"So you're officially off punishment," Devon said, making Haven jump in joy. "But you can always get back on."

"Thank you so much!" She smiled, hugging him. "That means I can have my door back?" 

"I'll put it back on after my shift." 

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." She repeated, jumping up and down. 

She felt like she could finally breathe. She's been on punishment for almost two months now and couldn't wait to see Ezra again every day. 

"I'm leaving in fifteen minutes, so everybody is ready!" Devon announced to the girls. 

Indigo stood in the mirror with her eyes watering; she felt so weird going to school without getting a text from Sevyn. He always bought her breakfast or picked her up; it felt different and weird.

She held her head back, pushing back the tears as she grabbed his hoodie and pulled it over her head. She also wore matching sweatpants; that's all she wore, so she wasn't going to change that.

She just prayed people wouldn't bother her too much today.  

"You ready?" Flaire asked her, walking into her room. 

"As ready Imma get," Indigo mumbled, grabbing her book bag and gym bag.

"You're going back?" Flaire smiled.

"Imma see how it goes." 

"C'mon," Flaire said, grabbing her hand so they could walk downstairs. "C'mon, Haven." 

Haven grabbed her bag and walked to the door in tow of them; they said see you later to Genesis, then walked out with Flaire in the front. 

"Flaire, tell Key I got his shit."

"What shit?"

"Mind your business."

"Then I'm not telling him shit."

"You need to grow up." He chuckled. "I'll text his ass myself."

"Should've done that then." 

"Are you okay?"

"Are you?"

"You wanna get put out my shit?" 

"You wanna get put out?"

"Why are we arguing?" Haven asked.

"Because he stays starting." Flaire rolled her eyes. 

"Oh, I get it." He glanced at her. "You upset at the world because Keygan is leaving."

"Devon, please do not piss her off this early."

"He can't piss me off, but I'll piss him off." Flaire chuckled just as Devon pulled up to the school. "Yeah, it was best I got out of this car." 

Devon was about to say something, but she slammed the car door really hard, making him look at her. 

"Oh, she wanna get put on punishment." 

Indigo got out of the car, and it was like everybody was staring at her; she ignored all the stares continuing to walk. Flaire grabbed her hand, walking further into the school; they stopped at her locker to put her bags in. Flaire walked her to her first class, ensuring the teacher knew she was there. 

"Y'all can get the fuck out of her face!" Flaire snapped, seeing everybody still staring at her. "She back, get the fuck over it." 

"Eyes on the board." The teacher spoke. "Thank you, Flaire; she's fine now."

"She's always going to be fine; leave my sister alone. Don't come up to her expressing condolences or anything; she doesn't need anybody feeling bad for her. She good." 

Flaire snapped, ensuring she looked around the class to ensure everyone heard her. She bent down to Indi's level as they made eye contact, she really didn't want to leave, but she knew she had to because Indi had to gain some independence. 

"I love you; text me if you need me." 

Flaire walked out of the room, looking back at her one more time before she went to her own classroom. The day was going by so fast that she felt when she blinked, it was already lunchtime. 

"Hey Flaire," This girl Nevada walked up to her getting her attention.

"Wassup Nevada?" 

"Is Tyke single now?" 

"Oh, you like my brother?" Flaire smiled. "Yeah, he is single, but you know he and Maicee be on and off a lot."

"I just wanted to see he was single now so I could shoot my shot." She chuckled. "I don't give a fuck about no on and off; the only bitch I'm worried about is me."

"And that's period." Flaire nodded.

"So, you gon put me on?" 

"I'll put the word in."

"Thanks, Flaire." She smiled, handing her a sticky note with her number on it and walking away with her friend. 

Flaire walked through the cafe looking for her boys; spotting them, she watched them eat some wings. She shook her head, grabbed her bag of food, greeted all of them, then sat down, cleaning her hands with some wipes.

"Fave, you know Nevada?" 

"Who, Nevada?" Tyke squinted.

"Ole girl with the big ass mouth?" Ezra asked. 

"Oh, the one that looks like that girl fish from shark tales?" 

"That's Naveah; I said, Nevada. The one on the basketball team? And she plays tennis and volleyball." 

"The one with the fat ass?" Ezra asked. "She got some deep-ass dimples too." 

"She do got a fat ass." Keygan cosigned. 

"Well, she wanted me to give you her number." 

"Damn, bitches found out you're single, and you've been out with a different bitch since then." Ezra looked at him. 

"Shit, this how it's supposed to be." Tyke shrugged. "I been in a relationship for four years; I gotta make up for all the times I should've fucked a bitch. Too young to be doing years with motherfuckers; I'm not getting in another relationship until I'm done with college." 

"I did the hoing and fucking bitches shit; it's cool but ain't nothing like looking forward to seeing your girl after having a long ass day," Ezra said. 

"And sex with your girl is only going to get better," Keygan smirked, putting his arm over Flaire's shoulder. "You can't fuck no random bitch like you can fuck your girl." 

"I agree with y'all, it wasn't my choice to be single, but since I am, I'm not going to sit around being sad and heartbroken. I'm going to live my life."

"As you should, fave." Flaire smiled.

"And if I didn't fuck with y'all girls, I'll encourage y'all to cheat." 

"You could encourage all you want; I'm never cheating on mine." Keygan kissed Flaire's forehead.

"You such a kiss up." Flaire looked up at him, smiling, making him chuckle.

"He such a bitch." Tyke scrunched his face up in disgust, making all of them laugh. 

"Baby, can we go to the mall after school?" Haven asked, standing over Ezra with Maicee on her side.

"Yeah, ask Devon before he-"

"I don't have to ask."

"Yes, you do cause nobody got time-"

"I'm off punishment." Haven rolled her eyes, making him smile.

"Hey Tyke, you wanna skip the last block?" A girl named Gabi asked, smiling and coming towards him, making Maicee look up from her phone. 

"Skip for what?" He smirked.

"So I could show you what I wanted to without the disruptions from the other day." She matched his smirk, making him chuckle. 

"Text my phone, Gabi." He shook his head, making her chuckle as she started walking backward, mistakenly bumping into Maicee.

"Oh, I'm sorry, girl. Let me wipe your shoes." She smiled, grabbing a napkin off the table.

"Yeah, watch where the fuck you going. If you paid attention instead of worrying about getting some fucking dick, you would've seen me." 

"Girl, I said I'm sorry. Relax." 

"You wouldn't have to do shit if you picked up your fucking eyes, ugly ass." 

"You're weird." Gaby squinted, dropping the napkin and deciding not to wipe her shoes anymore. 

"I'm annoyed, Haven. I'm going to the library." 

"I'll meet you there." Haven smiled, watching her walk away. "You didn't have to flirt with that girl in her face." 

"I can do what I want, Haven." Tyke shrugged. "She broke up with me for absolutely shit; I'm not doing shit to spare her feelings anymore."

"It's not about sparing her feelings; it's about respect." 

"Respect for who? And for what? She doesn't respect shit about me. Not even to be rude, but it ain't your business, and I'm not explaining myself anymore. Imma catch up with y'all later."

"Anyways, I'll meet you by your car?" Haven kissed his cheek, not allowing him to answer. 

"She been a lil different to y'all?" Ezra asked.

"Lil bit." Flaire pinched her fingers. "But that's because she's entering her bad bitch era." 

Ezra shook his head; he didn't like this "bad bitch era" attitude Haven gave, he loved she took up for herself, but it was like her personality was doing a whole 180. 

~

Indigo sat in the bathroom stall wiping her face; everywhere she went, she saw Sevyn. It seemed like her day was dragging, and she hated this so much; she just wanted to lie down and listen to depressing music since she was depressed. 

"Did you see how she looked?" Indigo heard as people entered the bathroom. 

"I was a mess with Johnny broke up with me; imagine him dying. That probably would've been the thirteenth reason." 

"I just want to hug her; Sevyn really loved her." 

"I been wanting to say something to her all day, but she probably tired of people feeling bad for her." 

"I would." The girls exited the room while she silently cried.

She waited five more minutes, then walked out of the stall, going to wipe her face. She looked at herself in the mirror seeing the bags under her very red eyes. She put her lip gloss on like that would change her face. 

Regina walked into the bathroom, stopping a bit, but she continued walking to wash her hands. She glanced at Indi as she washed her hands.

"You look very pretty," Regina said, making Indigo look at her. Indigo scrunched up her face and then laughed.

"Girl, you're lying." Indigo continued laughing. "But thank you." 

"I was going to say sorry for your loss but figured you have been hearing that every day since, so I went for the lather." Regina smiled. "You really do look pretty, though." 

"Thanks, Regina, you do too. You going somewhere after school or something?" 

"I have an interview with a college." Regina smiled. "I guess you know what happened to me, so I'm trying to be a better person."

"What do you mean?" 

"Haven didn't tell you?" She asked, confused. "I thought she would've told everyone once she found out." 

"Haven not to type to spread people business."

"Oh, well, ever since my dad died, my mother has been an alcoholic, and she would abuse me, and sometimes her boyfriends would too. That's why I live with Ezra, he saved me, and his parents have been like second parents to me."

"Is that why you acted like that?"

"Yeah, I hate thinking about it now, but I'm in therapy and have a great boyfriend. I'm trying to leave everything in the past, I apologized to Haven, and I'm growing. I don't even have friends anymore." 

"I never had friends; I just had my sisters and Sevyn." 

"The way Sevyn loved you, he is still by your side. I remember when Brooke tried to talk to him; he hurt her feeling so badly. He was like you ain't even a crumb of what my girl is."

"We went together really bad." Indigo chuckled, fighting the tears.

"Would you wanna help me prepare for my interview? I think it'll be the perfect distraction." Regina shrugged, making Indigo nod her head.

Regina was the first person who hadn't treated her like she was a sickly patient, she was just herself, and she liked that. She felt like she would always be grieving because people walked on eggshells around her.

~

Blaire walked into the store looking at the female who was looking at him; he took his eyes off her to grab a Canada Dry ginger ale. He stood over the cakes trying to decide what to get, and when he couldn't decide, he just moved on to the chips. Grabbing the red bag of popcorners, he went to the counter. 

"Get me two packs of slapwoods and them element rice papers." 

"Where Ant at?" The man, Bilal, asked from behind the counter.

"He at my house; you need him?" 

"Tell him to see me later."

Blaire passed him a fifty bill waiting for his change; once Bilal handed him his change, he bumped into the girl, making him suck his teeth cause he knew she did it on purpose. 

"Didn't we go to school together?" The girl asked.

"I don't know, I ain't finish." He said, making her chuckle.

"I think I did, but you're cute. Can I have your number?" 

"No, ma'am, I'm good."

"Oh, you got a girlfriend. You don't sneaky link." 

"The fuck I'm sneaky linking for? If my girlfriend were here, she would've beat the shit out of you for asking me some shit like that." He chuckled, walking out of the store, not giving her a chance to respond. 

"Hey, Blaire," The twelve-year-old Kobe said, walking up to him. 

"Why you not in school, man?" 

"My mom is sick; I had to come to get something to eat." He showed him the five dollars he had.

"What you getting with five dollars?" 

"Probably some noodles and a can of soup." He shrugged. "My mom's food stamps got cut off, and she said she could barely afford eggs now." 

"C'mon, man." He said, getting the car. He drove towards his house, then called Ant. "Come outside and lock my doors." 

Five minutes later, Ra and Ant walked out of the house. They both got into the backseat as Blaire went to BJS. 

They picked a few things that'll have him and his siblings good for two to three weeks; then, he'll take him back. Blaire spent three hundred and eighty-seven dollars there; when they got to the house, they helped him load everything into the cabinets and fridge. 

"Your mother still working?" Ra asked.

"Yeah, she was mad she had to call out because she said we couldn't afford it. Our hot water isn't on; we had to boil water to bath in." 

Kobe knew he would get in trouble if his mother found out he was telling her business, but she didn't want to ask for help. He thought what he was doing was helping. 

"She got a letter or something?" Ant asked as Kobe nodded. "Something with her account number or something? I'll pay for it." 

"And Imma call somebody to help clean this house," Ra said, calling his cousin's phone, who he knew did deep cleaning. 

Kobe's mom had four kids, Kobe being the second oldest, but Ra understood not being able to be a child because you have to raise kids and be the man of the house. 

Blaire nosily went through the mail to see if she had any eviction letters or anything, once he didn't see anything. He was relieved, but he did see her car note was behind, and she was facing it being repoed. 

"She only behind three fifty, and they cut the shit off?" Ant shook his head, reading the letter. He called the number on the letter so it could be settled. 

Blaire did not see his day going like this, but he had been in this situation plenty of times and wished someone could save him. His mother fighting cancer was the worse thing he had been through, and he prayed she stayed in remission. 

They spent almost two hours in the house with Kobe while Ra and Blaire's cousin cleaned, and she even cooked some soup for Kobe's mom. They walked out the door as Blaire gave Kobe all their numbers so he could call whenever. 

Blaire walked out, noticing he's been seeing the same black Toyota Rav 4. He didn't react or even look their way; he got into the car to go home. He didn't see the car behind him, and that's when he knew he was dealing with professionals. It was cops following him. 

He walked into the house and waited five minutes; then, he peeked out the window to see the car now parked three houses down. 

"Aye, Ant, the license plate 0CKO187; who does it belong to?" Ant called somebody on the phone. It took around fifteen minutes before he got an answer. 

"Desean Miller." Ant finally answered.

"That's Sevyn's father." Blaire shook his head, walking outside to the car. "Why the fuck are you following me?" 

"Because you killed my sons, and you will pay." 

"Bro, I didn't kill nobody. That's why they let me out; they don't think I'm guilty 'cause I didn't do it." 

"Then you know who did it." He stated as Blaire sighed in annoyance. "I watched you grow up; you have spent plenty of nights at my house, and you can just kill the boys you grew up with?" 

"Man listen, I didn't kill nobody. I was with Flaire and them the whole night; I don't know what happened. As you said, I grew up with Sevyn; his death hurt me too, man." 

Blaire wasn't lying; he didn't kill Sevyn and grieved his death, but he wouldn't give up his killer. He wasn't a snitch; he'll take a bullet before he get on a stand and snitch. 

"Then who killed my boy's man?" 

"Desean, I don't know anything."

Desean looked into Blaire's eyes, and he didn't see anything behind them; they were cold. Even if Blaire was telling the truth, this still wasn't the boy he watched grow up. 

"I'm going to continue following you."

"Alright, man." Blaire shook his head, walking back to his house.

"You good?" Ant asked. "Want me to handle that?"

"Nah, he just grieving. He harmless." Blaire said, hoping he wouldn't have to handle him himself.

~

"I missed having sex with you," Haven said, lying down and cuddling with Ezra.

"Yeah, man, I been in a damn drought."

"Good to know we both were."

"You thought I would fuck somebody else?"

"No but you can't always assume a nigga not going to be a nigga." She remarked, making him squint and push his head back.

"Haven, what?" He asked. "If you thought I would fuck somebody on you, that's a problem."

"Ezra, I don't think you will at all. I have faith in you so much." Haven stated honestly, but Ezra still felt a way, but he wasn't going to dwell on the situation. 

"How is Maicee doing?" 

"She says she is doing fine, but I think she really hurt because Tyke is just so careless letting it be known he's fucking whatever."

"I mean, as he said, he doesn't have to accommodate her anymore, he tried to be in a relationship with her, and she broke up with him without no communication. How he chooses to heal isn't nobody's business but his."

"So if we were to break up, you'll be fucking other people?" 

"Eventually." He shrugged. "But it's going to be a little minute. Like, I don't plan on us too, but if we will, you not finna see me slanging dick, but that's exactly what Imma be doing cause I'm not getting into another relationship."

"I understand what you saying because now that I know how good sex feel, I'm finna be out here." She smiled jokingly. 

"Ain't nobody gon be out here fucking you like me or eating your shit like me so you don't know how sex feel."

"Hm, guess I just gotta test my theory out real quick."

"Yeah aight." He chuckled pulling her head under the cover fake suffocating her. 

"Ezra, can I talk to you for a minute?" He heard his mother say.

"Yeah, I'm coming ma." 

Ezra threw on some basketball shorts walking out the room just as Have phone started to ring, she saw Maicee was Facetiming her. She answered the phone as they both just stared at each other.

"Well?" Haven asked looking at Maicee in her car.

"Girl, he fucking sucked." Maicee admitted. "I didn't even make an excuse I just walked out of the restaurant, I'm not going on another date again."

"Did he suck or he just wasn't Tyke?" 

"Nobody want that dirty ass dick no more." 

"Do you not want it no more or can't have it?" 

"Haven, you wanna get hung up on?" She asked rolling her eyes. "Speaking of that boy, he's having a party next week, you wanna go?" 

"That's shocking." Haven chuckled. "I'll go with you."

"Good, I'm about to go to the mall and get my Sunday's best." She chuckled as the phone paused. "This Mac calling, I'll text you. Have fun and use protection."

"We making babies over here." Ezra joked walking in the room.

"As long as one of the names Maicee." She smiled hanging up. 

"My ma wanna know if you spending the night."

"I can." She yawned. "I wanna take a nap."

"Imma get on the game."

"You're going to take a nap." Haven glared as Ezra grabbed his headset.

"I'm not tired." He sucked his teeth.

"Watch your little YouTube videos and get tired."

"I really can't get on the game?" He sucked his teeth again.

"You got something stuck?" 

"Cmon man." He said putting his headset back as Haven smiled falling back onto the pillows.

She don't know what it was but Ezra bed never made her wanna get up. 

__________

A lil filly chapter, not edited.