Hustla (BOOK ONE)

Chapter 76

"You complete me. You make me whole... if it wasn't for you. I'd be gone a long time ago", Aaliyah said.

"...so, what's your plan?", Dre asked.

"Build earn his loyalty more and then next get out of this house. I mean I'll still be doing work for him... I just can't be in this house anymore", she said.

"I would ask you a question but I don't even wanna know the answer to it", Dre said.

Aaliyah looked down. "...I have to go", she said.

"It was nice hearing your voice", he said.

"It was great hearing yours", she replied with a smile.

"FaceTime me real quick", he said.

"Dre I'll do that next time. I don't have earphones and I have to go", Aaliyah said.

"Fine", Dre said. "...I love you"

"I love you too", Aaliyah said before she hung up.

Aaliyah walked out the closet and saw Kevin. He looked down and saw her phone in her hand.

"How did you manage to get that?", Kevin asked.

"Asked", Aaliyah said.

"...was that your boyfriend?", he asked.

Aaliyah nods.

Kevin nods as he walks to the couch.

Aaliyah put her phone in her jacket pocket and looked at him.

"What?", he asked.

"...lately, you've been acting different...I just wanted to know if everything was okay", Aaliyah asked.

"... why do you care?", he asked.

"I've been a bitch towards you since I got here, I know. But as you know, I do have a heart", she said.

Kevin didn't say anything.

"But it's fine...you don't have to tell me. I mean like I know when I came and talked to you while Dre was in jail...it helped out a lot. Especially since you know everything I've been through in the past", Aaliyah said.

"Not everything", he corrected.

"well most...the blueprint", she said.

Kevin looked down.

"I guess I can start by saying something first", Aaliyah said as she sat next to him. "For the past 6 years... I've always wondered why you didn't defend me when they did what they did but yet you were always there for me when ...my mom's boyfriends took advantage of me"

"Honestly... I didn't know what to do", Kevin said. "I was mad at myself for letting that happen that I began to treat you bad and push you away. Not because I didn't want you, I did...", he said as he looked at Aaliyah. "I still do"

Aaliyah looked down.

Kevin looked back down. "I- I just wanted you to hate me as much as I hated myself. You deserved better but now I realize that...I'm the one that made things worst", he said.

Aaliyah looked at him.

"Aaliyah I still love you", he said. "And I know we can't be together, and I'm fine with it because I'm the one who fucked up", he said. "...but I see the way you look at me... I remember that look"

Aaliyah began to shake her head.

"Don't lie", he said.

"Kevin...I have somebody very special to me and I'm very special to him. He has saved me and defended me countless times and-"

Kevin cuts her off. "So, ask yourself. Are you with him because he makes you feel protected and you like that feeling and you think that feeling is love or do you really truly love him", he asked.

Aaliyah got up. "I didn't ask you what's up for you to try and make me second guess my feelings toward anybody", Aaliyah said.

Kevin was quiet for moment. "Sorry", he said.

"...I do love him. We are the same person. We had an instant connection, a spark...we both have been through things but yet we both make each other feel good about ourselves. He protects me? Yes. But that's just a plus. It's so much more to him that just some hood nigga slangin dope", she said.

Kevin nods. "That's good, Aaliyah. At the end of the day, if you happy. I'm happy. Our ship has already sailed. I understand", he said.

Aaliyah nods. "...goodnight kev", she said.

"Goodnight, Liyah", he replied.

Aaliyah walked upstairs and Kevin left.

TO BE CONTINUED....