Justice in MM
I woke up the next morning with a throbbing headache and a pain in my shoulder. I sat up in Justice's guest room bed slowly, as the pain ached. I heard the tv in the living room and I knew Justice was awake. I sighed, getting out of bed, ready to hear his mouth about last night.
I walked out the room and he was sitting in his favorite chair watching a basketball game. He turned to me when he saw me.
"Good morning, Ava," He said, as I poured orange juice in a glass.
"Morning," I mumbled, taking a pain killer out the cabinet. I threw two in my mouth and swallowed them with the orange juice I poured.
"Com'ere," He demanded. I silently sighed, dragging myself to him and taking a seat on the couch across from him. I looked at him, not saying a word, waiting for him to speak.
"What happened last night?" He asked.
"Justice, I was just in the club, its no big deal," I said, rolling my eyes.
"No big deal? Ava you're only 18!" He said, like I had no clue what age I was. "And Eli told me you been drinking too? Do ever stop to think before you do shit like this? You coulda got hurt and ya drunk friends wasn't gonna be able to help you."
I sighed, bracing back against the couch with my arms folded. I hated when he yelled at me. I was use to it but I hated when he got mad at me.
He sighed, dropping his angry expression and calming down.
"Look, Ava, I'm just tryna make sure you okay. I love you too much to see you get hurt," He said gently. "You being my little sister, that carries a lot of weight around here."
I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Forget about it-"
"No, Justice, tell me," I insisted.
"Alright but you can't tell no one, iight?" He said like a little kid who did something bad and didn't want to get caught. I nodded. "Look Ava, I'm in the game."
"The game?" I repeated with confusion.
"Yeah, the drug game. I been in it for a while now, me and Eli. We on top of things around here and the money flow is good but wherever a nigga is getting money, theres enemies lurking around too. So I got niggas plotting against me. Thats why I try to keep you safe. If them niggas knew you were my sister, they might hurt you too."
I was appalled. I never knew Justice was a drug dealer, let alone a large one. It all started to make sense though. My parents disowning him, this fancy condo, and his red Mitsubishi parked outside.
"Eli was just trying to look out for you last night," He continued. "Thats all."
"Oh my god," I mumbled. "Why didn't you tell me before?"
"Because you were young and you wouldn't have understood," He said. "Now you're older and tryna go to clubs and shit, I think its best if you knew the truth now."
"How long have you been in?"
"After the night of that party I had 5 years ago. The one you tried to sneak in, remember?" He chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, a few guys got us in that night and after I made my first grand, I never left. This lifestyle is easy, Av. I ain't smart enough to go to college and become a doctor or a lawyer. This is the only shit I'm good at. Elijah is the smart one though. He don't belong in this drug shit. He's the one that should be a doctor or lawyer. And I'm hoping one day he'd leave and use his college degree to get a better, safer, and legal job, you feel me? I don't want him to be nothing like me."
I took all of his words in, listening to him being serious for the first time in a long time. He stared at the cream carpet, in deep thought.
"Justice...its not too late," I suggested. "You can get a degree too and live a better lifestyle."
He shook his head. "Nah, Av, I'm in too deep. The game is like quicksand. Once you get into it, its hard to get out."
I sighed, leaning back on the couch. We were quiet for little, which was weird. There was never really a quiet moment between us.
"Well, uh, I think you better get your stuff so I could take you home," He said, standing up. "Hurry up."
I mentally rolled my eyes but I didn't say anything because it would ruin the moment. I took a quick shower and threw on a hoodie and sweatpants I left here a little while ago.
"You ready?" He asked, once I had my things. I shook my head yes and we were off in his Mitsubishi toward my parents house.
...
"Did y'all get home safe last night?" I asked Shayla and Peach on three way on the phone. I was in my bedroom laying on my own bed.
"Yeah, we took a cab right after yo fake ass ditched us," Peach remarked, with a fake attitude.
"You'd never believe what happened though," I said, remembering bumping into Elijah.
"What?" They both asked in unison.
"Okay, so I went to the bathroom, right? And guess who I bumped into on the way out?"
"Who, girl, stop making us guess," Shayla said, impatiently. I laughed.
"I'm sorry, but anyway, I bumped into Elijah on the way out," I said, smiling.
"Elijah!?" They said, in shock.
"Isn't he in Miami for college?" Peach asked.
"He graduated, now he's back in New York, with his own crib and everything," I explained. "But anyway he basically kidnapped me out the club last night and took me to Justice's condo."
"Ooooh," They squealed like they did when we were younger every time I brought up Elijah. I rolled my eyes.
"Don't start this again, please?" I pleaded.
"Oh come on, Av, do you believe us now? You know what they say, if you let something go and it comes back to you, then it was real. And girl, he left and now he's back. Thats true love," Shayla said.
"You ain't never said it better, Shay," Peach agreed.
"Ava! Come down here and eat dinner!" My mother called from downstairs.
"Oh whatever. I'll call y'all back though," I said, hanging up.
I joined my parents at the dinner table for dinner and took a seat.
"What we having, ma?" I asked.
"Some macaroni and cheese and barbecue chicken," She said, taking some out and putting it on my plate. Just then the doorbell rang.
"Ava, go get that please," My dad said. I obeyed and opened the door to see Elijah. There goes my heartbeat again.
"Sup, Ava?" He gave me a head nod, running a hand over his haircut.
"Hey," I said, simply.
"Is this a bad time?"
"Well, I was about to eat dinner, why?"
"Justice-"
"Eli? Is that you?" My mom joined us, hugging Elijah. "Oh my lord, when did you get back?"
"Hey Mrs. Lexington, I just got back a couple weeks ago," He smiled at her. "I graduated in May."
"Congratulations! Ooh, honey, you looking good, too. All grown and whatnot," she chuckled.
"Thanks," He said, joining in the chuckle. I rolled my eyes.
"Come in, you have to join us for dinner," My mother went on. "I have to hear all about college."
"Uh, I really can't stay, Mrs. Lex. I just came here to tell Ava something. Maybe another time."
"Well, alright, make sure you give a kiss to your parents for me then until next time."
"Okay, bye Mrs. Lex," He waved.
"Bye, Eli. And Ava, hurry and come in. The food's getting cold," My mom said, walking away. I turned back to Elijah.
"What were you saying?"
"You and Justice are in trouble," He sighed.
"What do you mean?" I asked, getting nervous.
"Some guys are looking for him and some were at the Palace last night. They saw you and knew you were his sister. Now they looking for y'all," He explained and fear ran all throughout me.
"But why? What did I do?"
"Nothing, they just want to do something to you to fuck with Justice."
I felt tears fill my eyes as I began feeling scared. Then it came to me. Chase.
"Would one of these guys happen to be named Chase?" I asked him. He raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, thats the leader. How'd you know?"
"He came up to me and was insisting I go home with him," I recalled. "But I went to the bathroom and bumped into you."
"Ava!" My mom yelled from inside. "The food is getting cold!"
"Uh, can you sneak out tonight?" He asked. I shrugged.
"I'll try," I told him.
"Alright, I'll come back around 11. We'll talk about it more then."
"Okay."
He walked off and I closed the door, going back inside. I couldn't eat a bite of food, even though it was my favorite meal. The thought me being in danger with guys I didn't even know scared me.
I hope Elijah has a plan.