"Come on Li-Li we have to go!!" I yelled up the stairs, waiting for Aliyah to come down. I didn't want her to late for her school, and I didn't want August to miss his flight either. "Coming!!" She ran down the stairs with her bookbag bouncing up and down with every step she took.

"You got everything?" She nodded. "You got your lunch?" She quickly turned around and ran off towards the kitchen. I chuckled and shook my head. "Im ready to go after I put this bag in the car." I turned around to see August walking to the front door. "Alright, once she gets her lunch box we can go." He walked out the door, as I grabbed my keys off the table.

"Alright we have to go!" I said loud enough for her to hear me. I sighed and walked to the kitchen, wondering what was taking her so long. "What are you doing?" I asked in a chuckle. I placed my hand on hip and smirked once I seen Aliyah stuffing packs of pop tarts in her lunch box.

"Nothing." She said lowly. I grabbed her lunch box and pulled out the five packs of pop tarts she'd stuffed in there. "Little girl, you are something else." I placed her cup of oranges back in her lunch box and zipped it up. "Alright let's go, get in the car." She ran ahead of me and made her way out the house.

I stepped outside and placed her lunchbox and my purse in one hand, while locking the door. I slipped in the passenger seat and handed August the keys. "Let's go, I want Aliyah to be on time." He nodded and started up the car.

***************

I held Aliyah's hand, as August and I walked her to her classroom. I sighed once we stopped at room 104. "Okay, you be good alright?" I handed her her lunchbox, while she nodded. "I'll be back to pick you up." I kissed her on her forehead and smiled. She turned to walk into the classroom, but I stopped her.

"Aren't you gunna say bye to daddy?" She looked up at August with a blank expression. "Bye." She turned back around and walked into the classroom. I frowned and looked over at him. "She's taking this rough huh?" He nodded. "I guess just give her some time, don't take it personal, it's hard on her when you leave." He cracked a small smile before turning around and walking out of the school.

*********

I walked August up to his portal and took a deep breath. "I'll call you when I land." I nodded. He turnedaround to walk away, but I grabbed his hand. "Wait." I started. "I love you....and I trust you." I kissed his cheek and let his hand go. He gave me a weak smile before disappearing down the tunnel.

I walked out the airport and hopped back into the car. I pulled away from the curb and took off down the street. All of a sudden I felt a muffled vibration coming from my pants pocket. I pulled up to the light and pulled it out. I quickly answered once I seen my mom calling me.

ME: "Hey mom."

MOM: "Hey baby, you busy?"

ME: "No, I just dropped August off at the airport, not Im going to work."

MOM: "Oh yes, his tour started, how's that going?"

I paused, thinking about how I should answer.

ME: "Fine, everything's fine."

MOM: "That's good, how's my grandbaby?"

I chuckled.

ME: "She's good, she's at school, I hate that you missed her birthday party."

She sighed.

MOM: "I know, you guys moved so far away from the city, it's a long trip for me."

ME: "I know, but anyways, wassup?"

MOM: "I was calling to remind you about our family cookout in two weeks."

I sighed and shifted the phone to my other ear. A few years ago Ms.Sheila and my mom decided to start having these annual cookouts with the whole family. Since August and I moved away from the city, and Ms.Sheila lives in a different state, it was a good time for everyone to catch up and hang out.

ME: "Oh right, I completely forgot."

MOM: "Mhm, I figured, that's why I decided on calling you. Now, all the women and cooking and you still haven't put your name down for anything."

I turned into the boutique's parking lot and parked in my parking space.

ME: "Um, put me down for potatao salad."

She smacked her lips.

MOM: "That's all?"

I chuckled.

ME: "Okay, I'll help with dessert."

MOM: "Alright, fair enough, don't forget we're having the cookout at my house at 2pm."

ME: "Alright mom, I got it. I gotta go, I just got to work."

She sighed.

MOM: "OKay, call me later."

ME: "I will."

I hung up the phone and got out of the car.

HOURS LATER-AUGUST P.O.V.

"Ight, let's run through it again." My band nodded, signaling me to turn back around. "Hey you." I looked to my right to see Ryelle coming up the side of the stage.

"Oh wassup, goodmorning." She cracked a small smile. "Goodmorning, you busy?" I nodded. "Yeah kind of, you need something?" She shook her head no. "No... I just wanted to ask you to dinner tonight." I frowned. "Dinner?"

She chuckled, once she seen my facial expression. "Not like that, but yeah.....I think we need to talk about some things..." I nodded. "Yeah we do.....ight just let me know when and I'll meet you there." She nodded and walked off stage.

I took a deep breath and started to sing once the music cut on.

SIMONE P.O.V.

"So am I invitied to this cookout?" I smacked my lips together. "Are you gunna behave?" Ellis fanned me off. "Of course, when do I not?" I rolled my eyes. "If you can promise me that you'll behave, then your invitied." I turned to Kerri and smiled. "And your invitied too."

She smiled. "Wait hol up, you ain't gon tell Kerri to behave??" I chuckled. "Your the one who don't know how to act, Kerri's fine." He fanned me off. "Whatever, ya'll some heifers." I opened my mouth to speak, but the sound of the store phone ringing stopped me. I ran over to the phone on the wall and answered.

 ME: "Thank you for calling Serenity Boutique, this is Simone speaking how may I hep you?"

TISHA: "Hello Mrs. Alsina, this is Tisha, the contracter for Serentiy boutique stationed in Atlanta."

I smiled.

ME: "Yes hi, I've been waiting on your call."

TISHA: "Well, Im calling with good news for you."

ME: "That's great."

TISHA: "My team and I have been looking through some things here, and construction is moving along really well, we think the grand opening date should be pushed up."

A huge smile spread across my face.

ME: "Really? That's amazing, how early do you think?"

TISHA: "A month and a half."

ME: "Wow, you guys will be finished that fast?"

TISHA: "It looks like it, everyone's working hard over here,we can discuss a new opening date at a later time."

ME: "Ok, will do. I'll call you back soon Tisha."

***************

I looked through the mirror as Aliyah climbed in the back of the car. "Hey baby." She took off her backpack and buckled up. "Hi." I smiled. "How was your first day back?" She shrugged. "....Did you learn anything new?" She shook her head no. I frowned. "You alright?" She nodded and opened up her backpack, pulling out her coloring book and crayons.

I pulled away from the curb and took a deep breath. "You hungry?" She shook her head no. I frowned wondering what was wrong with her. I knew that she was sad about August leaving, but she never was quiet like this before.

HOURS LATER-AUGUST P.O.V.

I leaned up agaisnt the resturant door and waited for Ryelle to get here. I looked down at my watch, wondering what the hell was taking so long. "Come on." I mumbled. I jumped a little once I felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket. I pulled it out and sighed once I seen Simone calling me. "Shit!" I quickly answered and placed the pone to my ear.

ME: "Hey baby."

SIMONE: "Hey, do you have a minute to talk?"

I looked around to make sure Ryelle was nowhere in sight.

ME: "Yeah, only a minute though."

SIMONE: "You busy or something? I thought your show was over."

ME: "I-It is, I was just about to hop in the shower."

She chuckled.

SIMONE: "Oh, so your shower is more important than me?"

ME: "Nah, nah.. wassup though?"

I looked past my shouler to make sure no one was coming.

SIMONE: "I wanted to tell you how my day was....and to see if Aliyah wanted to talk to you."

I shifted the phone to my other ear and waited.

SIMONE: "Daddy's on the phone, do you want to speak to him?"

I could hear her sigh, meaning that was a no.

SIMONE: "Im sorry baby, she's still upset....she's never been this mad before."

I cleared my throat.

ME: "I know...it's straight, she has a right to be upset.."

SIMONE: "I know, but I know it has to hurt your feelings."

ME: "It does, but Im good ma....she'll come around...um...how was your day?"

She took a deep breath.

SIMONE: "Good, I got a call about the boutique in Atlanta today."

ME: "Oh forreal?"

I looked past my shoulder to see Ryelle walking towards me.

SIMONE: "Yeah, it was good news, they said that the evertything's going well and might be able to open up sooner that we thought."

ME: "Yeah, yeah, that's good ma, look I gotta go ight? I'll call you in the morning."

SIMONE: "Um, okay? Am I missing something?"

ME: "Nah, I just gotta go, love you, goodnight."

I hung up the phone and dropped it back in my pocket, just in time for Ryelle to be walking up to me.

"Hey, sorry Im late, I had to wait on my bodyguard to drive me." I nodded. "It's fine, you ready to go inside?" She nodded, shifting her jacket to her other arm. I pulled open the door for her and let her go in first. I could have sworn I heard a flash behind me, but it probably was me just being paranoid.

I walked in behind Ryelle and slightly frowned once I noticed what she was wearing. (EXTERNAL LINK) She was dressed like this was a date, and it wasn't. All I wanted to do was talk about what happened the other day in my studio and that's it. I followed behind her as the waiter led us to a table near a window. I slid in the booth across from Ryelle and took a deep breath.

"Thank you for agreeing to come." She sat her purse on the table and opened up her menu. I nodded. "....Why'd you chose this place out of all restuarants?" She chuckled. "It's the only one I knew here in Ohio, and I know the food is good." I nodded slowly. She looked up at my face and sighed once she seen the worry on it.

"Look, I know we came here to talk about things, and we are, I just didn't wanna make it awkward and jump right into when we sat down." I chuckled. "I get it." "So atleast let's get some food before we make it awkward." I nodded my head in agreement. "Ight cool."

SIMONE P.O.V.

I tucked Aliyah in bed and kissed her. "You know, you have to speak to daddy sooner or later." She was silent. "I know your upset with him for leaving, but he doesn't have a choice baby." She turned on her side, silent. I sighed and stood up from her bedside.

I had no clue what was going on with her, but I was going to make sure I handled it. I glanced at her one more time before I hit the lights and made my way into my bedroom.

AUGUST P.O.V.

"So August." I looked up from my plate, giving her my attention. "Let me start off by apologizing for what happened the other day at your house, I crossed the line and Im extremely sorry." I nodded. "You already apologized to me."

She nodded. "I know, but I wanted to apologize again, I've been going through alot with Rodney and my head's been all messed up, and I wasn't thinking straight." I nodded. "It's fine, I know you meant nothing by it." She nodded her head in agreement. "And Im sorry that Aliyah saw it....has she said anything to Simone?"

I sighed and shook my head. "No she hasn't, she's pretty mad at me though." Ryelle sighed and shook her head. "Im so sorry really, I didn't mean for any of this to happen." I sighed. "Me either, but now that it has, all we can do is move forward." She nodded. "I agree."

"And to start." She started. "I should have my tour bus back by the morning, so I won't be needing yours anymore." I smirked. "Ight cool." She opened her mouth to speak, but the sound of her phone ringing stopped her. "Excuse me." She reached her hand into her purse and pulled out he phone.

"Oh, it's Rodney, hold on." She quickly answered and put the phone up to her ear. "Hey baby." She smiled widely as she turned to the side. "No, I had called you earlier, but you didn't answer." She paused. "Um no, Im at dinner with a friend." She sighed. "August, remember the guy Im on tour with??" She turned all the way to the side, so I couldn't hear, but I still could.

"It's not like that, we're just friends." I cleared my throat and looked away in a different direction. "Im serious Rodney, he's married." I heard her take a deep breath and release it slowly. "Im not sleeping with him, I swear." She semi-mumbled. "Don't hang up, talk to me."

All of a sudden she took the phone from her ear and placed it back in her bag. "Im sorry." She mumbled. I shook my head. "It's straight....is everything good?" She put on a fake smile and nodded. "Yeah, everything's great." I sucked my teeth. "Why you lying? What happened?"

She sighed. "Nothing....Rodney's just trippin, that's all." She pushed her hair behind her ears and sipped her drink. "It sounded more than what your saying it is, he think your cheating on him with me?" She sighed and nodded. "Yeah, but he always assuming im sleeping with someone besides him." I frowned.

"Why is that?" She shrugged. ".....I don't know, but whatever." She grabbed her purse and slid our of the booth. "You ready to go?" I nodded and grabbed my keys off the table. "Yeah, let's go." I slid out the booth and walked out to the front door.

I held the door open, letting her walk out first. I took my keys out my pocket and was about to walk to my car, when I noticed she was still standing there. "...Aren't you leaving?" She chuckled. "No, I have to wait for my bodyguard to pick me back up, I should have just drove myself." I chuckled.

"Yeah, you should have." I hit the locks and turned to her. "I'll give you a ride back to the hotel." She lifted a brow. "You sure?" I nodded. "Yeah, we goin to the same place, it's straight." She looked around to make sure no one seen us. "I don't know, I think I rather wait."

I sucked my teeth. "Come on ma, just get in, Im not gon stand here all night." She chuckled and opened her mouth to speak, but the sound of someone yelling her name, stopped her. "Ryelle!!! Can I get a smile??!" I looked over to see the papparazzi coming towards the both of us, flashing a million pictures.

"August, does Simone know your cheating on her???" Someone yelled out to me. I reached out my hand for Ryelle to grab and helped her in the car. I jogged to my side, while the cameras flashed away. I quickly started up the car and pulled away from the curb, going as fast as I could down the street.

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Ryelle in the Multimedia.

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