The next day:
Saige-
After seeing Brian he gave me a small smile that immediately faded after my hand went across his face.
"Ayo Saige what the fuck?" He asked
"What was the point ? All that shut you said was bullshit you didn't give a fuck about what I had going you just wanted to hurt me to distract Chris." I said
"Hurt you ? Distract Chris ? Saige calm the fuck down." He said before grabbing my arms but I shook my head as I fought out of his grip and he pulled me inside before shutting the door behind me.
"Let me go Brian, you had Chris and my paps so fucked up, you're so selfish-"
"Interrupting my sentence he pressed me against the wall before looking at me until I stopped fighting out of his grip.
"I don't know what's going on, or what you're talking about, but can you please chill the fuck out." He said before eventually letting go of me.
"I didn't do shit to Chris or yo paps, I sent you to LA with nothing but pure intentions, I have no reason to hurt them." He said before furrowing his eyebrows
I broke eye contact before my eyes watered up and I turned around to leave but he stopped me.
"What happened Saige ?" He asked and I shook my head
"Nothing, I won't waste any more of your time." I said before turning around again but he pulled me back before looking at me.
Before I could speak, he connected his lips with mine catching me off guard and I quickly pulled back before looking at him.
"Are you-"
"I should go." I interrupted before picking my phone up and I quickly walked back out to my car before rubbing my head.
Just as I was about to pull off my phone rang and it was a message from Nae.
Nae🤎:meet us as the crib luv.
Chris-
Once Saige finally made it she sat down looking a little zoned out.
"You good ?" I asked and she nodded before giving me a small smile
"Wassup?" She asked and Nae sighed
"Desmir was the one that payer to get Chris and Donnell jumped." Nae said and Saige looked at her
"Wait what ? How ?" She asked
"When me and Desmir were off and on, I would always tell him that he's bottled, as in he isn't going anywhere and he breaking up would always be a temporary thing... so when he said that to Chris..."
"He was meaning that you're stuck." I finished and she nodded before looking down.
"What the fuck Des.." I mumbled
"Should we tell Kayla-"
"No, she'll take his side." Chris interrupted
"Wait, but why Donnell ? That's his uncle ?" Ahmad asked
"My daddy told his about what he did to Nae and he kicked him out because of it. He couldn't finish paying for college, so when the Duke offer came around he had no other choice but to take it." I explained
"Damn." He mumbled and I shook my head
"At least you know it's not Brian." Chris chuckled and I raised my eyebrows
"Yea... Brian." I trailed and Chris furrowed his eyebrows
"Ight, what did you do?" He asked and I rolled my eyes.
"I.. pulled up." I started and everybody smacked their teeth
"Saige." Ahmad sighed
"And then I smacked him, and I tried to beat his ass but he wouldn't let me and-"
"I told you to leave it alone until we figured it out, now what if it was him and he put his hands back on you?" Chris asked
"I was mad enough shit has happened to you because of me, I'm tired of playing nice." I said and Chris tilted his head
"I can handle myself." He told me and I nodded
"Noted." I mumbled
Chris got up before walking upstairs and I sighed before following him up to his room.
"I never suspected Des, and if it was Brian I just didn't want him to hurt you again." I said
"And that's exactly why I told you to leave it alone, you probably just made shit even worst."
"I didn't say too much so you can't-"
"Too much ?? What all did you say ?" He asked and I furrowed my eyebrows before grabbing his hand and sitting down on the bed with him.
"Chris you do know we wouldn't let you take that charge if it ever got out right ?" I asked
"And I'm not ignorant enough to say anything to Brian or anyone else." I said causing him to rub his head
"I know, a lot of shut is just fucking with me right now," he said and I nodded
"As much as I appreciate you looking out for me, look out for yourself too, you need sleep, did you even sleep last night ?" I asked and he looked at me causing me to tilt my head at him.
"Nope, go ahead clear your schedule." I said before getting up and shutting the door
"I'll be back in the crib early today anyways so I'll just take a nap later." He waved off
"Twenty four hours without sleeping ? Boy have you seen 'Awake' ?" I asked and he smacked his teeth.
"Exactly." I nodded before taking one of his shirts of of his drawer and I stripped before pulling his shirt over my head.
He also stripped before sliding on basketball shorts and he climbed into bed beside me before pulling me closer to his warm body.
It didn't take long at all for us both to fall asleep.
Chris-
I woke up to Saige still knocked out in my arms and j slightly stretched before slowly reaching for my phone.
Unknown- I can meet at 8:30.
The time read 8:03 so I replied to the message before sitting my phone back down. I slowly began to slide out of bed before covering Saige and I went back over to my closet before throwing on some sweats and a hoodie.
After getting myself situated I grabbed my keys before heading downstairs
"And where are you going ? I heard and I sighed before turning around to see my ma.
"I'm grown."
"Oh I'm sorry, I must've mistook you for the one that pays the bills." She said before walking towards me and I smacked my teeth
"Look at you.. have you been icing your face ??" She asked
"I have, I'll try more once I get back." I said
"Are you going to see Saige ?" She asked
"Why?"
"Just to prepare myself for you to come back looking even worst." She said and I tilted my head at her.
"See while you being funny Saige is upstairs asleep." I chuckled and she squinted her eyes at me.
"Then where are you going ?" She asked
"Food." I mumbled
"I cooked."
"I'm doordashing." She replied
"Not at this time you're not."
"Ma listen." I sighed before placing my hand on her shoulder
"I'm listening?" She mumbled before we sat in silence for a while.
"I'm Batman." I added before quickly squeezing out the door and towards the car
...........
After parking I waited for a while until his car pulled up beside me. I waited until he got out before getting out myself and walking towards him.
"So what finally made you want to talk?" Qua asked
"How did you know Tye ? What drew you to his plan on kidnapping Saige ?" I asked and he raised his eyebrows
"Why?"
"I mean for somebody who's not from New York, going hard for somebody that's not blood ? Shit not adding up." I said and he sighed
"He was like blood, can I remind you that I didn't get to grow up in a big ass house with a big happy family ? The streets in Brooklyn are different, blood don't make you family." He said
"Why ? Wassup with all these Tye questions?" He asked before looking around.
"He came at Saige again." I sattted and he furrowed his eyebrows
"Is she okay ?" He asked and I nodded
"We got her back, but he kidnapped her in LA, and she had to play along with his shit to get back to Charlotte." I said
"I'm guessing he beat yo ass too because you do not like ight." He chuckled before I pulled the Glock out of my pants and I placed it on his car hood.
He furrowed his eyebrows before checking it and looking back at me.
"There's two bullets missing? I gave you a full clip right ?" He asked and I didn't say anything causing him to stare.
"The fuck did you do ?" He asked
"Saige almost shot him but the gun Jammed so I-
"Where's the body??" He asked
"Mani took care of it."
"Mani ? Why didn't you call me that Nigga been on yo head for the longest."he interrupted
"The gun residue, you need to-"
"I took care of it, everything's gone and they cremated the body, there's no trace of evidence back to me." I said
"What about Saige ? If they ride back to LA together wouldn't they question her ?" He asked
"It doesn't matter how many questions they ask, without a witness or body they can't convict any of us." I said And he shook his head
"Look, I understand we not as tight as we would me man, but with shot like that call me. My biggest advice to you is to stay on the court or in that big ass house of yours, there's no way out once you get in." He told me and I nodded
"Real shit though, the fuck happened to yo face?" He asked
"This nigga who's trying to get at my sister payed Tye's crew to jump me and Saige's paps." I said before explaining to him the full situation
"Damn, so have you talked to Saige about how she would feel towards you getting back at him ?" He asked and I smacked my teeth
"Honestly, once he put his hands on my sister he lost all my respect. So Saige just gon have to move past this because I'm not letting this one slide." I said and he nodded
"Say less, hop in." He said before walking towards his car.
..................
Saige-
"Saige."
"Saige." I heard again causing me to groan and I opened my eyes to see Nae.
"Where's Chris ?" She asked and I furrowed my eyebrows before looking beside me to see him gone.
"Maybe he went to the gym? You know how he gets when it's stressed." I said
"It's 2:00 in the morning, my ma got worried because he left a few hours ago and he isn't answering the phone." She said causing me to sit up and I grabbed my phone
"I have his location hood on." I said before scrolling on my phone and furrowing me eyebrows
"I don't know where this is, it's about 30 minutes out.." I said and she furrowed her eyebrows before looking also.
"Empty parking lot ? Imagine if we popped up on him and found him with a female." She joked causing me to look at her and she cleared her throat
"Kidding.. I hope. Let's just drive over. We can go out the back door and not tell my ma." She said
"Why not ?" I asked And she cleared her throat
"Nae..?" I asked and she sighed
"You aren't really on her hood side at the moment but it's nothing serious, she's just being dramatic." She said causing me to furrow my eyebrows
"What ? How?" I asked and Nae rolled her eyes before grabbing my arm.
...........
"I still don't understand how I became the problem out of that ?" I said
"I mean it's not my fault right?" I asked send Nae sighed
"Saige let it goo, like I said she'll get over it so it's honestly nothing to worry about." I said before she parked.
I shook my head before looking back at Chris's location and I furrowed my eyebrows
"That's weird, it says he's here." I said before getting out the car
"Girl is your phone tripping ?" She asked and not long after I heard noises
"Do you hear that?" I asked
"Hear what ?"
I continued to approach the sound and the sound of grunts and tumbling got louder and louder. After I turned a corner I noticed Chris and Qua both kicking Desmir. Me and Nae looked at each other before jogging over and attempting to pull them off
"Chris that's enough, come on bruh." I said as I tried yanking him off but he wouldn't budge.
He kept throwing blow after blow and it was like he blacked out.
"Chris deadass you're gonna kill him!" Nae told him before looking at Qua
"Pull this shit back, he already caught one fucking body we can't do another one." I told Qua and he sighed before pulling Chris off of Des.
Des attempted to sit up before spitting blood out of his mouth and looking up at me causing me to furrow my eyebrows
I wanted to say something but I couldn't, I just pulled Chris away from the scene immediately as Qua and Nae followed.
After Nae dropped us off to Chris's car we got inside before riding in silence.
"What the fuck was you thinking ??" I asked
"Did you forget that he jumped me already or do you not give a fuck?" He asked
"Not give a fuck ? Oh I'm so sorry that I'm more focused on making sure you don't make matters worst, or fuck up your career." I said
"My career ? You don't even-"
"Chris I argue tonight, it's 2:00 in the morning, and I deadass just can't right now ." I said before rubbing my head
"Ight."
"Coo." I mumbled
After making it back to Chris's house his mom immediately approached us before hanging up the call that she was on.
"Chris what the fuck ? It's 3:00 in the morning and you didn't even think to call or text to tell me that you were ok ?" She asked
"Can we talk about this tomorrow?" He asked
"Absolutely not, sit down." She demanded and he sighed before rubbing his head
"Saige I think you should leave." She said and I furrowed my eyebrows
"That's fine. I didn't drive here though." I said
"I'll run you home and I'll just stay with Saige for the night." He said
"Nae can do it, every time you come back there's always something worst with you. Are your buckled bleeding ??" She asked Causing me to clear my throat
"Your son was 100% at fault for this one, but yes ma'am." I said before shaking my head
Chris grabbed his keys before following me out the door and towards his car.
"What did I do to her ?" I asked
"Nothing, it's just she knows nothing about the background of the shit that happened. To her it's like this shit is happening out the blue." He said and he shook my head
"She'll get over it, but to be fair I dealt with the same thing with yo paps." He said and I rolled my eyes.
Once we made it back to my house I changed into some comfortable clothes before going downstairs only to see Anthony.
"What are you doing here ?" I asked
"I was staying with Mani, where've you been?" He asked
"I fell asleep we Chris's." I said
"So why not stay at Chris's?"
"I brought him with me." I said causing him to laugh and shake his head
"I didn't hear that." I told me and I rolled my eyes before grabbing a pack of Frozen broccoli.
I started to walk upstairs but I stopped before turning around and going back to Ant. I pulled him into a long hug and he hesitantly hugged me back.
"What you need ?" He chuckled and j smacked my teeth before pulling back
"I just appreciate y'all for always looking out." I said and he nodded
"That's what we're supposed to do, all we're asking for in return is trust." He said and I nodded
"Tomorrow's thanksgiving, are you coming with us to bring paps home ?" He asked and I nodded
"Just let me know when y'all are ready." I said before heading back upstairs to Chris who had bandaged his hands.
I sat beside him on my bed before putting them both together and placing the broccoli on top of his hands.
"Are you ok?" I asked causing for him to look at me
"Genuine question." I added
"I'm fine." He shrugged
"I've said that enough to know that's not true." I told him before sitting in front of him and he raised his eyebrows
"Why aren't you ok?" He asked
"I'll vent after you vent, deal?" I asked and he chuckled
"I mean I'm straight I'm just worried for Nae. I felt like a shitty ass brother when I didn't go with my instincts and react as soon as I found out what was going on with Desmir, but I didn't and shit only got worst. No offense to you at all, but I don't want Nae to go through not even half of the shit that you just had to go through with Tye." He said and I nodded
"She didn't deserve that, but I think part of the reason why she's shrugging a lot off is because of Ahmad. I mean you brought someone into her life that she feels like she can genuinely trust and be able protected for the first time ever. Nothings going to happen to Nae, she has a whole team behind her." I said
"And you didn't ? Your team was stronger then Nae's and all hell still broke loose."
"I just never would've seen any of this shit coming and I feel like shit is only going to get worst." He said
"You think that because you think there's going to be a consequence to what you did, but we aren't going to let you get tied up into our family shit, I promise." I said
"I trust you, but wassup with you ?" He asked and I sighed
"I just.. haven't been ok for a while." I shrugged
"What you mean ?"
"Missing out on classes, becoming distant, lashing out, I just became depressed out of no where. So I tried to go back to the anti depressants that my therapist had prescribed me when I was down here, but she would write me one because she said I had to at least be in a few active sessions." I said and he furrowed his eyebrows
"Then what we're you taking ?" He asked and I looked up.
"They were still anti depressants, just un prescribed with more side affects, the nausea, dizzyness, all of that are side effects." I said
"Why didn't you say anything ?" He asked and I shrugged
"You were caught up with Cam, Nae was mad at me for being so distant with everybody, my daddy would've forced me back into therapy-"
"I mean is therapy such a bad idea ? I think it benefited you." Chris said and I shook my head causing for him to sigh
"I think you should at least go see her before you leave." He said and I sighed
"Please." He added and I nodded
"I'll think about it." I shrugged
"And shit happens, that probably won't be the last time that we'll end up on bad terms, but you can still talk to me about shit like that, I wouldn't turn you away." He reassured
"I felt like you did turn me away though, everyone Except for Ahmad took Camryn's side and said fuck how I felt." I said and he sighed
"We wasn't looking at it at your perspective, but I understand now." He said causing for me to raise my eyebrows
"I'm sorry, you what now ?" I asked and he chuckled before being the top of my head down to kiss my forehead.
"I understand." He repeated before pulling me down to a hug.
...........