Hotline Bling

Epilogue

Why do we love?

Is it a psychological desire that has mutated into a drug for the psyche? Or is it merely a humanistic quality that yearns to be met?

Love can be defined a trillion different ways by a trillion different people. A feeling of deep affection, sometimes translated as affliction or derision. In simple terms, love is a drug of the mind, needed by the heart, wanted by the body.

Called for by the senses.

It is human nature to want, to lust...but to love, to love is to seek ultimate completion. Why do we love?

To fill an empty void? To silence that part of us that calls out for someone, something...Oh, but to love is a glorious thing riddled with pain and contempt and misery...still we seek it with open arms and closed fist, battles lost and victories won, love is the end of it all.

We love to be loved in return. Plain and simple.

Essence walked through the gym, her diploma held firmly against her chest. She scanned the crowd, searching for a familiar figure. She had said her good-byes to her classmates with a quickness, eager for the embrace that longed for. The encouragement and recognition she desired could not be found on the stage or in the arms of her teary-eyed classmates but in the arms of the man she loved.

She pushed her way through the crowd of happy parents and cheering relatives, heading for the exit. Her heels clanked against the porcelain floor tiles as she found her way out. She walked through the doors and out onto the seemingly packed assembly hall, cars lined every empty space and several groups of people lingered out in the open with cameras and bags filled with goodies and congratulatory gifts.

She smiled as she passed them, nodding her head in acknowledgment.

She turned the corner and froze, her eyes zeroing in on Dante. She walked over to him with a soft smile, though her eyes were still searching.

"Congratulations, girl! Look at you rolling big with yo' smart self!" He exclaimed as he walked toward her, picking her up in a bear hug and twirling her.

She laughed before smacking him, ordering him to put her down.

"Where's Roman?" She asked, unable to contain herself a moment longer.

Dante shrugged nonchalantly before ushering her into the waiting car. "I don't know." He mumbled.

She turned to look at him as he got in the driver's seat, staring at him hard as he pulled off, driving with a cool comfortability.

"You don't know? What do you mean, you don't know?" She asked haughtily, she had seen Roman in the stands, she had heard him cheering her on as she had received her honor's diploma. She had worked hard for her honors' status and he had cheered her on the whole time.

Dante just shrugged again before turning up his music, profanity and lyrics about drug deals gone wrong screaming over her words. She tsked, leaning back in the seat with a look of confusion and hurt.

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*Two Months Prier-in King's main hideout*

"Essence?" Roman said franticly, gently shaking her body, the sounds of police sirens growing louder and more distinct. The gun shots had stopped, Roman's focus completely on Essence's still body in his arms.