"Good morning, state champ." Indigo smiled, walking into Sevyn's hospital room with breakfast in her hand.
"Good morning." Sevyn shook his head, smiling.
Every time he looked at her, he regretted everything wrong he had ever done to her; he couldn't believe it took him getting shot to see Indigo was going to hold him down. He promised himself he'll make up everything to her; he wanted to marry her.
"I'm going to marry you." He said, catching her off guard.
"Don't be weird, and I just got here before I walk back out." She joked, making him smirk.
"You heard what I said."
"Can we get back together first before you talk about marriage?"
"We been back together; we actually never broke up in my eyes." He shrugged, making her roll her eyes. "Just a pause."
"Let's eat breakfast." She smiled, handing him his platter while opening hers. "How are you feeling today?"
"My blood pressure dropped in the night, so they've been back and forth checking that. They keep pushing my discharge date back, and that shit is starting to piss me off; I'm ready to go."
"They're doing their job; if something isn't right, why would you want them to send you home?"
"I just wanna go to my brother's funeral tomorrow, man." He sighed.
"And we'll be there. It doesn't matter if I have to break you out of here myself."
"You gon drive the getaway car?" He chuckled, stuffing his face with pancakes.
"Yep! Guns blazing!" She smiled, making him smirk.
"You so stupid." He shook his head. "You gon always make me feel better."
"Always," Indigo confirmed as she pulled out her Macbook to go to Netflix so they could finish Stranger Things.
"Before we start, I meant to ask why you haven't been going to cheerleading practice?"
"Because my boyfriend got shot." She scrunched her face up. "What am I going to cheerleading practice for?"
"Because you have to go to California in the summer, you need to practice before you go."
"I may not even go there; I haven't been feeling cheerleading."
"Indi, don't do that." He got serious. "If it's anything you love, you love cheerleading. Imma be good, and even if I weren't, I would've never wanted you to be miserable."
"Don't talk like that because you're good. Don't say what would've happened if you passed."
"I'm saying it because I wish Duece would've told me how to live without him."
"But I'm living with you."
"And if I didn't make it, I would've wanted you to live your life to the fullest, bro. I bought them tickets to the cheerleading shit in the first place because I believed in you, I believe you would've bought that shit home, and you still can. You going to Cali, even if I gotta force you there myself."
"Alright, I'll go." Indigo rolled her eyes.
"Stop acting like you're not excited." He smirked. "Imma comes to see you in Cali anyway; that was always the plan."
Indigo nodded her head, making him look at her; he could tell his statement was bothering her. She poked at her pancakes, not having an appetite anymore.
"C'mere." He closed his plater, putting it on the table. She got in the bed as he hugged her tightly. "I know you were scared getting that call, and I know it bought up feelings, but I'm here, baby. I'm never leaving you, and I promise you that. We for lifers."
"For lifers." She repeated, smiling slickly, trying to wipe the tears as a nurse walked in.
"Hey, Indigo." She smiled, going to check his blood pressure. "It's going back up; you may get out of here now. Let me go consult the doctor."
"See, now we finna celebrate. Let me eat your pussy." He said, catching her off guard as her eyes went big.
"Sevyn, we're in the damn hospital."
"Baby, the bed is big enough, and we could lock the door." He chuckled.
"You're serious?" She squinted her eyebrows.
"As hell."
"I haven't shaved, Sevyn." She admitted, embarrassed. "Like it's not crazy, but it's not bald."
"Indigo, I don't give a fuck about no hair."
She nervously walked to the door, pulled down the curtain, locked it, and then pulled to make sure it was locked. Sevyn stood up as she stood in front of him, making him look at her.
"Why are you acting nervous, Indi?"
"Because we're in the hospital, and what about your neck? What if-"
"Indi, if my neck hurts, I'll stop. Stop tripping bout me; I'm good."
"I feel like a pornstar." She shook her head, pulling down her sweatpants and panties.
She lay on the bed as she started getting palpitations, she hated the anticipation of doing sexual things; she was always nervous.
"If you want me to stop, I'll stop."
"Okay."
Indigo knew once he started, she wouldn't want him to stop. She also decided on something else. She wouldn't be a virgin anymore after this.
~
"Whewww," Flaire mumbled, staring into space. She and Keygan had been having sex since yesterday, and she just knew this was the last time.
"I'm done; my shit is starting to get sore."
"Who you telling?" She shook her head, going to get into the bath.
They both showered and began getting dressed; she was taking Keygan on a date. She looked at her phone ringing; seeing the jail number, she hurriedly pressed zero so she could speak to her dad.
"Flaire?" He asked.
"Hi, dad." She smiled.
"Nice to hear your voice, baby girl." He smiled. "What you doing?"
"I'm about to take Keygan out; he won the state champs."
"Tell him congrats; I'm proud of him, Ezra, and Tyke. Tell them that."
"I'll tell them when I see them."
"Where are you taking him?"
"There's this poetry reading at the bar. Hopefully, he'll go up there and say something."
"You know he always felt shy about his writing; he may not. Don't push if he doesn't want to."
"Of course not; how are you?"
"Better now that two out of four daughters answer my phone calls. I started the therapy classes you suggested."
"I'm proud of you; I also have. I do my first session next week, and I've read many self-reflection books."
"I can't believe this, my FlaireBare talking; your mother would've been so proud of you."
"You think I can come to see you next week, and we can talk about what you want to?"
"Of course, I'll tell Genesis I'm going to tell you."
"Okay." Flaire was about to say something, but the automated voice reminded them they had five minutes left.
They continued talking for the last five minutes as Keygan returned with chips in his hand; he kissed her forehead and then grabbed his jacket.
"We finna stop by the hospital and see Sevyn real quick."
"That's fine," Flaire said, grabbing his car keys.
"Imma buy you a car," Keygan said, making her laugh.
"Keygan, you don't have no damn money."
"Imma get a loan." He laughed.
"Shut up, dumb ass." She smiled as they walked out of his house.
Flaire started making her way to the hospital; she parked in the visiting area as they both got out, getting a pass. They walked to his room seeing Ezra, Haven, Tyke, Maicee, the football coaches, and some of the players.
"Wassup, my boy." Keygan dabbed him up. "You started to look back like yourself."
"Congrats, champ." Flaire hugged him, making him chuckle.
"This not the same Flaire who wanted to fight a few weeks ago."
"I still want to, but when you healed up so you won't have no excuses."
Sevyn chuckled. "Indigo not mad at me no more, she not going to go for allat. She doesn't play when it comes to me."
"So I'm hearing Imma must whoop her first, got it?" She nodded, smiling, making him chuckle. "You better not hurt her no more, especially if y'all back together, and I know y'all is cause she texted me around an hour ago happy as hell."
Sevyn smirked because he knew that's not what she was telling Flaire, but he nodded his head instead of telling her.
"I'll never hurt her again; I wanna marry her for real."
"That's right." Haven smiled, making Flaire squint her eyes at her.
"I just know you didn't stay out all night."
"I'm going home after this," Haven reassured.
"You are playing with fire," Flaire warned, then looked back to Sevyn. "Where, my sissy?"
"She went with my mother to bring me some clothes; I'm getting discharged. Duece funeral tomorrow, y'all going, right?"
"Of course nigga, Duece had brothers beyond you," Tyke said, making them nod.
"I love y'all niggas yo; I'm glad y'all bought this shit home." He chuckled, looking at the trophy the coach had.
"We had to do it big for you, my nigga." Ezra said.
"Flaire made us some shit," Keygan said, grabbing the bag. He pulled out the state champs shirts she made for each player, including the coaches.
"Oh, I like this." Coach Wilder said. "This dope."
"Let's put em on and take a picture with the trophy," Adonis said as everybody started putting on their shirt, including Sevyn.
Flaire started taking multiple pictures just as Indigo, Desean, and Sandra walked back up. They all smiled, seeing Sevyn was real happy. Indigo took out her phone, taking a picture of him and just him.
"I'll send these to Keygan," Flaire said.
"I'll put em in the group chat," Keygan said.
They sat with Sevyn for around thirty minutes until Flaire told Keygan they needed to leave; she hugged Sevyn again and then watched as Keygan hugged him. She told her sisters she'll see them in the house then they were on their way to the bar.
They got seats in the middle of the bar when they pulled up. Flaire grabbed her fake ID showing the waitress as she ordered two long islands and some wings. Keygan listened to the poetry intensively, nodding his head; he loved everything about telling a story.
He knew Flaire wasn't into it as much, but she still bought him here, which meant more to him than anything else.
~
"I'm going to be in so much trouble," Haven mumbled as Ezra drove her home.
"You knew the consequences," Ezra said. "Just take your punishment like a G."
"They probably don't give me my phone or allow me to go out anymore."
"Yeah, Imma sees you Monday, or I'll sneak you a phone, my lil prisoner." Ezra chuckled.
"This isn't funny; I shouldn't even be on punishment. Flaire fought for years, and all she got was lectures, I have one fight, and I'm on punishment."
"Pretty girl, that fight led Genesis almost to miscarry. If this was you and somebody put you in the hospital over a solution that could've been solved, I don't know what I would do."
"So, what do I do?"
"Go to their room, admit you were wrong, explain yourself, then take whatever punishment they give you because you're wrong."
"Okay, I love you." She kissed him as he kissed her back.
"I love you."
He got out of the car and walked her to the door; he hugged her and kissed her once more, then watched her walk into the house before he jogged back to his car.
Haven walked up the stairs knocking on Genesis and Devon's room door; once she heard Devon say come in, she walked in. They paused the movie looking at Haven.
"I apologize for sneaking out and staying out; I just wanted to see Ezra make history. I also apologize for being selfish and realizing my actions are why you're so miserable right now, Genny. Lately, I've been thinking of myself, and I will also apologize to Indigo. I know my punishment will be worse, and I'm okay with that."
"Twenty minutes after you snuck out, I came to your room to tell you to go to the game. If you would've just waited twenty minutes, you wouldn't have to worry about what ways I could make your punishment worse."
"I'm apologizing."
"And I say it's bullshit, Haven,"
"Devon," Genesis warned.
"Your actions have consequences, and since you want to be so sneaky, you don't get to do shit. You won't have a life, a phone, a TV, shit, even a door now. You want something; you better earn that shit cause from here on out, I'm not arguing with y'all on shit y'all know y'all shouldn't be doing."
"Your talking as if you're my parent." Haven rolled her eyes. "My mom wouldn't have been this hard, and Genesis, you aren't even saying anything, and you're my guardian."
"She's not saying shit because I'm not letting y'all stress her out anymore; my wife lost her mother during her first pregnancy and just recovered from postpartum. You think Imma let y'all selfish ass kids cause my wife to lose our child?"
"Just go in your room, Haven," Genesis said.
"And Haven, Genesis is your guardian and my wife. Don't you think the paperwork included both of our names? I am your guardian, you are under my roof where I pay for everything damn thing in this house, and you will listen. That simple, now go to your room!"
Haven walked out of the room, not saying anything else; she knew Devon was mad because he never talked to her like that. He never spoke to any of them like that.
She looked at her door, noticing it wasn't there, and she just wanted to scream. He also took her TV so she couldn't watch anything.
She wanted to scream and cry.
So that's what she did.
She screamed into her pillow with tears following.
She was never on punishment before, and she didn't know what to do. She hated this feeling and knew she needed to do everything to get back on the good side of Devon.
"Let me talk to you." She heard making her look up as Genesis walked into her room. She sat down on her bed as Haven's cat followed her.
Since Genesis found out she was pregnant; Echo followed her around more than ever. She knew animals could sense pregnancies, but she didn't think the cat would cling to her.
"When I was your age, Devon and I were pregnant. No one knew but our father, and we didn't want to tell anyone else until we had to. We were so nervous." Genesis chuckled. "Especially me, I didn't want to become a teen mom, and Devon had so many scouts on him I didn't want to be a burden. One day, I became so sick that I went to the doctor, and they told me I was in active labor. I had a stillborn baby, we."
"I'm sorry Genny."
"It's okay; I've learned to deal with it." She sadly smiled. "Devon is mad because this would've been the second baby he lost, that he can still lose. He's also mad because he solved you guys' problem and thought he was a good big brother."
"He's the best big brother," Haven said. "Are you mad at me?"
"I'm disappointed, Haven; you and Indigo took away my excitement for my pregnancy." She admitted. "I can't be out of bed for more than four hours a day, and that hurts me, Haven."
Haven began crying; she felt so guilty. She wished she could take everything back.
"We aren't putting you on punishment to torture you; we want you guys to understand once you're an adult and you make mistakes, they have consequences. You won't be on punishment forever; you can possibly get off before the week is over. You just have to earn it."
"Okay." Haven nodded.
"I've talked to him; you can have your phone." She handed her her phone. "But you aren't getting your tablet, door, or laptop back, and you still can't go outside or have company."
"Okay," Haven said. She would rather have her phone over anything anyway.
She immediately called Ezra, making him answer.
"You out of prison?" He asked as soon as he answered.
"Nope, but Genny said I could at least have my phone."
"That's better than nothing."
"Same thing I said. Are you home?"
"Nah, I'm on my way to pick Reg up from her boyfriend's house."
"I thought her boyfriend drove."
"He does, but she asked me cause he got to take a test early in the morning or sumn like that, and she didn't want him to take that drive back and forth."
"Oh, okay, do you want me to stay on the phone or hang up?"
"Why would we hang up?" He chuckled as she smiled because she didn't want to hang up.
~
Brat walked into Blaire's house seeing him on the couch dozing off to the TV, she was supposed to leave earlier in the morning, but her mom decided they could stay one more day extra since it was the weekend.
"What you watching, stinky doowap?" She asked, coming to sit next to him.
"Uh, Venom."
"This isn't even Venom with your sleepy ass."
He didn't bother responding since he was dozing off again, making her roll her eyes; she stood up, going into his drawer to take some weed. Once she got enough to fill her blunt, she began rolling. She got on live since that was her only entertainment.
_ohsoyouFlaire wya bff?
"I'm at baby daddy's house." She turned the camera towards him. "Where are you, bff? I'm so bored, and Blaire's boring."
_ohsoyouFlaire On my way home, I took Keygan on a date. Let's go out.
"Now you are talking; I have to get dressed. I'll be there in around thirty minutes."
She ended her live to get ready; she hadn't been out in forever and loved it when she and Flaire went out.
She got in the shower for a good eight minutes, then returned to her suitcase to see what she wanted to wear. She decided she would wear black high waist faux leather pants with a black cropped wrap-around shirt. She wanted to wear heels to complete the look, but instead, she just wore white AF 1s.
Forty minutes passed while she was getting dressed and doing her hair; when she was done, she looked herself over in the mirror. She nodded, liking how she looked; she took some more weed out of his drawer and then went to wake up Blaire.
"Baby, I'm finna go out with Flaire."
"Where?" He mumbled.
"I don't know yet."
"Share your location and stop taking my fucking weed."
"I love you," She kissed him multiple times as he moved his face.
"I love you more. Text me when you get where you going and if you don't send your location Imma punch you in your head."
"I'm sharing it now, big dawg, relax."
"And be back in this house at a reasonable time. If I have to wake up to come to get you, Imma punch you in your head."
"Oh boy, let's not talk about reasonable times."
With that, she walked out of the house, locking the door, knowing he'd double-check it. She started making her way to Flaire's house; she parked in the driveway. She unlocked the front door going straight to Genesis and Devon's room.
"Hi, sisterrrrr." She dragged out, getting in bed with her.
"What you doing here?" Genesis asked, hugging her. "I thought y'all were leaving this morning."
"She granted me one more day so we can go to the funeral tomorrow."
"Where is y'all going?" Devon said, walking into the room.
"Just going out; I didn't ask."
"Share your location."
"You and Blaire swear y'all are protectors." She rolled her eyes sharing her location with Devon. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine; my headaches finally stopped," Genesis said, grateful. "And I turned 11 weeks today."
"Yesss, I hope this is a boy but with your personality. No one wants another Devon."
"Y'all gon leave my man alone."
"My man, my man, my man." Brat mocked, making her laugh.
"How I look, sissy?" Flaire asked, coming into the room.
She wore black stacked leather pants with a black shirt cut down the middle and tied. She also wore some black heels that went well with her french manicure.
"Not us twinning." Brat glared. "And you got on heels, no."
"This is why she should've asked what we were wearing. I'm not changing; I look good."
"I'm not wearing sneakers when you have on heels." She frowned.
"Go get some out of my closet," Genesis said, making Brat run to her closet. "I never thought this would've happened."
Brat chose black square-toed heels that weren't too high and comfortable enough that she could dance in. She left her shoes in the closet, moisturizing her feet.
"I love you, sissy, see you tomorrow," Brat said as they walked out.
"Call me if anything and be safe," Devon called out. "And no fighting!"
Flaire got into the driver's seat since she knew where they were going, and Brat decided to roll up. She lit the blunt as she DJ; they pulled up to a bar called Sugar.
They got out, ensuring they had everything; Flaire pulled out her fake ID, as did Brat. They showed it to the man at the door and then walked to the bar to take a seat.
"How are we feeling? Light or dark?" Brat asked.
"I'm in a Dusse mood."
"Can we have four shots of Dusse, a cranberry juice, and a corona?" Brat asked the bartender. "Start a tab."
"I hope that nasty ass corona for you."
"Duh bitch." She rolled her eyes. "How was your date?"
"It was fine until we got into an argument."
"What the fuck? Why?"
"He asked me to move with him, and I told him no."
"I thought we were all moving on campus?" She questioned.
"Exactly the plan. I told him we could move together in our second or third year but not the first. I want to at least experience campus lifestyle; he said okay but continued acting like he had an attitude, so I told him to drop me home."
"I understand both parties; Blaire and I just had this discussion also. He said he'll be buying an apartment by campus and wanted me to move in. I told him no, but he understood; he is still getting the apartment."
"Look at my brother being a different man."
"Yes, he's growing up."
"How are you doing, beautiful ladies?" Two white men approached them, making them look at each other.
"What are we drinking?"
"Well, we have Dusse on our tab," Brat said.
The white man pulled a hundred, slamming it down on the bar. "This should cover the ladies' tab so far and whatever we're about to drink."
They began drinking with the men enjoying all the free drinks they bought; they were so lit within the hour that they laughed at everything. Desiree stood up to teach the man how to dance to the African music.
Flaire stood up, teaching the other one who started a chain as other people got to learn the dance, before you know it the whole bar was following their lead. Flaire decided to go on live as people immediately started joining.
_Indigo_ Y'all look like y'all having fun, I wanna go outside
Tyke LMAOOO Not my sisters tryna switch to the wrong side
Tyke Let me tell my manz we finna go beat up a cracka LMAOOO
Ezra I'm calling Key
somerandom You look so good
"Sister, I'm going to buy you a drink soon, don't trip. Tyke and Ezra, y'all can go head!" Flaire yelled, laughing. "I'm just having fun!"
Key.2.Life joined your live
Tyke THERE HE GO!
Ezra Boom
Key.2.Life Wya?
Tyke LMAOOOOOOOOOO
"Y'all are mad corny!" Flaire laughed. "Baby, I'm at Sugar. Don't let them get into your head; we are more solid than their relationships."
Flaire stayed on live for ten more minutes joking with them; then she got off. She saw Keygan text her as the white man walked up to her pulling her hand so she could dance. She laughed putting her phone in her pocket.
She liked the white men because they weren't overbearing and respected boundaries. They flirted but once both girls made it aware they had boyfriends they treated them as if they were friends.
After thirty minutes, the white men left, not before making sure all the drinks were paid for, and gave Brat their numbers.
Brat finally sat down just as Rell and his friends started walking toward them, making Flaire roll her eyes; somehow, this ugly boy always found her.
"Look who we have here." He smiled, rubbing his hands together.
"Bye, Rell." Flaire and Brat said in unison, then looked at each other, laughing.
"Not bye Rell!" Flaire laughed, tilting her head back.
"Oh, you drunk?" He smirked, touching Flaire's thigh as she continued laughing, not aware.
"Get the fuck off my BFF." Brat smacked his hand hard as hell.
"Why are y'all always playing? I could have any bitch, but y'all are always the only two treating me like a regular nigga."
"You are a fucking regular nigga, the fuck." Brat scrunched her face up.
"An ugly ass one too." Flaire laughed loudly, making her laugh.
Flaire was definitely drunker.
"You think 'cause you got money you get bitches? Bitch I have money." Flaire took out her stack of money, smacking him in his face with it.
"Whewww." Brat laughed, taking the stack from her hand before she threw it.
Rell stood there while his friend laughed, embarrassed.
"BFF, you finna start his villain story." Brat laughed.
"I'll beat Rell up myself." Flaire laughed. "He better leave me along cause I'm drunk, and I'll act an ass."
Rell grabbed Flaire's arm real hard, making her fall to the ground; Brat stood up to hold her best friend. Flaire was still laughing, she laughed even more challenging, and Brat knew that was their queue to leave. She grabbed her bag and phone to call Blaire as he followed them, pushing Flaire again.
"Baby, I can't hear you," Blaire said as he rode around with Ant, Ra, and Tone, putting the phone on speaker.
"Baby, this nigga Rell in here trying to show the fuck out. He just put his hands on Flaire, and now he is following us out here talking shit."
"I'll be to you in five minutes," Blaire said making an illegal U-turn going to Sugar.
Blaire sped to Sugar, praying he did not get pulled over because he would lead the police on a high-speed chase. He pulled up, seeing Brat holding Flaire up as she went back and forth with Rell. He was yelling; Blaire didn't even put the car in park before he hopped out.
"I'll slut y'all bitches out, have y'all in a warehouse begging y'all would've just given me play."
"Nigga, who you talking to?" He asked, getting in Rell's face and making his friends alert. "Aye, Tone, take Flaire home, then drive Brat back to my shit. I'll meet you there."
"Bet." Tone said, grabbing Brat's keys. He helped Flaire in the car and then pulled off.
As they got down the street, they heard a round of shots making Brat's heart drop. She grabbed her phone and was about to call Blaire.
"Don't call him; I got his phone. He good." Tone said.
"How you know?"
"He good." Tone repeated, making her sigh.
"Drop me off to my man," Flaire mumbled as she picked up the phone to call him. "Baby, I'm coming to you. In five minutes, so come help me because I can't walk."
Keygan shook his head, standing up as he started to get dressed; Flaire stayed on the phone until they pulled up to his house. He got outside watching her stumble out of the car; he picked her up.
"Wait, wait, BFF, I love you."
"I love you more, BFF." Brat smiled, shaking her head.
Keygan walked with her to her room; he started to take off her clothes and makeup as she lay down with a smile. He took a picture of her chuckling; he couldn't wait to pick with her when she woke up.
"Let's get nasty." She sat up smiling.
~
Indigo watched Sevyn sleep smiling; she couldn't believe she had lost her virginity.
In a hospital at that.
Sevyn was so patient, and he explored her body better than ever. She regretted nothing.
Sevyn was finally getting discharged, and she couldn't be happier. She hoped Devon would allow her to spend this one night over there.
She continued laying on him; she loved laying on his chest and listening to his heartbeat and feeling his chest go up and down until it stopped. She furrowed her eyebrows, sitting up; she touched him but didn't get a response making her immediately run out of the room.
"He's not breathing!" She yelled to the nurse who immediately stood up.
"Call a code blue! Room 818!"
A bunch of nurses and doctors ran into the room; they hooked him back to the continuously flatlined machines.
Indigo dropped to the corner as tears ran down her face. She was so confused; she was so hurt.
Sevyn's parents walked into the room while everybody tried to bring Sevyn back to life.
"NOOO!" Sandra yelled, trying to run to Sevyn as Desean held her. "Sevyn, please, baby! NOO! Fight! Don't leave me, baby!"
"Get her out of here." The doctor yelled as a nurse walked them out of the room.
"Push 4 of Epi!" Another doctor yelled as they gave him the defibrillator paddles. "Clear. Go up to 250 clear."
"How long has he been down?" A doctor called out.
"Eight minutes." A nurse said.
"Call it."
"Time of death 21:20."
"NOOOO!" They heard Sevyn's mother yell.
They began unhooking him to everything again, cleaning the area while Sandra's cries were unbearable. Some nurses even started crying; Sevyn was some of their favorites on the floor.
Indigo stood up, going to lie back in the bed with him. She looked in his face with blurred eyes before she broke down, clenching his shirt in her fist. She mustered out the loudest blood-curdling scream she could.
She couldn't understand this pain.
__________________
Rest in peace, Sevyn.