Earlier today...
Narrator
"So what are you and Daysia doing today?" Annick asked, getting her clothes out of her dresser and running back into the bathroom to get dressed.
"She wanted to go to some art gallery I guess." Randy said.
"Well that may turn out boring or interesting." She said, coming out in her repeatedly rolled up jeans and flannel.
"True. I'm just hoping she doesn't snap at me today."
"Don't worry. Maybe your positivity won't annoy her so much right now since she's in a happy place."
"Yeah I hope."
"Annick! Are you ready to go?" They heard Jeffery call from downstairs.
"Coming!" She yelled back.
She sighed.
"It feels weird going somewhere with a guy that isn't you."
"Don't worry. Jeffery can be nice. You just have to let him."
She shrugged.
"Alright I'll see you." She said kissing him and walking to the door.
She walked down the stairs and Jeffrey was sitting with Daysia.
He flashed a friendly smile and Annick tried her best to flash one back.
"Alright you two. Jeffery, no being mean. Especially since Annick is extremely sensitive...and violent. Now Annick, no being snappy. Okay?"
The two nodded.
"I expect the same thing from you when you hang out with Randy today."
"Alright. Now y'all have fun."
The two stepped outside and Jeffery led Annick to his car.
"What are we doing?" Annick asked.
"We are getting sushi. Daysia told me you liked it, correct?"
"Yeah." Annick chuckled.
"Alright well, tell me about yourself Annick."
"Uh..." She awkwardly fiddled with her fingers.
"Look, yeah we got off on the wrong foot. I made your friend mad, you pulled my hair, things just got bad. But I'm willing to try if you are."
There was a long moment of silence.
"What do you wanna know?"
"I don't know...what's your favorite book?"
She chuckled.
"Do you even know Daysia's favorite book?"
"To kill a mockingbird." He said cockily.
"Alright I'll give you that. And it's 100 years of solitude. What's yours?"
"The same as my lady. Harper Lee is quite the genius."
"Cool, cool."
"How about favorite song...and don't even try betting that I don't know Daysia's favorite song because I already know that it's So Into You by Tamia." He smirked.
She rolled her eyes.
"It's poetic justice by Kendrick Lamar. You?"
"Get down on it-Kool & The Gang."
"Well damn..."
"Yep, might be Asian but I can get down."
"Oh my lord...okay um, favorite movie?"
"Fakin' da funk."
Annick bursted into laughter.
"I honestly can't with you right now."
"And yours?"
"The imitation game."
"Oooh sophisticated."
"Yep that's me. Sophisticated Annick."
"So I heard you didn't really wanna be a lawyer."
"Nah...but my dad kept pressuring me and pressuring me so I thought fuck it, we're going to law school."
"Is your dad that high maintenance kind of guy."
"I guess you can say that. He just wants his kids to turn out successful. He got some of that. Son went to medical school, daughter went to law school....last son wants to be a rapper."
"Oh dear..."
"That's what I said."
~
"Okay, where am I going?" Randy asked, ready to type in whatever location in the GPS.
Daysia just typed it in for him.
"There." She said.
While he drove, he tried to make small talk with Daysia.
"Um...you look nice today."
"Shut up." She chuckled.
"Okay."
"I wasn't serious." Daysia said, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Hm..so how long have you and Annick known each other?"
"Well, I'd say a decade and five years." She said.
"Well I see why Jeffery and you are compatible, you guys have that calculator voice." He chuckled.
"Hey before I was dating, my gpa was my boyfriend..having all A's was just a must."
"Did you get out much in high school?" He quirked an eyebrow.
"Did you?" She smirked.
"On my own I guess. Although I did spend a lot of time with my best friend, Quinton."
"Quinton? That sounds like a black name." Daysia said, squinting her eyes.
"Yeah...he was."
"Oh well look at you. They say every white boy's life isn't complete until they got a black best friend. I wonder if James has one."
"Probably not. That'll explain why he acts the way he does."
Daysia chuckled.
"To answer your previous question...I didn't go out much unless with my girls. I wasn't a fan of dates since all the boys that wanted me were outside my race."
"Did you refuse to date outside your race?"
"I didn't feel comfortable with it after Troy if you know what I mean."
He just nodded.
"When was the last time you cut your hair?" Daysia randomly asked.
"I'd say five-six months ago."
"You like it long?"
He shrugged.
"I've never really cared for it, therefore, I've never really cut it."
"I miss my hair most days."
"I think your hair looks cool."
"Shut up." She smirked, rolling her eyes.
~
"You're only eating the California rolls." Jeffery frowned.
"That's because they're my favorite."
"Well you need to mix it up a bit. Don't make me disown you."
Annick almost choked on her Coke.
"Shut up Jeffery."
"Well eat it with some wasabi at least."
"No...that's the only spicy thing I'm not willing to eat."
"But you eat that spicy African sauce that they make in Congo."
"Pili pili. Like I said, anything but wasabi. It makes my nose run."
"Ew."
"Yeah...not pretty."
"So how are you and Ol' white boy doing?"
"Good. You and Ol' black girl?"
"Great with a nine."
"That's pretty great."
"I know right!"
~
"Oh! It was an art studio."
"What did you think it was?"
"Some sort of museum."
"Well it's not, sorry for the inconvenience man." Daysia said mimicking Randy's voice.
Randy chuckled at her comment.
"Well I never really painted before I've done some dabbing here and there though."
Daysia dabbed.
"Like this?"
Randy shook his head.
"Oh no."
The paint instructor walked in.
"Hey, you two well...five. Short class this evening."
"It's only 12pm." Daysia looked up.
"Well aren't you just the clock." The old man smiled.
"I prefer calculator." Daysia cheesed.
The old man's smile faded as he made his way to the front.
"He just did it." Randy laughed.
Daysia looked around.
"Did what?"
"He gave you the disappointed white man look." Randy covered his mouth while laughing.
"Oh shut up." Daysia rolled her eyes.
~
"I can't do this. This thing looks-"
"It looks fine Randy but your proportion looks way off."
"Thanks for the compliment, first time I ever heard one."
"What did I say?" Daysia was puzzled.
"You said it looked fine."
"Oh don't take it personal...hey, don't you have glasses?"
"I do they're just not with me."
"I used to wear glasses, but now I have contacts."
Randy nodded.
"Do you wear them all the time?"
"Nah."
"So when do you wear glasses?"
"Only in class, just so I can look more professional when I'm around my professors." Daysia said while crossing her legs.
Randy continued applying more red to the painting.
"Easy there tiger you need more white to get that rose color." Daysia laughed while handing him a pallet of colors.
"Are you just making fun of my choice of words?"
"I am certainly not, I'm just adding more enthusiasm."
Randy chuckled. "Shut up."
"Oh my goodness Randy that is a harmful word, what exactly are we shutting up?"
"You're funny."
"I get from my parents. More my dad then my mom."
"That's what I wanted to ask, why were your parents so distant?"
"Oh they're divorced, since I was 9."
"Well their friendship is nice."
"Are your parents still together?"
"Nah. I mean they were never married. He left when I was fourteen."
"Glad you're comfortable with opening up to me."
"I'm saying the same, I was never really afraid of you but I thought you'd just be one of those mean people."
"I mean I'm not mean.."
The two exchanged looks and burst into laughter.
The art instructor walked over.
"Quiet down please, some people need peace when applying pigment."
Daysia squinted at him then looked at Randy.
"Why couldn't he just say, painting?"
Randy shrugged. "Maybe my choice of words rubbed off on him."
Soon after the two both completed their paintings. Randy and Daysia both walked down to the exit and before walking out Randy had stopped.
"I like your painting." Randy said as he pointing to her canvas.
"Well, I don't." She said, jamming her paintbrush back into the water can.
Randy walked away quietly.
Daysia shook her head.
"What a bitch."
"That's not a nice word." Randy looked at Daysia.
"Yea well, she's not a nice person."
~
"It's pho as in "Fa"." Daysia explained.
"Po?"
"No!" Daysia rubbed her forehead.
She pointed at the menu. "Look why won't you just order shrimp fried rice or something, you're to new with Asian cuisine."
"Well we could've went somewhere that I liked not a fancy Vietnamese restaurant."
"Randy you have a culture?"
He just shrugged.
Daysia looked at Randy trying to do the exchange of looks thing but Randy didn't laugh.
Daysia coughed.
"Ok, Chic-Fil-A it is."
Randy held back a grin.
"I hate you."
"Oh my gosh Randy, how could you-"
"Stop." He whined.
~
"Why are we in here, again?" Jeffery asked, walking into the liquor store.
"We're robbing it."
Jeffrey's eyes widened.
"I'm joking ass-wipe, I wanted to get some Arizo."
"What?"
"Arizona." She said flatly.
"Why do you call it Arizo?"
"It's a thing I have with Daysia." She chuckled.
"It's stupid."
"You're stupid."
"Far from it."
Annick chuckled but her smile soon faded when she took a look through the glass door, across the street.
Troy.
"Why do you look like you've seen a ghost. Is Justin here or something?" He said smirking.
"No I just...nothing."
"Okay then....well I have to use the restroom so I'm gonna go to the bakery next to here."
"Why don't you just use this one?" Annick asked quickly.
"I don't trust it. I'll be back." He said, exiting the store.
She suddenly get unsafe.
She looked out the store once more.
This time he was gone.
She decided to just forget about it.
She bent down in one of the store refrigerators to get the Arizona that she wanted.
While she was down she heard the store bell jingle.
She slowly got back up, hoping it wasn't who she thought.
Annick soon found herself speed walking to the bathroom and leaning on the farthest wall.
She took a deep breath, sliding down to the floor.
"I'm so paranoid." She chuckled to herself.
She got up and was ready to walk back to the door when it flew open.
She mentally cussed herself out for forgetting to lock it.
"Meeting again huh?" Troy asked, stepping towards her.
"Leave me alone." Annick said slowly.
"You see, I could do that. But if you hadn't brainwashed the love of my life into hating me, you'd be fine."
"You did that yourself."
"No! She loves me. She wants to be with me too but thanks to you, she's with this oriental asshole that you're spending time with, you whore!"
"You're crazy, you know that? She will never lo-"
She was interrupted by the hardest slap she'd ever received in her twenty-three years of life.
"Say that again...I dare you."
"You're crazy." She said before thinking.
As if it was some automatic reflex, he smacked her on the exact same cheek, this time so hard that she stumbled back.
He was about to do more when the bathroom door opened once again.
"Lay one more hand on her asshole, I dare you." Jeffery yelled.
The store owner walked in.
"Get out, you crazy nazis look alike!" He yelled with a baseball bat in his hands.
"This isn't the last you'll see of me." Troy said before running out of the store.
"Young lady, you good?" He asked.
"Annick, are you okay?" Jeffery asked, helping her up.
"Just...take me back." She mumbled.
*back to present day*
Annick and Jeffery walked in to Dario and Brazil arguing.
"Hey guys." Dario said.
"Annick are you okay?" Brazil asked.
Annick just walked upstairs, Brazil following after.
"What's burning?" Jeffery asked.
"Don't ask. Anyway, what happened to her?"
"Long story."
"I got time."
"Troy."
"That boy showed up again? Did he bother y'all again?"
"Worst..."
"What?"
Before he could answer, Miciah and James walked in, the same time as Brazil came down the stairs.
"What happened to her face?" Was the first thing she asked.
"Who's face?" Miciah asked.
"Annick's face. It's bruising. Did you hit her?" Brazil asked stepping towards Jeffery.
"Hit who?"
"I didn't hit her!"
"Well why is her face bruised up?"
"Wait, he hit her?" Dario asked.
"Who hit her?" James asked.
"Who hit who? Guys I'm confused!" Miciah whined.
"Troy hit Annick." Dario answered, finally realizing.
"What!"
The door opened and in came Daysia and Randy.
"Is uh...everything okay?" Randy asked.
"Troy hit your girlfriend." Dario blurted out.
"He what?" Daysia asked.
"He hit Annick. Her cheek is marked and everything."
Randy didn't say anything, he just walked upstairs.
"What do you think he's gonna do?" Dario asked.
"I don't know."
~
Annick sat on the bed with her head in her hands.
She jumped when she heard the door open.
She didn't remove her eyes from the floor, not wanting whoever it was to see her face.
Randy walked in and kneeled in front of her.
"Annick..."
She looked to the left instead of looking at him.
He gently put a hand under her chin and moved to face to where they were making eye contact.
As softly as he could, he placed a hand on her cheek.
A tear ran down her cheek, followed by others.
"God...Randy I was so scared." She sobbed.
He pulled her into his arms.
"It's okay, you're okay." He assured her, kissing the top of her head multiple times.
~
After Randy finally got Annick to fall asleep, he walked downstairs where only the boys were.
"You okay?" Dario asked as he sat down.
He just shrugged.
He wasn't okay.
Seeing that his girlfriend got hit by some crazy guy didn't put him in the right state of mind.
Now the boy didn't live on top of some kind of rainbow, of course things could get him upset.
But barely anything could make him as angry to the point where he'd want to punch someone.
But he did.
Not just anyone.
Troy, himself.
"Randy?" Jeffery questioned, making him snap out of his daze.
"What?" Randy asked.
"I asked you what you think we should do with Troy."
"We need to find him." Randy said, flatly.
"But how are we gonna do that?"
Suddenly the doorbell rang.
Everyone's head turned to there.
Dario was the first to get up and answer the door.
Predictively enough, there he was.
Troy himself, with a smirk plastered on his lips.
"Miss me?"
"Motherfucker..." Dario mumbled.
All the boys stood up, surrounding the doorway.
"I came to see Daysia."
"You're not gonna go anywhere near Daysia." Jeffery spat.
Troy just chuckled, soon making eye contact with Randy.
"Hello Randy. I spoke to your girlfriend not to long ago. Although I might say she was a bit-"
Troy was interrupted by Randy punching him square in the mouth.
The boys were all wide-eyed.
Troy just laughed through his blood covered teeth.
But his laughter was interrupted by Randy punching him once again.
Troy stumbled back and Randy took that as an advantage to push him.
When he fell to the floor, Randy kicked him straight in the stomach, something that he continued to until he wasn't as angry as he was earlier.
"Get rid of him." He mumbled, walking back into the house.
"I think Randy already did." Dario said looking down at Troy who was struggling to get up.
Jeffery got down in front of him and grabbed him by the collar.
"Listen here, next time you wanna go ahead and lay a hand on any one of those girls, especially Daysia or Annick, you won't even be able to breathe when we finish with you. Understand?"
Troy took all his strength to push Jeffery off of him and get up.
As he stumbled off to his car, coughing out blood, he turned back to the three boys.
"I meant what I said, Jeffery. This is not the last you'll be seeing of me."
"Come near one of our girls again, it'll be the last you'll be seeing of yourself." Jeffery said before slamming the door.
~
The three boys walked into Jeffery's room where Daysia was seated talking to a tired out Annick.
"What happened down there?" Daysia asked.
"Troy showed up. Someone showed him a lesson." James said.
"Who?" Daysia asked.
The boys all exchanged looks.
"Randy." They said in unison.
"Randy...you mean her Randy?" She asked, pointing to Annick.
"Yeah....he beat the living shit out of Troy."
"He what?" Annick spoke up.
"Yeah I'm shocked too, mami."
Annick got up but James grabbed her arm.
"He's in the backyard. Maybe you should let him cool off."
Annick pulled her arm back and made her way downstairs and outside to the backyard.
He sat on the backyard's bench swing, staring into the distance.
Annick stood in front of him and sat down on his lap.
He still didn't make eye contact with her.
She put a gentle hand under his chin and moved his face to look at her.
"I think it's very sweet what you did for me...but please never do it again."
He didn't say anything.
"I know you're mad. I'm upset too. But it's done. We need to put it behind us."
"How are we supposed to do that if he keeps coming back?" Was the first thing he said.
"I don't know...I guess I was just trying to find something to say to calm you down."
"As long as you still have that mark on your cheek, I don't think I'll ever be able to calm down."
She sighed.
"I wonder why you haven't dumped me already."
"Why would you even say that?"
"I don't know, I guess I
just-"
He cut her off by kissing her, something he always seemed to do when she just wouldn't shut up.
"Yo, keep it in the bedroom will you." Dario said, stepping out with everyone else.
Annick blushed getting off his lap and sitting next to him.
Jeffery handed her a Baggie of ice.
"I'm sorry, Annick. I feel like this is my fault. If I had just used the bathroom there instead of leaving you alone-"
"Guys, I'm not dead, I got slapped. Does it hurt? Yeah. Was I scared? Of course. Would he have done worse. Probably. But he didn't. Why? Because you came in so don't think for a second that this was your fault."
He just sighed.
"But this is serious, of course. This shouldn't be something that we should take into our own hands. Especially since I have Pricilla in my life."
[A/N: Pricilla didn't die for those of y'all who were wondering😂 lets just say she went to go stay with Chris or something.]
"So what are you saying we should do?" Miciah asked.
"Get the police involved." She answered simply.
"Don't you think that's a bit much?" Daysia asked all too quickly.
"No." Randy answered.
Daysia turned to him.
"I know you're upset and all but-"
"You should be too. That's your best friend. And you shouldn't be arguing with getting the police involved because there's a large possibility that Jeffery won't be there the next time to save her." He responded.
That made Annick shiver.
"Randy, calm down." She mumbled.
"Look, I'm just saying that if we get the police involved, things may not turn out the way we want."
"The way we want or the way you want?" James spoke up.
"What do you mean?"
"I think he's saying you want closure before we lock his ass up. Maybe you should talk to him."
"Are you crazy?" Annick and Jeffery snapped at the same time.
"It's not like he would hurt her. He's in love with her."
"Shut up Miciah!" Annick exclaimed.
"The fuck you raising your voice for? Ain't you the one who got your ass smacked?"
"Keep talking you'll be in my exact position." She said standing up.
Miciah stood up too.
"See look at you, Daysia ain't even defending you yet you're defending her. Pssh, forget Randy, you should just go be with Daysia...until she leaves for Troy I mean."
"Will it be the same time Dario leaves for Jenny?"
Miciah pushed Annick back and she was about to step forward when both their guys grabbed them.
"Woah woah, look we got some unwanted tension here and we've seemed to forget who the real problem is...Troy is. We can't just go against each other and bring up sensitive topics." Jeffery said.
Miciah sighed looking over at Annick.
Annick avoided eye contact with her so she grabbed her and pulled her into a hug.
"I love you." Miciah said.
"Yeah yeah..." Annick mumbled.
"Say it back, hoe!" She said, tickling her.
"Ah! Fine fine, I love you too."
"Yay! We all love each other!" James cheered.
"Ain't nobody love you James." Daysia said.
"I was just being Randy." He said in defense.
"You make a terrible me." Randy rolled his eyes, leaning back in the swing.