3 months later..
"Geez, try not to look so terrified."
I turned around when hearing the voice I had become all too familiar with during my time here. Here, being the Villa Treatment Center.
"I'm not, just very unsure."
In my time here I had gotten comfortable. I didn't know if I was ready to go back home and be on my own again. For some reason, despite the fact that I haven't been having urges there's a part of me that doesn't trust myself either. It's easy for me to just chill on the pills if all is well, but what happens if shit starts to go wrong. Am I going to relapse?
"Stop being so damn pessimistic. You're going to be fine. I'd gladly switch lives with you right now," Makayla said, playfully nudging me.
I forced a small smile and nodded. "You always being positive, Kay. Too irky," I joked with her.
"Mhm, whatever. Don't act like you're not going to miss me and my positivity. Ol' grumpy self," she flashed her cheeky smile at me as we stood side by side.
"Ha, hardly."
She smacked her teeth and rolled her eyes at me. "Lies, but I'll let you live."
Makayla was right. During my time here, we had become inseparable. It started with me not having any interest in talking during group therapy because I wasn't down for having folks in my business. She was the complete opposite and was as transparent as they come. It came to a surprise to us all at the center because it's not everyday that a child star like Makayla Gray leaves it all on the table. She was the like edgier version Raven-Symoné, but she actually claims being black.
"You right," I said before unintentionally licking my lips while checking her out. She caught me looking as she always did. It's not like that between us, but I couldn't deny how her fine mocha skin, then hazelnut eyes that spilled nothing but honesty, and an alluring grin would consistently have me thinking twice. Ultimately, I think that my attraction stemmed from not having my other vices.
"Mhm, so what are your plans in—" she glanced down at her watch to check the time, "15 minutes or so..."
I shrugged because I had no idea. Being disconnected from the world and just relaxing made me wish I could stay here a little longer.
"No clue. Find a job, I guess. Something to pass time until I figure the rest out."
She nodded in reply. "You know I get out in a few weeks and I'm going to need a whole new team. Soooo, if you're still up for playing superhero and being my Kaz—"
Kay stopped talking in the middle of her sentence when she saw me smirking with my brows furrowed. "What now, goofy? Don't tell me you pissed on yourself again."
"Shut up. I tell your ass one story and you just keep running with it," I started, in the midst of shaking my head.
"Anyway I caught that Kaz reference. You must be ain't think I was gone catch that," I told her and she seemed a bit embarrassed.
"Didn't take you for a guy that would even watch Beyond the Lights..."
"It's a lot you don't know about me," I smirked.
Kay's forehead knotted up as if she were thinking hard. "Mhm, no I'm tripping. Stop flirting with me, you got a girl to get back to."
"How you figure?"
Kay shrugged me off. "For one, you're too good of a man to not have a girl somewhere waiting for you and on top of that, your mom told me during one of her visits."
I smacked my teeth at the idea of my mom even bringing up Lauren to Makayla. We hadn't talked or seen each other since I had gotten here and that was on my part. I wanted a clean slate going into this thing and, although, she wanted to be here for me in any way I couldn't let her carry my baggage around. I had to let her do her own thing.
It got to me for a while because of the fact that she was going through such a public divorce that officially was finalized. Then, to top it off there were these new allegations against ol' boy for drugging several girls and taking advantage of them. He was lucky that I wasn't near him because he would've felt the pressure from these hands.
"Swear she talk too much," I said, with a straight face.
"That may be true, but she only wants the best for you. So, why is it you never talk about this girl who saved your damn life?"
I shook my head. "She told you entirely too much. Anyway, there's nothing to tell. She's amazing and that's it."
I kept it short because as much as I adore Lauren, I didn't want to discuss her while I was here. It's just a way to get in my own mind that I was doing this for myself and not just for her or even Nas. Like Dr. Rachel loved emphasizing to me, you have to want to live for yourself in order to live your best life. It's been a hectic recovery process after my mini heart attack, but I'm getting there.
"So amazing that you cut her off. Niggas, I tell you," she said.
"What? We're still friends."
"You cut the girl off completely and, somehow, you think y'all are going to buddy-buddy. Like I said...niggas."
Just as I was about reply, my mom pulled up in her truck. It was now the time to face the real world again. I grabbed my duffle bag and threw it across my body.
"Well, this is it huh?" I sighed deeply.
Kay playfully rolled her eyes. "So dramatic. You sure you're not the one that's an actor? You acting like we don't stay in the same city, bud."
"Man, whatever. Come give me some love," I said, subtly pulling her in for an embrace. "Remember I'm a phone call away," I added.
Kay nodded while holding my waist firmly. She liked to downplay how much we had been there for each other in these 90 days, but she probably knew me better than most. It was the vulnerable moments when she'd be on edge or I'd be losing my shit that brought us closer. I'd miss that safe place that we shared.
"Likewise. You be good," Kay told me just as I kissed her forehead.
"Of course. Yo, swear you got a seven-head. Shit is immaculate," I joked. I could feel her body shake with giggles as I teased her about her head size.
"Whatever."
Kay playfully shoved me from our embrace and crossed her arms. "Stay up, Mr. Grumpy."
"Never down."
I proceeded to walk to my mom's truck and she had a big kool-aid grin on her face when I hopped in the passenger's seat. "Look at you, looking healthy."
I smacked my teeth and cracked a smile. "You just saw me last weekend. I look exactly the same."
"Well, shit I don't know. Maybe it's because you cut that hideous beard you called yourself growing," she flamed as we pulled off.
"You got jokes I see."
We laughed together at her jab at me. Things had definitely changed since we first interacted with each other back in December. My mom was very present in life. In fact, she'd commute back and forth from San Francisco to the facility here in L.A. every weekend to make sure I was good. She was one of the few people that I allowed to actually come see me and she never missed an opportunity. I was grateful for us reconnecting despite our past issues.
"So, are you and Kay a thing now or am I misreading the connection I saw?" she randomly asked.
"Nah."
"Mhm, ok," my mom rebutted. I cackled a bit.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
She shrugged as if it was nothing while steadily focusing on the road. "Nothing, just speculating. It's good that you have a friend that understands what you're going through."
"Yeah, it is," I nodded to agree before looking around to see that she had missed the turn to go to my house. "Ma, where we going?"
"Oh, I figured that I'd take you out to eat lunch to celebrate you being home and whatnot."
"You would think I was in prison..."
She cracked a smile. "Well, you weren't allowed to leave and they had strict visiting hours, so it's damn near the same thing."
I nodded as we pulled in to a Cheesecake Factory parking lot. It was packed, so I knew it was going to take us forever to get our food.
"You can always just cook for me and I can eat in front of my t.v," I vouched, but by the look on her face she wasn't having any of that.
"Boy, stop being lazy."
Once she parked, we both hopped out and waltzed on inside. Imagine my surprise when I realized that I was being surprised.
A welcome home banner hang up from upper level tables. I shook my head in disbelief at the gesture. The entire restaurant was rented out for this moment that I didn't even think was a big deal.
"Wow," I mumbled to myself as I embraced a few people and held general conversations about how I was doing.
"My mufuckin brother! How you holding up, playboy?" Travis came over to me with Sky not too far behind me.
I dapped him and brought him in for a hug. "Good. What's good with you?" He shrugged and waved me off.
"Not important. We here for you bro and anytime you need me just let nigga know and my ass is there," he said. "Pause, on that last part."
"You gay anyway though," Sky added with a confused face before coming near me to give me a side hug. I could see that Travis wasn't about take that from her which of course started them to bickering as it always does. I snuck off from near them and greeted others to thank them for coming.
"Bam!"
I quickly diverted my attention to the voice that sounded exactly like Nas, but I couldn't see him. When I finally saw cornrows walking near me I already knew who it was.
"What up, lil homie!" We did our handshake and briefly hugged it out. "How you been my guy?" I asked him while my eyes wandered.
"Straight. Better now though. We missed you bro," he admitted.
"We?"
He laughed a bit. "Mama won't admit it, but she missed you too. Why else would she plan this party for you?" My eyes widened and I couldn't help but to smile. I already know my annoying ass dimples were on display.
"Oh, word? She planned this. Where is she so I can thank her?"
"She had to go to work at the last minute," he told me. I nodded and kept a mental note that I had to see her. I just wasn't sure how it all was going to go.
Vote, comment, and whatever else ;)
What's up with Bam and Makayla?
Are we feeling Bam's growth?
How do we feel about him cutting Lauren off while he was in rehab? How you do think she feels about it?
Do they have a future together?🤔