July 16th, 2023 | Sunday

"Tell me that you forgive me, and you still love me as much as I love you, baby." Micah's pleading voice blessed Josiah's ears as she held the phone to her ear. She willed herself not to roll her eyes, knowing she had forgiven him and was just being stubborn.

Followed by a sigh, she proceeded with caution, "I understand Micah. Our emotions were at an all time high. I was frustrated and you didn't want me to leave. Our time was being cut down. We were both just stressed." Josiah crossed her leg over the other.

She had been in Florida for a total of one day, and about a half of another day. Arriving Saturday morning, she slept for about three-quarters of the day. She and her brother happened to click almost instantly considering she contacted him every-once in a while, so she was familiar with him.

What shocked her the most was that she had another brother that she didn't even know about. He wasn't necessarily blood, instead being her step brother since he was her father's—wife's son. Along with that, she had an older step sister who was away in college, and that's whose old room she would be taking over. Pure and utter shock was the only thing that could explain how she felt when it was revealed to her.

It demonstrated how out of touch she was with her paternal side of the family. A part of her was thanking her mother for pushing this upon her. She wanted to get closer to the other side of her that she didn't even know about. She wanted to tap into the things about her that didn't correlate with her mother.

"I love you." Micah repeated because she didn't add that part to her statement. He didn't want the distance between them to strain his relationship already, because had faith in them. It had to be a two way street and she had to be on the same page as him in order for it work work out between them.

At the words, a small smile grew on her face feeling giddy inside. She truly felt like they would be together forever. They had hit a rough patch, but she knew they could work through it—and it would all be worth it in the end. "I love you too, baby." She finally responded.

Tre instantly scrunched his face up due to the fact that he was not a willing participant of listening. He was practically being forced to hear his little sister cake up on the phone. He didn't know her on a deeper level, almost like they were distant friends rather than blood siblings.

It felt so weird to have a little sister. For years he'd only had to deal with their stepmothers children, and True—who was their stepsister—happened to be older than him. Though, now with his little sister in his presence he understood the aspects of an overprotective brother very quickly.

It was like a natural feeling in him that wanted to keep her safe from all the harm he knew firsthand the world could bring upon her. She was already going through something tough, and he had no idea how to relieve her from that type of pain, but he would try.

Smacking her teeth, her eyes cut to Treyvon before she quickly rolled them. "Dang, mind your manners." She shook her head at him, and he ignored her deciding not to engage. He continued to drive so that he could wait for her to finish up her phone call before he spoke.

"Who you talking to?" Micah questioned, happening to still be on the phone.

Shaking her head she slouched her shoulders. "Sorry, I was talking to my brother. We about to get something to eat so I'll just call you back later tonight when I'm not as busy." Her fingers were toying with the ends of her hair.

Hearing those words caused Micah to sigh out loud. He didn't want her to hang up, because she had only been gone for a day and he missed everything about her. He didn't know how he was going to get through these next few months until she was on a break. "Aight, keep texting me though or something." He called out.

Holding back a smile, she loved how much he was obsessed with her. Almost as much as she was with him. It felt good to have that love reciprocated towards her, especially in a time where she needed all the love that she could receive. "Okay, I will. I love you again." Her voice grew softer.

Micah felt chills in the soft but natural rasp in her voice like always. It was one of his favorite things about her. "I love you too, Jojo." He responded once more before they finally hung up allowing her to drop her phone on her lap with a large inhale.

The car was silent since Tre had turned the music down in order to let her speak on the phone. She figured he would turn it back up once the phone call was finished, but he didn't. "So that's yo boyfriend?" He wanted to get to know her better, on a deeper level.

She nodded silently, her eyes following the old beat up buildings they were passing by. One thing she could admit was that her living style had did a complete 180, and she wasn't used to this environment at all. It was such a shift for her that it almost felt unreal.

"Yeah he is, we've been together for a year but I've known him since like middle school." She answered his next question without even realizing since he hadn't asked her yet. He nodded with impression on his face.

His foot eased on the break, coming to a complete stop at a red light behind the car in front of him. "So yall on some serious shit?" His genuine tone gave off the vibe that he was honestly curious, in which he was. When she nodded he seemed impressed. "That's good. How you feelin' baby sis?" His question was in general.

"Tired. I have no idea what's going on honestly. I'm really just going through the motions. Like a part of me really can't believe that this is what my life has come to in such a short amount of time." She had no problem expressing herself to him because he made her feel comfortable and safe.

He nodded slowly using his foot to accelerate the car forward once the light color changed. "I feel you. It really is no right answer to what you do next to navigate, but what ever you decide, just know me and pops got you if nobody else." He promised to her.

Hearing those words really did make her feel better. To know she wasn't completely alone when it came to family. Her maternal side was through, the way they treated her mother didn't sit right with her considering her reason for murder. "I appreciate that. And by the way when will he even be back? I was expecting to see him when I arrived yesterday."

Treyvon smiled. He'd never heard someone who spoke like her which was crazy to say. She had a bit of a Chicago accent, but she also had a sophisticated undertone as well which made it better. "Yeah he was supposed to be back before you got hea' but shit happen'. Don't worry he ready to see yo ass too." He teased knowing that was what she was really trying to say.

She waved him off, not feeding into his playful jokes.

"Aight, so watchu want to eat. Over here we got Chick fil a, five guys, Steak n' shake, McDonald's ova thea', Wingstop," he listed trying to think of the other options they were close to. "We got smoothie king roun' thea', oh and issa juicy crab right cross the street." The area they were in had plenty of plazas and different fast food places.

"Wait, I kinda wanna try some seafood. I've never had it before. Is it expensive?" She questioned, because even though she had the money—she wanted to stretch her money out as long as she could without a job and entering college.

Hearing her words he instantly turned the steering wheel to head that way while he shrugged. "It depend on what you get, but don't worry 'bout it I'll pay for it." He assured her, already racking his mind of what he wanted. "You never had seafood before?" He questioned.

She shook her head and he glanced at her skeptically wondering what else she hadn't tried that was something reoccurring for him. "What about boiled peanuts?" He questioned watching her face quickly turn up in disgust.

"Ew what the? Boiled peanuts just sounds so southern." She playfully shivered while his jaw dropped at the revelation.

"Nahhhh you gotta try Jojo you really trippin, jit." He shook his head. He was making it his mission to get her to try as much new stuff as he could—within the next span of time where she would be living with him. He would be having a lot of fun with his little sister, and he could guarantee that. "Imma put you on fasho." He swore pulling into the parking lot.

Thirty minutes later, the duo had arrived back to the one story home with a total of four small bed rooms and a master bed room with three bathrooms. Both Josiah's father — Norman — and his wife had the proper income to fund the house with government assistance. It didn't look the best from the outside, but it shocked anybody who walked inside.

Natalia was obviously big on decorating, and it was obvious. Josiah hadn't really got a feel for the woman, because all she did was introduce herself, before focusing back on the many tasks she had. She was obviously a busy woman from what Josiah had witnessed.

Both Josiah and Treyvon were sitting at the circular kitchen table located in the dining room with their seafood boils sitting in front of them. They had plenty of napkins and two silver platters for their food showing Josiah that her brother wasn't new to this. "Okay here, put some gloves on so they don't ruin yo' nails or no shit." Tre offered her a pair of gloves. She smiled playfully, jerking her head backwards.

"How would you know it would ruin my nails?" She questioned him softly, never hesitating to politely take the gloves that he was passing to her from his hands. He shook his head followed by a short shrug. She hadn't even been there for a full two days and her brother was already teaching her and introducing her to new things. She was having a grand time though.

He recalled his last actual relationship which made her instantly grow curious."My ex-girlfriend. She put me on for real."

"Why is she your ex instead of your current girlfriend? What went wrong?" She inquired softly, with no shame that she was digging into her brother's business. He had been getting off free for years without having a little sister to get in his business but she was now here to rain on his parade. He wouldn't know what personal space was ever again if she had something to do with it.

He shook his head at the thought of it. "Technically we on and off. We off right now tho', she toxic as hell...but I am too. We aint togetha' right now 'cause she cheated." He had no shame in admitting the reason for his relationship problems. It was relatively normal in their parts. He hadn't seen a successful relationship in ages. Even his father and his wife, Natalia often had problems.

Josiah instantly raised her eyebrows at him, shocked by his revelation and the fact that he was so calm about it as well. "And you think you two are going to get back together even after her infidelity?" She quizzed, tilting her head while he untied her clear bag for her seeing she needed help. "Thank you." She uttered quickly after, sliding her food back in front of her.

Not wanting to admit it out loud he only shrugged. "The situation foul 'cause of the nigga she decided to cheat on me wit, but imma get my getback." He was looking down at the headless shrimp in front of him peeling the transparent skin from off of it easily.

"Your get back? How so? I mean what could you possibly do that's worse than messing with someone she doesn't mess with to one up her?" Her naivety was seeping through and all it could make Treyvon do was smile. She had no idea what he could really do, but he also didnt mind letting her know.

"She fucked a mufucka ion fuck wit, so imma fuck wit a mufucka she do fuck wit. She already goin' anyways." He looked up at her to see if she was picking up what he was putting down, and sure enough she did. Her mouth hung open processing how ruthless women and men could really be in relationships, and she thanked God that both she and Micah were loyal and hadn't gotten to a point like Treyvon and his apparent ex.

Reaching in her bag, she first went for a potato. "You guys are very trifling if I say so myself, but I guess as long as it isn't domestic." Her voice grew low as she eyed the piece of food in her hand dripping with garlic butter. It smelled so good but she was still hesitant to actually try it, unaware of what she was now in for.

Tre wrinkled his eyebrows. "Who aint domestic? She beat my ass every chance she get I tell you. Then it's just my innocent ass who gotta take it. She jumped out the bushes on my ass one time." He let out a huff while reliving the moment in his head. It wasn't deserved in his opinion, but he had put up with it for so long that in a way it felt familiar. "Sis, break it he potato in half, and dip the inside in the garlic butter." He instructed after noticing she was still struggling.

She giggled with a small 'oh' followed after it. Doing what he said, she finally took a bite from the food and her eyes slightly lit up at the flavorful food in her mouth. "Yeahhhh," Tre smirked seeing the familiar look in her eyes. "Now try the shrimp, and then a crab leg." He urged her with his hands.

He began helping Josiah get accustomed with how to eat everything correctly, and after about four or five minutes she was inhaling her food like she hadn't ate in a total of two weeks. "I created a seafood junkie didn't I." He eventually said, shaking his head, and she snapped her eyes up towards him seeing he was swiveling his head.

"I Have no idea what that means, but this is definitely my new favorite food." She pointed at the half empty bag, finally figuring how to get the meat out of the snow crabs body. The body meat was better than the crab leg meat because it was able to absorb more seasoning easier. "I just hate that I smell like it now. Imma take a good shower when I finish eating, that's for sure." She added, and he nodded in agreement feeling the same way.

When his phone began vibrating on the kitchen table, they both glanced at the lit up screen while he started removing his plastic gloves. "Yo," Treyvon answered as soon as he picked the phone up, using a napkin to wipe the sides of his mouth. "Nah i'm chillin' wit my sista..." Josiah couldn't hear what was being said on the other side but it was easy to make out what was being discussed.

"Yeah, I'm finna hop in the shower so yall can head over. I'm tryna hear the new beats anyway." Trevyon licked his lips placing the phone on speaker before sitting the phone on the table. He started cleaning up his individual mess.

"Yeah, Dice said it's some fye shit so you already know he can sell em fa 'bout five or six hunnid a piece." Jordan's voice came through the speaker, and Josiah recognized it as the boy who threw the party the previous night before. He was pretty cool from what she saw, he had a big personality, but he didn't address her much out of respect for Treyvon. "We on the way so we'll hit you when we outside, get yo stink ass in the shower." Jordan finished off.

Treyvon smacked his teeth, and shook his head pushing his seat out from underneath the table so that he could stand to his full height out of his seat. "Aight bruh, just let me know." He hung up afterwards before Jordan could say something else slick to him. "My homeboys finna come over, but we just gon' be in the back room where the music equipment at. It's soundproof so it shouldn't bother you or no shit." He assured her but she didn't mind.

Nodding she replied, "Okay, I'm full anyways so I'm just gonna save this for later. I'm about to take a shower and a nap or something." She informed him. "I can't wait for my car and all my stuff to get here." She snapped her gloves off seeing her hands were still dry and free from any food like he ensured her they would be.

"It shouldn't even be that much longer. Plus, dad told me he gon' hook up True old room fa' you so don't even trip." His words made her smile. They were doing everything to make sure she was comfortable and she loved it. The love she was receiving was much better than a money substitute. "Let me know if you need something though, I gotchu." He informed her taking his trash with him to throw outside.

         After Josiah took a shower she made good on her word, and snuggled up in the queen sized bed in the room she was occupying. Her nap lasted for about an hour and a half, before she was stirring in her sleep. Flipping the covers over her body, she slid her feet in the comfortable shoes she had to walk around the house.

Her first stop was the bathroom where she relieved her bladder. After she washed her hands, she made her way to the kitchen feeling thirsty. It almost felt like she slept well into the night since it was dark outside, but it was only eight pm. On her way to the kitchen she stopped in front of the back room, remembering Treyvon informing her that , that would be where he was.

Placing her hand on the knob, she pushed the door open, and was shocked at how loud the music was. She couldn't even hear it on the other side of the door. Not only was it just her brother and his two friends but there were a couple more people there as well. Jordan instantly caught a glimpse and tapped on Tre.

"Aye, turn it down real quick Dice." He spoke to his best friend, and Dice didn't look up from the sound board as he began turning the beat down by sliding his fingers down. "Wassup Jojo? Where yo clothes at sis?" Treyvon called his eyes still trained on his sister. He could feel the eyes penetrated on her like the eyes were staring him instead.

Her mouth hung open. "Oh I—I just woke up and was checking on you while I was on the way to the kitchen. Sorry I interrupted." She felt embarrassed since everyone was looking at her—minus the boy at the sound board.

The way her delicate but extra raspy voice blessed his ears urged him to look up, but he didn't. "You straight , you wanna sit in here or you good?" Her brother offered even though he wanted her to decline. The way his guests were lusting over her already didn't sit all the way right with him, and he would be sure to address it.

Not only was she in a faithful relationship, but nobody in the room was good for her. They would damage her before doing her any good. She was here for college and he was going to make sure that she stayed on top of that. He didn't need his peers getting her off track.

She shook her head at his offer. "I'm fine, I have some stuff I need to do. I was just checking," she began backing out of the doorway. "I'll talk to you later." She assured him instantly closing the door to rid herself from the embarrassment she felt.

Hurrying to the kitchen, she noticed her step mother at the island with papers in front of her. "Hey," She greeted tugging the bottom of her crop top only for it to go back where it was.

Natalia glanced up giving a tight lipped smile. "Hey, I'm on a call right now." She responded rather quickly before focusing on the papers in front of her. Josiah nodded silently, opening the right side of the silver box that was the refrigerated compartment. Natalia stood to her feet to exit the kitchen. "No that should be on August the eleventh." Her voice faded as she went elsewhere.

Josiah watched her leave before reaching for a cold water bottle, closing the fridge shortly after. Then she began walking to the dining room table where she left her book earlier. Seeing someone enter from her peripheral prompted her to look up, and when their eyes met the male in question paused.

His heart dropped, skipped a beat, and began pumping faster all within the span of five seconds. He instantly recognized her face from the one as last night, and just then everything made sense. He had never seen her around because she wasn't from there. His eyes dropped looking at the black crop top paired with a pair of pajama pants.

Her sew in was covered by her baby pink silk scarf and her pastel purple bonnet. She looked fresh off the wake up, but she looked beautiful as well. "Hi," She simply greeted him, pulling out a seat. When she spoke he recognized the familiar rasp in her voice from only moments ago.

He cleared his throat. "Wassup." He greeted her back licking his plump lips. He started towards the fridge where he was originally going, now feeling bad he had lusted over his best friends little sister. He knew how could Treyvon could be.

Once he got a water bottle from the fridge like Josiah had done, he stood there with droopy eye lids. "What book you reading." The words spilled from his lips before he could realize he was initiating a conversation. It wasn't on purpose, but he couldn't help himself.

She glanced up at him, her eyebrows furrowed for a split second. "It's called: The Art of Hood Love. It's the first book. Why? You read?" She quizzed with a slight head tilt. She pulled her lip between her teeth, letting her eyes roam all over him.

He had his dread locs pulled up into a bun, allowing her to get a good view of his clean cut face. Apart from the slight facial hair he was growing nothing else was there. He had a distinctive birthmark on the side of his right lower jaw along with the tattoos that covered his neck and a sleeve on one arm. He went against his better judgement, sitting in the chair next to her. "Nah—I mean not much." He engaged.

A glint of shock flickered in her eyes. "So under what circumstance does it take for you to read a book?" The curiosity in her voice enticed him.

"Hear somebody else talkin bout it and the description interest me." He immediately replied the instances that made him purchase books before. He only had about five but he had read all of them, and kept them on a shelf in his room.

"Really?" She rhetorically asked, before flipping to the cover of her book. "Okay." She continued and he tried not to laugh as she started explaining what was going on without spoiling too much of the book to him. It took about two minutes of her constant yapping before she successfully finished. "So what do you think?"

Twisting the cap to his water bottle he nodded in satisfaction. " I fuck wit it, maybe." Was all he responded and she gazed at him skeptically. She didn't know if she did enough to sell it to him, but she hoped so . That way she would have someone to discuss her book with.

"When I finish, you can read my copy. As long as you return it." She offered sweetly, and with his eyes glued to her, he realized he would hurt her feelings had he declined.

Luckily he wanted to read the book anyway. "Aight, that's a bet."

Nodding she accepted his answer. "I like your tattoos." She complimented.

He examined her, wanting to say how much he liked her entire face as a retort , but knew to keep calm and remain relaxed when it came to advancing her. "Preciate it, you got some tattoos?" He headed in a different direction than his mind wanted him to.

"One, it's a spine tattoo. That's it." She answered willingly as he imagined a set of words going down the smooth skin of her back. "What's your name? I realize I don't know."

"What's yours." He instantly shot back.

She looked at him strangely. "Josiah." She responded, "Most people call me Jojo though." She continued for better understanding.

"I'm Dice." He responded, praying she didn't ask why because the reason was stupid. He didn't feel like explaining.

She twisted her lips watching him stand up so he could return where he came from—before someone came looking for him and stumbled upon him conversing with Treyvon's younger sister. Or even worse—Treyvon himself found them. "Your real name."

He smiled, taking his water bottle from the table. "Paris."

Y'all got them votes too fast, ugly for that.

Keep in mind I'm writing these on my computer so the paragraphs may seem longer than my usual ones.

What do you think about Tre, Natalia, and Jordan?

Predictions?

I'll update again soon when I get a decent amount of votes and comments!

MYA OUT🫡