The next morning, Raymun woke up early. He had been in a daze since he first opened his eyes. It wasn't a surprise that Raymun had been feeling guilty ever since Syrah went missing; as far as he was concerned it was his fault. Her life wouldn't have been in danger if he didn't throw that cocaine in the sink and flush it down the drain. For that same reason, he promised to protect her but how could he do that if she was missing? He didn't want to believe that he had already failed at trying to be there for her. He wasn't going to just give up like that when she could still be out there somewhere waiting for him.

Raymun was attracted to Syrah but it wasnt worth leaving Amora. Even though what he and Amora had was now over, if it even was, he still didn't want Syrah— she wasn't his type. Somehow still he felt like he owed her something.

     Ever since he was a kid he had been trying to save everyone and everything. Watching his father overdose on cocaine right in front of him  played a huge part in that. He had a huge hatred for any type of drugs and he wanted them off the streets. That's why he became a cop in the first place; to stop these criminals no matter what he had to risk or put out on the line. He wanted all those drugs flushed in a sewer for killing his father. That's why he reacted the way he did to Syrah when he saw her cooking up the very drug that fucked up his childhood forever. And now, he had to save her from it too. But was he too late?

Raymun sprinted down the stairs, his badge in his pockets as he kept a focused look on the door. He wanted to bypass Amora's sleeping body on the couch with no reaction or conversation. As far as the two were concerned; they had never met.

Bzzt bzzt. As soon as Raymun plugged his phone into the socket in his radio, notifications and missed calls came in. He sighed before scrolling through.

Raymun clicked the contact and called as he pulled out the driveway. "What you got for me?" He asked when he heard the phone pick up.

"We found a body out on Madison in front of that little complex over there. You're gonna wanna come over to the station." Jodie told him.

"I'm on the way."

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Rosè was sitting in her car sipping on coffee with Rozai hanging out the passenger side window. With little sleep she got, she seemed okay. Her hair was still neatly in a bob as she lipstick traced the McDonald's cup. Her glasses were on even though her face was painted with makeup indicating that it wasn't a chill day.

She was waiting in front of Zaida's house because they had planned a mall day with Noelle to catch up on the latest drama.

"Hey girl!" Zaida greeted from the door as she locked her house up and started strutting towards the car. Zaida looked amazing with the jet black weave that fell pass her ass and the skintight nude dress that complimented her caramel skin so well. "Oop, I love your hair."

Rosè unlocked the door, smiling at her. "Heeey boo!" She exclaimed.

"You look cute." Zaida complimented as she got inside, putting her purse on her lap.

Rosè flipped her hair. "Thankkk you, you do too." She told her. "We got a lot of catching up to do, love. But first, I need to drop Rozai off at my mom's and pick up Jewelle."

"Have you sat down and had a talk with your mom yet?" Zaida asked, looking down at her phone.

Rosè rolled her eyes. "Of course not." She replied, turning the car on. "Anyway... catch me up, catch me up."

"Where to start..." Zaida thought out loud as she rolled her window down. "So, I officially filed for the divorce and Jason was acting a damn fool about it."

"What!?" Rosè exclaimed as she routed towards her mother's house.

Zaida nodded. "Mhmmm. He was all like baby I made a mistake, let's work this out. I love youuuu. Girl, I just sat there like..." Zaida pressed her lips together and shook her head. "I wasn't falling for it. So, he started accusing me of seeing someone else. I told my lawyer like, just file the documents, I'm done with it."

"Girl, fuck him. He cheated on you. Not the other way around." Rosè said, shaking her head.

"Exactly, thank you!" She exclaimed loudly. "I'm over it and now he's mad because I'm moving on."

"Moving on? With whooo?" Rosè exclaimed.

Zaida smirked a little, flipping her hair. She exhaled as if she had been holding it in and it felt good to release. "This guy... he's a gym trainer."

Instantly, Rosè felt her body stiffening up. "Oh yeah?" She asked.

"Mhmm. He be hanging with your little boo... Kaivar." Zaida said, pointing at her. Rosè relaxed but you could tell in her face she was confused.

"Stephon?" She asked, noting the fact that she had seen him with Kai many times. "Wait, from college?"

Zaida chuckled. "Yes... you know I didn't really kick it with him in college so it just feels good kicking it with him now on like a romantic level. He had took me out to eat like not too long ago and ever since then we just been... kicking it." She said, smiling to herself.

Rosè didn't know what to say. She was happy but it felt kind of awkward. "I didn't know you were into bisexual dudes." She said, squinting at her as she pulled up in front of her mom's house.

"What?" Zaida asked, looking at her. "Stephon is bisexual?"

"Yeah but I mean if he's making you happy—"

"Ew, what?" Zaida asked, her face twisted up. "What? Are you serious?"

"Oh, my god. Don't do that, Zai. You wouldn't have even known if I didn't just tell you." Rosè said.

"But if he cheats on me, like all niggas do, but with a nigga... do you know what that will do to my womanhood?" Zaida asked, squinting at her.

Rosè gave her a straight face before unbuckling her seatbelt. "I'll be right back."

       Inside, Jewelle was looking at herself in the mirror twerking at an angle so she could practice for he birthday party that was coming up. Fischer Fools by GameOva Reedy was blasting off her phone.

"I'm about ta' tell a story, 'bout how he made me his Doriii..." Jewelle sung, bouncing from one leg to the other then getting down as she held her knees and started popping her back to the bed.

Jewelle was finally about to be seventeen years old and she had never felt more grown. Her mother wasn't home and according to Rosè, she had the house to herself for a few more minutes so she was enjoying herself. She didn't even hear the door open when Rosè walked in.

Rosè was in the door looking at her sixteen year old sister like she was crazy. "Um?"

Jewelle jumped and fell back on the ground when she realized her sister was there. "Oh, my god." She gasped before hurrying to her phone and shutting the vulgar song off.

"Ummmhumm.." Rosè remarked, nodding. "You ready to go?"

"Yes..." Jewelle said before grabbing her purse and phone off the dresser. She slid into her sandals and followed Rosè out the door.

"So what was that?" Rosè asked, looking at her over her shoulder. "And where is momma?"

"She will be home soon." Jewelle answered. "And I was just... I don't know. Never mind."

Rosè shook her head. "I bet not catch you doing no crazy shit like that at your party."

How you gon' tell me what to do at my party? "OK, yes ma'am." Jewelle said, rolling her eyes.

Rosè sat Rozai down before walking out the house and heading towards the car with Jewelle on her trail right behind her. Jewelle waved at Zaida. "Heeey lil Jewellyyy!" Zaida said, excitedly.

"Hey!" Jewelle greeted. "You coming to the mall too?"

"Yeah and Noelle gonna be there." Rosè answered.

Jewelle rolled her eyes at the thought of "stuck up" Noelle. "Why? So she can give me a whole bunch of opinions I didn't ask fa' regarding my outfit for my birthday? No thank you." She replied.

Rosè sighed. "Behave. You ain't gotta talk to her and she don't gotta talk to you. We and you will shop and Zaida and–"

Zaida shot Rosè a look. "Nope, I'll take Jewelle and you hang with your friend. I don't know that girl like that." Zaida argued, shaking her head.

Rosè rolled her eyes. "Just behave, both of you. Got it?" She said calmly.