Breathe.

12

"You don't have to fight my battles for me Fessa. I understand why you think you do, but I'll be okay. I'm used to it now."

My eyes narrowed as I looked at her. "Toni, fuck them people. They are not finna handle you any type of way just because of something you had no choice in. Fuck that."

"I agree." Z mumbled. "It's not right. Shits dead actually."

"Then they putting stuff in you guys bags, enough for you all to get suspended or expelled. These bitches want war." Ryan muttered.

"And if it's war they want, it's war they can get cause I'm beating Kelly's ass on sight." Zendaya reported.

My phone buzzed and I looked down to see folks were retweeting this one tweet. When I clicked it, I saw it was a Twitter live off of Keith's page. There were two Keith's, the asshole one who was Keith Sweat and then Ryan's boyfriend Keith. Keith Powers.

I showed Ryan. "Hey, isn't this your boyfriends live?"

Ryan looked over and nodded as I opened it and we watched. I turned my phone into landscape and we all watched as Keith was in the passenger seat with some dude driving.

Zendaya mumbled. "Ain't that Ronnie?"

"Yeah. Ronnie DeVoe." Toni confirmed.

"I didn't know they were friends." Z spoke again.

Ryan shook her head. "No, they aren't, but Keith's been hanging with them here lately. I don't know what's up. What's happening?"

I looked closer and noticed Ronnie was shaking. "I don't know but Ronnie's scared as hell."

"We gone be good brother. Just chill out." Keith mumbled as he sat the camera in the door handle so he wasn't holding it.

"Nah. Nah. This how they got Kenny man."

"They got pulled over?" Toni questioned as she to began paying attention.

"I think so." I answered.

A cop came to the window and tapped against it and Ronnie jumped as he put it down slowly. "How can I help you officer?"

"You were speeding down there, you know that young buck?" He asked slowly.

"Where are they?" Ryan asked and I could hear the panic in her voice.

"I can't tell." Zendaya mumbled back. "Turn it up."

I turned the volume all the way up on my phone as I went back to watching.

Ronnie had his hands rose. "I'm sorry officer, I was actually—."

"Get out the car." The officer spoke suddenly.

I shook my head as Ronnie slowly got out the car. "What the fuck? He didn't even do anything."

Toni began shaking beside me as she looked away and crawled back inside to my room. "I can't do this."

I handed the phone to Ryan and Zendaya as I followed after her. When my feet hit the floor of my bedroom, a gunshot graced my ears and I stopped. Toni hit the ground and began rocking back and forth as I turned around quickly. Ryan screamed and covered her mouth and Zendaya just stared at the screen.

"Keith! Keith no!" Ry screamed out as if he could hear her.

"What the fuck is he doing? Keith get back in the car!" Zendaya yelled.

"Ronnie! Ronnie! Get up! Ronnie!" We could only hear Keith's voice for he had gotten out the car.

"Back up son! Back up!" The officer yelled back before we heard another shot ring out. Then two more after.

Ryan crawled back inside my room causing me to move over. She sat on my bed in shock. Zendaya was frozen with my phone in her hand. She wasn't moving but instead just staring at the screen.

"Toni..." I realized she was having a panic attack and ran over to her. "Toni, breath. It's alright."

She shook her head. "They're dead. They're fucking dead!"

"Shut up!" Ryan yelled out suddenly. "Don't say that. Don't say that please. They're not dead. He's not dead. He can't be dead. No. My boyfriend is not dead. So don't say that shit. Shut up Toni. Shut up!"

Zendaya crawled into my room slowly. She handed me the phone and took a breath. "Everyone's in the comments trying to find them. No luck. So let's go."

"Go? Go where?" I questioned.

"To find them. Bobby's taking the North side. Sweat is taking the East side. Janet was in the comments and said she's taking South, so I volunteered us to the take the West. Let's ride." She explained as she grabbed her keys.

Ryan stood up and I looked at Toni. "Toni, you coming?"

She looked up at us and Ryan mumbled through tears. "Please T, come with us. Please?"

Toni hesitated but soon got up off the floor. Ryan and Z left the room and headed towards the car but I pulled Toni back. "If you aren't sure—."

"No. I'm sure. I-it's fine. Let's go."