10 years later ......

"Mama Tori ! Tell your son to keep his hands to hisself before I stomp him out" Toya yelled down the hallway as she shoved Isaiah down the stairs.

"Mama tell your faughter to stop taking her precious time in the bathroom" Isaiah yelled back

"Her what?" Ri asked as she descended the stairs while texting on her phone.

"Her faughter. You know, like her fake daughter" he shrugged then burst out laughing. Had he not been laughing so hard he would've noticed the shoe being thrown in his direction.

"OUCH! WHAT THE FU—"

"Go ahead and finish the sentence so I can punch you up to God" Tori gritted as she raised her fist.

"Can you say child abuse?" He mumbled as he rubbed the back of his head. "I was just playing with her apple head as— self."

"Keep trying me Isaiah! It's too early for your shit now!" Tori fussed as she made plates for all the kids.

This was an every morning thing in the Smith household, Isaiah would do anything to annoy his sister and best friend. It was as if he wouldn't have a good day if he didn't.

Toya absolutely loved living with the Smith family, she didn't have a single complaint. She hasn't seen her mother in ten years and her sister in five. Although she missed them dearly, she made the best of the situation and always kept an open mind.

Tori did just as Tonya asked and bought a home for her and the kids in Cascade Heights, a middle class neighborhood not too far from their old apartments. She really loved Kiari's school at the time so she was adamant about finding a home in the same school district. Tori waited a month before she started looking for homes just to give Tia time to come to her senses. 

When the second month approached and no one had heard from Tia she started her search for the perfect home for her family. After searching for what seemed like forever Tori finally found the perfect house. She purchased a 5 bedroom/ 4 bathroom home with a two-story foyer, spacious kitchen, entertainment room, and a fenced in backyard.

The house isn't too small nor is it too big, it's just right. As you enter the home there is a sitting room to the right and a dining room to the left. Towards the back of the home sits the living room with a fireplace, a eat in kitchen, a guest bedroom and bathroom. Upstairs, an entertainment room and laundry room are centered in a split floor plan. Tori and Isaiah's rooms are on one side of the house while Kiari and Toya's room is on the other separated by a Jack and Jill style bathroom.

"Ri can you pick me up today? I'm not gonna feel like waiting on Isaiah to finish football" Toya asked Kiari.

"It depends on what time my last class ends" she replied with a shrug. "I'll text you and let you know what's up"

"Kk thanks" she smiled and kissed Kiari's cheek "Have a good day sis, I love you. Bye Mama T, I love you" she said as she hugged Tori tight and kissed her cheek.

"I love you too Toy" she replied as she kissed her forehead.

"Let's go stupid" Toya scoffed while smacking the back of Isaiah's head.

"Didn't you just snitch on me for putting my hands on you?" he mugged her. "Now when I punch ya lights out you gone be crying. Bye ma , bye sis. I love y'all" he said as he headed towards the door.

"Boy you ain't gone buss a grapefruit in a fruit fight, shut up" Toya mumbled under her breath.

"I ain't gone what? Huh? I can't hear you" he said as he pulled on of her braided ponytails. He had a grip so strong that Toya's entire body was sideways as she walked.

"Isaiah if you don't let my hair go! I swear to God you will wake up in the morning and your entire game system will be DESTROYED!" she said through gritted teeth as she attempted to remove his hands from her hair.

"Aight, you got it!" He surrendered as he raised his hands up in defense. "You didn't even have to bring my game into this" he shook his head in disbelief.

"Then stop playing with me stupid ass boy!" She mugged him as she fixed her ponytail. "Now here take a picture of me!" she shoved her phone into his hands.

"Mmcht, do I look like Jeffrey the Butler to you ?"

"Can you just come on!" she groaned as she threw her head back. She hated the fact that he always had something smart to say. She didn't understand why he talked shit in the first place when he was gonna do whatever she asked anyways.

Isaiah loved to see the women in his life smile, he never wanted to see them sad or upset. He'd do anything to make sure that they were happy at all times. Although he can be a pain in the ass at times, he truly loved them.

"Yyaasss get them angles best friend!" Toya cheesed as she posed for him. "Let me see" she reached her hand out for her phone. She went through the many photos he took, deleting the ones she didn't like.

"Here come the bus, get ya book bag" Isaiah said as he passed it to her.

Once the bus stopped they got on and headed to the back sitting next to their other bestfriends. "Hey bestie! You looking cute today!" Toya's bestfriend Sydney said as she surveyed her attire.

"Thanks bestie! Look at these, which picture do you like the best?" Toya replied as she showed Syd the pictures she had just taken.

"I think I like this one the most" she swiped until she got to the last picture.

"This my favorite one too!" Toya cheesed and made the photo her new wallpaper.

For the rest of the bus ride the two girls talked about random things. All the students exited the bus, entered the school through the back doors of the cafeteria and found a table to sit at until it was time for homeroom.

"So what's up with me and you Toya?" Isaiah's best friend Cyrus asked.

"Ew, can you not" Toya mugged as she continued to play Subway Surfers on her phone. Toya absolutely hates it when Cyrus attempted to flirt with her, she simply just wasn't interested in him.

Cyrus was your typical suburban kid that wanted to be from the hood so bad. "Aye leave her alone" Isaiah nudged Cy.

"My bad, I forgot she your girl" he chuckled and raised his hands in surrender.

"Not" they said in unison making Cy and Syd both laugh.

When the bell rung everyone went to their homeroom class to grab their schedules. After going over the schedules Toya and Syd realized that they had 3 classes together, one being their lunch period.

The girls headed to 10th grade Algebra which was both of their first periods. Although they were freshman they took some sophomore classes. Toya had always been all about her studies, making it her number one priority.

She had dreams of going to Spelman and she wanted to go there on a Hope Scholarship so she made sure that she always did her best in school. Tori was beyond proud of her daughter, she wasn't her biological daughter but Tori was truly the only mother figure she knew. Of course she remembered her real mother but as she got older the memories started to fade.

The only thing that was vivid in her mind was her last day with her sister. Tia was rarely there, making Tonya her mother figure. So life with Tori was one that she cherished, their relationship was one that she had only dreamed of as a young girl.

When they walked into the classroom Toya stopped in her tracks and surveyed her surroundings. Isaiah looked up from his phone and laughed out loud, "they done fucked up putting all of us in the same class"

"Mr. Smith watch your language in my class" the teacher spoke as she wrote on the board.

Isaiah scrunched his face up and slouched down in his chair. Since it was the first day of school he decided to show mercy, he didn't wanna be heading to in-school suspension already.

"Look at that, it's fate. God showing all the signs." Cy spoke as he leaned over and placed his arm around Toya's shoulder.

She shrugged her shoulders as an attempt to get him away from her, "if you love your arm I suggest you move that musty shit" she stated as she rolled her eyes. "Syd switch seats with me for I have to stab this clown"

"I like'em feisty" Cy smirked as the two girls switched seats.

The bell rung and class began, for the remainder of the hour Toya and Syd paid attention to the lesson while Isaiah and Cy scrolled on their phones.

"Alright class there will be a quiz on Friday, be sure to complete your homework" the teacher spoke as the bell rung. Isaiah jumped up to make his way out of the classroom. "No sir! The bell doesn't dismiss you I do!"

"Bi— I mean ma'am, if the bell doesn't dismiss me what's the point of us having one?" He asked as he adjusted the strap of his book bag.

"I can already see how this school will go Mr. Smith and I will not have a repeat of last year."

"I got you. Am I dismissed?" He replied with a bored expression.

She starred at him for a moment before clearing her throat and speaking to the class, "you guys are dismissed, enjoy the remainder of your day"

The class stood and exited the classroom. Toya and Syd were about to head towards their next class but the guys had other plans. "Aye T, I'll be home later on." Isaiah spoke as he lightly grabbed her arm before she could fully walk off.

"Where are you going Isaiah?" She asked as she placed her hand on her hip.

"I got some shit to handle, I'll be back later" He didn't want to tell her what he was going to get into because he knew she would try to talk him out of it. He'd rather keep her out of his extra curricular activities for her sake.

"Isaiah! It's the first day of the school and you're already skipping?" She frowned. "Whatever, do what you do. Be safe"

Isaiah knew she was mad so he grabbed her and pulled her into a tight hug. "I love you" he mumbled.

"Love you too" she mumbled back.

He stale faced her, "don't be mad at me, you know I hate when you're mad at me" he pouted.

A slight smile appeared on her face, "whatever, I love you too. Now gone" she pushed away from him.

"I'll see you when I get home." He replied as he licked his lips.

"Mhm whatever." The one minute bell rung and she rushed towards her class while Isaiah watched as she entered the smaller gym.

"You got it bad my boy" Cy smirked as he rested his hand on Isaiah's shoulder.

Isaiah shrugged him off and mugged him, "nigga you know I hate to be touched and what you talking bout?

Cyrus shook his head, "gone head and make her your girl before I do"

"You must not value your life cause you stay trying me bra" Isaiah stale faced him.

Cyrus chuckled. "Man talk that tough shit to somebody else, you don't scare me luh nigga"

The two went back and forth as they waited for Tango to pick them up. Isaiah always avoided any comments about him making Toya his girlfriend. He saw her as his bestfriend, she knew to much about him for her to be his girlfriend. He wouldn't deny that she was a beautiful girl and everything he would want in a girlfriend but he just couldn't see it happening.

If anyone questioned if he loved her they were blind, you could see the love he had for her when he looked at her. With everything he had going on at the time, a girlfriend was the last thing on his mind.

Tango pulled up and they got into the car, "what's on the agenda for today" he asked as he fastened his seat belt.

"Gotta go see bout these boys on the Eastside" Tango said as he peeled out of the school parking lot.

Isaiah reached under the seat, grabbed his 9mm, checked the clip, and sat it on his lap. "Bet"

________________________

Author's 📝

How do we feel about Toya & Isaiah's relationship?

Tori ? Do you think she did a great job raising the kids by herself ?

Who Isaiah think he is 🤔

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