HER WAY

Another Day: Day 14

It's been 12 days since the argument with Jahari and Remi hadn't seen him since. It was bearable because she was moving on and occupying herself with new responsibilities. Responsibilities like a wedding. The time was coming, there was a lot to do in a little amount of time. Remi figured that her mom would be able to help because she honestly had no idea what she was doing.

Robyn repeatedly tapped her pen and said "What are you thinking for the budget?, that's the most important thing. The money."

"The average cost is 19k. That's so much damn money, for one day of my life."

Robyn grabbed Remi's hand, "One of the most important days of your life! You only get one first wedding."

Remi sighed and briefly rubbed her forehead, "Exactly, mom. Maybe I'm just too young to be doing all this. I mean I'm not even 19 years old do I really want to... I don't know."

"Remi, are you okay?"

"Honestly...I've been having a lot of second thoughts about this whole thing. When I said 'Yes' I wasn't being rational. Now I've had time to think and... I don't think this is what I want."

"I don't think you're making a mistake here. Can I ask if there is a specific reason you aren't sure?"

Remi moved her eyes side to side, "I can think of a big one and I'm going to need you to stay calm."

"What?" Robyn crossed her arms, waiting to hear the foolishness to come out of her daughter's mouth.

"Jahari."

"Jeremie-"

"Don't Jeremie me right now, mom. Listen. Jahari goes to Princeton with Jordan and I. It's a crazy coincidence, I know. But what if..."

"What if what?!" Robyn was upset but I think she was more disappointed. She used to say "Remi, I made your heart from scratch. Don't let anyone break it."

"What if that's a sign?"

"Don't forget what he did to you, Remi. Don't replace all the bad with a little bit of good. Don't make up fantasies in your head that aren't real. You're all grown up now, start acting like it."

"I didn't forget, mom. You'll never let me forget," Remi rolled her eyes.

"I just don't want you hurt. AGAIN!"

Remi blinked back her tears before saying, "Really? Is that why you're sleeping with dad? 'Replacing all the bad with a little bit of good', as you would say."

"That's completely different."

"I don't think so, mom."

Robyn shook her head and replied, "Your dad is a good man. Jahari isn't."

The rest of the day they continued to talk about the wedding. They'd gotten a lot of things done in just that one day.

At least her mom didn't just interrogate her about Jahari and try to make this wedding her wedding. Remi's parents never got married, Robyn always regretted that. Remi had decided to spend that weekend with her mom.

Jahari stayed on campus and spent the day with his sister. It wasn't necessarily voluntarily, but she didn't have many places to go. He wasn't in the best of moods, anyway. He'd finally told Remi he'd loved her and he shut her down.

Jahari still, isn't a romantic type. But he's never loved before and he's never even had a girlfriend. He was oblivious. Losing Remi- it burned, like alcohol to a wound. Speaking of alcohol, he had been drinking his life away over these past 12 days.

"Hey." Jayla said.

"What, J?" He asked after taking another gulp of beer.

"Would you stop that?" She asked.

"Nah, I'm good." He said sluggishly. She walked over to him and snatched the glass bottle of beer.

"What the fuck?!" He yelled.

"Talk to me."

"Would you leave me alone? Stop acting like you're my sister."

She smacked him on the side of his head and said, "Whether you like it or not, we share a dad. So we're siblings. I have to tell you something anyway."

He looked up at her with big black eyes, "What is it?"

"I had talked to Remi about you. I didn't know it'd get this bad."

"Get out." He said as he put his head down.

"I was just trying to help-"

He quickly stood up, grabbed his beer, threw it against the wall and yelled, "GET OUT JAYLA!"

"Wow. Like father like son."

"You don't know shit about my father" he argued.

"I know enough to recognize this behavior! I know you hate me because I practically grew up in the suburbs and I never really had to struggle. But you're my brother, and I love you. Are you so damn broken that you can let me do that?"

"Whatever, just leave me the hell alone." As Jayla left, he grabbed two extra beers from his mini fridge and sat them on the nightstand.