Her Saving Grace

Chapter Seven: Fallen

Aaliyah's POV

I took a seat in-between Roc's cousin and Roc. Across from me was his sister. When Roc's mom handed us our plates I said a quick prayer and everyone did a double take for some reason. Roc smiled at me for a second and began eating and Prehia rolled her eyes at me. I saw from the corner of my eye Roc's mom give him a thumbs up and dip back into the kitchen. Wonder what that was. I finished eating before everyone and was about to ask for seconds till I felt the need to find the bathroom. "Roc, where is the bathroom?" I asked.

 "It-"

Prehia interrupted, "I'll show her Roc." I didn’t really care who showed me. I had to go.

"Um...Ok." Roc hesitated. Why did he hesitate?

 "Follow me," she instructed, smirking. I became skeptical but decided it wasn't worth a bladder infection. I followed her down the dark hall. I was staring at the framed photos on the wall. Here’s the bathroom she smiled.

I returned her smile, “Thank you, Prehia.”

“I need to tell you something,” she whispered, “Don’t get close to Roc.”

 I was confused, "Wait...Huh?"

She laughed at me for whatever reason, "You do realize those girls will kill you, right? Does the names Bianca and Lana ring a bell? I don’t think he’d return you feelings anyway,” she dead-panned.

I stood there looking at her baffeled, "I dont know, neither do I care about what you’re talking about. Can you move please so I can pee?"

She decided to push me back into the bathroom and stuck her finger in my face, "Lemme break this down for you. Roc likes pretty girl that arn’t outcasts. Girls that people actually like. Not you."

I stared at her, hurt. Was I in denial this whole time? What if she's right?

"Well...then why did he invite me?"

She laughed in my face, "He pities you. Duh."

I had enough. I shoved Prehia out the way and ran up the stairs to Roc's room to get my purple bag.

Roc POV

"Liyah! Aaliyah!" I called. She ran up the stairs, hiding her face. Why would she just- Prehia. My fist tightened and I went down the hall to find my sister. I saw her leaning against the bathroom door, smirking.

 "What did you do?" I seethed.

 She stood up and answered me, "Lana and Bianca don't like that girl and they want me to keep you away from her. I don’t want you around her anyway." I was so close to snapping but I just took off looking for Aaliyah. As soon as I stepped into the dining room I heard the front door slam. It had to be Aaliyah. I turned to my mom with pleading eyes and she gave me a look of understanding. I grabbed my shoes and went after her.

Roc POV

Where would she go? I began thinking my hardest to figure out where she would go to get away. Then it hit me. The park. I always see her there, singing to herself and swinging alone. I ran to the park and sure enough she was on the swing. I didn’t want her to run away when she saw me so decided to run behind the neatly trimmed bushes that surrounded the park and go up behind her. I went through the bush and tried sneaking up behind her. A twig snapped under me and she turned around quickly, almost defensively.

I looked into her eyes. "A..Aaliyah..."

Her eyes were blood shot red and her cheeks were wet with tears. She spoke up with a raspy voice. Probably sore from crying, "I don’t need your pity." She spat harshly. She turned back around on the swing, dismissing my presence.