hi lol. 

i know it's been a while but life was stomping me into the concrete lmao. sorry.

here's a recap of the last couple of chapters 😙

• lauren, eli's sister in law, went back home to her abusive and cheating ass husband, marc

• jailyn guilt-tripped ken into asking elijah about her boyfriend, coby, working with his dad who be doing lil illegal shit.

• lani, the daughter of the marc & lauren, tricked kensley into going to some typa meeting where elijah was for her daddy.

• elijah beat marc ass for playing on his top like det

• leah, the wife, agreed to a divorce

•demetrius is this dude ken used to "talk" to. i guess? he was 20 she was 16 sooooo.

• kensley and elijah high key go together.

• • •

this chapter picks up the same morning that jai asked kensley for the favor.

"What's wrong?"

I glanced at Elijah who I didn't know was watching me get ready for work, "Nothing."

"You looking like somebody waiting at your job to beat your ass." He teased.

Nope. Just figuring out a way to tell you Coby wanna do illegal shit with your dad.

I don't know why I was nervous since all he could do was say no. It might've had something to do with Zi alluding to the fact that I could die just for being in the wrong place at that wrong time.

Being alive was stressful sometimes but damn Ian wanna die either.

"I just don't wanna go." I partially lied, then switched the subject, "Skip to the part of my life where I'm rich and get paid to wake up."

"What the hell you gon' be doing?" Elijah laughed.

"I don't know. That's why I can't skip to it."

He grabbed his shirt, continuing the conversation as he pulled it over his head, "OnlyFans?"

I was internally smiling at how easy it was to distract him, but my laugh was genuine, "Watch how my parents pull up showing me one of my videos. I'll pass, thanks."

"They probably wouldn't even do allat."

"Take it from the person whose known them for 22 years. They definitely would do all that."

Whether it was on purpose or not, I was slowly ceasing communication with my parents. More so my dad, who always found a way to bring up Elijah.

I could mention it was raining outside and he'd try to make it Elijah's fault.

That being said, I wasn't choosing him over my parents, but rather choosing a scenario where I wasn't constantly defending my life choices.

My mom wasn't much better but at least she tried to have regular conversations like before. I'm not exactly sure why there was a 'before' anyway. I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that they were that bothered by it that it prevented us from talking

But whatever I guess.

"Go work for Zi. Heon too much like the manager forreal anyway."

"Don't you own some of it? No, 'cause the girls gone wanna fight 'cause I'm doing it with our boss."

Elijah made a face, "You just stood there and said "doing it" at your big age.

"You know I'm shyyyy."

I'd procrastinated as much as I could, so after I grabbed my charger from the nightstand, I led the way out of my room and towards the key rack only to watch Elijah's hand grab them before I could.

"You taking me to work?" I asked, not really caring either way.

He nodded, "Might as well. I'ma have to come back up there later if I don't."

"All this time I thought you were coming to see me."

"I am. I would've been told my mama that her ass gotta learn how to make them muffins."

I smiled at the girl who lived down the hall while responding to him, "So what does she do when I'm off?"

Elijah shrugged, not looking like he cared at all, "I think Zi do it. "

"You so lowdown." I snickered, "Don't have mama mad at me 'cause you won't take her the muffin. At this point, just say you plotting on me."

It didn't take long to reach his car since he refused to park in visitor parking because 'fuck these people.'

He had to know something I didn't, as he had yet to get his car towed, but let that would've been me or Jai.

Raggedy bitches.

As soon as the car started rolling and the doors locked I found out the real reason why Elijah wanted to take me to work.

• • •

My phone was poorly balanced on my knee, a deep voice coming through it, "Yeah I got out on parole."

"That's great." I responded dryly because I already knew that, "I thought when you out on parole though, you not supposed to contact the victims?"

"They got you calling yourself a victim." Demetrius laughed.

"Let me go call your parole officer so they can send your ass back to jail."

Messenger was full of weirdos waiting to call you or video chat at the worst time, and today I just so happened to get a call from a recently released Demetrius.

He still hadn't told me why he was calling, deciding to try to talk about what his plans for the future were.

Um?

"Demetrius, what do you want?" I interrupted when he started naming colleges, "I'm glad you're changing your life, so not to sound rude, but I don't care."

He cleared his throat, "Well my mama and them said I can't stay here so-"

I hung up the phone and started laughing.

Laughed all the way back into work, not caring that people thought I was probably crazy.

They didn't have their... ex? Should I call him an ex? We went out to eat a couple of times but it was always a group setting so I wouldn't say that counts as a date.

Shit, maybe we were exes. That could explain why he thought he could ask me to move in.

I checked to make sure my feet weren't webbed because the nigga clearly thought I was Daffy the damn duck.

Shaking away the thoughts of Demetrius, I walked behind the counter and sat on the stool, spinning around on the seat, "Let's close early and go get tacos."

"I wish." Maria sighed and looked at the clock, "We can go after we close if you serious."

"We can. I got dropped off though, so I'ma have to ride with you.

A huge smile came over her face, "Zi took my car to get the oil changed and get a new set of tires, so I drove his. Can you believe that? I didn't even ask he just did it."

"That's so thoughtful and cute." I smiled with her, "Who woulda thought he does stuff like that."

A customer interrupted our conversation and I had to remind myself that they didn't do anything wrong by wanting some coffee.

She was into her own conversation anyway, placing the phone on speaker as she dug through her purse for her card, "Paul asked if his friend can cater." She mumbled, "I don't want that... that slop at my wedding."

Both Maria and I snickered and she gave us a short laugh while sticking the chip inside of the machine, "Sorry. Support your friends and all."

Her friend scoffed, "It's a big moment. I think you deserve to be picky."

The woman thanked us and grabbed her phone and cup, hurrying out of the shop.

"Speaking of weddings." Maria began when we were alone again, "I saw the post on Facebook. How's Jade?"

I wouldn't know what post because I'd blocked both Jade and Ari, so I shrugged my shoulders. Maria and I had grown closer, but not close enough for me to tell her what happened.

"Jade seemed nice. I hate that for her."

"What happened?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

"Ari said something about timing not being right and real love finding it's way back. Basically, she dumper her but don't wanna seem like a bad person."

Likely seen as a bad person because the engagement was so short. It made you think she knew before she said yes that she didn't want to be engaged.

Like Maria said, I hated that for Jade.

"Well..." I trailed off as I thought of something to say, "Maybe it's better for both of them."

She covered her mouth while talking through a yawn, "Life is just weird."

• • •

Leah Baker

I don't know why, but I lie a lot.

Growing up, all I did was lie, and it carried into my teenage and adult years. It helped in certain situations, hurt in others, but it gave me the ability to talk my way out of almost anything.

My face was the perfect mixture of confusion as I spoke in an what came off as airy— dumb almost, "He barely talks to his dad. Wrong brother maybe?"

"I just showed you the picture." A chubby finger pointed to Elijah, Christian, and more men walking into a building, "How the hell is it the wrong brother?"

Of course it was Eli. But I didn't plan on saying anything, "That's a suggestion. I don't know who anybody is in the picture."

He laughed and shook his head, "Even after he left you for someone else."

It doesn't matter how well you can lie though if what the person is saying makes you feel a certain way.

My entire plan of not knowing anyone they showed me changed when another picture was placed on the table. I used to think of Zi as my brother, so I didn't know him. The other person...

"Kensley Parker."

They already knew who she was, obviously, but the purpose of me identifying the people was to demonstrate my willingness to cooperate with them, deny or confirm what they wanted to know about her.

She wouldn't go to jail unless she was actually doing something, which I doubted. They'd just start watching her, maybe question her, like they did me a few times, and it'd get old fast.

I never passed up the opportunity to antagonize Elijah.

So, I told the truth.

• • •

Elijah Baker

I stood patiently outside of the door, waiting for someone to come open it.

Preferably Coby, then I wouldn't even have to go inside. But because that would've been easy, Jai opened it, looking at me in confusion.

"Hey."

"Wassup Jai. Where Coby?"

I never came here unless I was with Kensley so I knew why she was confused, but I wasn't about to tell her why. Coby could explain it to her later if he wanted to.

"I'ma go get him." Her expression changed when she put it together and realized what I wanted, "Next time, tell Ken to tell us. I thought you was a robber or somebody."

"If niggas 'round here knock on the door before they rob you then they nice as hell."

She laughed as she walked out of the living room, leaving me leaning on the wall by the front door.

Coby and I never talked really, it was usually just me Jai, and Kensley who kept the conversation going. Maybe that's why he felt like he had to go through her to ask me a question.

"Wassup?" Coby greeted, coming closer to stand in front of me.

"I did some shit to make you feel like I'm unapproachable?" I asked, barely giving a head nod in response.

"No?"

"Then why you felt the need to ask Kensley some that you could've asked yourself?"

I didn't appreciate that shit at all, especially since at this point, mostly everything she knew about me, came from other people.

It wasn't hiding secrets, it was gradually discussing our lives like normal people but nobody wanted to give me time to say anything. Did I have to tell it all in the first day? Damn.

Wassup I'm Eli, my mama eat muffins like it's crack in 'em, Christian sell crack, my brother act like he onnit, me too sometimes. What's ya' favorite color?

He looked nervous, "Shidd... I really ain't know how to approach you with it. Me and Ken cool so Ian think it'll be a problem."

"Ken don't run shit. Ken ain't out there doing shit. She can't help you with that in no typa way."

"We talking right now ain't it?" He shook his head, "That's further than I was at first. Look bruh, my girl pregnant, I'm just tryna make some money real quick. That's all."

"Then you should've asked Ken to let you work inna fuckin' coffee shop."

Coby stared at me angrily, "So yes or no?"

Believe it or not, the only problem I had with this situation was how he went about it. He could've just asked and I wouldn't have cared at all.

I would've still said no, but only because Coby would probably last until the next Christian fuck up, then he was going up the road.

"Hell nah. If you need some money, I can help you get some. It ain't gone be nun like that though."

His shoulders relaxed, "I prec-"

"Don't ever talk to Kensley 'bout nothing me or my family do."

"All good."

He was lying like hell.

• • •

Zi wiped sweat from his brow, mugging me as he held the shovel in his hand, "Next time you wanna do some shit like this, make sure Ian wearing no thousand dollar shoes."

"You paid a band?" Coby asked curiously, "My partna' was letting 'em go for half of that."

"They real?"

"Niggas wanna be models or some?!" I shouted, "Hurry up so we can get done."

Zi dropped the shovel, "You the one wanna be Bob the builder. The fuck you got us out here digging with you for anyway?"

Coby was still digging the hole, aggressively as fuck if you ask me, "It's some wrong witchu'?"

".....When you said you had some work, Ian think it was gone be this shit."

"Damn... A picky broke nigga."

I explained the whole concept to him, so for him to still be pressing the issue of working with Christian was more than old.

If he wanted to go be somebody bitch in prison all he had to do was say that.

"You be talking to people so crazy." He stated, making eye contact with me, "I'ma be done beatcho-"

Zi sighed and began talking loudly, not allowing Coby to finish, "I'm already digging dirt in these hoes. Ian breaking up no fight in 'em, so y'all gone chill out."

"Got me out here digging a damn hole," Coby mumbled, stabbing at the dirt with his shovel.

When it was deep enough, I handed the instructions for the fountain to Zi and walked towards the trailer that was parked in the backyard.

After grabbing the bag and walking back over, they were too busy trying to see how it went into the ground to look up. Well, Zi was too busy. Coby tried to discreetly watch me, alternating his gaze between the paper and me.

Installing it was easy, and we quickly heard the pouring of water. My mama heard it too, as she came out onto the patio, smiling widely, "It's so pretty."

"Ain't it? I did it all by myself." Zi lied unashamedly.

She stared through narrowed eyes, "I came and brought y'all water. I saw everybody helping."

".....I forgot all about that."

I laughed and went to give my mama a hug, "See you later."

"Wait." She frowned, pulling away, "It was getting late so I cooked for y'all too."

It was getting late and I would've stayed if I didn't drop Kensley off at work, "I took Kensley to work so I really do gotta go."

"We'll take some to-go plates though." Zi volunteered.

• • •

"Damn your mama can cook." Coby said, putting cabbage on his fork then scooping up macaroni, "It ain't even Sunday."

Once I got to the car and checked my phone, I realized I didn't have to get Kensley from work, but I had already packed food, Jai got invited to go eat tacos with them, and now Coby was sitting on my couch tryna eat the damn plate.

"She was happy we put that water shit up."

He nodded and continued to eat, "That's what we gone be doing every day?"

I couldn't answer that 'cause I didn't know. I didn't have shit for Coby to do, and depending on what he did with what I gave him, was about to be throwing away money.

I handed him the small bag of money and leaned back against the couch, "I'll let you know some tomorrow."

He counted it silently, looking up when he was done, "5 bands for digging a hole."

"5 bands not to tell nobody you dug a hole."

Coby stared at me for a moment, then redirected his attention back to the game.

Neither of us said anything until Lauren's voice floated into the living room, "Hey Eli. Lani left her shampoo. I'll be damned if I spend all that money again."

"Who that is?" Coby whispered his eyes following Lauren's path.

"Not Jai."

It wasn't that I cared if he cheated, but I did care if he cheated with Lauren. The scenario was already in my head of them getting caught, him getting killed— clear as damn day.

He shrugged lazily while trying to keep a straight face, "I was just asking. A nigga can't look no more?"

"Go look at ya' baby mama."

"My baby mama fine as shit too so that don't bother me."

I couldn't help but laugh, "You tried to slide that "too" in there."

• • •

Kensley Parker

We didn't really live together, so some nights if Elijah didn't say he was coming or show up to my apartment before at least 12, I'd assume he wasn't coming.

I was usually right, but tonight I was wrong.

He eyed my phone as it rang again, "You need to leave?"

"I do actually." I cleared my throat and turned to walk towards the car, stopping when a hand wrapped around my arm.

"Think about what I said please." He insisted, "Just think about it."

Was there really anything to think about?

Duh. That's why I thought about it all the way home, up the stairs, and into my bedroom where Elijah was texting somebody.

"You was waiting on me a long time?" I asked, pretending not to have seen his calls.

"Not forreal."

I simply nodded and started gathering my clothes to take a shower, but he kept talking, "Where you was at?"

"Tacos," I responded truthfully.

He didn't reply, his fingers continuing to tap against the screen.

I was completely in my head and stood under the water until it turned cool.

We had really just gotten together, and if I left now, not to be with anybody else, but just left, it could actually be easy.

A frustrated sigh left my mouth because I couldn't convince myself of what I was saying.

Love, at first sight, wasn't real, but a few months felt like a few years, and I knew that I loved Elijah.

Meaning, I really didn't wanna end it.

After turning off the water and wrapping a towel around me, I went back into my bedroom to see him now asleep.

I guess I really did spend a long time in there, I thought with a small smile, quickly drying off and getting in bed.

I fit into my spot easily, lifting his arm slightly to get comfortable, and molding myself to him.

Elijah's hold tightened, my feet went between his legs. Drifting to sleep was only a matter of closing my eyes.

"Just think about it." The voice from earlier echoed in my head.

I thought that... The warm feeling of being enveloped in Elijah's scent, having someone, besides Jailyn, waiting for me at home— a thought that it was a great feeling to be showered in affection, attention, reciprocating it too.

Choosing that feeling was easy.

• • •

are we still here?

i really am sorry guys. i know it was a looooonggg ass time but i can't write fr unless my mind is somewhat clear. let's not do that again lol.

anyway, ari dumped jade chile. that's tough.

🥴 leah didn't snitch on elijah but why she do kensley like that?

i wanna reiterate the fact that ken doesn't think she's a victim. at all. so her interactions w/ demetrius will reflect that.