𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝟐𝟏: 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 & 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧- 𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐚 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞

2 Years Prior

Karin used the folded Kleenex to wipe the corner of her eyes as more and more tears spilled from them. For the last forty-five minutes she attempted to do her makeup for her best friend's funeral. When she woke up this morning she hoped that it was all just a dream and that she would get her 8 am call from Keisha. They used that time to catch up since her boyfriend Deion would usually be gone at that time.

Karin's six year old daughter stood near the door watching her mom cry. She didn't understand yet why she was so sad until they showed up to the funeral home. The little girl quietly watched the adults express themselves with sadness throughout the entire service. Even at the burial the mood stayed the same.

Keisha's mother wore the biggest and darkest sunglasses she could find. Her one and only daughter was gone and there was nothing she could do about it. Karin felt the same way as this was her friend since they were in diapers. The saddest part of it all was that she recently felt good about her friend moving away. She thought she had finally escaped all of the bad things in her life including Dee.

Keisha's new quest in life was short lived. Karin could feel a headache coming as a result to her endless crying as if matters could get worst the sound of thunder roared in the sky. Karin looked up at the clouds as they rolled in. As she looked down she caught a glimpse of someone standing in the further area of the cemetery.

She squinted in disbelief and frowned. Karin let go of her daughters hand and walked over to the person. She couldn't believe that Dee had shown up. "What are you doing here?" she angrily approached him.

He looked her up and down with a unreadable expression like always. "I loved her just as much as her family and friends why wouldn't I be here?"

Karin used her index finger and applied it to the middle of his chest giving his a slight push. "You're the reason she's dead. If you would've just been normal and left her alone she would've still lived at home and this would've never happened to her"

Dee did his fair share of crying as soon as he left Keisha's house. On top of that the guilt was enough to punish him. "I didn't expect her to move out there. I never would've wanted anything to happen to her and you know that Karin"

Karin shook her head and sniffled. "You need to leave. I'm sure her family would agree. For all we know you're probably the one that killed her"

Dee balled his fist up tightly and then released them as a way to control himself. He wanted to drag Karin by her neck and create a new burial spot for her too. He instead slowly nodded and  walked away.

Karin stood there until she seen him get back in his car and drive away. She then went to join her friend's family again. She held on tightly to her daughter's hand as her eyes never left her best friend's casket.

This very day Karin promised not only to herself but to Keisha that she would make sure Deion would feel the same pain. She didn't know when, how, or where but she knew that she wanted to take every single person he loved away from him.

Dee sat on the couch in the studio they were at. One of their tour stops was here but to fill in the open hours Dee decided to go to the studio and everyone else tagged along. "Aye folks you good?" Von nodded at Dee. He had seen Dee spaced out countless times over the last few days.

Dee nodded and looked down to continue writing the lyrics he started on.

Bari scrolled through his phone. "Yo girl still ain't talking to you? That's crazy"

Von furrowed his brows "Damn what you do? Yall was just good when we left"

Dee shrugged as if he hadn't done anything.

"He lied about not knowing Keisha's friend. You know these females better than the FBI why would you lie to her" Bari blurted.

"Who crazy Karin?" Dayvon chuckled. "I wouldn't even be worried about shorty ass. Once Keisha died she went on this rampage and shit blaming any and everybody for killing that girl. She was saying names of people nobody even knew"

"You tried calling Cara?" Bari asked.

"Nah I wrote her a letter..Of course I tried calling her but she won't answer" Dee grew irritated all over again.

Bari went to his call log. "Hold up" He went to Ari's contact and then started a Facetime call with her. When she finally answered he saw that she had bags under her eyes and her hair wasn't messy but it definitely was not as neat as she would usually wear it. "Where you at?"

"I'm at the hospital with Cara"

Dee sat up straight when he heard that. "Is she okay?" He had no problem with canceling everything and going back home if he needed to.

Ari smacked her lips. "Bari I know you ain't call me so your friend can talk to her"

Dee grabbed the phone from Bari "Is Cara okay? What happened?"

Ari rolled her eyes. "Yeah she is fine. It's Charles he wa-" She stopped talking when he swiftly handed the phone back not wanting to hear about Charles. When she saw Bari's face again she frowned. "He's so fucking rude don't put him back on the phone"

Once Bari ended the facetime call he looked over at Dee who was very much relaxed. "You cool now? Get out yo feelings and give the streets some music they need some raw shit, No Diddy"

"I been good. I just told yall that I was never worried. Cara not that mad at me"

"And how you figure that" Von got up so he could go in the booth.

Deion stood up from his seat and headed to the studio door. "Because if she was she would've flew out here and tried to fight me. She's just...stubborn I don't know she not tryna hear me out so ima just respect her space" Dee partially told the truth. He could respect her space but not for long, he needed her.

Once he left out Bari shook his head. "That nigga just lied again. Respect her space. I put money on it that he outside calling her again"

Chicago, IL 📍
1:36 PM

Charles being in the hospital really took a toll on Cara. She managed to push everything and everyone to the side to focus on her dad. Cara's therapy session today was maybe the worst session she has had so far. She rarely talked and since she waited too long to reschedule she had no choice but to show up. The growth she's had since her first session was amazing but today she had felt like she took ten steps backwards.

She heard the vibration coming from her phone in her purse. Deciding to finally answer it she put it to her ear and waited on him to say something.

"Cara? Damn I thought you was gone send me to voicemail again"

She looked around at the people who were minding their business walking through the hospital's parking lot. "What's up Deion"

"You got those flowers I sent to you today?" He nervously asked. Cara was probably the only woman he had been nervous about ever in his life.

Cara just nodded as if he could see her. "Yup and all of the other bouquets you sent everyday. Dee you don't need to send flowers as an apology. I mean I appreciate them but I don't have anymore room to place them" she laughed.

Hearing her laugh was one of the best things he heard recently. "I just needed to get your attention I was hoping that you would say something because I missed hearing your voice."

Cara rubbed her lips together and looked in her rearview mirror. She could see herself blushing, something she commonly couldn't control when talking to Dee. "I missed your voice too" she admitted.

The way the two of them missed each other you would've thought that months went by.

"Can I fly you out here? I don't think I'll be able to wait until the end of the month to see you" He asked.

Cara looked at her calendar on her phone "I don't know Dee my dad is supposed to come home soon and I kind of want to keep an eye out on him. You know he's stubborn and won't follow what the nurses are telling him...But if he honestly doesn't need me I'll come."

"Just let me know. It's good to hear yo pops good though shit I thought he checked out" Dee slid the last part in.

Cara kissed her teeth. "Didn't I tell you to stop playing with my dad. Bye!"

Dee lowly laughed. "Nah I'm forreal though I'm glad he good" Dee knew how messed up Cara would be if both of her parents were gone.

She headed  back inside the hospital to sit by his side for the remainder of the day. She faintly smiled listening to his voice outside of the room as he spoke to one of the nurses. He was doing somewhat better but if you let him tell it, he was perfectly fine. The accident he was in left him with a broken arm and some bad bruising that would be sure to heal over the time.

Charles pointed at Cara when she walked through the door "See there's my daughter now go away. I can do it myself"

Cara shook her head and apologized to the nurse before turning to Charles. "Why are you yelling at these innocent people doing their jobs" She took a seat in the chair next to his bed.

"I wasn't yelling. I was just talking very loud" He chuckled.

Cara didn't even bother going back and forth with him.

He sat up in the bed "I'm surprised you've been up here everyday and haven't brought your dog with you"

Cara scrunched her face up confused and thinking that maybe the pain medicine was getting to his head. "Dad you know they won't allow Leo in here"

Charles shook his head "No the other one. The human one"

She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes when she realized he was talking about Dee. "Dad you need to stop it forreal. He actually said he was glad that you're okay"

"Was he high when he said it?" Charles raised an eyebrow.

Cara didn't have the energy to continue this topic so she just changed the subject. "Anyways once you leave the hospital are you going to come stay with me for a few days? You need someone to watch over you"

Charles looked at her like she was crazy. "No, I'll be fine at home. Besides Lori will occasionally come over and check on me"

"Who is Lori?" Cara smirked.

"Just a lady from the neighborhood"

"Mhm just a lady from the neighborhood or your lady from the neighborhood?" she questioned. Cara could only recall her dad trying to move on to a new relationship a while ago but never really asked what happened.

Charles yawned, he was bored everyday that he sat in the same room. "You ask a lot of questions"

"I'm just in your business the same way your always in mine" She retorted jokingly of course.

•

Cara, Katie and Ari all cheered from their seats in the bleachers of Rubin's basketball game. He was participating in a tournament and per his request he wanted them all there. He was actually a little upset when he realized Dee wasn't going to be there since he was still on the road.

"Can yall actually believe that this woman is trying to say that this isn't the same order as the one she placed" Katie ranted about a event she decorated for. "I should've known that she was going try to pull some slick shit when she asked me if I took Cashapp. What type of grown ass woman has CashApp as her primary banking"

Ari shook her head and waved at Rubin when he spotted them and made his way over. "I told you not to even work with her. All business ain't good business"

"I agree" Cara pitched in as she dusted off the back of her pants.

"You okay? You still tripping about Michael showing up at the door the other night?" Katie questioned.

Cara wasn't sure why Michael was all of a sudden trying so hard to get her attention again. She had even told him that it was best if he left her alone for very obvious reasons. He promised to step back and not bother her anymore but that promise soon went down the drain when he texted her the next day. It seems as if he was finding a great interest in harassing her. Not to mention she still didn't know his connection with Karin which rubbed her the wrong way.

"No im good. With all of the weird shit that goes on in my life, I definitely put Michael at the bottom of that list." Her eyes traveled around the basketball court until they landed on Rubin who was approaching them. "Congratulations on your win" She smiled at her Godson.

Katie looked around "I thought you said your little girlfriend was coming to support you"

Rubin sat down his gym bag. "She came but her mom was acting weird. She didn't really let her talk to me or anything"

Cara raised a eyebrow ready to start something but Ari intervened. "Maybe she was just worried and didn't want her to walk off" she attempted to find a excuse.

Katie spotted Karin and her daughter and made her way over to them. When Karin looked up from her phone she looked happy to see Katie but once she seen Cara her entire facial expression changed. "Is everything okay? Rubin said you wouldn't let Maya talk to him" Katie addressed her.

"Oh no it wasn't like that at all. I just didn't want her to wonder off while the game was going on. You know how some people can be out here...Just crazy" she glanced at Cara and then back at Katie.

Cara caught on to the gesture and looked at Ari who was shaking her head 'no'. She only hoped that Cara wouldn't react to it but she knew it was too late when she seen her step closer. "And what do you mean by that?"

Karin tried to cover up what she meant. "I'm just saying you know how some people are right?"

Cara scoffed and pressed her lips together when Ari tugged on her arm. The two of them walking in the opposite direction.

"I like that you're actually walking away from the situation. I see the progress" Ari joked.

Cara wasn't smiling nor laughing because she didn't find anything funny about it. "I can only be the bigger person for so long. You heard her call me crazy right?"

"Yes, I heard it Cara. But I'm sure she didn't mean it like that"

Cara just blankly looked at Ari. Ari was very naive so she could understand why she didn't think it was a problem. "Ari don't you think that it's weird this lady is all of a sudden coming around? I asked Rubin how long has he known Mya and he said she recently transferred to his school about two months ago."

Ari folded her lips as she let her friend continue to talk.

"Then she sits up here and says she thought she knew Dee, only to find out that she one hundred percent knew him. To put the icing on the cake, she knows Michael as well. I really hope I don't sound off but I have every reason to believe she's targeting me and if it's not her then it's Michael or..." she trailed off the end of her sentence seeing Karin approach the two of them. This time by herself.

"Can I talk to you" She pointed at Cara and then eyed Ari. "Alone?"

Ari raised her eyebrow and continued standing there. Cara actually didn't mind her being there as well since she didn't trust Karin not one bit.

"Alright then. Look I really hate for you to have a bad impression of me based off of the lies and confusion you must have at this point"

Cara tilted her head to the side a little. "Confusion? I'm not confused at all"

"Oh" She seemed genuinely surprised to hear that. "I thought after my brother came to talk to you that you would be questioning everything right now"

"Your brother?" Cara and Ari said at the same time.

Karin furrowed her brows. "Yes my brother, Michael. I thought he came to tell you everything he knew about Dee. But by the look of it he didnt well I will. Im sure im not the only person that have told you this before but that man if fucking crazy"

Cara was still shocked that this lady just said that Michael was her brother. She cut Karin off. "Prove it"

"Prove what?"

Cara pointed at the phone in Karin's hand. "Prove that Michael's your brother" Cara had previously been on Karin's page and didn't find not one trace of siblings or other family members on her page. To be fair though Cara didn't even follow her own family members.

Karin sucked her teeth and unlocked her phone. Scrolling down her call log she made a call to one of her contacts but it just rang. She then made a facetime call to the same number and on the second ring someone picked up.

The same voice she knew too well by now. "Wassup I'm going into a meeting in like two minutes. You good? My niece okay?"

"Hey, I was just calling to ask did you tell Cara the truth yet like you were supposed to the other night?" Karin held the phone at a weird position so Cara could see him but he couldn't see her.

Michael lowered his voice as he walked through what looked like an office space. "No, I wanted to but I really like her so I couldn't be the one to do it."

Karin then turn the phone around to face Cara. "Well that's too bad because she knows now"

Cara just rolled her eyes and started to walk away but Karin stooped her again. "You have to know that you're literally sleeping with your own enemy. Anyday now that man is going to snap and try to kill you."

Ari was completely weirded out by the entire situation she couldn't even speak.

"He's a liar, manipulator, and killer. Everything he's done for you he did the same for her as well."

Cara was completely fed up at this point.

Karin stood there wishing that this information was getting through her head. "Did you get a list too?"

"What fawking list?" Ari asked as she looked between the two of them.

Karin ignored her and put her focus back on Cara. "The list of all of the cute little dates for the two of you? Your first date, The first time he seen you, and all the other bullshit dates huh?" As bad as she wanted to stop there she couldn't. "You think your dad's accident was a coincidence? Tuh that's just the beginning of what he could pull off" She continued on and on about things that she knew about that were sadly true.

Cara listened until she eventually tuned her out. Her palms became sweaty and her heart beat increased. Thankfully Ari grabbed her hand and walked away. "Cara I hate to say this but uh.. I told you so" She wasn't trying to be funny instead she was trying to make sense of all of this.

The two of them got into Ari's car as she quickly started it up. Cara's quietness was a red flag to her. "Cara, girl you need to say something"

When she locked eyes with her best friend it all clicked. She let go of the seatbelt that she was about to put on and squinted at Cara. "Did you hear everything she said?"

Cara sighed and closed her eyes. "Ari just take me home I need to go pack"

"Pack for what??" Ari looked at her like she was speaking a different language.

"Im going to LA" Cara turned to her friend. "I'm not leaving him. Atleast not yet"

Ari blinked a few times "Im going with you then. I don't trust it and don't want anything to happen"

Cara started laughing. She laughed like she was at a comedy show. "Something happening to me? That's funny."

Los Angeles, CA 📍
6:20PM

Dee through his comments on live as he had the camera on Cara who was swimming. Cara's dad finally reassured her that he would be good so she agreed to come out to Los Angeles. She also brought Ari with her so she wouldn't be the only woman stuck with these guys for the next seven days.

Cara swam closer to where he was. "Can they see my swimsuit? It's new"

Dee shook his head no. "They could barely see you. You short as hell why you in the deep end?" he joked.

She flipped him off and went back to swimming. 

"Why yall wanna know her name so bad?" He responded to the questions. "Her name is Heaven. That's what it feels like when I'm with her" He went on to answer a few more questions before Cara got out of the pool and came to sit next to him.

Dee tried to grab her hand so she would get up and sit with him but she shook her head. "I'm still wet. I didn't even bring a towel out"

He shrugged. "So. You always wet it don't make a difference now"

Cara blushed and moved her body onto his lap. So that they were now both in the camera. Cara looked at the number of viewers and she tried to move away from the camera. "Oh no... That's too many people watching. Yall I promise I don't engage in any sexual activity"

"Don't let her lie to yall.

The both of them looked over as they heard Ari screaming while Bari held her up by the edge of the pool. You would've thought that she was being murdered the way she was screaming. She just didn't want to get her hair wet. Unfortunately Bari didn't care. He released his arms from around her and let her fall in.

Arianna's face when she came back up read that she was angry. "Now what if I didn't know how to swim. You would've gone straight to jail. That's why yo ass still short like I said earlier" She swam to the stairs of the pool. "lil ass midget" she mumbled.

Cara, who now had the phone in her hand, skimmed through some of the comments. "Aww thank you for complimenting my swimsuit. Deion a hater he ain't want me to show it off earlier."

Later That Night

Dee could sense the shift in her energy. "So why you not telling me what's wrong? You ain't never act this way before" he placed his hand under her chin so that she was now looking at him again.

"I just feel like I get a lot of satisfaction out of... You know but I just want to completely erase that part of my past. I'm mentally trying to find it within myself to just be able to walk away from every situation without getting too angry or feeding into that side of me" She sighed.

Deion nodded. "I feel like we've been doin' good though. Could be better but Ian really been wilding and neither have you"

Cara just looked at him sideways. "Alright I see you have amnesia huh. What about after the club?"

Deion squinted "Ion remember nothing about no club what you mean" he couldn't fight holding back his laughter.

Cara slowly laughed as well, not trying to catch the attention of everyone else. "I'm serious Dee, forreal"

He rested his hands on her lower back. "Nah I hear you though. Besides that night we been good though right?"

Cara just looked him in the eyes and slowly slid off of his lap. He watched her closely wondering what she was doing. "We good right?" he repeated his question.

With a quickness she brought her hand back and slapped  him as hard she could. "That's for being a fucking liar" she pointed at him before sitting on his lap again, this time wrapping her arms around him. "But yes, now we're good"

"What the fuck was that for Cara?" he frowned with no intentions on hitting her back.

Cara picked at her lash extensions "That was for not telling me that you knew who Michael was. I'm so stupid I should've realized that's why you didn't kill him"

"You believed everything that crazy ass bitch said? I didn't lie about that. You never asked me if I knew him"

Cara rolled her eyes "You're so full of shit you know that right? But yes I do believe her well kinda. However it doesn't matter." she let her acrylic nail of her index finger rest on the middle of his chest. Shortly after she moved it closer to the left side where his heart was. He used his tatted pointer finger and placed it right above where her heart was.

"Till Death Do Us Part" They both said in unison.

They both mirror an evil grin and the same untrustworthy thoughts behind it.

THE END 😌

Jk. Nah I am kind of sad this book is coming to an end in about 3 MAYBE 4 more chapters.

Anyways I took a little break but im back Muah 💋 ❤️