed his eyebrows a tad bit at the PUMA black sweatpants she was wearing. He was looking for those this morning when getting ready.

Before he could speak up, she walked away from the door—leaving him standing there alone. Kacey lightly huffed to himself as he walked inside, this was the first time he had seen her in a full week. He thought he was going to get at least a hey. Not even a small smile.

Kacey closed the door behind him and locked the top lock before he quickly removed his slides from his feet. He followed the fainting sound of music and the smell of bacon. Walking into the kitchen, she saw Caydence whisking—what he guessed was pancake mix in a clear bowl.

"Hey," He spoke lowly, putting the flowers he bought for her on the empty space on the counter. He knew she said flowers weren't going to fix things with them but he was still going to buy them.

"Hey," She responded dryly, not giving him a small glance. Kacey wanted to slide down a wall now, she was drier than when he first met her and she didn't give him the time of day.

"Uhh, I missed you," He slightly smiled, hoping that could lift the awkwardness he was feeling. She ignored him, putting the bowl on the counter and then moving over to the stove. "Mami," He frowned at her ignoring him.

He didn't like that.

Ignoring him again, she went over to the refrigerator. Before she could fully open it, Kacey used his hand to close it—still with a frown facial expression. "Ace, watch out," She grumbled, trying to open the refrigerator again.

"Stop callin' me that," His frown grew deeper. He let it slide the last few times because she was really upset and crying but he wasn't going to again. Caydence rolled her eyes, letting a long exhale escape her nose, and looked off to the side. "I haven't seen you in a week Mami," He spoke, wishing she would look at him.

"That's how space works," She said plainly.

"I know but— Kory wants you here right now, not me," She cut him off, speaking coldly. "She is upstairs, still asleep. If you want to wake her up, you can go do that or not. Just get outta my face," She averted her eyes to him, holding an unemotional facial expression.

Not saying anything, Kacey only slowly nodded his head. He knew this was the consequence of his actions but that didn't mean it hurt any less.

A/N: bye cause this makes me want to cry lmao.

"I uh—" He looked away from her. "Those flowers and cards are for you. I'ma go wake her up," He turned around to walk out of the kitchen.

Did he think this will last longer than a week? No. Caydence usually couldn't stay mad at him longer than two days. Even when he messed up by getting passed out drunk in front of Kory, that anger didn't last for anything but two days. He didn't know how much longer this would last or if she would even allow him to fix things seriously.

She said she would but he was now having second thoughts on that.

Jogging up the stairs, Kacey pulled up his sagging sweat after making it to the top. He walked down the slightly dark hallway to Kory's room. He knocked on the door softly first before opening it to walk in. He chuckled after seeing Kory was already sitting up in the bed, on her Ipad and her black bonnet was leaning off her head.

She looked over at the door and a big smile grew over her face when seeing Kacey "Tall sir it's my birthday!" She squealed, jumping up in her bed. "And I missed youuu," She opened her arm as she jumped up and down on her bed.

At least someone does, He spoke to himself as he walked towards her bed.

"I missed you too, happy birthday Phats," He picked her up from the bed and swung her around causing her to squeal excitedly. "So you feel six?" He asked and she nodded her head rapidly.

"Yes, I grew an inch and all," She spoke proudly. "And look, my tooth is coming out," She smiled brightly and used her small index finger to wiggle her bottom tooth that was close to falling out.

Kacey curled his top lip up playfully "You needa brush ya' teeth. Almost took me out," He teased, walking out of her room now. Kory's jaw dropped but she quickly covered her mouth with her hand. "That's not nice," She rolled her eyes as he took her to the bathroom in the hallway.

Kacey chuckled, letting her turn the light on then he placed her on top of her black with-white polka dot stepping stool. "Did you really miss me? You haven't been over all week," She said as she reached up to grab her purple kiddie—electric toothbrush.

In the past week, the only time he's seen her was when he picked her up from school on Wednesday and Friday like he always does. Caydence needed space, he didn't want to disregard that by being around Kory. He didn't want Caydence to feel like he was using Kory as an excuse to be around her.

"I did, I've been busy shopping for you and workin'," He excused as he leaned on the back wall, watching her start to brush her teeth.

"What di—AHHH! My tooth came out!" She smiled, looking down at her tooth in the sink now. Kacey chuckled and shook his head "Lemme go get yo' sister," He leaned off the wall.

_________________

🎶I'll be your baby

Now promise not to let you go

Love you like crazy

Now say you'll never let me go🎶

End of time by Beyoncé blasted through the speakers surrounding the venue. Loudly screaming of children running around—blowing large bubbles out the bubbles that were given or either screaming from being in the lavender jumpy house. The smell of food coming from the taco truck filled the atmosphere with the occasional sounds of the ice cream truck making noise.

"Man, it's too many damn kids in this bitch," Dee complained with his face twisted up in annoyance then he moved before the two little boys and girl ran over him. "Kor is too popular for me, is this her whole elementary school here?" He asked, still having a twisted-up facial expression.

Kacey agreed, he wasn't expecting this many kids to be here today. He knew Kory was popular at her school but not this much. It was kids that looked like they were in the fifth grade here. Kacey was flabbergasted that they knew a first-grader.

"If I was their age, I would be mad as fuck I couldn't come. All-you-can-eat Mexican food trucks and all types of ice cream," Trey chuckled, coming back over to the round table they were seated at with a unicorn on the side of his face and a plate of street tacos.

"Nigga, I just know you'n got no unicorn on yo' face," Dee started dying laughing. Kacey chuckled, staring at the blue and white unicorn face art on his face.

Trey softly chuckled "Paris wouldn't get one unless I got one too," He shook his head.

"You be talkin' about Ace when Paris got you wrapped around her finger. Gettin' face art is crazyyy," Dee chuckled. They always clown for being so soft when it comes to Kory. He bought anything she wanted, if Caydence and Quincy didn't say no, he would've brought her phone for her birthday. She had all the boys wrapped around her fingers but when it came to Kacey—it was a whole different level.

"Little girl always comin' in my room to go to sleep. I will be like like li' girl go to yo' sister room or something," He shook his head with a small laugh afterward "She be like she doesn't want me to be lonely knowing good damn well she only like that I got snacks in there and let her have them because Bree doesn't," He got some hand sanitizer from the provided bottle in the middle of the table.

"You sure you and Bree ain't?" Dee wondered. Trey always denied him and Kambree being together but they all found it hard to believe. Especially due to the fact that when they had their meetings with the architect that was doing their neighborhood, he allowed Kambree to have a lot of say so in his house.

Even though she wasn't going to live with him. At least that's what he claims.

Trey furrowed his eyebrows "Nah, we're just friends. Best friends foreal, that's it," He spoke dismissively and began to eat his tacos. Dee and Kacey gave each other a certain knowly look then shrugged it off.

Trey always complained about wanting real love but didn't see there is potential sleeping down the hall from him.

"Yo, y'all had these shrimp tacos? These shits good as hell and this slaw they put on it good as fuck too," Kyro said as he walked up to the table with three plates in his hands and Remi following behind.

"Well you got them all on yo' plate, I doubt anyone can get some," Trey stared blankly while Kyro sat down.

Ro only mugged him once he was settled down in his seat "You actin' like they can't make nomo dumb bitch,"

"Don't call me that. I ain' yo' mama," Trey shot back, making Remi's jaw drop. Dee and Ro started laughing "Nah, you a dumb bitch just like her ole dumb ass," Ro bucked at before laughing again.

Kacey only shook his head, choosing not to say anything. He cut his mother off the day Bianca killed herself. He didn't tell her she was cut off or anything. He just stopped returning her calls and texts—when as far as to block her. He was going to finish paying her bills at her house until December 31st since that's the day her bills are due. He made his secret security team stop her from even pulling into the driveway of his house now.

He was just done, he couldn't hold on anymore. She lied to him, they were making a 'change' in their relationship. But now, he didn't want to continue after finding out she was even the reason Bianca came back. He was just so tired and fed up now—even though he should've been years ago. The thing with Kacey, once he's done it wasn't anything coming back. He did feel a huge weight being lifted from his shoulders, felt like he could breathe.

He wished he could tell Caydence the good news. He knew she would be so proud of him but she wasn't currently speaking to him.

"Cay did her thang wit' this tho," Ro nodded, looking around the area.