Persistence

Red.

Vengeance- punishment inflicted or retribution exacted for an injury or wrong.

I sighed and rubbed my fingers across my forehead. "I understand that you're upset and I am as well, but you need to calm down and come lay with me. You been up since one, pacing and it's now three." I pulled the covers back. He paced the room for what seems to be the millionth time in the last ten minutes. He won't tell me what's going on and I'm starting to get frustrated. I don't know how to calm him down if he don't tell me what the fuck going on. He stopped walking and looked over at me with his hand on his chin. "He gotta be gone. Like now." I sighed loud and dropped the cover. "Okaaaaaaayyyyyyy Christopher!!! Come get the fuck in bed! Now!" I pointed. He stared at me like I was a foreign object (I mean I am but damn). "Now!" I put some bass in my voice. (Of course that shit didn't change but in my head it did ok.) "I'm grown. Don't talk to me like that...Ima do it cause I want too but other than that no." He walked to the other side of the bed and laid down. I stared at him with a blank expression as he made himself comfortable in his spot. But he was like, on the edge of the bed. He scared of me or something. "Get over here." I pointed the spot next to me. He sucked his teeth and scooted over so that he was directly laying under me. I laid back and placed my head on his chest before making him wrap his arm around me so I could be comfortable.

"Now tell me what's wrong." I spoke softly. He didn't say anything for a couple minutes. All you could hear was our breathing and the air blowing through the vents. "Adonis Kieth Moore. Birthday June Twenty Seventh. Height Six Two. 23 Tattoos with one being inside of his bottom lip. Done slaughtered my sister six years ago. Me being Sixteen and Justice just turned twenty four that Monday.....I can't get that image and crime scene out of my head because that's the day my best friend left me. My mom had to find out from a jail call that her second child with Justice being her first born was murder over a dumbass phone charger. My brother and sister is dead, my mother is in prison for the rest of her life and my father is lord knows where. I was left to take care of myself and that's just what I did. I didn't know what was left from right when it came to certain shit but I guess I turned out pretty well." He chuckled as I felt a tear of his hit my forehead. I looked up at him and that's when he just broke down. He held on tight to me and cried into my hair. I made sure to not let him go because I want him to know that he can confine in me and I'll be there for him.

"I just wish everything went differently for me Senia. I wouldn't be this such fucked up unfaithful ass boy. I'm not a man Senia, I'm like my father." He sobbed. I quickly sat up and grabbed his chin with both of my hands and looked him in the eyes. "Don't ever, EVER say that shit again Maurice. You are more than a man that your father could ever be for the simple fact that you have your life together and you don't depend on anyone for not shit. You have to realize everything happens for a reason and you were put in them situations because someone knew you could overcome them. I want you to know that you are worth the moon and the stars to me, don't ever feel like you don't have anyone by your side because I am on good or bad terms. You made mistakes but guess what? You're fucking human and I forgave you for that so now it's time to leave it in the past." I pulled his face closer to mine and pecked his cheek before moving back. "I'm sorry to hear about what happened to your siblings as well...I wouldn't know what to do in a situation like that but you did and honestly, you strong as fuck for it. He knew you could handle everything and you did. I love you and I don't want you feeling like crying isn't manly because it's bullshit." I wiped his cheek with his hand. He gave me a small smile and sniffed, wiping his face in the sheet. I watched him as he finished and wrapped his hands around my waist, pulling me closer to him (basically on top) and laying his head on my chest. "I love you Senia." I smiled and leaned down, kissing his cheek. "I love you too Maurice." The room fell silent again and it was comfortable. I laid back against the headboard and closed my eyes, almost falling straight into a slumber.