Chapter 22:
Raegan
The whole day I'd been stressing about Graduation and it was finally here. Sitting in my seat I would occasionally turn around to see who was all there. I'd already peeped out Tony and the rest of the gang but it was one important person missing with them. My brother.
My dad showed up and I was thankful for that because I truly thought he wasn't going to come. He was late but he was here. Now it was the one person I never expected to miss this day who wasn't here to see it.
Deep down I wanted to cry. I wanted to tell them to pause the ceremony because there was no way I could walk the stage without the only person that wanted to see this day more than me being there to cheer me on.
I know we were at odds but to miss my graduation behind it would be an all time low for Ryan. His presence would honestly make or break what was still left of our relationship.
When Myko and Brit were called to walk I cheered like a fool for my babies. Then came my turn. My row was set to walk and I could feel myself shaking with nerves.
I wanted to cry for many reasons but my face was too best to be playing games. Holding in my emotions the only thing I thought about was not falling on these steps.
Out the corner of my eye I saw a glimpse of what looked like Ryan and had to double take. Since it was a line of people behind me I couldn't stop to get a better look. I prayed it was his yellow ass.
When my name was called I heard my friends cheer and I also heard Carlos scream "That's my baby. Go lil bit. Y'all see my baby she graduating."
He had me laughing so hard that I'm sure my picture came out terrible.
As I looked toward the stands I saw Ryan make eye contact with me before getting up to leave the stadium.
Sucking in my bottom lip I shook my head refusing to cry over him.
When the ceremony was over I made my way outside meeting up with Antonio who was joined by Carlos, Amari, Dray, and Brandon.
"Comgrajumlate RaeRae." Mari said clapping as I smiled grabbing her from Carlos.
"Awww thank you Mari pooh." I said squeezing her little body as she squealed.
"Look balloons RaeRae." She said pointing to the balloons the guys had for me.
"I see." I said smiling at them as they all stood watching me and Mari talk.
"Congratulations baybeh." Tony said pulling me toward him and kissing the top of my head.
"Thank you. These for me or yo other girlfriend graduated today too?" I questioned motioning toward the roses he was holding.
Smirking he shook his head no. "Nah this all you." He said as I grappled the roses."
"Proud of you." Brandon said putting his hand on my head and shaking it as I whined hating when they did that.
"Rae with the diploma." Dray joked as he had my hat on and Carlos was in the middle of stealing my gown.
"Aye we graduated bitch." Carlos said hopping in people pictures like he was really apart of our class.
"Bro they so childish." Tony said as I laughed agreeing.
Looking at me he gave me one of those panty dropping smiles causing me to blush.
"What?" I asked innocently.
"Happy for you man." He said making me smile just as hard as he was.
"I was sad earlier but then I saw my dad and I saw Ryan and it made me feel better until Ryan left without speaking." I said poking out my bottom lip as Mari played in my hair probably tangling it.
"Yea I saw him. He came stood when yo name was called and left. Yo daddy left a little after dat too but he left dis fa' you." Tony said handing me a card with my name on it.
"I'll read it later. Right now I'm tryna eat something." I admitted feeling my stomach growl.
"You comin' with us?"
"No Myko having a graduation dinner at her house so I'm going to go back with them. If you wanna pick me up later then we can have dinner or something then. Cool?"
"Yea love das cool. We bout to catch out den."
Nodding I stood on my tip toes to kiss him before passing Mari to him.
He didn't want to hold her so he made her walk while he held her ha d causing her to cry. She was a lazy little thing. She eventually got him to pick her up. My girl.
As they walked off one way I went the other. Today was bitter sweet.
***
Omniscient
At Juice's trap things weren't as free as they were at Ryan's. Here they answered to another nigga about what was what. That was never Ryan's style so he didn't follow the same rules the other dudes did.
Juice hit him up asking him to come through so he could talk business and that's what this was to him. It was business.
Juice needed to get into Ryan's get graces in order to lock to corners down. He didn't tell that to Ryan though. He had Ryan hitting licks for him thinking he was really doing something while juice plotted on the little feud Ryan had going with Tony.
Once he spread word that Ryan was working with him then people felt they could do business with him because they trusted Ryan not juice.
Walking into the trap house Ryan scoffed at how unkept it was. Juice didn't have any authority over his trifling niggas. He saw why he was always begging for him to come work for him.
"Juice here?" Ryan questioned looking around the room as the niggas shook they heads playing the game.
"So this all y'all do everyday? No wonder y'all ain't profiting for shit around here. Y'all lazy as hell." Ryan said speaking the truth as the dudes sucked they teeth.
"You come here for a couple days and you think you know shit?" A dude by the name of Quis said as Ryan nodded.
"Yes I do. I see it now."
"You here cuz juice want you here. We don't want yo ass here my nigga so keep yo opinion to yo self and it won't be no problems." Quod said as Ryan laughed.
"Yea aight."
Sitting down on the couch Ryan waited for Juice to come through so he could give him his money. After the exchange he was leaving. His business with Juice would be done and he'd focus on his own shit.
"Aye Ryan yo boy robbed that store on Alabama right?" A nigga name Deuce asked coming into the front room.
"Shit I don't know you tell me." Ryan said smartly not one for chit chatting with the next nigga about another nigga dirt.
"I'm saying I got the robbery disc right here. We can all see for ourselves." Deuce said taking the game out and replacing it with cd.
The other dudes who were playing the game made a fuss about it but Deuce ignored them.
Ryan on the other hand was tuned in. He was trying to figure out how the hell he got it in the first place.
The video started and in the beginning you couldn't see anything but people coming in and out of the store.
"Fast forward it moron." Juice said finally letting his presence be known.
"I am bro chill." Deuce said grabbing the controller to fast forward the video.
When he stopped it you could see two masked men run in with guns harassing Apollo for the money in the register. This went on for a minute before the third guy came in. Something caught his attention causing him to walk off toward the back of the store. When he reemerged he had a girl a gun point.
The guys were Tony, Tony's cousin Dylan, and Dylan's friend Josh.
Once Ryan recognized the girl in the video he could feel the heat rise in his body.
The watched the whole corner store scene play out before the video went static.
"Didn't yo boy hit dat store?" Deuce asked again grinning. "Well yo ex boy since he fucking yo sister now. That is why y'all beefing right?"
"I ain't gone lie to you Deuce you look more like a bitch right now then you sound." Ryan said causing Deuce to suck his teeth.
"It's cool yo boy gone look like a bitch when I turn in this tape."
"You dry snitching now? Boy you niggas get lamer by the day." Ryan laughed amused by Deuce's actions more than anything. "Juice this the type of shit you breeding? Bitches?"
He was mad at Tony right now but he was a real nigga before anything. Since he knew what was going on he was gone dead it right now.
"That's that man business. Obviously Tony got people out here don't wanna see him winning." Juice said shrugging.
"Yea well my sister on that tape so if anybody think about turning it in they can take this bullet." Ryan said standing up and pulling out his gun.
"Damn Ryan calm down. We ain't shooting nobody Deuce was just playing around. Right Deuce?" Juice said as Deuce scoffed.
"I said ain't that right nigga." Juice said again with more base in his voice.
"Right." Deuce agreed.
"Alright then put that gun down Ryan. Give him the tape Deuce. Everybody cool now." Juice said as Deuce handed Ryan the tape.
"I got another copy bitch." Deuce said causing Ryan to shoot him in the foot.
"I got more bullets bitch." Ryan said as everyone in the house drew their guns on him.
Still holding his gun pointed at Deuce, Ryan stood not phased by them one bit.
"Come on Ryan you can't shoot everybody. That was one of my good workers." Juice said causing Ryan to shrug.
"He talk too much." Ryan said watching him yelp in pain.
"Put y'all guns down Ryan done shooting for today." Juice said as the other men couldn't believe Juice wasn't going to do anything about it.
"Yea I'm done shooting. Let me get this money off me so I can go." Ryan said indicating to Juice that he was ready to make the exchange.
After the exchange was made Ryan hopped in his car. Before he went home he had to stop for gas and since he was hungry he'd get himself something to eat too.
He'd managed to make his sisters graduation today but he still hadn't said anything to her. His pride wouldn't let him.
The day she left home to be with Tony showed him who was more important to her at the time and with that he let her be.
After seeing her walk across the stage he wanted nothing more than to hug his sister and tell her how proud he was of her. He made a mental note to swallow his pride and call her once he got home.
He was still pissed off but that was still his baby regardless. Although she was probably upset with the things he'd done over the past couple weeks she had to know that his intentions were only to show her better than he could tell her. Since she cried independence he wanted to see how long she could last without him. Whenever she couldn't handle it of course he'd pick up the pieces but he knew she wanted to prove him wrong.
After stopping at Taco Bell Ryan cruised to the house.
He usually listened to the same artists but he remembered Raegan had asked him to listen to Chance the rapper because she like him so much. Thinking about that he played some Chance to see if Rae had good taste.
I got my city doing front flips
When every father, mayor, rapper jump ship
I guess that's why they call it where I stay
Clean up the streets, so my daughter can have somewhere to play
I'm the blueprint to a real man
Some of these niggas toss they tassel for a deal man
I ain't going to hell or the Hillman
Igh, Igh, Igh, Igh, for my real fans
I got caught up with a little Xan
Can't stop me but it slow me though
Yeah nigga famous, you don't know me though
But every DJ still play me though
Damn man, I don't even need a radio
And my new shit sound like a rodeo
Got the old folks dancing the Do-si-do
So they fuck around, sign me to OVO
Oooh, I just might share my next one with Keef
Got the industry in disbelief, they be asking for beef
This what it sound like when God split an atom with me
I even have Steve giving out apples for free
They was talking "woo woo this woo wap da bam"
City so damn great, I feel like Alexand'
Wear your halo like a hat, that's like the latest fashion
I got angels all around me they keep me surrounded
Who is you? And who the fuck is you? And who is him?
All of the sudden woo wap da bam you can't touch me
Na, na, na, na I got angels
I got angels
Bobbing his head Ryan smiled a little feeling the song.
Just as he turned on his street he felt a bullet pierce his side as he swerved caught off guard by it. Reaching under his seat to get his gun he dodged a bullet that whizzed past his head before feeling another one hit him. More came riddling his car ass he reached for the door handle trying to get out.
He was weak but managed to open the door before being hit by yet another bullet. This one cause him to fall over out the car as the car that did the drive by sped off.
Trying his best to crawl out the car Ryan finally just layer on the ground beside his car trying to breathe which was becoming hard. He'd been hot in different places and wasn't sure exactly where he was shot at because everything hurt.
Holding his hand over his chest he continues to lie in the middle of the street just a house away from his home as he awaited someone to come to his rescue before it was too late.
He began to pray as he looked up at the dark sky. His life wasn't the best but he wasn't done living. There was so much more he wanted to do before he died.
***
Antonio
"Tony stop." Rae laughed as I continued to eat her cake that she'd gotten from the graduation party. "I had like one bite."
"You was eatin' it before I even came in hea. See how you lie." I said flicking her head as she whined.
We continued eating the cake as the room grew silent.
"Thank you." Rae blurted out causing me to furrow my eyebrows at her.
"For what?"
"For being this guy. I know you're only doing it for me and I appreciate the effort you're putting into it. And also for dealing with that drama that came with me."
"You welcome." I said the tip of her nose with my fork and licking the icing that got on it off.
She had her face all frowned up but she liked that shit.
I kept wasting icing on different parts of her body and licking it off. Watching her squirm as my tongue glided across her chest I made sure all the icing was gone before licking my fork clean.
I didn't want to make her uncomfortable so I stopped. Anybody I else I wouldn't have gave a damn but with Rae I cared about how she felt and what she wanted.
Placing the cake plate on the coffee table she straddled my lap.
Letting my hands rest on her ass I looked up at her as she wore the same smile she always had when I looked at her.
"What man?"
"I can't just look at you?"
"No cuz you a low key creep." I joked.
"I am not jerk but seriously can I tell you something?"
Nodding I let her know I was all ears.
Taking a gulp she looked down as she spoke. "Every man that's ever touched me has always been against my will, but when you touch me I don't want you to stop. I just don't want that feeling to go away you know?"
Lifting her head up I made her look at me. "Da only time a man should touch you is when it's on yo' terms. As long as you allow me to I'll do whateva' you want me to."
"I want you to show me what it's like to have sex with someone because I want to and not because I have to." She said staring dead into my eyes.
"You sure? I mean dats somethin'-"
"Special? Yea I know but it was taken from me and I want you to replace the memory. I want you to make me forget It. I wanna see you when you touch me and not him. Please?" She begged with tears in her eyes.
Using the pads of my thumbs to wipe her tears I then held her face in my hands.
Rubbing my thumb over her lip I kissed her.
While we kissed I removed her shirt. Once her shirt was off I used my fingers to trace up and down her spine.
Unlatching her bra I tossed it once her arms were out of it.
Biting her lips as I broke this kiss took my time trailing kisses from her neck to her breasts before taking my tongue and letting it swirl around her now erect nipple.
I could hear her morning softly as she cupped the back of my neck. She was grinding her lower half into mine causing me to stand while still holding her.
Walking into my room I placed her on the bed. Grabbing a condom from my dresser drawer I dropped my gym shorts before rolling it on.
While taking her bottoms off I kissed her stomach. Removing her panties I sucked my two fingers before sticking them inside of her.
She was tight as hell and I knew this was bout to hurt her. I wanted to warm her up to it first.
Just the feeling of my fingers crooked inside her had her panting like crazy. Once she was wet enough I removed my fingers.
Taking my shirt off I climbed onto the bed hovering over her as she watched my every move.
Placing myself at her entrance I made sure she was looking at me.
"You sure you wanna do dis? Because we don't have to and don't mind waitin'." I said truthfully.
"I want to." She said encouraging me to continue.
Using my hand I guided the tip in causing her to let out a loud gasp.
Holding my shoulder she stopped me from going any further as she tried to recuperate.
"You okay?"
"Yea, put the rest in." She said closing her eyes tight.
Guiding myself inside of her I rocked back and forth. Trying to take her mind off the pain I kissed her.
She let out high pitched screams that were muffled by the kiss as I put as much in as I could.
"Is that it?" She asked with tears streaming down her cheeks.
Shaking my head no I looked down seeing I still had more to give.
"Oh my God." She said causing me to laugh.
"We can stop baybeh."
"No finish I can take it."
"Aight. Bite my hand shoulder if it's too much that'll help." I said continuing to fit almost all of myself into her.
Once I was finally in good enough she bit my shoulder so hard that it bled.
Kissing the tear streaks on her face I grabbed bigger hands placing them above her head as I gave her slow deep strokes.
Her mouth was open and her head was thrown back as she let out small moans.
Once she got use to the feeling I sped up my pace a little.
Not wanting to hurt her too much I pulled out.
Kissing her forehead I laid on top of her.
"You okay baybeh?"
"Yes it just hurts a little but that's normal right?"
"Right. Next time you'll be champ."
"Oh no, no next time." She said laughing.
"Bullshit. You gotta let me break you off. That was just breakin' you in. I'm tryna break yo back when I hit it." I said humping her as she laughed uncontrollably.
Hearing my phone ring I reached over toward the dresser to grab it.
"Hella'?"
"Aye man y'all meet us over at Ryan house right now. Nigga right now." Carlos said into the phone causing me to jump up.
Once I hung up the phone I disposed of the condom before putting my boxers back on with my shorts.
"What's the matter?" Rae questioned raising up.
"Ion know but put yo clothes on so we can see."
Becoming shaken up from how shaken up I was Rae tried to rush to put on her clothes despite the pain her lower half was in.
Once we were dressed we made our way to the hood.
"What happened at our house?" Raegan asked once we made it onto their street and saw all the cars and the lights.
Stopping the car we both jumped out pushing past people to see what was up.
The last thing I wanted to see was right there in front of me.
I tried to grab Rae but it was too late she already made her way to him.
"Ryan!" She screamed out as if someone was stabbing her with a knife.
"Don't touch him. Don't touch him." She said to the woman who was trying to help him until the ambulance arrived.
Sitting on the ground she held him letting his blood leak onto her clothes.
"Ryan baby wake up. It's me I'm here. I'm sorry I left Ry I'm so sorry. I'm here now Ryan." She cried rocking back and forth.
"I'm sorry Ry please don't leave me. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Don't do this to me." She said hitting his chest. "Damnit Ryan. Somebody call the ambulance!"
"It's okay I'm here. You gotta fight Ryan you can't leave me like this. I can't do this without you. We all we got." She said rubbing his head and crying into his neck as the ambulance could finally be heard.
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😭 I'm really crying.