P R I N C E   P O V

I shot a look at André, "Get out of my house" I popped my finger towards the door.

André snacked his lips and chuckled, "You really mad. Huh?" 

"I told you if your lil plan didn't work, I'd get on your ass."

André bursted out laughing, "Man Prince. You'd get on my ass? You ain't finna do shit but kick me out. Man you a real bitch!"

"How am I a bitch-"

"You a bitch cause you broke up with Ariel just cause she's having a baby and you been whining over her for for the longest and it's been two months. You made all this shit happen. This is all you and you're getting pissed at me."

"You helped me try to get her back and now you're turning everything on me?!"

"Yeah cause I want you to stop whining over her! You don't know how many times I wanted to beat yo ass every time you'd whine about her. I was close to punching you dead in yo shit earlier while watching the interview. Too bad my plan didn't work." He shouted.

André inhaled from his cigar and puffed out smoke, "I should've known that my plan wasn't gonna work cause I know damn well that Ariel didn't like you from the start just by listening to her talk bout Michael on tv and her coming over here and telling you how much she likes him to yo face. Just let her go. She moved on."

"I don't think she necessarily moved on... I think she had a crush on Michael while we were together."

André nodded, "Yea yea. I remember you telling me about how Michael was tryna flirt all up on her a few times and she'll just let him."

I shook my head, "She also had a crush on him before we were together..."

Flashback *FROM THE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER 21*

I got dressed in my best fit in a nice black slacks and a jean jacket with a nice sweater under. I spent about an hour on my Afro trying to shape it to the perfect size.

I got out of André's car holding on to the flowers I bought from the flower shop and expensive Hershey chocolates for Ariel.

Tonight I'm gonna ask her to go to the dance with me and I'm feelin pretty confident.

I walked up to the doorstep and rang the doorbell. I quickly got myself settled and kneeled on one knee in front of the door.

I just hope to win her heart this time. I know she has a crush on Michael but I wanna prove that I'm the one for her. We've been best friends for a while and I think it's best to take it up a notch.

Moments later, the door creaked open. Ariel looked down at me with a smile.

Here we go...

I smiled, "Ariel, would you like to go to the dance with me?" I asked softly.

I watched Ariel's face turn into complete shock and loss of words as she stood and admired me kneeling in front of her.

It was an awkward silence for a while so I decided to speak again.

"Ariel. I really want to go to the dance with you. I asked girls to go to the dance with me and they said no and start being mean to me. Mostly every girl is mean to me but you. You're my only female friend." I smiled and bit my bottom lip. "You're so nice and sweet. You're always there for me and I would like to go with a person that was there for me when I'm in trouble. You took care of me when I got beaten up last week and I owe you a date to the dance. You're my type and to see you with another guy like Michael it breaks my heart." I spoke from deep in my heart hoping that she would understand how I truly felt about her.

"P-Prince. I-" She hesitated. "I- I can't. Sorry."

My smile quickly turned into a frown.

It felt like I just got punched in the stomach.

Right now, I just feel like running away.

"Why not?"

"B-because. I already have a date." She stuttered.

I guess it was too late. Michael already asked her and of course she took it. The girl freaking loves him. For what??

I took a deep breath and looked down, "W-ith who?" I asked, afraid to hear her answer.

"Michael." She said quietly.

I knew it...

End of flashback

"Then.. she found out that Michael was actually going with Kaitlyn and she was depressed so I had to go with her... and that was my chance to be with her." I explained to André. "And during our relationship, she was just so focused on Michael man it was annoying. I remember her helping her friends break Michael's relationship with Kaitlyn and I remember all of the gifts he would give her and she'd be very excited."

André put his cigar in between his lips and got up grabbing his coat, "Yea bruh she definitely likes Michael. Just let her go man." He blew out smoke. "Next time you try to get a girl, make sure she loves you first then get with her."

"It's crazy how much I loved Ariel and she didn't even love me the same. I knew she kinda likes Michael and I would always fight to win her heart"

"Prince. Again, let it go man. I'm tired of you being depressed and angry over her! You should've been smart enough to make sure she loved you the same before getting with her." André grabbed his keys off the couch and walked towards the door. "I swear there's somebody better than Ariel just for you."

"Nah man. Ariel was the only-"

André turned around, "No she wasn't. Nia was!"

I raised an eyebrow, looking at him as if he was crazy, "What the fuck man. No she wasn't. What are you talking about-"

André sighed, "Look man, I wasn't gonna tell you this but, Nia has been texting me about how much she still loves and misses you. She texted me earlier saying that she hated seeing you with Ariel and she's glad that y'all are done because Ariel's been crushing on Michael and Nia believes that Ariel is in love with him now and wonder when you'll realize that."

What the fuck is going on???

Here she goes with this bullshit trying to bug me all the time...

"Man I remember you used to push Nia away all the time during y'all's relationship. All she did was try to help you and love you the whole time and all yo bitch ass did was push her away then you cheated on her."

"No she never tried to help me. What are you taking about?" I raised an eyebrow.

André walked back towards me, "I'm your best friend, I know everything that's going on with you. I watched y'all's relationship. I was on her side of the conflict. I watched you turn your back on her when she needed help, almost what you did with Ariel. But Nia still loves you."

"Then why is she still with that guy Jason if she still loves me. André you're full of bullshit and I'm not understanding anything you're saying cause this shit doesn't add up." I said impatiently.

André's phone vibrated and he looked at his phone, "Well I invited Nia over and she's outside now. She wants to explain some stuff to you." Imma leave." André zipped up his coat and opened the door.

I sighed in frustration and got up off the couch. André held the door open as Nia slowly walked in wearing a dull, wrinkled jacket, ripped jeans and torn up shoes.

"H-hey Prince." She said nervously.

I looked back at André and he gave a smirk before he closed the door behind him.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

She sighed, "I know this is like my tenth time trying to get to you about this but I came to tell you that I still love you even though you probably don't love me that much."

"But you're with Jason."

"I-I know. It's just not the same. I don't love him. He's an ass trust me. He's got anger issues and I'm so sick of him and dealing with his issues. Our relationship isn't even that strong cause we don't even love each other. He's so connected with his video games and other stuff while I'm just always thinking about you and Ariel together, wishing that was you and I and not her..." Her voice shook as she spoke, sounding as if she's about to cry.

"What makes you want to come here and say all of this? I'm the one who cheated on you and pushed you away when you needed me the most. I did that to Ariel recently." I admitted.

"And I'm glad you did cause I want you back and I hope you still love m-" some tears ran down her face, "W-well you can't love me cause you're still in love with Ariel. But w-hy? She likes Michael, she kinda even mentioned it on tv. Why are you still trying to get her back when she didn't even love you from the start."

"She did love me... she was just" I hesitated. "She kinda likes Michael and they're very close."

"That's what I'm saying! She didn't really love you! She loves Michael! She did before y'all were together and she told me. We used to be best friends! But when we were together, I loved nobody but you and I still do!" Nia cried, tears gushing out of her eyes.

My heart broke watching Nia cry and realizing the deep truth about our relationship.

"Even though you'd only talk to me when you needed help and needed a home to stay in because of your fighting parents and would spend more time with your friends than with me I still loved you and I loved you when you were with Ariel." She explained while sobbing

"And I do admit that I tried to convince Ariel that you were no good for her so that she'll break up with you and I also tried to get her with William so that it would make her look like she was cheating on you and I regret doing that because I was so selfish. I also spent the rest of my money to take a cab to your house tonight just to tell you how I feel. I-I did all of this just so I could possible have a chance with you again."

I raised an eyebrow, "Why? You spent all of your money?" I asked.

Nia sniffed, "I'm homeless now and I sleep in my car, it's out of gas so I have to take a cab everywhere and I steal clothes. My parents kicked me out and Jason won't help me." she explained.

I walked closer to her, "Nia, you didn't have to-"

"I did. I-I just want you back. I know I sound desperate but I really love you. It's okay if you don't love me back, I just miss talking to you. It's been a long time and-"

I caught myself unexpectedly pressing my lips against hers cutting her off from her sentence.

I never thought that I'd be kissing her but it's crazy how things are adding up right now.

Maybe Ariel wasn't for me... I'll just let her go. She's happy with Michael.  At least I have somebody that actually loves me. Nia's been trying to get to me all this time... she's been fighting to have me again and I'll make sure I won't treat her like I did...