~~~Hey!! It's been a long time since I've updated! I'm so sorry I've been really busy this year and I've had no inspiration. I'm gonna try to update more for y'all. Do y'all want me to keep this story going or make a new story? Perhaps a love story with a different person?? Please comment ❤️~~~

Ariel's POV

It's been hours since I've had my interview with Oprah and it's already viral, it's all over the news.

I never knew that I would get a chance to speak to Oprah and I didn't expect all this popularity and dozens of letters from my fans from the mailbox.

It really warms my heart to see these beautiful letters from my fans and watching other girls relate to my story through videos, encouraging me to be strong.

Things at home has been a little different... Trey's been doing almost everything for me and treating me like I'm his boss.

     He's been saying that he's proud of me for finally breaking out of my shell and telling everybody what's been going on. He's been treating me with such high respect and he's super overprotective of me now, it's crazy. He never lets me ride the bus to school and back home, he'd rather wake up early, make a full breakfast for me and take me to school. He doesn't want Mama to take me to school. He wants to, just in case he has to beat someone up says himself.

It can be a little nerve racking with him but I still appreciate him for protecting me now that I get caught by paparazzi every once in a while.

This whole day he's been following me around like a bodyguard. He's been driving me around a lot, taking me places. He took me to a smoothie shop so I can "catch on some weight"

I don't know why he's paying to much attention to me when he should be doing the same to his girlfriend, she's having his child.

After this long day traveling from here to there, everybody is asleep in their rooms while I'm in the shower getting ready to go to bed.

After my nice and hot fifteen minute shower, I finally stepped out of the shower feeling refreshed after a long, busy day.

I did my nightly routine, brushed my teeth, wash my face and braid my hair into two braids and finally dressed myself in an oversized t-shirt.

I left the bathroom, noticing that every light in this silent big house is off. My siblings and Mama were all awake before I hopped in the shower and they're already in bed.

I opened the bathroom door and jumped at the sight of Izzy sitting in front of me.

"Izzy you scared me girl." I laughed placing a hand on my chest.

She jumped on me excitedly wagging her tail and licked my hands.

"You must've been waiting on me to get out the shower. Huh?"" I spoke in a baby voice.

I guided  her into my room and closed the door behind me. She jumped on top of my bed and made herself comfortable, laying on the bottom of the bed.

I guess she'll be sleeping in here tonight I guess. Her spoiled self...

My phone start to vibrate on top of my nightstand.

That must be Michael...

I love late night convos with Michael. He tells me about how he feels about everything and what's going on in his life and I do the same. We tell each other a lot of secrets.

I begin to smile from ear to ear in excitement as I rushed over to the nightstand and answered my phone.

"Hey Michael!" I exclaimed.

"Hey Ari bug! I saw your big head on tv earlier!" Michael joked.

I laughed, "Oh so imma big head now? You're the big head with that huge Afro of yours!" I joked laughing.

"Ah, ya got me." He laughed.

"I didn't get to see your performance on tv cause I was busy today but I'm looking forward to watch videos of it." I told him.

"Oh you should've saw me on that stage... I was happy as ever. This is the only show in this whole tour that I've been extremely happy."

I laughed, "Why?"

"Because of you! Duh." He chuckled.

"What? I didn't do anything." I giggled.

"Yes you did. You just make me happy and not just that... I'm almost done with tour and in a couple of weeks I get to see you soon and that's been on my mind lately."

I blushed really hard as I sat down on the edge of my bed.

I do have to admit, I miss him and his Afro. I can't wait to play with his kinky hair.

"What day are you coming?" I asked.

"I don't know... maybe after Valentines? I have no idea. Joseph won't tell us." He said. "I also can't wait for this tour to end because I have a strong urge to punch Joseph in the face." He said quietly.

I chuckled, "Why do you wanna punch him so bad?" I asked.

"Ari, you don't understand. He won't shut his loudmouth up. Every little thing we do, he has to yell at us but I have to be thankful because in years past it was the worse with him."

"Why'd you say that?" I questioned.

"Joseph used to beat us all the time when we were younger. Every little move we screw up, he would always wack us with anything he could grab on to until we cried. It was mostly Marlon." He explained.

I gasped in shock, "Michael really?"

"I- I thought you knew..."

"No. Not over some little mistake. Y'all were little kids."

"Well yeah he used to beat us. He would call me names like big nose and 'oh you're so black you don't look like my child'.... he would say that." He spoke. "I'd get the hell beat out of me. I'd get thrown in the basement-"

"What kind of parent treats his child like that? How is your mom still with that asshole?" I spat.

"I don't know... and I don't know how she does it. Watches her kids get beat up and yelled at every week and still manages to stay with him.... I don't know."  He softly spoke.

"I was the one that would fight back when I was little. He'd try to beat me and stuff. If I sang the wrong note, didn't do something right or did the wrong dance move, he'd yell and I would fight back." He chuckled a little.

I chuckled with him, "And all of your brothers just sit there and watch?" I asked.

"Yep, and they were scared of him. I would throw a shoe at him and stuff and run like hell." He laughed softly.

Michael was badass and I didn't even know. I knew he used to be a feisty kid back then but I didn't know he had the balls to fight back Joseph.

"My brothers used to say I was crazy... I would always fight Joseph back and oh my gosh I would get my butt beat.."

"Dang Michael..." I chuckled softly.

"Yeah but that's in the past now. He doesn't beat us anymore because we're getting older. All he do is yell at us and if we really do something bad like screw up a whole performance, then I'm sure he'd really beat us up. And not just performance... if we screw things up real bad, like what Latoya did, then he'll beat us up..."

I frowned, "I don't blame him for doing that to Latoya... she got herself lookin' like a damn fool now."

He didn't respond.

"I can't believe she did that to me... she told my family. I don't even know if they've heard about my story yet. I haven't talked to them since Christmas... she ruined my relationship with Prince too..." I spoke softly.

"Don't worry about Prince... he's a nut." He mumbled.

"I know. I know. I could've been with him right now if it wasn't for her." I blamed.

Michael grew an irritable sigh, "He still would've broke up with you if she didn't tell him that you're pregnant. Think Ariel..."

I stayed silent watching Izzy drift off to sleep.

"Don't waste your time stressing over a guy who doesn't care about you. Forget about him Ariel. You've been doing good ignoring him everyday and now you're falling back."

I sighed, "Yeah."

"Remember what I said before I left for tour? I said to think about what he's done and think about what I've done for you..." he recalled.

I nodded slowly, "Y-yeah."

"You need to move on Ariel. I don't want you to see you with him again after what he done to you." He sternly said. "You were so happy with him until he broke up with you because of such a bad reason... I don't wanna see you hurt, I wanna see you happy again." He softly said.

My phone suddenly vibrated my face. I pulled my phone back to see another call coming.

"Michael let me put you on hold for a second. Somebody is calling me." I told him.

"Okay." I heard his soft voice.

I pressed on the unfamiliar phone number and pressed answer.

"Uh... hello?" I answered.

"Hey Ariel it's André it's an emergency..."

I raised an eyebrow, "What happened?"

"Prince... he's not doing too well."

"What? What happened? What do you mean? Is he okay?" I questioned.

"He's having a seizure and the paramedics are on their way. I think you should come over before it's too late. This seizure is pretty bad and he won't stop." He sped through his words.

My heart starts to pound fast and I start to feel lightheaded as I heard background noise of Prince choking.

"Okay I'm on my way." I ended the call and dialed Michael's number while searching through my room to find my shoes.

"Hello?" I heard Michael's soft voice.

"M-Michael. I-I'll call you later okay. It's an emergency." My voice shook as I started to cry.

"What wrong?" He asked, puzzled at my tone.

"Prince is what happened! He's having a seizure and I have to go see him to make sure he's doing okay!" I freaked.

I heard him sigh, "Right after I told y- you know what... okay. I'll-"

Before he could speak another word, I hung up in his face. I rushed out of my room and ran toward Trey's room door.

I banged on his door not giving a care in the world that it's 11pm at night. The door swung open and Trey is in his pajamas rubbing his eyes.

"Trey! Hurry get your keys we have to go to Prince's house!" I cried.

"Woah... what happened? Why are you yelling? It's midnight!" He complained.

"Trey we've got to hurry! Drive me to Prince's place! He's having a seizure and the paramedics are there!" I screamed in his face.

"I thought you were done with hi-"

I grabbed Trey's shirt, "Just fucking take me there you cunt!" I screamed at him and snatched my hand away from his shirt.

"You know fuckin better not to yell at me like that! What is your damn problem?!" He raised his voice

I stomped my foot on the ground, "Come on we have to go!" I cried impatiently.

"Calm the fuck down! He'll be okay if the paramedics are there!" He yelled at me.

I pushed him out of the door way and ran in his room. I turned the light on and grabbed his keys from his dresser. I ran back to him and harshly slammed his keys to his chest. I grabbed his arm and ran down the stairs, pulling him as he ran behind me.

—————
I impatiently sat in the passenger seat as Trey drove behind the wheel below the speed limit while I'm uncontrollably crying in my hands worrying about Prince. I looked out the window, regretting not talking to him while he was trying so hard to reach out to me for the longest.

He suffered from epilepsy as a kid and I remember freaking out every time he'd have a seizure. Prince and I would be playing ball and all of a sudden he'll drop and have a seizure.

I would cry and hold his hand until he stopped while other kids would stand around and laugh at him. He used to get bullied because of his random seizures, some people were scared of him but I wasn't.

After every seizure,  I'd always go out and pick a flower from the grass and give it to him to make him feel better. I believed that flowers make everybody feel better

Boy did he earn himself a lot of flowers in the past but he didn't mind.

There was a time we were in second grade, it was recess and Prince and I were having fun playing basketball. There was a lot of kids running around the playground, playing tag, swinging on monkey bars, sliding down the slides. Everything was perfectly fine. I turn my back for a little while and turned back around to see Prince having a seizure on the concrete ground while a couple of kids stood and watched.

I dropped my basketball and rushed over to him. What I saw was completely disturbing, it was a very bad seizure. Of course I cried holding his hand, repeatedly calling his name so that he could stop. All of a sudden the paramedics arrived and violently pushed me away from him and immediately start to do CPR.

I watched everything while screaming and crying and to see him get rushed to the hospital left me empty. He was gone for a while. I couldn't visit him in the hospital and give him a flower which really broke me to pieces. I was so empty for three weeks, with nobody to play with during recess and nobody to have play dates with me. It was a very tragic and depressing time for me.

"Look Ari... if something like this happens again, don't grab my shirt like that and drag me like I'm some little kid." Trey scolded making me snap out of my thoughts.

I sighed, "I'm sorry. I'm just really worried about Prince right now."

"Like I said, if the paramedics are there with him then everything is gonna be fine."

"I-I don't care. I just wanna be by his side. He hasn't had a seizure in a long time and to hear that he's having one just really-" I stopped and start to cry some more.

Trey sighed irritably, "You wanna be here for a person that doesn't want to be here for you? You got me here at eleven at night-"

"I still love him okay! Just because we're done with each other doesn't mean that I'll stop caring for him!" I cried. "Seizures are very dangerous and you can die from them. I've heard stories that people stopped breathing while having a seizure and died."

Trey sighed, "Next time I won't take you and let his bitch ass die..." Trey said under his breath.

I gasped taken back from his words.

We arrived in front of the Nelson's house and I grew confused. I expected an ambulance truck in front of the house.

Maybe they took him in the hospital already...

"I want to see him now!" I cried scooting myself to the edge of the seat. "The ambulance already took him!"

"Call André and ask what hospital he's going to." Trey mumbled.

I sighed and snatched my phone out of my pocket, my eyes refilling with tears searching for André's phone number.

Once I found it, I immediately called. The phone rang for a while making me more impatient after every ring.

He finally picked up, "Ayee."

"André! Where's Prince? What hospital?! Where?!" I asked impatiently.

"Eh-Uh- Come inside the house, I gotta.. uh- find my keys and we'll head towards the hospital." André spoke calmly.

"André hurry up! I want to see Prince NOW!" You should've rode in the back of the truck with him!" I cried.

"Just come inside. I'll drive you th-"

"Fine!" I yelled through the phone.

I ended the call and got out of the car.

"Where are you going?" Trey asked before I slammed the door.

I rushed to the doorsteps and slammed my fists on the front door a few times. I looked around to see that the lights aren't on inside of the house, having me a little confused and irritated.

The door creaked open slowly and André stood before me with a little smirk on his face.

André chuckled, "Hey Ariel."

I raised an eyebrow, "What's so fucking funny?" I snapped.

He frowned, "Come in." He put a hand on my shoulder, forcing me to come inside.

"Why is it dark in here? What are you doing?!" I questioned as I freak out more.

I heard him close and lock the door. The lights suddenly turned on and I spotted Prince sitting on the couch looking perfectly fine.

I gasped in complete shock and confusion, "Prince?! I- I thought-"

"No... I didn't have a seizure... I just wanted to talk to you." Prince said as he got up from the couch.

I looked around and realized that I've been set up, André standing with his back up against the locked door, chuckling to himself and Prince looking completely calm.

"Prince! How could you?! I was fucking worried!" You set me up!!"

"Shh." He hushed. "I wanted to get your attention. You're always ignoring me. I've been wanting to talk to you for the longest."

I backed away from him, "But why would y'all tell me that you're having a seizure! What the fuck is wrong with you!"

Prince wrapped an arm around my waist, "Hun, calm down. I know it was wrong but you have to let me talk to you."

I harshly pushed him away from me, " Calm down?! You're sick Prince!  After everything, you want to do me dirty like this?! You know the thought of you having a seizure makes me feel!" I broke out in tears. "You don't fucking care!" I cried.

"This wasn't my idea to do this, it was André's. I wasn't gonna do it at first but I really need to talk to you."

"I don't care who's idea it was?! You did it! That was fucking wrong! First, you dump me and now this?! You're a sick bitch! You got me out here freaking out and balling my eyes out over nothing!" I pushed him.

Prince raised his eyebrows and reached his arm out to me, "Baby-"

"Don't ever call me that again! I will never be with you ever again after this!" I sniffled, starting to cry again, "I'm leaving." My voice shook.

I twisted myself around and head towards the front door where André was standing until I felt Prince gently pull my arm.

"Ari, can you please just listen to me?" I snapped my head towards him and gave him a death stare, "You know I've been trying to reach out to you ever since I broke up with you to try to talk things out... I've been texting, calling and passing notes in class and you've ignored every single one of them and haven't even tried to listen to what I've got to say." He explained.

He sighed, "That's why André and I did this cause I knew you would come if I had a seizure."

"Why couldn't you just be smart and fucking knock on my house door dumbass!"

"Don't you think I tried to do that?!" He raised his voice. "I've knocked on the door a couple of times and nobody would ever answer and if somebody did, it was your mom and she always refuse to let me talk to you."

I have him a face full of disgust, "Whatever Prince. I'm leaving. This is just cruel-"

"Baby I know it's cruel but you won't listen to me. You got everything wrong. I've got you thinkin' that I broke up with you because of your pregnancy-"

"Because you did." I interrupted.

Prince gently grabbed my arm, "No I didn't-"

"Yes he did" André added.

I violently slapped Prince's hand away and stared at him with disgust once again with tears falling down my face leaving him looking guilty, scratching the back of his head.

"It's not what you think Ari, I was very stressed that week and the news very shook me, I was uncomfortable and thought we needed to break for a while-"

"I guess Oprah was right. Huh? I should choose somebody who actually cares about me-"

"I care about you baby. I care about you so much. I would flip if something were to happen to you."

"Well you didn't flip when you found out that I was getting abused." I argued.

"Yes I did, that's why I stayed at your house almost every night to protect you just in case he would randomly show up at your house."

"So why did you leave after you've been told the news that I'm pregnant? Huh?"

"Like I said... I was stressed and overwhelmed."

I huffed, "Thinkin' bout yourself... huh? Michael was shocked just like you were but he never left me, he never stopped talking to me, he never stopped checking up on me, he didn't end our friendship just because his emotions are stopping him from taking care of his friend."

Prince sighed, "Like I said, I've tried and tried to check up on you and talk things out but you-"

"You should've thought of that before you broke up with me. If you break up with me after I'm struggling with something that I can't control, then I will leave your ass and view you as garbage... apologizing ain't gonna help you get me back. Cause after I've noticed that you don't wanna be here for me, I cut you off like paper. I need somebody to be there for me... like Michael."

"Baby please..." He begged. "I don't want to see you with another guy, I can't stand to see my love, loving somebody else."

"You know what? I should be with Michael. I want you to see how good of a man he is. He might be sixteen but he acts more of a man than you do." I spat. "I want you to see how happy I will be with him and not dealing with a selfish lil boy like you!" I yelled and stomped towards the door.

I totally doubt that I will have a chance with Michael at this tone but I had to add that in there to show Prince that Michael is the one caring for me.

"Ariel... wait." Prince started

I turned around once again to hear what he's got to say.

"Remember what you said? Couples argue all the time and get back together. We're supposed to forgive and forge-"

"We're not together."

"But still...we're arguing and the only thing to fix this is to talk things out and forgive and forget."

"Why waste my time and argue with a person who wants to leave me when I need them the most? Might as well just leave..."

"Please don't leave me-"

"Prince, you must not know that I cut people off who only cares about themselves so much and disrespect me like what Nia, Latoya Kaitlyn, even though she was never my friend, and now it's you. I'm always here for you and it'll be nice for you to at least be here for me through the hardest things right now."

Prince's face turns red, holding back his tears as I talked. It broke my heart a bit to see him heart broken.

I never seen him cry really.. it's been a long time but I feel good for making him cry because he deserved that.

"I'm sorry Ariel. I-I admit it. I wasn't thinking." He walked closer to me.

I went into my jacket pocket and grabbed the promise necklace that Prince gave me a long time ago and slammed it on the ground.

"No. I'm done with you." I spat and stormed out the the house.

I busted out crying, my heart shattered in pieces feeling so much anger.