Ch. 26

It's the Monday back from Thanksgiving break and I'm nothing less than exhausted. For some reason it was hard as hell to stay up during my two classes. I haven't slept good since Friday night. There was too much on my mind. I had just got off from work and was walking into the Kappa house. I needed to change out of my work clothes then head out.

My Dad asked me to come over to his house, so I was. I knew he just wanted to talk. He said it was important and an emergency, so I wondered what was going on. But I was still taking my own sweet time to get there because he's dramatic like that. He'll make something seem important only for you to get there and he wants you to run errands for him.

I stick my key into the door of my room turning the knob pushing my door open. I flick the light on lighting up the dark room seeing someone sitting on my bed making me jump. I furrow my eyebrows seeing Vivienne sitting there with a smirk on her face. "What the hell are you doing here? In here.. How did you get in my room?!" I ask as she stands up. I walk further into my room as she makes strides towards me.

"I wanted to surprise you. You haven't been answering my calls or responding to my texts. Did you block my number?"

"Yeah, yeah, I did. Don't you get it, I want NOTHING to do with you anymore, Viv. Leave me alone. Go find someone else to be your victim."

"Aw, don't say that, D," she says wrapping her arms around my neck as I push her off of me. "I've changed, matured and grown up. No more playing games and cheating. We're soul mates. We're supposed to be together forever until we're buried and six feet under, remember? That's what you told me."

"Before you cheated on me multiple times. You need to go," I say pointing towards the door.

"Seriously, D, don't do this," she says putting her hands on my chest. I groan looking up at the ceiling. "Who is this?" Vivienne asks making me turn around looking in my doorway. When I see Zipporah standing there with a large gift bag I move further away from Vivienne as she looks between the two of us.

"Wow," Zipporah says as I'm stuck not knowing what to say. I definitely wasn't about to explain myself. I didn't have to because I didn't do anything and like she said, we're not in a relationship. "I came here to apologize and this is what I see. Isn't this your fucking ex?"

"We're back together now," Vivienne says stepping forward touching my chest. I jerk my head looking down at her as she smiles in Zipporah's face. "Who are you? His cousin or something?"

"Wowww. Hm, interesting. I guess I'll leave you two be then. Oh and here ya go," Zi says holding the gift bag up then dropping it to the floor with a thud. "If your girlfriend will let you keep it." She rushes off as I glare at Vivienne.

I step out into the hallway looking down it calling after Zipporah. What the hell am I doing? I shouldn't be the one chasing after her. I whip around looking at Vivienne saying, "Something sing right in that head of yours. Leave now!" I say grabbing her pulling her out of my room. I slam the door in her face locking it. When I trip over that gift bag Zipporah brought, I pick it up smacking my lips. I just throw it on my bed then grab some clothes to change into.

Once I change I sit on the bed tying my shoes then I stand up. I look at the gift bag on my bed deciding I'll open it later. I then grab my keys and phone leaving my room making sure to lock it. I was still trying to figure out how Vivienne got in my room. My door was locked. I had a spare key in Gideon's room because he had the tendency not to lose things like me or Israel. I shake my head thinking about what just happened then I leave.

After a twenty minute drive to my father's house, I pull up seeing a couple of cars also here. I wondered what was going on as I got out of my car and walked up the pathway. I was hoping it wasn't another little therapy session like he did on Thanksgiving with my mother.

I ring the doorbell then soon after my Aunt Trice is opening the door. I hug her then ask, "Where's my Dad?"

She points towards the living room then says, "He's been all quiet and weird not talking to anyone. I don't know what's going on with that nigga." That makes me raise my eyebrows as I walk towards the living room. I walk in seeing him sitting on the couch in silence, no tv on or anything.

"Wassup, Pops?" I say extending my hand. He daps me then I sit on the other chair. "What's going?" I ask looking at him.

"Your mother.." he says with his head down giving me a clear view of his bald, shiny head with the tattoo of a Phoenix on top. I always wondered why he got it and why his head of all places. There was no way he was getting a real job with that or his record.

I mentally roll my eyes waiting for her to walk into the room to bombard me or a conversation about her I didn't want to have. "What about her?" I ask with attitude laced in and out my voice. "Pops, I'm really not tryna have anymore conversations about her, with her, in reference to her-"

My Dad cuts me off shouting, "She's dead!" He's looking me dead in my eyes as I'm still. I was stuck in shock. He softens his voice saying, "That's a conversation that needs to be had, so get off your high horse. She's still your mother."

"How?" I finally ask.

"She killed herself. They found her body this afternoon in her hotel room."

Damn.

Before I can say anything I hear my Aunt Trice clear her throat making my Dad and I look at her. She's standing in the doorway looking at us. "So, how did it happen?" She was clearly standing behind the wall listening. "Did she hang herself, shoot herself, overdose on something, drink bleach, jump off a building?" Both my Dad and I give her the same look because we know she's trying to be funny at the worst moment. "What? I just wanted the picture painted. Never mind, I'll ask later." She leaves the room as my Dad and I just sit there in silence.

"How did she?" I ask breaking the silence.

"Combination of overdosing on pills and drowning in the tub. She left a letter addressed to you, but the police took it for evidence. D'Anthony, I know you two didn't reconcile, but we have to plan this funeral. She doesn't have anyone else. No husband anymore or family. You're her family, only family."

Should've acted like it.

I put my finger to my temple as my father continued. "I'm willing to pay for her funeral, but you have to be at the forefront. You have to be there. I read the letter and she asked if you could talk at her funeral. She also asked to be buried next to David-"

I cut my Dad off saying, "Hell no! That's where I draw the line. She's not being buried next to David when she couldn't even be there at his funeral. She doesn't get that right. That's my spot," I say poking my own thigh. "Whether I die today or in 60 years, I'm getting buried next to brother. Period! I already paid for the plot."

"Who buys a burial plot at 21 years old?" My Dad asks with furrowed brows.

"Someone who didn't think they would even make it to 21 years old, let alone past the age of 18. That's who!"

"I might have not been there for David in life, but I want to be there for him in death. Your mother's words. How could you deny that she was trying to right her wrongs. The woman was already going through it with the divorce and losing everything. Then when you basically said fuck her, that was the last straw and she broke."

"Then you give her your plot next to David then because I'm not giving mine up."

"So this is how you're gonna be, D'Anthony? Fine, I'll give her mine. I guess you forgot who spent 18 hours pushing you out of their pussy. Or who was taking care of you when I was running the streets. I get it, she went ghost when it mattered, but are you gonna be spiteful and do the same?"

I stand up then say, "Let me know when the funeral is.."

I begin to walk out as my Dad yells behind me, "You ain't right, D and you know it. Let it go!"

I walk down the hall then my Aunt Trice who's standing by the stairs asks, "Don't let your Daddy, Deebo you out of your plot for that lady. It don't matter where she's buried anyway, she's still going to hell." I cut my eye  at my aunt making her purse her lips. "Too soon?" She asks. I just ignore her leaving my Father's house.

I sit in the library waiting for Gideon to get here for our tutoring session. I'm in an isolated corner sitting on an armchair with my stuff scattered all over the table. My feet are kicked up on the edge of the table as I text Markel, my boyfriend, back. That had a nice ring to it. I haven't been in an actual relationship since Gideon, so I was hoping this one would be ten times better with less drama surrounding it. I'm sure it will. That was high school and this is college. Two different levels of maturity.

When my feet are knocked off of the table I look up from my phone to see Gideon going to the other chair. "Excuse you!" I say rolling my eyes.

"Why you got your feet kicked up on the table like you're at home anyway? Show some manners."

"Fuck you!" I shoot back as he takes stuff out of his backpack.

"Before we start, get that attitude in check. I don't know what your problem is lately, especially bumping me in the hallway of the Kappa house."

"Oh, you don't know what my problem is?" He asks mockingly. "Fuck outta here. Don't play dumb now."

"Why are you so mad? Because you didn't get chosen. Just accept the fact that for once your looks didn't get you what you wanted. Looks will only take you so far. Personality will get you a lot further and you my sir, have the personality of a rock. Plus, you're an asshole."

"Don't make this about my personality now. Just admit you were hoing and using me for free meals and attention. You were leading me on for your entertainment."

"Please, I really wasn't. I was actually trying to give you another chance, but showed your true colors like always. You just can't stand to see my happy. Quit being bitter and go back to hoing, fucking everything around campus. By the way, since finals are coming up our tutoring schedule will be different. I have other people to tutor on top of studying for my own classes and doing papers and projects. After this week no more solo tutoring. I'm only doing group tutoring at my apartment on Wednesdays. You don't have to come if you don't want to. Ready to start?"

"Whatever," is all he says opening his laptop.

. . .

Once I'm done tutoring Gideon I begin walking across campus towards Greek Row. "Why are you following me?" Gideon asks from in front of me.

"No one's following you. We're probably going to the same place. I'm going to the Kappa house to see my boyfriend," I say extra long to be petty.

Gideon waves me off. "Don't be too proud. That nigga still a lame." He turns around to keep walking as I do too.

We get to the Kappa house and Gideon goes in before me. Instead of holding the door open for me like a gentleman would, he closes the door in my face. He's so damn childish. I open the door going in then going down the hall to the game room where Markel told me he is. Sure enough he's sitting on the couch talking to another Kappa as the other guys play some game.

Before I can make my way to Markel I hear my name being yelled. I look in that direction to see Nubia who's with Israel. She waves at me yelling, "Hey, girl!" I laugh then wave back. Next she yells, "Heyyy, Sahara's bae! Keep fucking my girl and making her happy!" She points at him with a smirk as I smack my forehead. She's so extra. When I see Markel point back at her with the same smirk I shake my head going over to him.

I take my backpack off throwing it on the couch then sit next to him. "Why do you entertain her?" I ask in reference to Nubia.

He laughs then says, "NuNu's the homie. She's crazy, but I fuck with her. Anyway, I can't get a proper greeting, a hug, kiss?" I smile then lean in kissing him. When we pull apart I wipe my lipgloss off of him. "All that sticky shit and juicy lips don't go together," he says as I chuckle.

When I look to the left, I see Gideon at the pool table staring right at us. When our eyes meet, he looks away. I'ma need him to get up out my grill staring and shit. "He still gotta problem?" Markel says making me look at him.

"Who?" I ask acting like I don't know who he's talking about.

"Gideon. He always staring and just saying slick shit. We might need to dead the issue..Whatever it is. He's just a grimy ass nigga. I've been waiting for him to get his ass handed to him, real talk."

"It's not the serious," I say trying to make light of the situation. I didn't need them to having problems because that means my lies would potentially could come out. Them not liking each other from a distance, but not knowing exactly why is fine by me.

When a guy passing by stops to talk to Markel, I just sit there quietly. I look at Gideon again and he's still looking at me. This time he laughs and shakes his head as he walks around the pool table. I just breathe out of my nose looking at Markel..

I know I made the right choice by being with Markel, but something just seems wrong. Like I know something wrong is going to happen, but I don't know what...

I lay across the floor of my living room with a pillow under my head watching the tv as The Wood plays. My sister, Ziya is laying on the couch as I just lay there. I wasn't even paying attention to the movie, just thinking. Of course I was thinking about D'Anthony. If it was anyone else I would've already been trying to move on and get my pimpin' back. Instead I was moping in my misery.

I went out of my way to get him a gift to come and apologize only to find him there with his ex. Guess that's what I get...

When I hear knocking my ears perk up. I was making sure it was someone knocking on my door and not something else. When the knocking starts again I ask Ziya, "Did you invite someone over here?"

"No. Who would I invite? I don't know anyone out here," she replies snappily. I roll my eyes getting up from the floor going to the door. I get on my tiptoes then look in the peephole. Seeing who it is, I furrow my eyebrows as I stand flat on my feet. I undo the chain lock then turn the other lock turning the knob opening the door with D'Anthony behind it. His head is lowered then he looks up at me looking defeated as hell.

He pulls the bear I put in the gift bag I gave him from behind his back. "Really?" He finally says making me laugh lightly.

"I couldn't think of anything else," I say pouting.

"What does this mean?" He asks in reference to the note I stuck the bear.

"Kinda self explanatory. It says will you be my man, yes or nah. Check one."

"I guess we're in elementary school again. Are you gonna let me in or not?" I look back at my sister who I can tell is watching.

"Not until you give me an answer," I say looking back at him.

"Do I get a sorry and you're right first?" He shoots right back.

"I apologize for lying and what I said. I didn't mean it. The talk about relationships was starting to scare me and I was trying to run away. Push you away when that's not what I really wanted. I do have feelings for you. I do want to be with you.. You and no one else. No more Brayden of anyone else. And you were right," I mumble the last part making him laugh.

"I know that hurt you so bad. I guess I'll be yo man," he says shrugging trying to come in.

"Damn, why you gotta say it like that? I guess," I mock. "Like you weren't just pleading your case of why we should be together like a week ago."

"Man, whatever," he says as I close the door behind him. I grab onto his hand as we walk through the living room. I can see Ziya eyeing us as I go into my bedroom. I shut the double doors locking them then I close the little curtains on the windows of the doors.

...

After D'Anthony talking about his Mom telling me everything that