Ms Trina's grave was on top of a small hill, that grew bleeding hearts. Khalil thought it would be symbolic to bury the woman there instead of in a cemetery. The four men Khalil James, Deshawn, and some random funeral carrier, carried the woman's casket towards the hill top.
While Milo and Javan, follows closely behind them.
When Khalil had explained to Milo the way she was found dead in the showers with a bunch of stab wounds he felt sick. Although he wanted her to face consequences for her actions, he hadn't wanted her life to be taken away from her.
"It's not adding up," James tells his brother stroking his chin.
Milo lifts his head hearing the sound of James voice.
Khalil turns to his brother he also tries to wrap his head around the current situation. How a woman that he just was communicating with, that was full of so much life, had managed to get killed. Who killed her, was what he wondered most?
It wasn't adding up to Khalil, and he wasn't the only one who felt this way. Both Deshawn and James wondered the same thing. Deshawn blinks back shock, his brown eyes trails the cold, dark, empty grave before him. Where the four would have to put this woman to rest in.
James looks towards Khalil who was staring at the ground. "We will go by the lab after her funeral," James lets them know, and Khalil looks up at him alert.
"Oh come on there's nothing that a lab can tell you that you shouldn't have already figured out by now," Deshawn tells the two of them, as they look at each other than back at him. "What are you on about Deshawn," Khalil questions the male who scoffs at him, "Khalil you're smart, so let's not drag out this story any longer, it's clear to me that Song deleted her ass off the map."
Khalil eyes widen as he looks ahead listening to the male It did make sense, for her to have been killed off, which is why she seemed so scared, but what was the reason? Khalil squeezes the bar he was holding tightly.
"But why would he kill her off, and why?" James asks Deshawn as they approach the grave. Milo eavesdrops on the conversation, Khalil had never really explained to him just why he grew sympathetic towards the woman that stabbed him? So hearing them discuss her death and how his father had something to do with it put even more weight on the guilt he felt.
That's just the type of man his father was. He'll use these people, these pawns to him. They do his dirty work, then when he has no need for them, they are killed. However Milo didn't know the story behind Trina, but he felt bad for her anyway.
Milo draws himself out of his thoughts hearing Deshawn tell them, "It's simple really after everything she told us, that's breaking the code, even if it was just her sad life story and a warning. To someone like Song that's death penalty." He puts his hand to his neck mimicking a knife as he slices it.
Milo breath hitches softly.
Javan was also paying close attention to the conversation as he looks towards Milo, who looked shaken.
"You alright?" He asks Milo, watching the boy shake his head no. Personally Javan had no sympathy for the woman, who hurt his little sister.
Khalil lets out a simple laugh shaking his head. It was unbelievable to him. The three of them and a guard were the only ones in that room, how was it possible that someone could've heard her?
"It just doesn't make any sense! We were the only one up in that room with one of the guards, it isn't possible for some inmate to have heard us," Khalil relays to them voicing his thoughts proudly.
James green eyes widen at the boy's statement. The twisted thought of what the woman had told them comes to mind. "Do you not think I tried, but Song had eyes everywhere, even behind the police station walls."
The more James thought about that moment, the more the thought of an accomplice in the force made sense.
Trina's petrified look the moment she looked at one of the guard, it's as if she knew, that she was gonna die.
"Judging by the quietness, I'm sure you've figured it out by now?" Deshawn questions the two as they finally reach her grave. They place the coffin down on the machine, watching as the workers lowered the coffin into the grave.
Milo stands beside Khalil who wraps his arms around his waist pulling him close. "Khalil did my farther order someone in the prison to kill this woman?" Milo questions the group, as they all looks towards him. Deshawn clears his throat not realizing he had been listening to their conversation.
Milo eyes widen when Khalil just stares at him. Khalil didn't expect him to ask that question hadn't known he'd been listening.
"Why are you guys so quiet? I asked a question," he steps away from Khalil looking at him. We're they honestly not going to tell him, even though he had heard most of their conversation.
Javan comes up the hill moments later. "Damn did y'all really have to leave me behind?" Javan questions waddling over to his boyfriend.
Javan stares at the group feeling the tension.
"Did something happen-
"Yea." Khalil cuts him off telling Milo softly nodding his head. His comatose expression only makes the feeling of guilt in Milo worse.
"Don't blame yourself, it wasn't your fault. She knew-
"No you're wrong everything that happens to people, it's always going to be linked back to me. Ms Kitty's house, her lung capacity, and now," he gestures to the woman before them in the coffin. "She's dead, and for some reason I feel like I have part take in her murder somehow."
Milo lets tears fall as he wipes them. "Milo" Javan says his name but he shakes his head not trying to hear nothing.
"Don't say nothing because you know it's true, all that's happening to people is my fault-
"You need to stop blaming yourself for the things that happen around you," James says cutting Milo off who looks up at him. Milo breath hitches hearing Khalil's brother finally speak to him.
"James," Khalil questions? His eyes narrowing onto his brother wearing a comatose expression as he stares at Milo.
"I-I can't help it. If I had just minded my business then she wouldn't be lying in a coffin right now. If I had just stayed in my own lane the day at the park, then none of this would've happen, me getting stabbed, the fire, Ms Kitty, it wouldn't have happened," Milo says shakily backing away from the group.
Khalil steps forward he closes his blue eyes, before reopening them to stare at the smaller in front of him.
Khalil shakes his head, "Don't doubt yourself, you did the right thing when it came to those children."
Khalil hugs him kissing his head.
"It isn't your fault, Trina already knew the consequences, and it was in her own choice to tell us things about your father and herself. Like Tent said she was fated to die, and it wasn't anything we could have possibly done to save her, if we didn't know."
Milo wipes the tears that wouldn't stop, looking towards James who offers a sympathetic smile.
"Well since we doing the blame game, Milo it's our fault to," Deshawn says gesturing towards Khalil and James along with himself. James and Khalil looks towards him then back at Milo nodding.
"Shut up Dick you ruining the mood!" Javan tells him pushing him playfully.
James nods his head softly, "Yea he's right it's our fault to if you're gonna blame yourself then we're going to share it with you. We went there trying to play detective hadn't been for us she's still be alive, don't you agree?"
"No that's not true you guys were only trying to help me, so you shouldn't blame yourself," Milo says softly hugging Khalil. "That's what we're trying to make you understand Twink," Khalil says this seriously stroking the smaller head.
Milo relaxes a bit, though he didn't quite grasp the context he thought he knew what Khalil meant at the end.
They each said their blessing for the woman, before leaving. Khalil even placed a batch of bleeding hearts on her grave.
Milo blushes scooting closer towards Khalil who grasps his hand.
Javan stares at the two realizing all that's needed to know, before focusing his attention onto his boyfriend.
Javan listens to him rambling about something as Deshawn places his hand on his left side pulling him closer. "You okay?" Deshawn asks softly, as they space off into their own little world for a moment. Javan nods his head slowly, but truthfully he wasn't. For some reason he kept thinking of his father.
Funny right? However, it wasn't positive thoughts more so, how to make sure he gets the consequences for what he's done to him and Nyla all those years?
Deshawn sighs, "I already know when your lying, so you might as well tell me what's wrong?" His brown eyes trails over the light skin noticing his boyfriends lip quivering. He watches them part slightly, "I'm just thinking about my father-
"Why are you thinking about him?" Deshawn tenses when he hears this yet he make sure no reaction is present, as he tries to calm the hatred in his voice.
Javan notices the tone and sighs, "Don't worry it's not about the baby being his. I've long since gave up on that theory, but we still need to get a DNA test to give us both some closure." Javan tells him and Deshawn eases a bit, but it doesn't stop the worries he was feeling.
"So why is that nigga bruising your mind?" Deshawn asks lowly.
Javan places a hand on his stomach rubbing it back and forth. "Calm down, I was thinking of going to the police Monday, and telling them everything that's happened to me."
"Could you come with me?"
Javan says looking up at his boyfriend eagerly for his response. Deshawn felt the spit in his mouth dry, and his throat close. He couldn't do nothing, but weakly nod his head.
Getting the police involved was something he feared. Knowing that a dead man was all they'll find.
Javan arches a brow, "A nod? That's all? You're not going to say anything else?"
Deshawn stops turning towards him fully, "What is it you want me to say? I'm going with you isn't that enough," A slight attitude in his voice though he had no right to have one. He knew there would come a time where Javan would want to handle issues with his father his own way, but Deshawn couldn't wait any longer.
He couldn't allow that man to live, and breath the same air as Javan and Nyla knowing what he'd done.
Javan felt sadden as he shrugs, "I just thought you'd be proud of me. You know many victims of abuse are to scared to come forward, and speak out about their abuse afraid of rejection or being shunned. It would've been nice to hear from my lover that I'm brave, and that he'll stick by me, maybe even a hug. An attitude is uncalled for-
Deshawn pulls him close hugging him tight pressing his head in his boyfriend's shoulder. "You're right, I'm sorry baby, I swear. I'm a support you one hundred percent." Deshawn says kissing the side of his temple. Javan melts in his boyfriends arms preparing himself to pay his father a visit.
Deshawn strokes his head releasing a sharp breath, wondering if Javan's father corpse had decomposed.
..
"Y'all look it's a bench ahead," Javan says pointing before turning back to the others.
"Let's sit down for a bit my fucking feet hurt," he demands pulling Deshawn along.
James follows the couple towards the bench.
Milo looks back towards Khalil noticing he had stopped and was staring back at the field where they had buried the woman.
"Khalil can you tell me why you wanted to bury her? How come you felt sympathy for her?" Milo asks finally walking back towards his boyfriend. They both stare past the long trail as bleeding hearts wash away with the wind. Khalil reaches out as one lands in his palm gracefully.
"Twink there's some people in life, that have no choice but to become a villain in this story. Sometimes people aren't given a choice on the paths their force to walk." Khalil says softly as the wind takes the petal in his hand carrying it away.
"In other words Trina was just like you, only difference you have me and friends, while she had no one," Khalil confirms what he meant. Milo heart throbs looking down at his scar.
"Do you think that Song has done this to others? How many more has he done things like this to Khalil?" Milo asks his voice quivering, but all he feels is anger.
Khalil places a hand on his boyfriends head, "I don't know Twink, but I do know that someone like him wouldn't hesitate to do what he's done to Trina all over again. We just need to be on the look out, until we can get him up off the streets."
Milo nods his head slowly leaning against the palm that moves down towards his cheek.
..
"Milo those names aren't it!" Javan screams at him as he rubs his temples.
"Oh come on Naylani is such a cute name for a girl and a boy should definitely be August." Milo tells him giggling as he takes a sip of his soda. Khalil and James were discussing going to the lab in the morning for the autopsy reports.
The sun was setting now and the bleeding flowers looked even redder on top of the hill. Their heart shapes were very pretty around the grave.
James had told him the meaning behind those flowers, and how they represented broken love . Used to represent ones who have lost love ones or lived life and were broken in many ways.
A perfect representation.
"I'll be going by the police station Tuesday, to report my father." Javan lets him know playing with his drink. Swirling the straw in the purple liquid before taking a sip. Milo looks towards him, "You sure that you're ready to face him again?" Milo asks him placing his drink on the wooden table.
Javan green eyes adverts to the table as he nods slowly. Milo nods grabbing his hand that rested on the table. "Then I'll support you a hundred percent! Is Deshawn going with you?" Milo asks Javan who gives him a smile.
"Yea." He says blankly. Milo hunches an eyebrow turning his attention towards Deshawn who stood by a tree, looking to be in deep thought.
"What's wrong Javan? Why you say it like that?" Milo asks him turning his attention back towards the light skin who sighs. "I just feel like he isn't happy that I'm trying to get my father locked away. I don't know but earlier when I told him this he looked tense as though he doesn't want me to do this. I don't understand does he want me to continue to allow the person who has hurt me and Nyla to walk these streets?"
Javan tells him feeling his mood drop with every word. The thought of his boyfriend not wanting him to heal from his trauma had him at a lost for words.
"Is like he doesn't want me to heal, as if it's not already to not wake up everyday, or fall asleep thinking someone is going to hurt me. I'm trying to force myself to heal so my bad habits don't rub off onto my baby. I'm trying to change myself for Nyla, so that her and my child can grow up normal without having a paranoid Daddy or mother as a parent," Javan continues his saying drinking the rest of his soda.
Milo shakes his head, "That isn't true Javan and you know that. Deshawn loves you even more than you know, I'm sure he has his own reasons, maybe he's scared. However I do know one thing that there isn't anything he wouldn't do for you, even if that means taken a life." Milo tells him seriously and Javan eyes widen at the last part. He shakes his head, "He doesn't love me that much to take someone's life, besides that's insane."
Milo shrugs, "People are capable of many things when it comes to protecting the ones they care about. You just never know how people handle things when it comes to someone they care about."
Milo thinks about what Javan said about healing, "Javan healing is not on limited time, it's something that takes time, and as long as you put in the effort to try and get better then you'll eventually heal the way you want to. And you may not ever heal fully, the scars are still going to remain, but eventually you'll look at them as strength that you push through something instead of things that hurt you everyday."
"You don't have to force yourself to heal, you take it one step at a time to get better and eventually you'll be better," Milo smiles at him telling him this as Javan smiles at him also.
"It's funny how you love giving advice but ignore your own problems. Milo it's about time you focused on your own happiness, you know this right?" Javan asks him running a hand through his curls.
Milo nods slowly, "Trust me I understand, but my happiness has always been because of the people I have in my life. As long as they were happy and safe then I was happier. When something goes wrong with the people I care about them something goes wrong with me." Milo explains to him placing his fingers on each corner of his mouth pulling it upwards in a smile.
"So if you're worried about me being happy, then you have to live a lifestyle full of happy moments. Through the moments you cry, or your angry, you better believe I'm going to be there crying and angry with you, because that's just my character."
Javan eyes widen as tears sting his eyes yet he refuses to let them fall mimicking Milo's hand movement's pulling the corners of his mouth into a smile.
Milo does it again, though in his mind he thinks on what he's told Javan. Knowing it was true that sometimes he needed a good talking to also, to stop his thought from burying him.
He watches Javan get up walking towards his boyfriend. Milo look towards Khalil laughing with James. A small smile paints his face watching his boyfriend and friends.
..
"Bye guys!" Milo waves at Deshawn and Javan watching them get into their car. Javan waves back a small smile on his face.
James had already said his goodbyes and left the park. Milo stares at them watching them pull out of the parking lot and drive off.
"Let's go home now, we have long day tomorrow," Khalil tells Milo yawning wrapping an arm around his shoulder. Milo nods as they walk through the parking lot towards the car.
"M-Milo is that you?" Milo looks up from his feet recognizing the voice. Khalil pause seeing the girl standing in-front of them.
"A-Alice? What are you doing here?" Milo asks her surprises to see her in this park especially this late. She was wearing a black dress holding some flowers.
"I just came to visit someone," she tells him mentally cursing herself she hadn't expected to see him in the park this late.
Khalil eyes narrow noticing her frantic nature, "Who are you going to visit this late at night?" He questions her suspiciously. Alice stares at his harden stare, feeling her heart pounding as she tries to get her lies straight.
Milo hits Khalil stomach softly, "Stop glaring at her Khalil, you're going to scare her off like you did Trent." Khalil eyes soften but his harden stare doesn't falter, something wasn't right about this girl to him.
The way she just approached Milo as if she knew that he was going to be here, and just who were the flowers she was holding for?
"I'm just taking a stroll, I always liked to take a stroll in this park." Alice lets him know.
"Taking a stroll?" Milo questions feeling that wasn't very safe especially not in the night time like this.
"Do you want us t-
"Milo we have to go home. We have to go see Mimi, then meet Tristian and Trent in the morning remember?" Khalil tells his boyfriend honesty wanting to get away from this girl.
Alice eye twitches at the mention of Tristian and Trey. Was that the guy whom she saw Trey fucking that night. His boyfriend that boy that stole her man. She shakes her head staring at Milo who confirms it by saying, "Oh yeah I almost forgot Trent wanted us to help Mom and his boyfriend re decorate the house."
Alice eyes widen, so Milo knew. She squeezes her hand in a fist. Though she had rejected Trent she expected him to wait for her not hope on to the next thing he see's.
"I'm sorry Alice but I don't want you to walk in this dark all by yourself. Why not wait till tomorrow?" Milo asks Alice snapping her out of her thoughts as she forces a plastic smile.
"No it's okay really you two have a good night alright," She tells them walking past them. Milo turns back to call her name, but Khalil drags him along.
"Khalil something was off an-
"Twink that girl something is off about her period." Khalil lets him know as Milo pauses staring at him before questioning. "Khalil what do you mean?" His voice shakes as he questions his boyfriend.
"I just.. I feel like you should be careful around her," Khalil tells him stopping when he feels Milo yank his hand away. "Why are you saying that, is it because of what happen the other day when she was bothering you I told her that's just her character. She's sociable that's a-
"Okay Twink, I'm sorry for being suspicious over your friend, but with everything's that's happened it's only natural for me to be protective over you, and she's giving me strange vibes something isn't right with her." Khalil lets him know as they get into the car.
"Khalil Alice is like my big sister if she seems suspicious to you that's probably because she's just trying to read you to see if you're right for me. She's done it to many of my friends before just ask Javan and Trent they'll tell you." Milo says smiling leaning over the seat to kiss his boyfriend.
Khalil sighs to himself. "Okay Twink." He agrees softly although he really ain't mean it something was off about Alice, and he was going to get to the bottom of it.