Keith.

My eyes fluttered open as my phone rung next to me. I reached over and grabbed it, and looked to see who was calling.

I slid over the answer button and put the phone to my ear. "Hey ma."

"Boy are you still sleep? It's 1 in the afternoon."

"I was up late."

"Mmhm..you said you wanted to go look at furniture today. What's the hold up?"

"Oh shit, I really forgot. Let me get dressed and I'll meet you at your house in an hour."

"Okay, and it better be an hour or I won't be going."

"Awww ma, don't do me like that."

"Hurry up boy."

"Alright, I'll call you when I'm on my way."

"Okay, love you."

"Love you too ma." I hung up the phone and laid it back where it was.

Brittany started to move around before she sat up in her bed. I glanced at her naked body and licked my lips. She looked at me. "Good morning baby."

"Good morning beautiful." I reached over grabbing her breast while kissing her shoulder.

"Mm, that feels good." She lifted my chin and kissed my lips. "You got any plans today?"

"I gotta go meet my mom."

"Aww, you a mommas boy."

"Somewhat." I smirked.

"That's cute." She reached in her nightstand and grabbed a condom. "But do you think she'd mind if I kept you here for a little bit longer?"

I hovered over her and started kissing her neck, then I grabbed her thigh and pulled her on her back. "I don't think she'd mind."

"Good."

Afterwards.

After leaving Brittanys place, I rushed home and got in the shower and got dressed. Then I caught an Uber to my moms.

"Momma!" I yelled walking through the door.

"Quit yelling fool, she in the kitchen." My little sister Kayla said while tossing some of the chips out of her bag at me.

I caught them and ate it. "Kay Kaaaaay." I pulled her into a hug. "You missed your big bro?"

"No, I didn't have to worry about people walking in here yelling."

"Whatever you know you did!" I pushed her away and walked into the kitchen. "Mommy!"

"Hey there!" She walked over to me. "I finally get to see my big baby."

"I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too honey. I'm so glad you're here."

"Me too." I kissed her forehead then sat up on the counter.

"So what little girl were you with last night?" She asked.

"Huh?" I looked at her confused.

She pointed to my neck. I unlocked my phone and looked at. I had a few small passion marks on it.

"Oh shit." I zipped up my hoodie. It covered it a little bit.

"You just got here and you already having sex with chicks? Please tell me you knew her before you left."

"Uh sure."

She popped me with a towel. "Don't be out here just sleeping with just anybody Keith! That's how you catch something. And a lot of these girls aren't really girls."

I laughed. "Ma, I think I can spot a tranny, I'm not worried about that."

"You'd be surprised. You need to go find you a nice wholesome girl with something going for herself. Where did you even find this girl? It bet not been at no strip club."

"You ready to go shopping." I climbed off the counter.

"Keith you bet not bring that ratchet girl to my house. Let this be a one night stand and that's it."

"I'll be in the car." I grabbed the keys off the counter and headed to the door.

Kayla was right behind me. "So you fucking strippers now?"

I hit her upside her head. "Watch yo damn mouth girl."

"Don't hit me! You ain't my daddy."

"I'm your big brother and like I said watch your mouth."

"My big brother that left me here with the step dad from hell. Yeah thanks a lot." She pushed past me and walked outside.

Yeah my step dad was cruel. He was the main reason I went to LA. I didn't shed a tear when he died.

I'm kind of glad he's gone.

I don't mean to sound heartless but the man he was makes me feel that way.

I'll get into that later though.

I went and got in the car. "Kay, I'm sorry for leaving you here. If I could've brought you with me I would've, but momma wasn't going to let that happen. Everyday I worried about you and momma."

"Whatever Keith! That man ruined my life. You used to protect, when you were gone I had nobody. I had to protect myself and at times it didn't work."

I quickly looked back at her. "WHAT?" I yelled.

"He...he."

Before she could finish my mom opened the door.

"Okay you guys let's get rolling." My mom said.

I just looked at her and clinched my jaw.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

I shook my head then quickly pulled off. I glanced up in the rearview mirror at Kayla, she was wiping her eyes.

Does my mom know what this nigga did to my little sister?

I'm so fucking pissed right now!

I don't regret being happy about him being dead. I hope he rotting in hell!

April.

"That bitch Alexus was tripping last night! We should've let you beat her ass." Jazz said.

"Ugh! I fucking hate when y'all grab me. She was tripping for real. Talking bout she Q girl and she pregnant."

"Girl you can't put nothing past him. She probably ain't lying." Dion said.

I rolled my eyes and focused back on the wig I was making. I really don't want to hear this shit today.

"I think you should ask him." Mariah said. "Aren't you tired of being lied to?"

"I think I'm going to go. I'll finish this wig tomorrow." I picked up the mannequin head and started walking to the back. Everyday they do this shit, today I don't want to hear.

I put my stuff away then started walking to the front.

"April." Chris called.

I stuck my head in his room. "Yes?"

"You leaving this early?"

"Yeah, I'm tired."

"You know everybody just looking out for you. It's time to let that clown go man."

"Goodnight big brother."

"Goodnight." He said while shaking his head.

I walked back to my station and cleaned up.

"April I'm stopping by once I finish up here." Jazz said.

"Okay." I grabbed my purse and keys. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Bye boo." Dion said.

I blew a kiss at him and walked out the door.

I love everybody that works in my shop, they're really like family but I'm sick of them being down my back. I know the type of guy that Quavo is but I doubt he'd go have a baby on me.

He knows the type of drama that would cause.

Like Sabrina said, the more they try to push me away the more I want to stay. I just want something besides my relationship to be the topic in this place.

I pulled up to my house. When I got out I glanced down the street. There was a furniture store truck sitting in a driveway with a black Jeep sitting in the front. I guess I have new neighbors.

I headed inside my house and put down my things and kicked off my shoes.

Sitting on the couch I cut on the TV.

My phone buzzed in my hand. I glanced at it.

Quavo🙄💔 - I'll be over in 30...I miss you - 7:13pm

I didn't reply. I only get the I miss you texts when he wants to have sex or wants me to cook him dinner.

Or both.

I took the time before he came to go jump in the shower. My body still sore from last night.

After I stripped out my clothes, I cut on some old Frank Ocean. Pilot Jones is still one of my favorite songs.

Stepping inside the shower I let the water run from the top of my head. I could feel the stress leaving my body. I love hot showers.

Especially after a long day.

After washing up I rinsed off then cut off the water. I wrapped my body in a towel and stepped out. I jumped at the sight of Q sitting on my counter, going through my phone. I snatched it away from him.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Fuck it look like." He roughly grabbed my chin like always.

I snatched away.

"What you do last night?" He asked.

"Went out. I ran into your bitch too."

"The only bitch I got is you."

"So fucking disrespectful." I stormed out the room.

"You must like it. You've been dealing with it for how long?"

"You were nothing like this when I met you. If you were we wouldn't be together."

"I've always been like this."

"Whatever." I walked into my closet and put on a tank top and shorts.

"So how many niggas did you talk to?"

"None."

"You ain't got to lie. I know you be out here doing your thing."

"I don't, unlike you I'm faithful."

"You lie so fucking much." He laughed.

"What did you come here for? To get on my nerve? Don't nobody cheat but you and that's why some hoe from the club is claiming that she's pregnant by you and that she's your girlfriend!" I yelled.

"Alexus for everybody. We fucked a few times but I doubt that she pregnant by me."

It took a while for me to register what the fuck he said. Have I really let myself get this low? To the point where my 'boyfriend' thinks it's okay to let me know he's cheating on me?

I lost it. I started beating the shit out this boy! I'm sick of his shit!

He grabbed my arms and pushed me into the wall. I could hear the wall crack and the pain shot through my body.

I fell to my knees trying to catch my breath. He grabbed my neck and pulled my face up to him. "IM OVER YO BULLSHIT BITCH! YOU NOT ABOUT TO SIT UP AND  PUT YO HANDS ON ME! YOU GOT ME FUCKED UP! IM DONE WITH YO STUPID ASS! ANOTHER NIGGA CAN DEAL WITH YO SHIT!" He yelled. My eyes filled with tears because I couldn't breathe.

He pushed me down on the floor.

"And I'm taking that fucking Maserati I bought back too bitch!"

He grabbed my keys and took off the one to my car, throwing the other ones at me, then he stormed out the house. I slowly got up and walked into the bathroom. Glancing in the mirror I looked at my red neck. I just fell to the floor and cried harder.

I heard footsteps running up my stairs.

"April!" Jazz yelled.

She came in my room. "My brother just pulled off in yo car like he crazy! What hap-."

I looked up at her. "He fucked her, the baby is probably his. I'm so stupid Jazz."

"Fuck that! Look at your damn neck!"

"I hit him first."

"SO FUCKING WHAT?!" She pulled me into a hug. "You're done with him! Leave Q alone!"

I cried harder in her chest.

I wouldn't be dealing with this if I would've left a long time ago.