"Aspen, you have to relax." Siah told her making her sit down. 

"He's going to come back, he don't have money or anything else." Memo said.

"That's not relaxing me, it's going on three days and he has no money or anything else so that means he hasn't ate, changed clothes or anything. He could be dying and starving."

"Good thinking Ivy." Josiah said sarcastically looking at her like she stupid. 

"Then you try smart ass." 

"I had her feeling better for about two seconds. "he has no money." why would you mention that dickhead?" 

"You and your daughter could kiss my ass." She walked out the room rolling her eyes.

"Later baby! Later!" Siah yelled after her knowing she just got mad.

"What if something happened? Like what if he got locked up? Kidnapped? You know there's starting to be more abductions these days. What if-"

"Stop with the damn what ifs Aspen." He cut her off. "Jamie has to come back. He's not going to leave his mother and you know that, where ever he at, he's going to be back." 

"Yeah, you're right." She nodded feeling some sort of relief. 

"And you talking bout some damn kidnapping, that man grown as hell." Josiah laughed making her laugh.

"Man-napping then." She continued laughing as Jamie phone started ringing. 

"Why Gee calling? Don't they know he left his phone?" 

"No, I didn't tell anyone he left his phone just in case somebody say something useful, they'll think they talking to him."

"Smart gyal." He flicked her nose. "I'm going to bother your mother, I'll check on you later baby girl."

"Okay." She nodded laying back looking at her ceiling which had painted pictures of all of her friends including CiCi. She smiled seeing Jamie picture, they used to be so happy when they were younger, she wished she could go back to those days. 

His phone started ringing and she expected it to be Ky or one of them, they have been calling nonstop but it was an unknown number. She answered it not saying anything because she didn't know who it was.

"Aspen?" Jamie deep voice asked making tears come to her eyes, she felt like it's been years.

"Yes it's me. Where are you? Why did you leave? Why didn't you take me? Are you okay?"

"Can you meet me somewhere?" 

"Where?" 

"I'm in Stone Mountain at Clifton Glen."

"What the hell? Why?" She scrunched her face up. 

"I'll explain everything, I'm going to text you the address leave out at 9. Text when you five minutes away." He spoke hanging up. She looked at the phone then the time. 

It was 8:30 so she had to wait thirty minutes, she gathered a outfit for him since she didn't know if he was in the same clothes or not. She was going to stop to get some food just in case he didn't eat, her phone dinged letting her know he texted her the address. 

"Why is time going by so slow?" She sighed seeing it was 8:40. "I'm just going to get some food, that'll kill time."

She grabbed his phone, the bag of clothes and her wallet walking down stairs to get her car keys. She went into the snack closet getting some snacks for both him and her, she was a nervous eater.

"Where you going?" Memo looked up from her phone making Siah turn around.

"Jamie called, I'm going to pick him up."

"It's 9 o' clock, which close to 10 and she 16 two times my age so we might as well add two to that ten which is 12. It's basically midnight, she can't leave out." Harlem said making Siah raise a eyebrow and bust out laughing. 

"I used to think this was Zay child, this a damn conformation he mine." He continued laughing as Memo smacked both of them in their head.

"So damn stupid, Harlem go wash up." She glared at him making him run from the kitchen. "Where's Jamie?" 

"Clifton Glen."

"As in Stone Mountain? Hell he doing there?" Siah asked.

"I don't know, that's what I'm going to find out."

"Don't be speeding because you rushing to get to him." Memo said. 

"Because if you fuck that car up, best believe I will fuck you up." Siah said making both Aspen and Memo look at him, he wasn't doing shit. 

"Be safe and tell Jamie we love him." Memo hugged her as she nodded hugging her dad. 

She grabbed everything walking out the house, she started thinking on what she wanted to eat. She just decided to go to this Bistro and Grill that he liked, she ordered their food and it was now 9:02. She smiled heading to Stone Mountain, it was a thirty minute drive. 

When she was entering the long street to get to the complex, she texted Jamie entering the complexes. There was a lot of people outside looking at her car, her windows weren't tinted so everybody saw her. When she went to the back like Jamie insisted, she saw a bunch of dudes. She parked making all of them look at her. 

"Damn, you look good." Some nigga spoke walking closer. 

"Back up fam." Jamie said walking out some house, he hugged and dabbed up most of them. "Let me drive." 

Aspen jumped to the passenger side since she didn't wanna get out, he got in the car adjusting the seat since she was shorter than him. Jamie beeped the horn throwing up a gang sign to the boys making them laugh and throw it back up as he pulled off. 

"Imma explain everything, just give me a minute." He spoke to her making her nod. 

He opened his platter of food at a red light eating, he been eating noodles for the past three days, he was starving. He glanced over at Aspen seeing she was texting her parents, a horn beeped from behind him making him look to see it was green light. 

"What's in the bag?" 

"Clothes, just in case you didn't have any. I bought some snacks and food in case you didn't eat and I charged your phone just-"

"Aspen." He chuckled. "I know I scared you but relax, I'm here. It's really me."

"Don't do that again." She frowned at him making him feel bad but he was going to feel way worse by the end of this car ride. "Are you okay?" 

"Yeah, I'm cool." He halfway lied. "At the end of this ride you're going to hate me though."

"I could never, no matter what." She spoke honestly. "I love you too much."

"I love you too and that's why I need you to stay away from me." He spoke making her furrow her eyebrows.

"What'd I do?" 

"Aspen, you know how we are to each other. We both have feelings for each other and I know if I asked you to drop this nigga you would but I've been looking at it from ya point and it's selfish leading you on like that knowing I ain't gon be ready for a while."

"What are you talking about? I thought we were back friends, everything was going good." She spoke looking at him.

"You can't be friends with somebody you want to be with." He spoke lowly. "I've been being selfish to you and I've been telling you not to let these niggas hurt you but I'm hurting you." 

"But I." She stopped talking because she felt herself about to cry.

"I've been having my cake and eating it too."

"Where is this coming from? Did someone say something? Did I do something?" Aspen asked still confused.

"Nothing happened, I've been thinking about this for three days. You just need to stay away from me so you can get over me, Darius seem like a better person for you and you not giving him a chance because you lowkey waiting for me. So stop, we not going to be together." 

His last sentence felt like he pulled her heart out with his bare hands as her eyes started to water, she sat back down playing with her fingers not sure to say anything. The silence was killing Jamie, he wished she would yell or even hit him but he knew by her not saying anything he broke her. 

"I mean you stopped being my friend because you couldn't handle me being with other people so I'm doing the same. I can't handle it and I don't want to see you with nobody else so I'm just going to leave you alone and let you live your life the best way you can."

"You're still being selfish." She spoke with her voice cracking making Jamie put his head down, he hated to see her cry. That hurt him more than anything in the world. 

"Well I'm just going to have to be selfish with this situation." He said parking in front of Gee house grabbing the bag and his phone. "You know we can't be friends no more, don't make this harder than it is."

"Are you serious?" She asked getting angry wiping her face. "Harder than it is? We've been friends for my whole fucking life. You was there for me when my little brother died, I have depended on you most of my life and you tell me we're done being friends because of something you don't wanna be man enough about? I have never met someone like you before and I never want to. I'm glad you're true colors are starting to come out, leave me the fuck alone for good!" 

He was just staring at her, she never cursed at him, she never cursed like this period. He knew he just bought the savage out in her and he shook his head disappointed in his self but this was something he had to do. 

"Despite everything, I still l-"

"Don't dare tell me you love me, you don't love anybody but your damn self! Get out of my car." 

"Aspen I-"

"Get out of my car!" She shouted making him sigh and get out. She jumped over to the driver side and immediately pulled off as he watched the car until it disappeared. 

~

"Aspen, you talked to him?" Josiah asked as she walked in the room, she ignored him stomping up the stairs.

"Someones angry." Allure giggled. 

"Be quiet." Memo spoke. 

"That's all you, I made her feel better earlier. I can't deal with her no more." Siah said leaning back. 

"You're an idiot, Allure bed."

"Daddy." She whined.

"Allure, go get in that damn bed." Memo looked at her sternly.

"I'll put you to bed, come on."

"No because you gon start playing with her, Allure go to bed before you get whooped." 

"This why none of your kids like you." Siah laughed watching Allure stomp up the stairs. 

"I don't care." She laughed before they heard music. 

"Oh she big mad." Siah laughed. "I haven't seen her mad in a while, let's go watch."

"You're so childish, oh my God." Memo laughed as he dragged her up the stairs. 

"See I don't know why I like you so much, I gave you all of my trust. I told you I loved you now that's all down the drain! Fuck what I said it don't mean shit now! Fuck the presents might as well throw them out! Fuck all those kisses, they didn't mean jack! Fuck you you hoe, I don't want you back!" 

"She's cursing." Siah stated amused. "Memo, she cursing." 

"What the hell Jamie do to her?" She asked watching Aspen pace around her room throwing stuff in a box. 

"I don't know but she cursing." Siah laughed. "I never thought I'll hear her curse like this."

"Siah, go say something."

"No more pain, no more pain! No more drama in my life, no one's going to make me hurt again!" 

"Oh this my shit." He said starting to dance as Aspen sung loudly. 

"Why'd I play the fool? Go through ups and down, knowing all the time you wouldn't be around! Or maybe I like the stress, I don't wanna cry no more!"

"Siah." Memo whispered as he started doing the shmoney dance, he stopped then put his arms above his head two stepping. "Josiah!"

"Memo, you know I love me some Mary J- oh she done did it now." He stopped mid sentence getting hyped cause the song changed.

"You so damn childish." She smacked him in his head as he started poplocking. 

"You had my mind and I let you come back every time, you would violate and cross the line and you knew that I would be the type to always wait so patiently!" Aspen sung as Siah held his hand by his chest doing a heartbeat making Memo bust out laughing. 

"Aight aight, baby girl what you doing?" Siah asked turning down the music, she ignored him still throwing stuff in a box that was almost full. "Oh, you not bout to ignore me."

"This nigga had the nerve to tell me he can't be friends with me because he can't see me happy with another nigga, do you understand the shit I been through with him and how I always been there for him? And he can't be my friend because he can't be fucking man enough to to be in a relationship with me. Do you hear the stupid shit?"

Memo and Siah was taken back never seeing her this mad, they was standing there with their mouths ajar not knowing what to say. They looked at each other then back at Aspen as she got another box throwing stuff in that one too. 

"I get that I told him the same thing and I'm being a hypocrite but I was willing to try! I was willing to give up everything for him but do you see me? I turn down a nigga every damn day and for what?! To be the only one heartbroken! Nah, he gone feel this heartbreak too, I'm going to make sure I won't be the only one who crying every night this time! He gon feel my fucking pain." 

"I am shooketh." Josiah mumbled.

"Jamie done bought out the hood girl she been hiding." Memo spoke. "I don't know how to feel about this."

"I don't know whether to yell at her for cursing or let her express herself."

"I think we should just let her get this out, we ain't gon never see angry Aspen again. I need to show Remy and them this." Memo laughed recording her. 

"Imma block him from everything, he can't watch shit I do, he can't call or none of that. He's not going to keep playing me thinking he could just walk and out my life, at the end of the day he still a average ain't shit ass nigga and this was my damn breaking point!" She kicked the box grabbing her phone to block him on everything and delete every picture they have on social media.

"Aspen you-"

"Dad, no offense I do not to hear you defending Jamie right now." She cut him off taking him back. "Honestly, I want to deal with this alone and when I want to talk I will but can y'all just respect my wishes for right now?" 

"Well okay then." Josiah scrunched his face up walking out her room. "Acting like I'm the one who broke your damn heart, the nerve of some people."

"We'll talk in the morning, keep it down and don't stay up too late. You got school tomorrow." Memo spoke closing the door hearing Josiah hurt ass making her laugh.

~

Jamie stood there watching Aspen pull off he sighed feeling bad but he had to do what he had to do, she'll understand in the long run but right now he couldn't tell her. He knocked on Gee and Dell door waiting for somebody to come to the door. 

"Fuck knocking on y'all door at 10 at night?" He heard India say. "Which one of y'all cheating?" 

"It's me." Jamie said. India walked away from the door going back in Dell room to lay down.

"Who at the door?" Dell asked getting out the shower.

"Some ugly girl, told her to leave." India lied, she was pissed at Jamie right now. 

"Y'all niggas don't hear the door?" Gee asked aggravated cause he just fell asleep. 

"It's some lil ugly girl, I told her to walk away."

"Well that bitch ain't leave." KC spoke getting up. "India, you stay lying. Nigga where you been?" 

"That's Jamie?" Dell asked dropping his towel so he could get dress.

"Come on with your gay ass." Gee glared at him walking out. "Fuck you been at?" 

"Soul searching." He chuckled sitting down. 

"You ain't gon say nothing to him?" Dell asked about to walk out.

"Nope."

"You been acting meaner towards him than you usually do, you ain't even care that the nigga was missing. What he do?" 

"He fucked that hoe on Aspen birthday."

"Yazy? No he didn't, he ain't-"

"Not that damn hoe, CiCi. I walked in on them getting dress before he walked out the house fake mad."

"Bro bugging." Dell shook his head. "Can you go bake me some cookies while I talk to him though? Please Indi."

"Only because I want some." She mumbled walking out the room with him. 

"Wassup bro?" Dell asked hugging him. Jamie went to hug India but she pushed his arms going in the kitchen. 

"So where you been?" KC asked as they all sat down. 

"I went to the Glen with Kel for a few days." Jamie answered accepting the blunt. 

"You called ya mother and Aspen right? They been going crazy." Gee told him. 

"I was just with Aspen, she dropped me off here, she ain't gon be worried about me for a while. And yeah, I spoke to my moms." 

"What you mean?" KC asked. 

"I told her we can't do us no more and she bugged on me cursing at me and shit so we ain't gon be cool for a while." 

"Why you do that dummy?" Gee asked.

"I just couldn't do that whole her having a boyfriend shit." He lied making India scoff loudly.

"If you wasn't gon fight for her, don't try to act all heartbroken and shit for what you lost." Dell said making them agree.

"I'm just not for her." He said making India laugh loudly.

"Why you keep making sounds?" KC asked standing up. 

"If you don't get your Sean Paul looking ass out my face, you standing up like you was gon beat my ass for laughing. Ain't nobody scared of your Jimmy Fallon face ass, just got me mad."

"Son!" Gee yelled rolling as KC just looked at her. 

"See!" Dell laughed. "Y'all always talking bout why I don't defend myself, you understand now."

"No cause he really just stood up like I can't laugh, fucking Amy Winehouse-"

"Son chill." Gee laughed seeing KC still standing looking like a idiot. 

"I'm not even gon say nothing." KC mumbled sitting down, he didn't have anything to say.

"You fucked CiCi son?" Dell asked making everybody stop laughing. They all looked at Jamie waiting for him to say something, when he didn't they just looked at him. 

"Hell nah!" KC shook his head. 

"I wanna punch the shit out of you." Gee told him. 

"I don't know if I fucked or not, I know she gave me head. I remember that but I don't remember fucking her, she said we didn't either."

"Why the fuck would you even-"

"I thought it was Aspen!" He cut Dell off. "We were in Aspen bed, it was only me and Aspen so I thought it was her. When I woke up she was there naked."

"Did you tell Aspen?" Dell asked. 

"I can't." 

"Nigga, tell her before she tell her." Gee told him. 

"If I tell Aspen, she's going to say I raped her." Jamie spoke getting India attention. "If I tell anybody, she basically raped me I will be going to jail because she will lie and say I raped her."

"Wait." India spoke. "So when I walked in on y'all getting dress that's what y'all was discussing? Bitch why didn't you say nothing? I'm bout to go stomp that bitch head in."

"Chill India, I wasn't supposed to tell anybody. She said if somebody come up to her or if Aspen stop being her friend she gon tell. Her aunt a special victim detective son, Imma go to jail."

"What the fuck she want?" KC asked.

"She want me to leave Aspen alone and to fuck."

"All this for some damn dick?" Gee asked. "It's hella niggas in Georgia, fuck she so desperate for?"

"You ain't fuck her willingly though?" Dell asked.

"Nah, I got tested yesterday too I'm not for none of that."

"So what you gon do when she ask you for some dick?" India asked.

"I'm not fucking that bitch." Jamie shook his head. "I'mma document every time this bitch hit me up, every time she do anything to me. Imma build my case so I can get my best friend back."

"You smart." Dell said.

"India, please don't say nothing to nobody. Even when you see Aspen and CiCi together just act how you normally do, please."

"I got you but Imma pick a fight just to beat her up, I'm telling you that now." She folded her arms across her chest. 

"Niggas ain't expect nothing else." Dell laughed.

~

"You sounded mad." Darius spoke watching Aspen walk to the bench. 

"I was so mad yesterday but today's a new day."

"Wanna talk about it?" 

"Not really, how was the funeral?" 

"I ain't really know that lady, I don't even know why I had to go." He mugged making her laugh. 

"They forced you to go to a funeral you didn't wanna go to?" 

"Yes brah, I never saw that lady a day in my life. I never even been out of Georgia, I don't even think they knew her talking bout that's your aunt." 

"It ain't my damn aunt." Aspen mocked making him laugh.

"That's how mad I was then my gramma gon make me go up to see the body, she tried to make me kiss that lady Aspen." He looked at her blankly. 

"Noo." Aspen laughed. "Did you do it?" 

"Fuck no baby." He chuckled. "I told gramma she was on some shit and walked the fuck away, I don't know what the holy spirit was wrong with her."

"She was tripping tripping."

"Real hard." He shook his head. "How was your birthday though?" 

"It was fun." She smiled. "It was so many good vibes until the next day."

"I'm upset I got forced to go to a funeral, I wanted to meet your friends that you always talking about but I mean, it's always time to meet them."

"About that." Aspen spoke making him look at her. "I don't want anybody meeting you yet, we're only two weeks in. You've met my parents, brother and teetee Remy, they are enough."

"So a secret?" 

"No, you're not my secret. Everybody who's important know about you but they just won't know you for a while."

"Aight, that's cool." He nodded. "That go for my friends too?" 

"No." Aspen chuckled. "I need to be around new people anyway."

"Aight bet, we could all go out to eat just tell me when." 

"You tell me when since you the one always busy." 

"You got me on that." He laughed. "I got you something for your birthday though."

"You did?" She smiled.

"You know I ain't no big balla yet but I wanted to get you something." He smiled handing her the gift bag that had a purple balloon attached to it. 

"I'm not understanding how I didn't see this." She chuckled shaking her head.

"Me either." He flicked her lip making her laugh.

"It's a Boov bank!" She squealed excitedly pulling out the piggy bank which was shaped as Boov. 

"You said you lost yours when you was 4 with all your money gone so I bought you another one and I put a lil donation in there." He smiled making her smile. 

"I told you that almost a month ago, I didn't know you remembered." She smiled seeing something else in there. "You the real MVP."

"Yo so annoying." He chuckled watching her hold up the cookie dough. "Your little sister allergic so your mother stopped buying cookie dough right?"

"Yes." She smiled wide opening it so she can get some. "This eggless right because-"

"You're not suppose to eat raw cookie dough because it's a chance you can get salmonella, I remembered." He chuckled.

"Thank you." She smiled hugging him.

"None of that was over $30, ain't no need to thank me." He chuckled.

"Just because it was a cheap gift doesn't mean I'm any less grateful, this actually so thoughtful." She continued eating her cookie dough.

"You welcome then, I was kind of nervous."

"I don't understand why." She smiled putting some on her finger then putting it to his mouth, he grabbed her hand to keep it steady and licked it from her finger. She looked at her finger then at him and smirked as he laughed.

"Don't know what taste better that cookie dough or you." He said making her bust out laughing, they were always saying corny pick up lines to each other. 

"Don't know what was more cornier that line or you." She said through laughs making him laugh. 

"But I have a surprise for you, up." She grabbed his hand as he grabbed her gift bag.

"Where we going?" 

"Close your eyes."

"Okay?" He questioned closing his eyes as she guided him. 

"Open." She smiled as he opened his eyes looking at the Aston Martin. 

"Yoo, this your shit?" He asked walking around the car. "This hoe clean."

"It was one out of my six cars." She smiled. 

"Six? Damn, I thought it was four."

"My aunt Journee surprised me with a Porsche yesterday and my other aunt gave me a infinity. I don't know why everybody thought to give me cars but I am not complaining." She shook her head making him laugh.

"Shit I wouldn't either, this is something nice."

"Glad you like it." She smiled throwing him the keys. "Let's take a ride."

"You know I don't legally got my license like a nigga be driving without one?" 

"Yes." She laughed. "Get in."

He got in the car pressing the button then looking at the interior of the car as it came to life, he smiled running his hands through it. Aspen chuckled at how excited he was, she will never understand the excitement about a car. 

"This shit riding so smoove." He smiled driving on the streets. 

"Let's go on a adventure." Aspen screeched making him chuckle. 

"Bet." 
_____________________

Aspen has reached her breaking point. 

Did y'all know Luke James 33? I dead thought he was in his early twentys, that boy gon be fine as hell and he will be my sugaaa daddyy!  #Blackboyjoy

Excuse any mistakes.