𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐳 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 | 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐢 𝐎𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐚

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 | 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐭?

He reaches out and grasps the book in his own hands, letting out a chuckle as his shy daughter instantly turns the opposite way.

"The truth is this," he reads, "it is almost inhuman to make no mistakes, or to be completely good or completely bad."

His eyes fleet from the page to eye his daughter, she is shrunken into the seat, and he can see her fingers fiddling with the dainty orca pendent hanging from her gold chain.

"To be at war with yourself is the greatest fight to endure. Unsure of yourself and caught between who you are supposed to be and what you truly are. I am a people pleaser, I know, I do things even if I don't want to. Even if it kills me. I don't know where to draw the line. I've never understood where the line is drawn between self-slaughter and sacrifice. Although this feels like self-slaughter, it was all in good faith, I call it a sacrifice. I was willing to sacrifice everything, I did. For the people I love. I am content with that now."

His eyes flow over the page until he reaches the last few lines,

"It is foolish to believe that childhood innocence would last forever, especially in a place like Harlem."

The piano piece flows through the room, exuding from her expensive speakers.

Leati feels his eyes water not for what she'd done, but for the beautiful music she's made. His eyes glaze over in crystal tears for the fault of his daughter, that wasn't even actually her own.

Childhood innocence doesn't exist in Harlem, she was right.

He should've known better; it was the same place that ruined his naive happiness.

"That's the sacrifice. I will never be innocent again. I can never be innocent again,"

In that moment he knew he had to make the decision he'd been holding off on, and although he was sure she'd fight him to the bone about, it had to be done.

Leati opens his mouth to speak but the door is cracked open slowly, revealing his son with questioning eyes. "Hey dad, is it okay if I-uh talk to Aolani."

Leati stands, closing the music journal and placing it on the bed, "yeah- I'm just going to head out for a bit call me if you need me."

Vaea Nods as his dad passes by  him, closing the door and making the way to the floor at the foot of the bed. He reaches up and swivels the egg chair making his sister turn to face him. "Wassup kid." He grinned.

"Hola." She smiles.

"I like your music." He nodded his head, pulling his rolling tray into view.

She chuckled, shaking her head, "you're literally addicted."

"I heard about you too, don't think you slick. Jay told me about you and Notti's lil bad asses."

She froze in her spot, eyes racking over Elias' face curiously. Jay knew about her and Notti's kissing? Their confessions to each other?

"Damn, stop looking like you about to shit yourself." Elias laughed, "I knew you was gonna hit the blunt one day," he shrugged making Laney let out a sigh of relief. "At least it was with Notti."

"Real shit." He stated, "you good?"

"Yeah." she hummed.

"I shouldn't even be doing this, but here." He lights the blunt and passes it to her. 

They sit in silence for a while passing it back and forth. "I was worried about ya lil ass man." He breaks the silence, "when you were in here having that moment."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"You don't gotta be sorry my heart, you can't control it."

It is quiet for a while before he breaks the silence again, "what does it feel like."