Ezra looked at Haven, kissing her forehead as she took a nap; he was so grateful that she was off punishment. He hated being limited on when to see her or how much time she could spend with him. 

He stood up to take a shower which took around fifteen minutes. He loved taking long showers because he felt that's where he did his best thinking. 

He got out of the shower seeing Haven was now on the phone. She smiled at him and then continued talking. 

He began getting dressed in basketball shorts, shirtless, and putting on socks. He turned on his Xbox, trying to decide if he wanted to watch something or play the game.  He decided he was going to play Madden. 

He grabbed his phone calling Tyke. 

"Yo?" Tyke answered on the third ring.

"Fuck you doing?" 

"I'm with Sage." He chuckled. 

"Which one?" 

"Sage that graduated two years ago."

"Two years ago?" He furrowed his eyebrows, then widened his eyes in realization. "The one with the-" He stopped himself because Haven was right there. 

"Yessssir!" Tyke loud ass laughed. 

"The one with the what?" He heard Sage ask.

"The fucking body," Tyke smirked, making her laugh.

"Man, I'm hanging up." Ezra shook his head. "Strap up, my young boy." 

"Nigga, worry bout cha self." Tyke laughed, hanging up as Ezra called Keygan. 

"Wassup?" Keygan said as he watched Flaire sew. 

"Fuck you doing?" 

"Looking at Flaire, make some girl some sweatpants."

"Tell her I want a jogger suit." 

"Can I freestyle it?" Flaire asked, looking up.

"Just don't do no bright ass color."

"Bet."

"Nigga, get on the game." 

"You still need me, baby?" Keygan asked.

"You can go." She rolled her eyes as he kissed her cheek. 

"I'm still here; I won't be up here long." He chuckled. "What you wanna play?"

"Let's play Madden or GTA." 

Ezra waited for Keygan to get online and then started a party; he saw Bison was online and invited him. He hung up with Keygan getting his headset; Bison and Keygan were now in his party, along with Adonis. 

Thirty minutes into the game, he glanced over at Haven, who was watching a movie on her phone. He puckered his lips, making her lean up to kiss him as she returned to her movie. 

"Baby, I want a chicken salad." 

"From where?" 

"81st Deli, Suprerior." She said, laughing as he furrowed his eyebrows. 

"What's that?" 

"A chicken salad." She put her finger to her mouth, laughing as Ezra continued being confused. "You better come get one of these."

"Haven what?"

"It's a Tiktok." Keygan told him. 

"She knows I don't be on TikTok, barely watch the ones she sends." 

"Don't be rude." She chuckled, standing up bare from the bottom. "I gotta go home; Genesis said she needs help with something she is doing for Devon." 

"You need me to take you?"

"She is sending me a Uber; it'll be here in two minutes."

"You coming back?" 

"You want me to?" 

"Of course, pretty girl."

"Then I'll be back." 

"I'll be back, y'all, don't let nobody kill me." 

Ezra grabbed her spendanight bag as she put on some sweats and crocs; they walked downstairs, stopping at the kitchen since Haven wanted to speak.

"Hey, Esha." Haven smiled as Esha blankly looked at her. "Hey, Nygel."

"Hello, Haven." Esha dryly said, making Ezra furrow his eyebrows.

"Beautiful Haven, how are you?" Nygel asked, going over to hug her. 

"I'm fine." Haven smiled but stopped when she noticed Esha turning her face up.

"Ma." Ezra looked at her, making her look away from Haven to him. 

"What, boy?" 

"My Uber is outside." Haven awkwardly smiled.

Ezra didn't say anything as he led the way; Haven waved again and then walked outside, a bit confused. 

"What was that? Did I do something to get on her bad side? Did you ask her if I could spend a night?" 

"I don't know, but I'll try to figure it out." 

"I love you, baby; I'll call you." 

"I love you, pretty girl." Ezra kissed her three times, opening the door. "Be safe with my baby girl." 

He closed the door watching it pull off before he walked back into the house, going to the kitchen to say what he needed to his mother. She was laughing with his dad making him look at them; he smirked a little but then got serious.

"Ma, what was that?" He asked, folding his arms. 

"I don't like that girl anymore."

"That girl?" He pushed his head back, furrowing his eyebrows. "That girl is Haven, your deceased best friend's daughter, a girl you watched take her first steps and words. That girl is my girlfriend, possibly my wife one day." 

"You better watch yourself." She pointed.

"Ma, you don't get to say something upsetting, then tell me to sit down and go into a corner. I'll always be respectful towards you, but you aren't being respectful to her."

"So? She doesn't deserve my respect."

"And why don't she?"

"Because she's not the Haven I know anymore, the sweet Haven who wouldn't do anything to put anyone in pain."

"What are you talking about?" 

"Go ask Regina."

"Regina? Haven and Regina have beef that has nothing to do with us. Their beef goes back way before me. How do you not like Haven based on that when you didn't even like Regina around that time?" 

"Go ask Regina what happened between her and Haven." Esha sat down the pot. "Recently."

"They don't even talk. Regina, don't even talk to me."

"And you know why she doesn't? Because of Haven."

"What?" Ezra furrowed his eyebrows.

"Go ask Regina." 

Ezra turned around to go towards Regina's room; he knocked on her door but didn't wait for an answer as he opened her door, hearing the shower water running. He was so confused.

Within a minute, he heard the water turn off. He waited for a few as she walked out with wet hair and a towel wrapped around her body. 

"Ezra, what the hell?" Regina jumped as she felt her soul leave her body. 

"Why aren't you talking to me?" 

"Ezra, this can wait." She rolled her eyes, going to her drawers. "My life does not revolve around Ezra anymore. We do not have to talk like at all."

"Regina." He looked at her. "Did Haven have anything to do with us not talking?" 

"After you told her everything, you promised not to tell anyone? No, she doesn't; you're why we aren't talking." She sarcastically chuckled, going into the bathroom to change. 

"Told her everything?" He mumbled to himself. "I didn't tell her shit about you, Regina! She never even asked about you!" 

"How does she know about the man who beat me?" She asked, coming out of the bathroom as her eyes got watery. "How could you not be the one who told me my father was to blame for everything? I don't care about you telling her about my past, but knowing how much I love my dad, I should've heard he was a murderer from you and not from her in a bathroom stall."

"Reg, I-"

"I was a horrible person; I was so mean to her. I'm not mad at Haven; I went low she went to Hell. She deserved to see me go through exactly what I put her through multiple times. I'm so hurt and betrayed by you because, ultimately, she was right; everyone in my life chose her."

Ezra stopped for a minute letting everything ponder in his head.

Haven was not the person he thought she was.

"I did not tell her anything about you. I have never repeated anything I've seen you go through or what you told me. I don't know how she knows, but I promise it wasn't through me." He grabbed her hands. "I was going to tell you about your dad, but you would shut me down every time I tried. I didn't know why you were so mad, but I would have never let it go this far if I knew it was that. Regina, I'm not that person."

"I know you weren't that person." Regina broke down in his arms, making him hug her tight. "I've been feeling betrayed by you and him, but I still wanted to talk to you. How could he hurt so many people by being so careless? He knew my mom didn't love me and left me with her. He didn't give a fuck about me."

"Reg, your father loved you. He just made a careless and reckless decision that was too permanent. You just have to be everything your parents are not, fuck them. You hurt people, too, but you evolving, and you got this."

"Don't be too mad at Haven. When I learned their dad was in jail for killing mine, I hated her family, so I mistreated her. She was acting off emotion Ezra; Haven's a good person."

"Don't worry about that," Ezra said, releasing her. "You doing something today?" 

"Not until later with Don."

"Wanna come with me to the mall? I gotta get something for my ma for her birthday."

"Yes, let me get dressed." She smiled, going to her closet.

"Reg, you know I love you, right?" Ezra asked, making her nod.

He left her room, getting a text from Haven letting him know she was in the house. He liked her message, then muted her; he wouldn't talk to her until he knew what to say. 

~

Martin watched Indigo walk into the hospital; she looked uncomfortable, making him shake his head. He missed seeing his friend smile or getting TikToks sent to him, he didn't know her all that well, but he knew some parts of her were dead inside.

"You done?" She asked as he had his aftercare papers in his hand. 

"Yeah, I'm souped up. I'm out of this cast." Martin stretched his arm.

"Do you mind if we make a stop?"

"Not at all; where?" 

"The eighth floor." 

"Indi-"

"Just for a minute." 

Martin nodded his head as she walked ahead of him, getting on the elevator; they were on the third floor, so it took approximately four minutes to get to the eighth floor due to people getting on and off. 

Indigo's heart began palpitating as they reached the room Sevyn was in; she hoped it was empty. Thankfully the room was empty. She smiled, going to the bed to touch it as memories popped into her head.

She lost her virginity in this hospital room. On this bed. With the love of her life. She also lost him in the same room on this bed. 

"I miss you, baby." She mumbled, wiping her eyes.

Martin went to wrap his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into him; Indigo began crying harder. She didn't think it should be this hard.

It's been two months, and she felt like she should've been further than she was. Every day it seemed to dawn on her that she wasn't getting anywhere, and she felt stuck. She couldn't do anything. 

"What are you guys doing? This isn't- Oh, Indigo!" One of the nurses spoke, recognizing her. "We've been thinking about you."

"Hi, Nelly." She mumbled, walking into her arms as she hugged her. 

"Usually, when young boys come on this floor, they're always trying to talk to me or just major creeps. Sevyn is the only patient who immediately started talking about the girl he loved and couldn't wait to get better to spend the rest of his days with. Indigo, he loved you so much."

Indigo knew he loved her, and she hated she ever questioned that.

Martin grabbed Indigo's hand, walking them to the elevator. Indigo stopped walking, making him wrap his arms around her head; he hugged her so tight that she felt nothing but comfort. They stood there for five minutes until Indigo stopped crying. 

Martin pressed the down button getting on the elevator as they made their way to his car. 

"You riding with me, or you wanna go home?" 

"I'll stick with you," Indigo spoke, drinking water.

"You gon be okay," Martin told her. "It will not be today or maybe in a few months, but it will be one day. You have to accept the change to grieve fully."

"I'm trying," Indigo mumbled.

Martin nodded his head as he made his way to his sister's house; his family was having a cookout, and he figured Indigo would do well being around love. 

When he pulled up, she saw the kids in the yard playing and smiled. She missed being a kid.

She exited the car with Martin and watched him hug almost everybody he passed. He entered the kitchen, where many ladies were, and introduced Indigo to them. Indigo basically followed him around because neither wanted to leave the other alone. 

"The family celebrity here!" Milly called out as everyone got hyped, making Indigo chuckle. "That's my Baby Blue?!" 

"Stop," Indigo told him since he was making attention go towards them. 

"Come here, favorite girl." He hugged her. "Why is your face puffy?" 

"We just came from the hospital room Sevyn died in."

"Aw, favorite girl." He hugged her tighter, grabbing the Dusse he saw on a table. "Drive the boat."

Indigo didn't say anything as she tilted her head back, letting him pour the liquor into her mouth; she still felt numb. She didn't even feel it. 

~

"BFF, this cute?" Flaire asked FaceTiming Brat, showing her the sweatsuit she had just made for Ezra. 

"Yes, who is that for? I want one!" She said, looking at it. 

"Ezra, he let me freestyle." 

"I want one in that color; oooh, when we go on our graduation trip, you should make us all matching outfits."

"Yeah, if y'all fucking pay me." 

"Is that Ezra?" Haven asked, walking into her room. 

"No, why?" 

"I haven't heard from him since earlier, and his location turned off." 

"You be tripping; what's earlier?" 

"Since like two, it's seven now." 

"Baby, you heard from E?" Flaire nudged Keygan out of his sleep. 

"I think he went to the mall." Keygan groaned, turning around. 

"His location is not turned off for me; he's driving from the mall," Flaire told her as Haven called him to no answer. 

"So, is he ignoring me?" 

"I don't know." Flaire shrugged as she walked out.

"Oop, not E acting funny," Brat said. "Haven and I are both getting ignored by our men."

"Why is Blaire ignoring you?" 

"He's mad because I told him I would abort his baby if he were to get me pregnant."

"Understandable."

"What's understandable?" 

"The way y'all both feel." 

"He's going to have himself pissed off because I'm standing by what the fuck I mean. I'm not having no fucking kids in my teenage years; I only have a few years before my mother stop providing for me like bro, let me continue being a kid before having one."

"You don't have to say all of that to me; I understand but don't just disregard his feelings BFF. He has a right to feel however he feels because he had help creating that."

"I hate when you make sense." 

Flaire and Brat continued talking until they saw Ezra walk into her room, making her furrow her eyebrows. 

"You know your girlfriend is looking for you, right?" Flaire asked. 

"Let me see the sweatsuit." He ignored what she said. "Oh, I saw this at the mall and got this for you." 

"Aw, BFF, thank you." She took the fabric from him.

"You think you better than me?" Brat asked him, making them laugh.

"Man, shut the fuck up. This nice BFF." Ezra grabbed the sweatsuit. "I gotta talk to y'all about some shit-"

"Flaire, I'm about to go- Ezra." Haven stopped her sentence looking at him like he was dumb. "You don't see me calling and texting you?" 

"Yeah, I saw." He said nonchalantly, making her feelings get hurt.

"You were ignoring me? Why?" 

Keygan woke up wondering why it was so many voices; he opened his eyes, saw Ezra's face, and automatically knew something was up. 

"Haven, I need space from you." He told her. "I'm not feeling you right now, and I don't know what to say to you. I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, but I'm at a loss for words right now, so we can talk when I know what to say." 

"What do you mean? Come talk to me." 

"Haven, it's best to give me my space right now."

"Ezra, all I'm asking is-"

"Haven." Flaire cut her off, standing up. "Give him the space; let him come to you."

"Ezra." Haven ignored her. "You've been acting funny with me for a while, and I figured it was because I was on punishment, but I thought it would change. First, your mother acted weird to me, and now you are; if I'm not what you want anymore, let me know that I shouldn't-"

"Haven!" Ezra raised his voice, getting annoyed.

He was tired of her always playing victim to something.

"I been acting weird? No, you're fucking sneaky and weird. Why the fuck would you ever throw up Regina's rape and abuse in her face? Then to say I told you that shit? I understand the girl tortured your ass, but you, as a woman throwing up her being raped? Nah, that's nobody I want to be with."

"Ez-"

"How did you know?" 

"I-" 

"How did you know?!" He raised his voice, making her jump.

"I went through your phone."

Ezra leaned his head forward, squinting his eyes as he chuckled while tears dropped out of her eyes. 

"Haven, for what? Just tell me that. What did you do this for?" 

"I just felt insecure, and I wanted-"

"This ain't have shit to do with you being insecure! You saw that girl happy and wanted to take that smile as she took yours plenty of times! You wanted to bully the bully because you finally got a voice. Be honest with yourself."

Haven didn't say anything because she knew some part of what Ezra was saying was true; she wanted to see Regina crying and hurt daily.

"I hope you got that satisfying feeling you wanted 'cause you don't have me."

"Oh, you're choosing her over me?" Haven asked.

"Haven." Flaire shook her head as Ezra chuckled.

"You still don't get it, but let me tell you something; I'll pick her over you every day if this you." He spoke, breaking her heart. "It ain't shit-"

"Ezra," Flaire cut him off so he wouldn't say anything he regretted.

"C'mon, man," Keygan spoke, pulling Ezra out of the room.

"This why I said you should've let him go, he asked for time, and you should've let him have it."

"For what? For it to still end this way?" Haven asked through tears. "He doesn't want to be with me anymore."

"Haven, I'm going to comfort you, but I'm not going to lie. Going through his phone was some little kid shit, and you knew it was wrong. Knowing how Ezra is, I don't understand why you thought going behind his back was an elaborate idea?"

"Sister, if you asked Ezra something and he couldn't answer you, that wasn't a pass to find the answer yourself. You dug yourself into this hole; now you gotta climb out by yourself and figure out how to get your man back." Brat added.

"I'm just going to cry myself to sleep," Haven stated, rushing out of Flaire's room Flaire walked outside to see Ezra pacing and Key looking at him. 

"You okay, BFF?" Flaire asked.

"I'm mad that I'm so mad. I love that girl; I do everything I can to make it known that I love that girl. Literally, before she could ask for anything, I got that shit! I turned down colleges because I was so in love and didn't want to do anything to ruin our relationship. Flaire, bro, did you see something I didn't? Did I at any point show her I was still with Regina?" 

"I'm not going to make excuses for her, Ezra, but you're her first boyfriend; she felt insecure because you and Reg have this secret-"

"She felt insecure because I wasn't willing to tell her that Regina had been raped by every single boyfriend her mother had? That her mother and her boyfriends took turns beating her ass? Cutting her up with razors? Burning her? That's what the fuck she felt insecure about? Something that wasn't her fucking business? Weird as fuck, yo."

"Let's get you outta here." Key grabbed Ezra's shoulder.

"Damn, she was going through all that? That's fucked up." Brat said. 

"She is not the best person in the world, and I have never made excuses for Regina because what she did to Haven was fucked up, and Haven has all right to her feelings. I'm not even mad at Haven for saying whatever she said; I'm mad she betrayed me and then made it seem like I was pillow-talking to her."

Flaire didn't say anything as Ezra continued pacing back and forth, venting some more; she just shook her head because she felt for everyone involved. 

Something told her this was going to get messier. 

Keygan kissed Flaire's head, about to say something, just as she cut him off. 

"Hold on, BFF." Flaire clicked over to another call. "What? Where are you?! I'm on my way!" 

Flaire ran into the house as Keygan and Ezra looked at her confused; she ran back outside within two minutes later with a scarf on and Keygan's car keys in her hand. 

They didn't even say anything as they hopped in the car.

~

"Favorite girl, you so drunk." Milly chuckled, also drunk, making Martin shake his head.

He felt like he was babysitting both of them.

"Aye, Martin, your fine ass girlfriend just walked in." His uncle said, making him look toward Gina and his cousins.

He figured Gina would be here because his cousin was her best friend; they met at one of these parties. 

"She not my girl no more, Unc." He notified.

He looked at Gina one more time, seeing she was already looking at him, she smiled, but it dropped once Indigo walked in front of him, cutting off the eye contact.

"I think I should go home." Indigo smiled, almost falling on him, making Martin grab her as she chuckled.

"Yeah, you drunk, Baby Blue. I'm mad I let Milly get your ass this drunk." 

"I'm glad he did; I don't feel anything."

"Y'all ready to go? I got this girl coming over, and she bringing a friend." Milly smirked, looking at Martin.

"Indi, you wanna go home or sleep over?" Martin asked.

"Sevyn house." She mumbled, smiling. 

"Let me go say bye to everybody, Milly; take her to the car." Martin gave him his car keys as Indigo and Milly stood. 

"Hey, Mil," Gina spoke, walking towards them with Milly's cousin, Dej.

"Wassup G?" Gina smiled, hugging him. "I see little young ass still hanging around."

"Didn't I beat you up?" Indi asked, looking at Dej. 

"Dej? How do you know her? That's my cousin." Milly asked.

"I beat your cousin up." Indigo laughed. "She jumped my sister."

"Why are you still out here? Don't kids still got bedtime?" Dej asked, making Gina laugh obnoxiously. 

"You not going to make a joke out of that ass whooping, though." Indigo chuckled.

"Girl, wrong bitch." Dej laughed, lying. "Ain't no bitch ever beat me up." 

"Y'all could cool out anyway, fuck? BabyBlue ain't come here for allat, and while she right here, y'all not finna do that, especially while she drunk." Milly said, standing in front of her.

"She a big girl, right? Then she could handle herself." Gina said.

"I'm ready to go to my baby's house; where's Martin?" Indigo asked Milly. 

If you looked at Gina, you would've thought you saw fire around her head. She took Indigo's sentence completely wrong, and now she wanted to fight. 

Gina caught Indigo off guard, pulling her to the ground as she repeatedly punched her; meanwhile, Dej and four other girls began jumping her. Milly tried to break everything apart but couldn't pull all six girls off of Indigo. 

Martin ran outside and immediately began pulling them off of Indigo with some family members' help; once all girls were held back, he picked Indigo off the ground, trying to see where she was bleeding from. 

"I need to call my sister!" Indigo yelled through tears, basically hyperventilating. "Call my sister!" 

"Let me see your face," Martin said, taking her around so nobody would sneak her.  "Stop, let me see." 

She grabbed her phone and purse off the ground and dialed Flaire's number, it rang for a second, and as soon as it connected, she began crying harder. 

"Flaire, they jumped me. I'm drunk, and they just jumped me, sissy. My face hurt so bad." Indigo cried. "Please come, sissy!"

"What?? Where are you?? I'm on my way!!" Flaire said, hanging up.

"My sisters are coming." Indigo cried into Martin's chest.

"Where are you bleeding from?" Martin asked, taking off his shirt, seeing she was bleeding above her eye and her nose was bleeding. 

"For fucking what, brah? Y'all are so fucking stupid! Stupid ass bitches! She wasn't doing shit to no fucking body!" Milly yelled, pushing one of the girls so hard that she fell to the ground. 

There was a bunch of yelling for seven minutes until Keygan's truck pulled up; Flaire looked around for Indigo. Her heart dropped seeing her face, and she ran over into the crowd swinging at whoever; she didn't care who she was fighting.

Once the first girl fell and Flaire's foot connected to her face making her head hit the cement, Gina grabbed Flaire, but Flaire got her way out of it and pulled Gina's hair dragging her to the ground, kneeing her multiple times. Before Flaire could blink, Brat's cousins had pulled now up, and now it was a full-out brawl. 

"Don't touch my girl," Keygan told some boy who tried to touch her.

"Please don't if you know what's good for you." Ezra cosigned. 

Flaire was literally stomping another girl's head into the cement, and the girl started shaking violently. Keygan pulled Flaire up and called off Brat's cousins' hearing sirens. Flaire grabbed Indigo, who was still crying with her face bleeding. 

"Damn, your face split," Ezra said. "She gotta go to the hospital." 

"Who the fuck was them bitches?" 

"One of them, Martin's ex and that girl that jumped you last time." Indigo cried. 

"She can't go to the hospital drunk; they're going to call child protective services," Keygan said.

"Go to the fire station; Devon will know what to do." Flaire sighed as Keygan turned around to go to the fire station. 

"Hello?" Indigo said, answering the phone. "I'm going to the fire station, okay." 

"Stop crying," Ezra said, holding her as she cried into his shirt.

"All I wanted to do was go to Sevyn's house." Indigo cried. "I just wanted to cuddle in his bed wearing his clothes, and bitches jumped me, and for what? I did nothing to nobody." 

"It's okay, sissy; Imma make sure all them bitches die," Flaire said as Keygan parked next to the firehouse. 

They walked in, not seeing anyone at the desk; Flaire called Devon, telling him she needed to see him immediately. Devon was joking with a firefighter named Ellie but damn near jumped down the flight of stairs going to Indigo. 

"What the fuck happened?" Devon asked, removing the shirt from her face.

"I was drinking, I just wanted to go to Sevyn's house, and they jumped me, Devy." She cried. "They didn't have no reason; I just wanted to be with Sevyn." 

"Who the fuck was she with? Why didn't y'all take her to the hospital?" 

"Martin and Milly," Flaire answered. "We couldn't take her to the hospital since she was drunk; they would call child protective services on us." 

"Jessie, come to the cafe! Bring a first aid kit and some ice packs. See if Shawn is still here." He sat Indigo down, looking at her head. "You feel confused? Dizzy? Like you going to pass out?" 

"I'm very confused; they just jumped me, Devy." 

"I know, baby girl." He hugged her head as the first aid kit was bought for him. He cleaned her face making it so he could see the damage. 

"Indigo!" Martin yelled, walking into the fire station.

"Brah, what the fuck y'all let happen to my sister?" 

"I don't even know what happened; I left her outside with Milly to say goodbye to my aunts. I come back, and she getting jumped." 

"She was just standing there, and Gina just attacked her. I tried to get them off her, but I'm drunk myself, and it was six of them." Milly tried to explain. 

"It's cool." Flaire chuckled, nodding her head. "It's alright 'cause now I'm on every single head. These bitches finna understand what kind of sister Haven and Indigo got. Bet."