Stone's Diary: Ava

Chapter 52.) Healing is a Process

"Do you think Kingston will come for you for helping?" Zina asked Malik as they sat in his living room. It was January 23rd, it's been two weeks since the incident and instead of Malik staying out of King's business, he decided to give Ace and Trouble part of his share under a different company.

"He won't find out... most of the small business I had a hand in came from Ace and T'wan anyway... it was only right, I'd give 'em something," he shrugged.

Zina stared at her brother for a moment then furrowed her brows, "You don't think it's weird that they cut you off because of me and then all of a sudden called you once they needed a favor?"

"How long has it been since I heard from Yung's ass? I've known him way longer than their asses yet he just tossed me to the side like garbage. Ace and T'wan kept a distance out of loyalty but the money always rolled in," he explained.

Confused about the way men thought and ran things, Zina just exhaled then leaned into the cushion and stared at the tv, "I know sometimes you wished I would have just told you what I was up to... at least you'd still have your friends."

Malik sucked his teeth, "You were young and naive... you did your time and grew. Autumn's ass did her time and still wanted revenge... that's why her ass id dead."

"Don't forget she was crazy," she mumbled and he chuckled.

"You knew that when she was with Yung's ass. Broad used to set his sneakers on fire just for ignoring her calls... I still don't know why he stayed with her as long as he did."

"He probably loved her," she said and Malik laughed.

"Hell fuckin' nah!" he exclaimed, still laughing. "Yung knew her ass was fucking other niggas the first three months of them kickin' it. Why did he never bring it up to her ass? To this day we still don't know. I'd give him his credit, he ain't start dismissing her until he ran into Zuri."

Zina frowned, "I still never understood why you all call her two damn different names... That's probably why he never knew who she was related to, his ass was confused."

Malik chuckled but she was right. "I never asked, but that's the name Keenan told me to call her once we met, and then I would always hear Dajon call her it. I thought it was her actual name until I heard her mom's call her it, ain't no questions tho and just like that shit fly."

"Mmm," she hummed then shrugged, "Sometimes I wish she and I were still cool but I blew it."

"Over some dick," Malik chuckled, taking a pull of his blunt. "I wanted to box yo ass up when all that shit happened. You knew better than to get involved in a damn planned homicide."

"I didn't know his mom and Renae would get mixed up in it that damn bad. Autumn never mentioned anybody freaking dying... that part... that shit was all her. I just wanted to break them up."

"And you really believed he was going to give you or her crazy ass a chance? A blind man could see that Yung's ass was crazy about her before he knew it."

"I knew he wouldn't give me a chance... back then I just had a lil hope that Autumn would be able to change his mind somehow," she admitted.

Malik shook his head, "You should have never gotten involved but I'm glad you did 'cause that shit humbled yo ass. Look at you now, just opened up your salon, working on your license to wax and you do nails. Look at where you are now and where you used to be... you just needed a wake-up call."

Zina took a deep breath then nodded, "Yeah... next step is marriage... I guess."

Malik smirked, "Ty still got yo ass twisted?"