Pure

Chapter 30:

Michael

"Mom, I was mad at the time." I said rubbing my forehead.

I decided to stop by and talk to my mom before I went to work and get some advice.

"Michael, you keep saying you were mad, why?" She asked.

"Why? Is that even a serious question? The women I love tried to fuckin kill herself and I just recently found out about!"

"Whoa," She said holding her hand up. "First you better watch ya mouth and lower your fuckin voice when you're talking to me."

"Sorry." I mumbled sitting down.

"I just honestly thought we'd try to start over and everything would be good, but Arie don't seem like she's with it for real. I don't wanna feel like I'm forcing her to act okay if she's really not."

"Let me tell you something. When me and your dad got back together after he got out of jail we agreed to starting over. I dealt with the same shit that ended us in the first place the disrespect, the lying, the cheating. Once I finally stopped acting like everything was okay and actually opened my mouth. Things changed, we moved forward, differently, and I didn't dwell on the past anymore. Neither did he."

"Unfortunately you have Mogul's smartass mouth that you need to learn to control. So my advice don't start over, move forward."

"I'm listening." I said nodding already thinking of something that could hopefully be a start.

•

Arie

"I been knew you and Michael were meant for each other, but today just confirmed it." Asia, Michael's mom said to me.

I came over to talk to her about me and Michael, I figured no one would be better than the one that raised him and knows him best.

"What do you mean?" I asked confused.

"He came to me today too." She said.

"He did?" I ask.

She nodded, "Basically saying the same thing you've been saying. He can tell you're still not okay or as he says yourself, he can tell what he said is still weighing on you."

"It's not that I don't wanna be in a relationship with him. I love Michael. I just," I sighed. "I can't stop what he said from replaying in my head."

"Ima tell you what I told him. It's not gonna be the same. Starting over like he wants is going backwards, why go backwards when you know that's where the pain is? That's why it keeps replaying, your waiting for something else hurtful to be said or done. And some people's moving forward doesn't mean they'll end up together, but I have no doubt y'all are in it for the long run."

I nodded repeating that in my head. Move forward.

•

"We eat out too damn much." I said as me and Kae's food came.

"My favorite hobby." Kae said with a grin grabbing her fork.

"Shame and always gotta drag me with you."

"Surely do." She said.

"Can you believe our baby Londyn is about to be 1?" I ask looking at a picture of all her decorations Aubree sent. "Aubree prepared."

"I know and her birthday means my Bre baby's graduation is coming up, my man who I can't stand right now graduation is also coming up." Kae said.

"I'm excited for Bre. I'm mad she isn't going to prom, but I understand her not wanting to." I said.