Sugar | August Alsina

7 | Healing

She drove from Manhattan towards the Bronx and texted Zeke.

I'm about to be there - 6:00 PM

Ok I'm coming down - Zeke, 6:01 PM

When she arrived at the brown brick building she parked outside and looked for Zeke's familiar curly hair. He was standing on the steps outside, and when he saw her white car he ran down and hopped in.

"Thanks."

She nodded. "Of course."

Challen pulled off and they started their journey towards their home.

"How's your friend doing?" She asked to start a conversation. The last time she had met August she wasn't in the nicest of moods and had come off as a bitch.

She was aware but there was nothing she could do to change it now.

"He's doing better, just on bedrest like the doctor said."

"How old is he?" He seemed to be around her age but she could've been wrong.

"24."

Twenty four and on bed rest, she hoped he got better soon, for his and Zeke's sake. You could tell that they had a bond, and it would be a shame to lose it.

Challen and Zeke made their way to the beautiful quarter million dollar home, adorned with five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a dining, living, game room, and pool. Zeke had been born and raised in the home, Challen moving into the home when she was four and had just met her stepfather Brian.

When they arrived Challen parked along the array of cars in the driveway making sure she could get out, and turned off the engine.

Her phone started ringing as she grabbed her bags from the backseat. It was Matthew.

"I'll be right in." She told Zeke, stopping in her tracks to answer the call.

"Hello?"

"Why didn't you wait for me?" He asked with a slight whine to his voice.

"I had to go get Zeke from a friend's house, I told you I'd see you tonight."

"Alright. Try to hurry up, I signed the Dawson contract today and I want to celebrate."

Matthew had been trying to make this deal concrete for a long time, and after many meetings and tedious back and forth it had finally happened. Challen was happy for him.

"I'll be there after dinner."

"See you soon." They hung up the call and Challen headed inside to join her family.

She walked into the kitchen, the aroma of baked chicken wafting into her nose. There was mail sitting on the counter, so she sifted through it looking for anything with her name on it.

"Hey Zeke, how's August?" Their mother Thandie asked while standing at the stove stirring up some mashed potatoes in a pot.

"He's good, I'ma bring him some leftovers tomorrow."

Thandie smiled. "That'd be nice of you, Challen you should drop it off so they stay warm."

Challen's eyebrows raised, now why did she have to do it? It was Zeke's friend, and he was definitely capable.

"Why me?"

"You don't have anything better to do, you're probably gonna end up picking up Zeke anyways, and because I don't want Zeke walking round smelling like chicken at school."