Bryson Amelia Taylor.
"I love your hair like that. It really fits you. "Carmelo flirts, which earns a fake smile from me. Aria gags and rolls her eyes. Right now we were all at the mall to do some last minute school shopping just as I had promised Aria. Carmelo decide to tag along also to buy more shoes.
"Can you two like not flirt the whole time? I was promised by my best friend that it would be just us and we could shop until we drop. "Aria complained. Carmelo rolls his eyes and wraps his arms around my waist before attempting to place a kiss on my lips that I dodge.
"I'll be in Champs, since I'm clearly not welcomed here. "
"You're not. "Aria shoots. They glare at each other before he walks off and leaves us. I sigh and face Aria. She did not look pleased at all.
"Bry, you're my sister and I love you, but what is this? Why is he here, and why are you two all over each other if you're just "trying things out"? It makes no sense. "Aria rants as she walks into Charlotte Russe.
"Carmelo is here because he wanted to shop too. Plus I need to break some news to him. "
"What news?"
"Rylan and I are back together. "I smile. Aria's face when I told her this was literally me yesterday when Rylan told me he wanted to get back together.
"I'm so happy right now. I feel like this is my relationship. "Aria beamed. I giggle as I begin to look through the racks. I found this cute tank top that I'd wear on a bum day.
"How are you going to break it to Melo? Actually, forget him. I'll do it for you. No..let's do it together!"
"What if he doesn't take it well? Maybe he'll go back to messing with Rylan. I really don't want that happen.."I mumble. Aria glances at me over the clothing racks.
"Let's not worry about that now. We can only go one step at a time, Bry. Remember that. "
"I know Aria, I just really want my life back to normal. School is seriously only two and a half weeks away. I don't want to be stressed before it even begins. "
"I can relate. Where is Rylan anyway? Shouldn't he be out doing some shopping if his own?" Aria asks as she stacks blouse on top blouse in her arm. I shrug.
"He got in trouble with his parents, so he can't leave the house unless he's with them. He's not even allowed to have company except for me. "
"That's unheard of for him. What did he do?"
"He won't tell me. He said that it doesn't really matter anyway because he doesn't care. "
Aria pauses her rack purging. "You aren't concerned? This isn't like him to be in trouble, or not care that he is in trouble. "
I sigh heavily and scan the store for jeans. Once I locate that section I move on. "Of course I'm worried, Aria. I just don't want to talk to him about it because we just got back together and I don't want any arguments. "
"Look our for him, Bry. I feel like things are about to get hella different here soon. I just get that vibe."
"Nothing's gonna happen. Stop worrying before wrinkles start to appear. "I joke, however, Aria looked unamused.
"Something's going to happen, it could be happening now and we don't know it. We all need to look out for each other. Shit's going to get hectic." Aria preached as she continue to clear out sections of theses people's store.
After about an hour later, we had officially emptied out Charlotte Russe. We decided to meet up with Carmelo in the food court. More like Aria did. She said that I needed to cut him off as quick as possible. Aria practically dragged me over to the table he was sitting at and stared him dead in the eyes.
"She's done with you. Don't text, call, email, inbox, dm, or even send a smile signal to her. Got it?" Aria said. Carmelo looked confused.
"This true, Bryson? Why couldn't you just tell me yourself like an adult? You had this damn white girl in my face for what? For you to leave and come back like always?" Carmelo chuckles. I scoff and look over at Aria who was heated.
"This wasn't going to last long anyway. You knew that, why are you mad?"
"It's just so sudden.." he laughs. He then gets serious,"is it my brother?"
"You throw that word around so loosely! You're saying brother like you give a damn about Rylan. If you did care, you wouldn't have been in my face that night he made up with you and put y'all differences aside!"
"I'm saying brother because he is my brother. You damn right, too. I don't give a fuck about that nigga, shit, him and Phoenix both. But at the end of the day I can't help that they are my brothers. So you can leave. Run back to that crack baby."
I looked at Carmelo like he crazy. How dare he disrespect my man because I don't want him anymore? His own brother?
"Excuse me?" I say. He smiles brightly and shrugs. Aria looked like she wanted to slap the drink he had right down his throat. Cup and all.
"I ain't stutter. You heard exactly what I said. Rylan a damn crack baby, and the apple don't fall far from the tree!"
I shake my head and laugh. "You are so jealous! You really cannot stand the fact that what I have with your brother is real and nothing can come between us. I will never leave his side and I will always have his back no matter the consequences or circumstances. Goodbye, lil' broke boy. "I preach. This boy lost him damn mind. Aria and I begin to walk away, but Melo kept shouting behind us.
"You gone learn! That nigga is playing you and I'm telling you that he's not who he's playing to be! I bet that you'll believe me sooner or later!" He shouts from the table he sat at. I roll my eyes and continue to make my way out of the mall. This nigga ruined my day.
"At least he won't be bothering you anymore, right?" Aria asks. I just look at her. There's no telling about Carmelo. We make it back to her car immediately crank up the air. Florida was not playing any games today with this heat and humidity!
"I don't know. Hopefully. "I answer. My phone vibrated as a text from Rylan popped up on my screen.
I smile and lock my phone again.
"Can you drop me off at Rylan's?" I ask Aria. She nods and I glance over to a goofy smile on her face.
"What?" I question.
"You over there texting him with a smile on your face. I guess that means I won't even be able to walk in and say hi."
"Stop!" I say as I blush furiously. She mumbles a 'whatever' before turning the radio up.
>>>Love is when the other persons happiness is more important than your own.
-H. Jackson Brown Jr.
As I waited outside for someone to answer the door, all I heard was a world war going on inside. Rylan was in a whole screaming match with his parents in there. I told him I didn't think me coming over was a good idea. Royce soon appeared at the door and he looked drained.
"Hey Roy. You look exhausted. "I greet. He sighs and runs a hand over his face.
"They've been arguing for almost two hours and I'm just tryna take a nap. Niggas is tired out here. "Roy complained. I shake my head and step inside. At least the house was still in tact. Nothing was out of place. I walk further in and upstairs to source of Rylan's shouting. I see him shoving clothes in some bags and suit cases.
"Whatever, I don't care!" He shouts downstairs to his parents. He grabs some shoes boxes out of his closet and sets them on his bed along with his bags. He finally noticed me standing there and smiles.
"What's going on? Why do you have clothes?" I ask. He sighs and wraps his arms around me.
"I'm just tired of all the bullshit. I never get fucking break!" He exasperated. I nod and throw my arms over his shoulder and run my hand through his hair to calm him down.
"How did this even start?"
"I'll tell you everything later. I promise. Will you help me carry some of this to my car?"
"I guess.." I mumble as I grab one of his bags and two shoe boxes. He grabs somethings as well and we make our way downstairs only for Rylan's mom to say something.
"Where are you going, Atticus?" She states firmly. She stand so front of us and blocks the front door.
"Away from here. "Rylan says and he switches direction and heads out the other door that led to the garage. He presses the switch for the garage door to open and taps his foot impatiently as we wait. He dad came out behind us and tried to take Rylan's things from him.
"If you think that you're about to leave then your stupid. Put it back in the house and go upstairs." Mr. King's voice came out very icy and intimidating. Rylan didn't seem to care at all because he snatched his things back and proceeded to put them in his car. Mr. King looked at me and shook his head.
"You gone let him do this? You're helping him destroy himself and I hope you know that. "
"Don't talk to her. "Rylan scoffs as he grabs my hand and leads me back inside to get some more of his clothes. After a few more trips from his room to his car, he had everything and was getting ready to leave.
"Rylan you don't have to go yet!" His mom cries as his dad comforts her.
"Where are you even gonna go?" His dad questions.
"I'm staying in my house. The one grandma left me. Do not come by, I'm not letting you in. "He spat.
Last year Rylan's grandmother passed and he took it really hard. She left him her house that lived in, and she left Royce money for college because he had always told her he would go. She didn't leave Rylan money for college(although she did give him some) because she knew he wasn't going. She had so much faith in Rylan that she believed he would make it in the NBA or NFL. She left everything to Royce, Rylan, and their other cousin(who got her car).
"How are you gonna get inside? Ain't even no water or lights on in that house. "His dad says. His mom wipes her tears before speaking. By now Roy had came outside too.
"He gave me the money to do it but I didn't think he was leaving now, not like this. "
"You know what he's been doing and you wanted to let him leave like that? I can't believe you."
Rylan sighs and rolls his eyes. "She did it for my birthday, which is next week. I'll be 18 so you can't tell me shit. "
"Well leave! Just know that if come back the locks will be changed." Mr. King yelled. Mrs. King was still crying and constantly wiping tears.
"Fine! I don't need you anyway!"
"Good, go ahead and keep right sniffing that shit. You'll end up just like your mother, dead and a crack addict!" His father shouts at him. I could tell that struck a nerve for Rylan because he gripped the door handle of his car tight and clenches his jaw. He goes in front of his father and looks him the eyes.
"Mom can stop by anytime she wants to, but you can stay away and leave me the hell alone!" Rylan shouts. His mother hugs him and he places a kiss on her cheek. He and Royce bro hug before he gets in the car and we leave. We ride in silence because I don't want to upset him any further. Plus, I doubt that he would answer my questions now. Once we get to what's now his house, we begin to move his things inside.
"I'm so glad that before she died, she changed everything about this place. If it looked anything like it did growing up, I wouldn't be able to step foot in here. "Rylan says as he puts his clothes into the closet in the master bedroom. I was sitting in the bed and watching him put everything up.
"Do you wanna talk about what happened earlier? I ask.
"You sure you wanna know? It's some really heavy shit, Bry. You might judge me. "
"I don't care. I'm never turning my back on you ever and you know that. It's not going to make me see you differently and I'm not a person to judge." I say as I turn in the tv and start looking through channels. He sits beside me and removes his shirt.
"Promise me you'll never leave. I left you behind once and I don't want that happening again. Swear to me you won't. "Rylan said as he stared deeply into my eyes. I nod as he intertwines our hands.
"I promise. Whatever it is that you're about to say will never make me leave. Ever. "
He sighs heavily and pulls me into his lap. I straddle him as he wraps his arms around me and I throw my arms around his neck. A warm smile graces my faces before placing a kiss on his cheek.
"Last week my parents went through my room and found, uh, something and they blew up at me about it. Same thing happened today. My dad thought something was up so he went snooping around under my bed and found more." Rylan explains.
"That's what all this is about?" I ask as I rub his back in small circles. He nods and lays his head on my shoulder.
"What was it that they found?" I ask. He left hand began to rub my thigh, something that he did when he was nervous. He didn't say anything for a while which concerned me. Eventually I heard him sniffle and I felt him now gripping my thigh.
"Rylan..." I say softly. He sighs before speaking.
"It was cocaine, babe. They were so fucking mad with me and I just didn't care. I still don't because nobody understands how human that shit makes me feel. "
"Are you stupid or crazy?" I ask. He removes his head from my shoulder and looks me in the face.
"I literally just asked if you were going to judge me about it and you said no. "
"I'm not judging you, I just want you to listen to yourself for a second. Rylan you don't need drugs to make you feel whole or normal. "I say. He rolls his eyes and removes me from his lap.
"You don't get it either so I don't even know why I bothered to tell you. "
I grab his face and make him look at me. "Make me understand, Rylan. I want to help you. "
"Help what? The damage is already done, it's been done. "
"No it's not and I can still help you." I insist. He chuckles and shakes his head.
"You wanna help so damn bad? Okay. You gotta time machine so we can go back in time and make my momma want me? You wanna erase all the times somebody has called me an orphan? How about my dad calling me a crack head and a crack baby? Can you help any of that? Can you solve those problems?" He yells. I try to reach for his hand but he moved away.
"Can you help me not hate what I see in the mirror? Is there a way you can erase everything bad that ever happened to me from my childhood? Like my aunt that's in prison right now because she's sick as fuck and wanted to touch a little boy? A fuckin' eight year old child! Can you help that? No, you can't! Nobody can!" He shouts as more tears find their way down his face.
I was crying my damn self. Rylan had never told me about aunt. He never talked about her and neither did his family. She's in prison because she molested him? That's sick.
"Rylan, baby calm down. We can think about this and we'll get through it together like we always do. "I cry. I stand and we hug tightly as if we hadn't seen each other in ages.
"I can't live without it, it's the only damn thing that gets me out of bed in the morning!"
"Well you have to make a choice." I say. He looks at me and shakes his head.
"A choice? You said that you never leave and you had me through anything. What happened to that?"
"Rylan I don't wanna come in here and find you on the floor dead because of this shit! So yes, you have to choose. Me or those damn drugs. "
He literally just looked at me. He didn't say a damn word.
"Really? That's what you're gonna choose? You choose death over me?" I cry. He shakes his head no.
"No! I just—I told you that I can't function without it and you don't even care!"
"What you're telling is that you've made a choice. You want to throw away what we worked so hard to fix over something that you can throw away and forget about!" I yell.
"We wouldn't have had to fix it if you would've made a choice a long time ago. Before any of this shit went down before we got serious and I had niggas in my ear telling me that you were fucking with Carmelo, I gave you an ultimatum. I told you it was either me or him and you chose me only to turn around and choose him later! You damn right I wanna choose what will never break my heart and treat me like shit!" He yells back. I chuckle and begin to pace the floor.
"I'm not about to let you choose that bullshit over me."
"Well you gone have to deal with it. "He shrugs. I looked at him like he had three heads.
"Deal with it? Hell no. "
"Bryson please, don't leave me. I've had enough people leave, and I've left some behind. Don't be one of those people. I'm sorry for what I said. I take all of it back, I love you babygirl. "He begs. I stop my pacing and just stare at him.
"Rylan I'm no—"
"Do you love me?" He asks. I sigh and shake my head yes. "Say it. "
"I love you, Rylan. "
"Don't leave me. If you love and care about me as much as you say do, then you would want to see me happy. You said you didn't want throw away our relationship and we shouldn't. "He pleads. His arms snake around my waist and we stare into each other's eyes so intensely that I could see his soul.
This was still the same person that I fell in love with. The exact person that I want to spend the rest of my life with. It's like nothing about him changed at all, but I know it did. They're not even changes, they're scars that have been there all along. None of them have had the opportunity to heal because someone's steady picking at them.
"I made a promise, I swore to you. " I begin. "Rylan I'm not going anywhere but you have no choice but to accept my help. Dad by day I'm going to help you better yourself and to love yourself because I love you. You're my man and I'm supposed to hold you down. I've been lacking, but I'm going to make up for it by helping you. "
He smiles widely and places a gentle kiss on my lips. "I'll accept that. I love you too baby girl, and I want you. Me and you really in this together. You're my girl and you're not going nowhere. I'm your man I ain't going nowhere. Not a soul on this earth gone change that ever again. We're together forever. I swear to you." Rylan preaches as he continues to kiss me and all over my face. My mouth curls into a smile at his words.
Together forever..
-
Shit's about to get crazy now. I wanna do something so crazy with the plot that it basically says "fuck you and everything that you stand for and everything that you are".
Vote and comment or ya mom's a hoe.💕