*****

"Are you serious right now?" The women nearly screamed. Her long red manicured nails tapped against her skull as she tried to figure this out. Anger rushed through her body causing her caramel skin to have a red tint to it. Her heart pounded a thousand miles per second it felt like.

My blood pressure has to be high, she thought as she paced around in the small apartment.

"Mom." The girl called. Tears flowed from her eyes and it seemed like her hands couldn't stop them. "Please talk to me." She asked fearfully.

"Shut up!" The women yelled causing the trembling child to jump. As if on command the child's tears started to fall. She cried so hard that her body curled up every time she started.

"Mom please." She sobbed. She begged the women to say anything to her. Just one word. She wanted to be embraced by the women's touch. To be soothed with her mother's words of it's okay. She was still a child in need of her mothers lead and guidance.

Out of thin air the women came running towards the girl but her body didn't move. She didn't dare run away from her mother. Not if she wanted the beating to last longer. Soon the scared child felt a sting across her left cheek. And soon after that another one came to her right. Her brown straight hair was now being pulled and tugged on as her mother mopped the floor with her body.

Slut.

Whore.

A dirty b****.

Each word seemed to hurt worst than the first. And at this time she couldn't tell if she was crying from the pain of her head or the calling out of her name. By her own mother. Someone she was post to mean the world to was now stuffing her face into the couch cushions.

After a few more hits to the face her hair was released. She was out of breath from screaming at her mother to stop or in hope that the neighbors would hear. Her mother on the other hand was unrecognizable. Her chest rose and sat at a fast paste as she looked at her daughter as if she was prey.

"Pack your stuff tonight." She spoke coldly nails throbbing from thumping around with the small girl.

The girl wanted to speak but speaking seemed to get her into even more trouble. A from tasting the blood inside her mouth another beating wasn't something she could take.

"And I mean everything. Because first thing in the morning your going to stay with your aunt." She explained checking on the throbbing pain.

"My aunt?" The girl slipped out below a whisper. She quickly covered her mouth afraid her mother would hear her. She had only knew of one aunt and that was her aunt who lived out of state. She wasn't sure what state it was but she knew it wasn't her hometown. Not with all her friends. Not with her school. Not with everyone she loved.

"I'm not letting you continue to be a hoe in my house. And since you want to be one so bad go be one with her. I'm done. I didn't raise you to be like that. And for you to go and embarrass me like that. Ugh!" She screamed bawling her fist together. She took a deep breath before continuing. "Get out my sight now." She demanded.

Sniffling the young girl build up enough strength to pull herself up off the ground. Wiping her nose she starred at her mother dark brown eyes that she had inherited in search for any remorse. But found none.

"I'm sorry." She spoke gently as she began her way down the hallway. Once she reached her bedroom she twisted the doorknob and proceeded to walk in. Plopping on her bed she picked up her blue IPhone 5c and logged in. She searched her contacts until she found the contact she needed.

She listened to the first two rings and then she heard the voice that helped it.

"King?" She asked.

                                         ****

His eyes fluttered, his body shifted, and air was taken into his lungs as King proceed to wake up. His mind was in a daze and he felt if he moved to quick he would fall out again. His eyes starred at the unfamiliar ceiling which caused his eyebrows to furry. It certainly wasn't the dotted ceiling he had in his apartment. His eyes traveled to the sky blue sheets that covered his body causing hisself to jerk up. But something weighed him down. Confused he looked in the direction of the weight.

"Nikki!" He yelled immediately pushing her head off of his arm. His body shot up quicker than a road runner and he stood in disbelief. She rubbed her head in the spot where King had pushed it. Hell he had pushed it so hard she thought she had whiplash.

"King keep it down Trey's sleep." She groaned as she continued to rub the spot.

"I don't give a damn about Trey." Was what King wanted to say but out of respect and him not wanting to loose his mind at this point. He decided to redirect his statement.

"W-What am I doing here?" He asked causing his head to hurt from trying to rekindle his memory. He felt his body to only feel his Polo briefs on his body. Instantly King started to think the worst but he just knew that couldn't have happened.

Or at least that what he thought.

"We went out to eat fool." She joked rolling out of the laying position she was in. She swung her feet out of the bed and stood up. She was still dressed in the black robe she had on previous except now it had wrinkles in it.

King head was starting to kill him as he tried to remember the information Nikki tried to tell him. But everything went blank. No matter how hard he tried. He didn't even remember coming over to Nikki's.

"Okay." He spoke softly. King was trying to wrap his head around everything. "And what happened after that?" He feared to even ask her that very question.

She paused as she readjusted her ponytail. "King what's wrong? Why you acting like you forgot everything?" She questioned.

He didn't answer which confirmed her question.

"Wow!" She said shockingly. She took a step forward causing King to take a few back. But she had tricked him because she walked right passed him and into her bathroom. She made sure to leave the door open so she could hear King while she brushed her teeth.

"Nikki what happened?" He inquired again peeping at her through the door. King took this as the time to look for his clothes.

"We went out to eat at the Jamaican spot but turns out they close at five. So we decided to hit up Burger K-."

"Dead ass Nikki stop playing with me." King said bitting down on his bottom lip. He felt hisself getting upset and going off on her was something he didn't feel like doing.

"What!" She yelled back. Her mouth was full toothpaste so her words came out muffle but King managed to hear it.

"I asked you what happened after we ate." King repeated tossing up the blanket in search of his shirt or any piece of clothing at this point.

Nikki remained quiet causing King to give her a fowl look but she hadn't noticed it since she was rinsing out her mouth. King scanned the room quickly and noticed his pants were thrown in the corner by the bedroom door. Running over to them he placed each leg into the whole and scooted them up his body.

His shirt on the other hand was laid out on the floor on Nikki side of the bed. Rolling his eyes he picked the shirt up and put it on. The next thing to do was find his shoes but suddenly Nikki had came out the bathroom.

"Shoes?" She questioned with her hands folded across her chest. She had let her ponytail out and now her hair hung low across different parts of her face messily.

King cut his eyes at her. Never had he ever placed his hands on a woman but Nikki was asking for it. He never took his eyes off of her and usually Nikki would have enjoyed that but it made her a little uneasy. She pointed to her closet as a hint to King where his shoes were.

Taking the hint he opened the door of her closet and looked around. He glanced over her heels and many shoes until he found his Vans in the far right corner. He snatched them up and closed the door. Unlacing them he placed them on and straightened out his clothes. A habit he been had.

He stood there silent. He had so many questions and yet his brain couldn't think of one. The only thing he remembered was being at his parents house from there everything was black. As black as a sky without a sun. King wanted to fight back the urge to say how stupid this was and how now he had gotten hisself into a world of trouble. But he made hisself believe that nothing with on.

Please Jesus, he begged silently in his head. But he knew it was to late to call on him now. Not when King had caused all this. Why would he come and save him now.

And the worst thing about it was that for some reason he couldn't get Melanie's face out his mind. It made his stomach curl and twist in knots. He just needed to hear one thing to make all his fear go away.

"Where my keys at?" He asked hisself patting his pockets in frustration. Frustration that he didn't know whether to release onto hisself or Nikki.

"There downstairs on the kitchen table." She informed pointing her thumb at the door. Ignoring her King brushed past her and out the door. He rushed down the stairs until he was in the living room.

"King." Nikki called softly as she skipped down the stairs trying to follow behind his fast pace. She made sure to keep quiet since Trey was still sleeping waiting for his ride to get here.

He ignored her again picking up his keys that rested in the center of the table. It wasn't until that moment that King realized that his phone was missing.

"Where my phone at b." He asked uninterested in even being in her presence anymore.

"You calling me a bitch." Exploded Nikki scrunching her face at the smart remark. But what Nikki didn't know was to King b meant son so in reality he asked where's my phone at son.

"You serious right now?" He asked curious if Nikki was loosing the little sense she had. She knew that King never called any female out their name even if they were getting out character with him. Where my phone at?"

"Did you bother to look behind you." She suggested sucking in her lips as she gave him a slight attitude.

There it was his phone plugged up, resting on the counter top. He started to question her but at this point it was even worth it. Unplugging his phone King heard the sound of his phone being fully charged. His eyes were struck with the light of his phone being bright which was something King never did. But then his eyes seen what they never expected.

Phone
Mines ❤️          yesterday, 8:24 p.m
Missed call (4)

Dray yesterday, 9:27 p.m
Missed call

Messages
Mines ❤️
Ik I'ma pick a date     yesterday, 7:32 p.m

Bae? yesterday, 7:49 p.m

King? yesterday, 7:56 p.m

Bruh are you good? yesterday 8:10 p.m

Alright yesterday 8:12 p.m

Damn, King cursed underneath his breath. At this point King had dug a hole and Melanie had already placed the dirt on top. Feeling hisself about to explode King brushed past Nikki once again and headed out the door. He didn't waste any time opening his door and hopping in. But Nikki was trailing right behind him tip toeing barefoot to his car.

King locked the doors and started up the engine of his car. But Nikki began to pound and pound on his window. Placing his foot on the break King placed the car in reverse. But the pounding sound continued and even the tug of his door handle could be heard.

"Hold on." King spoke to hisself as he placed the car back in park. If you were to see King right now he would have reminded you of your mother when she pulled over to beat you. Releasing his foot off the break King unlocked the doors and swung it open. Nikki body was sent flying back but not to harsh. "Bam on my car one more time Nikki and I promise." King warned stopping hisself.

He could feel his head throbbing and the repetitive beat it did. King had a headache and all he wanted to do was pop a pill and get to Mel.

"So this what you gonna' do?" She screamed pushing King a great distance away from her.

"Will you keep your voice down." King corrected her dusting off his chest. "And do what?" He asked annoyed. He had no idea what Nikki was talking about let along did he care.

"So your really just gonna' fuck me and leave?" She wondered in disbelief as she shook her head. Her black robe had untied some from the tussle she was doing to King's car. Her eyes seemed to water as she stood there giving him the most disgusted look ever to man.

"Fuck who? You?" He questioned looking at her as if she had two heads. "Mane Nikki you better not ever step foot to me and I mean that. I don't know what you think went on in your head but it's through. Don't call me. Don't text me. Don't even mention me." King argued getting back in his car. He was through with Nikki. He really tried to give her the benefit of the doubt but she earned every doubt thrown at her.

Nikki was furious now. Her nostrils flared, her hands began to form a fist and then relax, her lip shook, and her chest rose and dropped every quick second.

"It's cool go run off to that bitch. But y'all gonna' see. Y'all gonna' see real soon. She ain't never have you like I had you King. None of these chicks will. But yet I'm the one you mess over." exploded Nikki as she let a tear drop. She was sure people could hear them but she didn't care. Her point was going to be made.

"Go inside." King shouted back as he pulled out the driveway. Putting it in drive King tires screeched as he zoomed off and into the morning road.