"For a fact I know it was Z that said she loved him," Dajon laughed. They were sitting in the living room on their third game and this one was called Who Said It First? So far the ladies were in the lead by 20 points.
"Twenty dollars says, King said it," Lucy smirked looking at Renae.
Everyone turned to Renae and King waiting on them to flip them whiteboards around revealing King.
"Mannnn"
"Somebody lying,"
"I knew it!" Echoed throughout the living room as Renae and King laughed.
"When did you say it?" Tamia asked after rallying for the girls again.
"When she was released from jail," King answered then stared at Renae and she smiled faintly.
"You went to jail?" Eve gasped and everyone busted out laughing.
"Bless your heart and bless DJ for keeping you in the dark for so long," Karen said causing everyone to laugh harder.
"Well explain, give us details!" Eve beamed and Renae laughed turning to King.
"You wanna tell it or should I?"
"How about y'all both tell it, just take turns filling in the blanks," Lucy suggested.
Shrugging, King motioned for Renae to start.
"It was July first..."
A few years ago
Pressing play on the song, Renae closed her eyes and took a slow deep breath as Nicki Minaj, Save Me quietly played.
I drove for miles just to find you and find myself.
Spinning around, she jumped into the air landing on her feet before dropping down to her knees placing her hands over her ears as if she were drowning out voices.
All these screams, all these voices in my head...
You gave me strength, gave me hope for a lifetime...
Thinking of Kingston, her eyes grew watery as she tried to block out their good memories, the little time she has spent with him seemed of something in a Fairytale.
Standing, she looked down at her arms as the next verse came up, I never was satisfied...
Shaking her head, she wiped under her eyes before she ran then jumped into the air before flipped and landed perfectly on her feet.
Stretching her hands out as if she was surrendering to God, she tried to stop herself from crying as the next verse came up.
This time won't you save me
This time won't you save me?
Baby, I can feel myself givin' up.. givin' up...
Hugging herself, she dropped down to her knees, turned over on her back and stretched her legs out. Pulling them back in, she rocked slowly as she began to lay back then arched her back up, rose her arms, and reached for the ceiling.
This time won't you save me
This time won't you save me?
Wiping the tears from her eyes, she held her shaky hand over her aching heart.
Baby I can feel myself givin' up.. givin' up
Laying down on the floor, she covered her face and sobbed silently.
All she ever wanted was happiness and the moment she felt like she had it, it was gone with the blink of an eye.
It's not your fault I'm a bitch, I'm a monster...
Standing, she hung her head as she tried to stop herself from crying, but there was no use.
Yes, I'm a beast and I feast when I conquer.. Flexing her biceps, she made a U with the motions of her arms then formed a crown with her hands.
But I'm alone
Wiping her eyes, she acted as if she was fighting with Ahmed and Bryson.
On my throne
All these witches
I came this way
All this way
Just to say
This time won't you save me?
Pointing to herself as if she was begging Kingston to save her, she got into the song kicking the chair across the room.
This time won't you save me?
Baby I can feel myself givin' up, givin' up
This time won't you save me?
This time won't you save me?
Walking over towards the corner of the room, she slid down the wall and stared at her scarred arms as the tears began to pour.
Baby I can feel myself givin' up
I'm givin' up baby
Pulling her knees into her chest, she covered her face.
"I'm giving up baby," She sang softly before she broke down.
The music played again which only made her cry harder.
She wanted her father but he loved the drugs more, she needed her mother but she barely paid attention to her.
She trusted Kingston but he chose his loyalty to Keenan over her.
She chose death, but Life chose her.
Feeling arms wrap around her, already knowing who it was, she pushed him off of her.
"Stay away from me!" She screamed standing.
"I can't do dat," Kingston replied standing as well, picking up her things, Renae reached for her phone but jumped back when he touched her hand.
"Don't touch me!"
Seeing the look in her eyes, he walked towards her as she shook her head.
"You pushed me away," She croaked shoving him back.
"I trusted you!"
"I know," he mumbled walking towards her.
The closer he got the harder it got for her to breathe, it was as if someone was stripping the oxygen from her lungs whenever she tried to speak.
"Why would you do that?" She asked looking at him with a tear-stained face.
"I made a mistake Nae," Was the only valid answer he could give her as his eyes too became watery.
"No," She gritted shaking her head, "You don't get to use that line on me, not this time."
Attempting to walk away, Kingston grabbed her arm only for her to snatch away from him.
Looking him over disgustedly, she wiped her face angrily before she headed for the door.
"I love you!" He blurted causing her to stop dead in her tracks and her breathing to cease. "I can't keep seeing you like dis Nae... shit is eating me up."
Letting her things fall to the floor, she rubbed her arm as she tried to steady her breathing.
"I love you Nae," Kingston repeated taking a step forward.
Shaking her head, she turned around and marched towards him with dark eyes.
Slapping him not once but twice, she pushed him back and went to slap him again but he caught her hand.
"Get off me," She gritted hitting his chest with her free hand...
Present time
"Wait what happened next?" Everyone asked with their bodies leaned forward and eyebrows raised.
"We're here aren't we?" Renae laughed softly as she fanned her eyes.
"Yuh stay crying sis, lawd a massi," Kwan said causing everyone including Renae to laugh.
"Oh hush, next topic," Renae giggled wiping at her eyes with the Kleenex Bryson gave her.
"Ok ok," Lucy said picking up the next card before reading it, "This one says, I initiated the first kiss,"
"Micah," Karen smirked and the guys nodded in agreement.
"Once everyone made their decision they waited on Renae and King to flip their boards around.
"I knew he did, I think Zuri actually came to me about it and I thought she was about to tell me they did the deed," Bryson laughed.
"I sure did," Renae giggled erasing her board.
"Aight look, we need a harder one," Malik stated, obviously fed up with losing.
Dajon picked up the next card and looked it over before grinning, "I met my in-laws first,"
Everyone sat there pondering on it except Bryson and Tamia.
"Kingston," Bryson answered before Tamia had a chance to.
"Hell yeah, it took bro eight months to even introduce his old jank to mama K," Malik said then chuckled.
"Let's see," Renae said motioning for everyone else to show their answers.
Eve and Lucy wrote Renae while the other ladies had Kingston and all the guys wrote Kingston.
Both Renae and Kingston held up their boards and the living room erupted in cheers and "Aw come on"
"How did you meet her people before she met your mom?" Ayanna asked.
"I was friends with her cousin and Dajon before I knew of her, they... well Keenan did his best to keep his guy friends away from Nae unless you were Malik. Since I came in tha group late I missed out on meeting her, Malik only got a pass because she often did his hair or his ass would go over to their crib to hang with Dajon and that's how he ran into Nae." King explained.
"I thought you two met at the library though?" Eve inquired and Renae smiled.
"We did, I usually go to the library in Norfolk because they had better books, but for some reason, that particular year, I got caught up in going to the one around our way and that's how we bumped into each other,"
"So when Kingston did hang with your cousin and Malik where were you? I would assume you and him would've had a run-in at least once before the library," Lucy said.
"She was with Tamia most of the time and other times, from what DJ used to tell me, Keenan would ask or more like tell Zuri to stay in her room whenever he had company," Bryson answered.
"Sounds like he was trying to hide you," Ayanna laughed.
"That's exactly what he was doing, it didn't help though," Renae said then laughed.
"Interesting love story," Eve smiled softly.
"Next one," Kwan spoke shuffling the cards in the bowl before pulling one out. "Who iz more romantic?"
Everyone sat there studying Renae and Kingston as they mentally tried to decide who was more into romance than the other.
"This a good ass question," Ayanna whispered to Tamia who laughed agreeing.
When the timer went off everyone went ahead and held up their cards allowing Renae and King to look them over.
The only ones to get it right on the ladies teams were Karen and Ayanna.
Damn, Renae thought to herself before laughing softly seeing how well the men had made a comeback.
"Who got that?" Dajon asked.
When Renae and Kingston flipped their boards revealing Kingston, the guys went into an uproar.
"I thought you would be the romantic one," Eve frowned.
"That's Kingston's strong suit," Renae informed then laughed at the face Karen made.
"I think it's fair to say we all know a good amount about you two but let's get this ring toss game started," Tamia said.
"Hell yes, I'm ready,"
***
After the ladies beat the guys twice in the ring toss, they switched to the sack race where the guys, unfortunately, beat the girls without breaking much of a sweat.
They were now getting ready to start the kickball game, where everyone sported jerseys that read girl and boy on it, it was their way of predicting the next gender of the future baby.
"Look at lil mama," Ayanna giggled nodding at Kaari, she was in the midst of dropping it low until King walked over.
"I don't know why they love shaking their lil behinds, I don't even dance in front of them," Renae giggled.
"I'm sure it's just the dancer in your bloodline that's rubbing off on them, it's just something that is coming naturally to them,"
"I was act—" the doorbell ringing cut off Renae's sentence.
"I'll be back," she said before heading inside to see who was at the door since everyone was out back.
Making her way to the front door, Renae pulled the curtain back to see who was there, only to find Tish standing there in a sandy brown colored dress, her hair pulled into a sleek bun, she had no makeup on her pretty brown face but she did have on a nude gloss that brought out the freckles on her cheeks.
Excited and shocked, Renae snatched the big door open and pulled Tish into a tight embrace. "What are you doing here?"
"Kingston invited me," Tish replied then giggled.
"I also got some gifts,"
"Let me see!" Renae beamed trying to peek inside the bag but Tish stopped her.
"No ma'am, I know how these things work,"
Pouting, Renae hugged her again before stepping to the side allowing her to come in.
"Where's everyone else?"
"Out back waiting to start the gender prediction kickball game," Renae answered taking her purse and gift bags from her.
After putting her things up, Renae led Tish to the back.
Ayanna paused mid-sentence with Eve to look over at Renae and Tish.
"Who's she?" Eve whispered.
"Her therapist, slash friend," Ayanna answered before waving at Tish when she approached.
"The famous Tish that we've all heard so much about," Bryson smiled walking over with the rest of the group.
"That will be me," Tish giggled before shaking his hand.
"How are you?" Malik asked and Renae sucked her teeth then gave him a look.
"Not young enough for you," Tish answered while flashing her ring.
"Boom," Dajon said then busted out laughing at the face Malik made.
Once Renae introduced Tish into the family that she hadn't met yet, everyone went ahead and got in position for the kickball game.
It was team boy vs team girl and so far, team girl was in the lead by 10 points. It was Renae's turn to kick again and she needed to land first base or get a home run or else her team would lose.
"I can do this," she told herself as she rubbed her hands together anxiously waiting on Bryson to roll the ball to her.
When he rolled the ball her way, Renae reeled foot back slowly before kicking the ball with all her might and ran the moment it went up in the air.
As her teammates cheered her on, Ayanna and Eve ran through the bases scoring points and the second Renae reached third base Malik was tossed the ball causing her to remain in her spot.
"Damn it," she huffed fanning herself.
"Gotta be quicker than deh," Kwan chuckled standing behind her since she was on his base.
"At least we scored two home runs,"
"Yuh still haffi make it oud of here," He reminded.
"And we will," she said more to herself as Tish stepped up to the base.
"Come on T!" Ayanna and Eve cheered.
Renae and Tish shared a look then smirked.
Getting in the running position, Renae kept her eyes on Bryson then the ball when he rolled it and the moment Tish kicked it they both ran.
Malik and Dajon both tried to catch the ball which resulted in them dropping it and allowing Renae to make it home and Tish to run a full-on home run.
"HELL YES!" Renae's team cheered.
"Won mommy?" Reign asked doing a victory dance.
"We sure did," Renae giggled picking her up and danced around in a circle.
"Twenty-six to eighteen, we got em baby!" Ayanna boasted then stuck her tongue out at Kwan.
"We're still in the lead, let's get this charades game started," Dajon said after removing his jersey.
"My favorite," Renae smirked looking at King.
"Let's get it,"
**********
Your girl lookin' good, damn you know she mean bruh, soon as I make my move, you know she gon' leave ya.
How y'all feeling? what y'all expecting or anxious to see?
Don't worry, there's more to come😜
It's August firstttttttttt, so do y'all want me to start posting chapters from my new book or y'all want me to wait until this one is done?