A few days later - CELA'S POV...
'Cee lemme talk to you for a minute' I heard from a familiar voice behind me, and turned around to see Tariq.
'What?' I said with an attitude.
We haven't spoke since he tried to embarrass me in class, and I was fine with that.
'Privately?' He asked me and I squinted my eyes at him before shaking my head no.
'Nah, here's fine' I said and he sighed before nodding.
We were currently standing by my locker, I mean it was the end of the day. I was about to leave and I wasn't tryna go nowhere with him. I just figured, his apology should be as loud as his disrespect was.
'Ight, I'm sorry. Im taking full accountability for what I did, and I know we spoke about people making fun you, and you ain't need that from me too. I knew how it makes you feel and'- he started and I interrupted him.
'Nah you don't. Otherwise you wouldn't have said it' I interrupted him and he nodded.
'You right you right and I'm sorry' he said.
'It's aight, I forgive you. After my brother, ion wanna hold no more grudges with anybody, you don't know what could happen' I explained and he nodded.
'See you around?' He asked and I shrugged.
'Maybe' I said and left school completely.
After work 11pm - CELA'S POV...
I clocked out of work and drove home. I just wanted to eat and chill, cause we just got out of school for winter break. I was ready to chill with my sis and sleep in.
That 'I'm off tomorrow' sleep hit different, and nobody can tell me otherwise.
As I stepped into the house, I heard a headboard slamming against the wall and I have to check myself for a second.
I thought it was our neighbour, but we live beside old people, and they ain't all that active.
I heard the slamming stop and then I heard shuffling around the room.
I saw Tariq coming down the stairs, with his shirt off looking all sweaty, and Mani came down in her robe looking all embarrassed.
'Hey Cee' he said to me and I mugged him as he left, and I slammed the door behind him.
'Imani what the actual fuck? In mama's house? With him? What the fuck?' I asked her and she mugged me.
'Don't go acting like you and Mar don't do nothing' she said and I looked at her like she was crazy.
'We never do nothing here' I said, shaking my head at her. 'When did this even happen?'
'Well he's been checking up on me ever since David passed, and one thing led to another, and now we in love' she said and I held a confused look on my face.
'Are you gonna tell mama?' She asked and I ignored her, walking up to my room and slamming my door behind me.
I didn't know how I was feeling at this moment. Part of me was disappointed in Mani for doing sum like this in mama's house, and part of me was disappointed in Tariq for even going there with my younger sister, and keeping it from me. They both kept it from me.
I got showered, and put on my pyjamas. All that stuff with Mani and Tariq made me lose my appetite, and all I wanted to sleep.
I prayed, read my verse of the day and then drifted off to sleep.
Next Day 9:45am
I got to class and sat in my usual spot at the back. This was the class I had with Riq, which I did not wanna be in right now.
He walked in, took down his hood and came and sat by me.
'You still ignoring me?' He asked me and I looked up at him.
'When was You gon tell me about you and Mani?' I asked him, as I got my books outta my backpack. 'You ain't think that was important when we was talking yesterday or?'
'Why you trippin?' He smirked and I mugged him.
'I'm not. That's my younger sister Riq. How could you?' I asked him and he squinted his eyes at me before shrugging.
'I wanted you but you ain't even want a nigga' he said and I rolled my eyes.
'So you using my sister?' I asked him and he shook his head.
'Nah, she cool peoples' he said and I squinted my eyes at him before turning back to my work.
'Ight Riq' I said getting back to my work.
The entire class he kept trying to get my attention, but I was ignoring him. He basically just told me he was with my sister cause he wanted me first, that makes me sick for real.
Class ended and I scurried out. I was trying to find Imani cause we didn't ride to school together this morning. She said Tariq was giving her a ride.
12:45pm...
I got outta my class later, cause I had to talk to my teacher about something. I walked into the cafeteria and saw Imani and Tariq sitting with all their friends, all cozy and 'in love'. Tariq saw me and winked at me before going back to his conversation.
I sat down at an empty table and got on my phone.
I'm ready to get tf up outta here I texted Mar and he called me 2 minutes later.
'What's going on mama?' He asked me and I shrugged, explaining the whole situation to him. 'He weird as fuck for that' Mar said and I laughed.
'Ugh I miss You baby. Come get me' I said and I heard him shuffling.
'I miss you too but you know damn well you drove your own damn self to school this morning' he joked and I laughed, knowing he was right. 'Imma see you as soon as you tell me you home. I love you'
'I love You too' I said ending the call, and I went back to scrolling on my phone.
***
I drove home alone, since Mani left already with Tariq. The way she was moving, was like she'd never had any male attention before and it was honestly weird.
I got in and saw Mani sitting in the front room and I walked in and sat in front of her.
She mugged me, and switched the channel on the TV.
'What's up with you girl?' I asked her and she looked at me like I was crazy.
'You. You're jealous of me and Tariq. He told me what you was saying' she said to me and I held a confused look on my face.
'That I said that y'all didn't tell me about it? What's the problem with that?' I asked her and she mugged me.
'You really gon sit here and lie to my face? You get a lil man in your life, and you think you better than me' she said and I was honestly shocked.
'This don't have nothing to do with no one being better. You doing too much girl' I said to her and she just chuckled.
'You have Mar, I don't know why you want Riq too. He's mine, he loves me' she justified and I stared at her blankly, and I heard the doorbell ring.
I walked over to the door and opened it. It was Mar and he read the look on my face, nodded and walked in and sat by me.
'He said he wanted me but I ain't want him. So he took you' I said to her plainly. I was tired of her jumping to conclusions and she was actually lowkey hurting my feelings.
'Let's call him then' she said pulling out her phone and dialling his number. He answered on the last ring and Mar looked at me, like he was about to laugh.
'Wassup' he said.
'I'm here with Cela. Tell her what you told me' she said and there was silence on his end. 'Baby? Hello? Can you hear me?' She asked, stepping out of the room and running up to her room.
'You aight mama?' Mar finally spoke and I shook my head.
'I just wanna get outta here, I'll be honest' I said and Mar got up and we left outta the house completely.
We got into his car and I just broke down crying. I hated fighting with my sister, and what's worse is that it's over a boy. Like we ain't never got to this position before, and I hate that we got here.
'She gon come around mama' Mar said, rubbing on my thigh and he kissed my forehead.
'She was tryna say I'm desperate which I don't appreciate' I complained and Mar nodded.
'Yeah I peeped that, but I ain't wanna get involved in y'all's sister drama' he said and I nodded.
We drove back to his house and by the time we got there, I just fell asleep in his bed.
***
I woke up to the sound of my phone buzzing and I unwrapped myself from Mar's blankets and picked up my phone.
'Have you checked your insta???' I saw Monica text me and i felt my heart drop into my stomach...