Nothing Was The Same

Chapter: 17

Chapter: 17

Okay before I start this chapter lemme address something real quick. I didn’t wanna make an Authors Note and cause a false alarm and hear yall complaining so ima say this before yall read.

What I put in my book is what I put in MY book. Don’t come at me about how I say Tavi beats Addison but I never write it out. I don’t want to simply because I don’t want to! Yall got an imagination use it. Imagine in your head Addison getting her ass beat, that’s all you have to do! Just like Tavi killing somebody and me skipping from the future back to the present. Think of it as foreshadowing the future. Yall know the show How To Get Away With Murder when at the beginning of every episode they foreshadowed and gave the viewers a glimpse of Sam’s murder. Well that’s what I’m doing. If you’re confused, stay confused wit’ your confused ass.

Some of yall don’t read these little authors notes that I be leaving to help guide you through the chapter. I specifically said at the beginning of last chapter that we’re in 2023. If I say Tavi was born in 1997 and in the book we’re in year 2023 then why are some of yall still commenting that it doesn’t make sense and that she’s only 17. YES IF THE BOOK TOOK PLACE IN THE PRESENT TIME (2015) SHE WOULD BE 17 TURNING 18. BUT WE’RE IN YEAR 2023 SO THAT MEANS SHE’S 25 TURNING 26… okay? Do we all understand now? …

NAW I don’t think yall understand so repeat after me. NWTS is taking place in 2023. Tavi was born in 1997. That means she’s 25 in the book. Is it still hard? Do I have to say it again?

Last but most definitely not least… I have a question? Do yall go to school? Do yall have a job? Do yall do chores at home? Do yall go to the mall, hang out with your friends, and have a life? BECAUSE I FUCKING DO! I bet a million dollars that twenty minutes from now someone is gonna jump in the comments or my inbox, under my picture on instagram asking for an update when I clearly just updated! I used to not mind people saying update but yall are really starting to work my nerve. 99.9% of the messages I get a day is about the next update. Calm down it’s not that deep fam, it’s just a book, and I’m just a human. I’m not some fucking robot that sits on my laptop all day and type. I’m a college student, a mother, and a working woman. My LAST priority is Wattpad and writing. I’m getting to the point where ima wrap up this book in the next two chapters and be done, that’s how real it’s getting. And I know some of yall are thinking I’m being dramatic but how about you get cussed out everyday over a fucking update. Every time I see “Update …” followed my some cuss words ima add 24 hours for the next update. LET A MF TRY ME!

-Sorry I had to go off like that, but it’s real af. I was being nice at first by updating frequently and disregarding the update msgs but no more nice Maria (this does not include those that are actually patient and read and comprehend my work other then just reading to read)-

P.S. still love yall lmao, not read and fucking enjoy this shit!

May 23. 6:34 A.M. Tavi's Birthday.

Tavi.

“Okay, we’re all done now. We’re gonna have forensics come in and take pictures of you and we’ll get you home.” The detective cleaned up his papers that were askew across the table and stood up.

I’ve been in this freezing interrogation room for the past six hours and tired isn’t the word for right now. I’m completely exhausted that at one point I wanted to just tell them the truth so that I could go to sleep, but I maintained my composure.

A few times they tried to throw me through circles with my story, but I stayed in one piece and told a lie to back up my tracks. As far as the lights being on near the garage I told them that I always kept the light on and the door open so that I could see my way around at night. I assume they believed me and moved on to the next set of questions.

Now here we are wrapping up everything and I couldn’t be more thankful. My nerves were at a little ease, but I’m forever going to be on edge. I’ve watched shows when decades later they find the real killer and at any given moment in the future I’ll be that killer that they catch.

“Tavi are you okay?” The detective that hasn’t said much asked. He’s sat at the end of the table the entire night recording everything. If I didn’t know any better I’d say he’s a psychologist in the room to study my reaction to questions and how I answer them.

I shivered a little and nodded, “yeah I’m just tired.”

“I can tell,” he chuckled while helping the other detective pack away the papers. “We’re gonna make this quick so that you can leave. Just give us two minutes.”

I agreed and watched as they disappeared out of the interrogation room. Even though the interview is over they’re still going to continue to monitor me and I still need to keep my poker face on. I’m going to be watched for a long time and one wrong slip can make them suspicious.

In exactly two minutes the detectives walked in with a lady who was carrying a duffel bag and a camera. She placed the big bag onto the table and began to rummage through it for whatever she needed.

“This is Lisa the forensics she’ll be taking a few pictures of you and checking for gun residue on your hands and where you said the gun was at before you pulled it out.” The first detective explained.

Lisa looked over at me with her camera in her hand, “can you stand up for me.”

I did as told and stood up. She motioned for me to lift my head up so that she could get a picture of the scratch marks on my neck. She then motioned for me to put my head down so that she could take pictures of where my hair was ripped out and the cut on the back of my head from the mirror.

Once she was done she put chemicals onto my hand and my lower back and turned off the lights. She flashed the black light onto my skin and I could see white substance on my fingers, which told them that I indeed had a gun in my hand tonight.

She took my finger prints and got DNA so that they could match it to the crime scene and make sure my entire story checks out. When she was done she packed up her things and left out of the interrogation room.

The first detective came over to me with a pen and a paper and pointed to the dotted line. “I need you to sign here stating that we questioned you today and that you were an active participant.”

I signed and handed him the pen back, ready to leave. They escorted me to the first floor where I could see Loren waiting for me on her phone. I signed out of the precinct and walked up to her. She hurriedly ended her call and stood up.

“Are you okay? What did they say?” She asked.

I put my hand up, “everything is fine. I’m just ready to go to sleep.” The sun was coming up and I have yet to go to sleep. I was slowly turning into a mad woman.

“Okay, c’mon.” Loren said.

We left out of the building and when we were in the middle of the parking lot, approaching her car she looked over at me and sighed a little. I looked back over at her and nodded, knowing she knew exactly what I wanted.

“Have you talked to him?” I questioned.

“Yes,” she mumbled. “He’s gonna meet you somewhere. You’re gonna switch cars in the middle of downtown and take a cab to where he wants you to meet him. Tavi don’t call him on your phone. Don’t let anyone know that he’s in town right now, okay?”

I nodded, “I just want to see him that’s all.”

We got into her car and made it to downtown. She circled around for a little bit, just to make sure no one was following us. Once we were clear, I got out of her car and jumped into a cab. I had the cab take me to a bus station, where I got on a bus, walked a few miles, and took another cab, just to lose anyone that was following me.

Once I got to my destination, which was a deserted road, I waited. I could see a black Benz in the distance and knew exactly who it was. The car pulled up beside me and I got into the passenger side and sank into the seat, feeling safe.

I looked over at Shayne ready to speak but of course he beat me to the punch. “You a’ight?”

I nodded, “yes. Can we just go so I can sleep and shower?” I itched at the thought that I had someone’s dead hands on me tonight and couldn’t take the feeling a minute longer.

“You sure you a’ight?” He asked once again.

I threw my head back and tried to hold back the tears thinking of what I did today. Today I became a murderer. Today I took someone’s life away. Today I lied to keep myself out of jail. Today I committed an unforgettable sin. 

I soon started to hyperventilate as I hysterically cried into the palm of my hands. Shayne reached over and pulled me towards him, but the nauseous feeling in my stomach pulled me away as I opened the door. I emptied my stomach out onto the side of the road and continued to cry.

I felt Shayne’s hand on the small of my back as I finished up, “Tavi, baby, calm down.”

I nodded, trying to convince myself to do that exact thing, but how could I? I pushed the thoughts as far away as I could and closed the car door. Shayne looked over at me one last time and took off into the distance.

A few minutes later we pulled up to his side house and at this point I couldn’t even bring myself to get out of the car. Shayne opened up my door and waited for me to get out but I just couldn’t move.

“Damn Tavi,” Shayne mumbled while running his hands down his face. He looked like he’s been up all night and I wouldn’t blame him. He was wearing Addidas joggers and a white shirt, with a pair of Jordan’s for the late night run.

He scooped me out of the car and took me into the house. He got me to the master bathroom and pulled my clothes off of me and put me in the shower. The minute the hot water hit my skin, it was like all the life was coming back to me and I was able to move again.

Letting my paralysis wear off I washed up and finished as quickly as possible followed by brushing my teeth. Shayne got me out of the shower and took me into the master bedroom, letting me put on one of his white t-shirts.

I felt like I was able to breathe again, but not completely. My stomach was in knots and my hands were trembling. All I could think about was the bad outcome to all of this.

Shayne sat down and looked over at me, “you need anything?”

“Some water.” I crocked.

I watched as he put his phone down on the nightstand and walk out of the bedroom. When I heard him going down the stairs I grabbed his phone up and dialed out. The phone rang for a good while, until the person on the other end picked up.

“Hello?”

“It’s done.”



_________

Back to present day.

Trina.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath at what the doctor was telling me about herpes and how I officially have the sexual transmitted disease. The fact that I had no clue about it was pissing me off, but according to the doctor it isn’t uncommon for someone to have herpes and not know anything about it.

She prescribed me some antibiotics and scheduled me for a follow-up in a few days. It’s only been a few hours since Marco has dropped the bomb about him cheating and I was completely over the entire situation. I’m not about to go acting a fool for this man when I asked for one simple thing. All I wanted was honesty and loyalty, but clearly that’s too much to ask for.

When I got into the house I put Harlem in the tub and relaxed a little to calm my nerves. Of course Marco was blowing up my phone trying to gain forgiveness but I’m not for that right now. I just need to focus on getting rid of this herpes shit that I have and move on with my life.

Although right now it may feel or seem like I don’t care, but I know sooner or later this entire thing will hit me like a brick wall. Me missing Marco is going to be an understatement and at some point in time I’m going to forgive him. Maybe not get back with him, but forgive. That’s the least I can do in order to move on.

I waited for Jasmine to pick up the phone as I sat on the toilet lid watching Harlem splash in the water. “Did you find out?” She answered on the third ring. 

“Yes,” I sighed. “I have it. I don’t know if I should kill him or what?”

“Just calm down for now. Harlem’s birthday is coming up soon so maybe you should just sit back and enjoy your time with him while he’s young cause we know they grow up fast,” she said trying to enlighten the mood, which worked.

I looked over at Harlem in the tub and nodded. The fact that I thought about introducing Harlem and Marco to each other a long time ago replayed in my head because I’m thankful I didn’t do it. The last thing I want is for men to come and go out of his life. He has a father and the last thing I need from guys is to play daddy to Harlem.

“Yeah you’re right,” I finally spoke. “Speaking of his birthday lemme call Shayne and see what’s up, he got his wiring out today.”

“Alright, call me if you need anything.”

I hung up the phone and called Shayne waiting for him to pick up. I haven’t talked to Shayne in awhile, mainly because he couldn’t talk. The last time I saw him was last weekend when I picked Harlem up from his place.

“Yo,” his deep voice answered on the third ring.

“You know what two weeks from now is right?”

“Nah’ who’s birthday?” I kissed my teeth and before I could fix my mouth to curse him out he chuckled lowly, “I’m just playin’ yeah I know, why wassup? What you got in mind?”

“Still childish,” I mumbled under my breath. “Anyways, I wanna have a party for him, and I need you to pay for the hall, the decorations, the food—,”

“And what the fuck are you paying for?”

“Nigga I pushed his ass out, that’s enough paying right there.”

Shayne sighed, “a’ight Trina. Is that it?”

I twisted my lips to the side trying to think if there was anything else I needed from him. “Nah’ at least not right now. But I’ll text you if I need anything else, and I’ma text you how much ima need.”

“Whatever.” He hung up the phone and I put my phone down on the bathroom counter and turned to Harlem to get him out and ready to chill for the rest of the evening.


________