Saying Goodbye

chapter 26

aliana pov (the next day, January 7, 2023)
the doorbell rings. i look at kiara. she looks at me. she sighs and gets up to open the door.

"hey maliki." i hear her say from around the corner.

my heart beat picks up. i instantly get nervous.

"of course. come on in." kiara says. i look toward the door to see maliki walking around the corner.

"hey ali." he smiles.

"hey." i reply blandly. i turn my attention back to the tv.

"you ok? you seem a little down." he asks.

"i'm good." i reply quickly.

"i wanted to take you somewhere." he says. i look at him again. he walks over to me and sits down beside me.

"you wanna go or you wanna stay here?" kiara asks

"where are we going?" i ask looking to maliki for an answer.

"somewhere i think you'll love." he smiles. "you coming?"

i look at kiara. she smiles at me. i look back at maliki.

"fine. but i'm not changing clothes." i say sternly.

"you don't need to anyway."

he stands up. he reaches out for my hand. i take his hand and stand up. i slip on kiara's slides. he opens the front door. i step outside. he closes the door behind him. he unlocks the doors to the car. he walks on my side and opens the passenger door. i climb inside the car. he closes the door. he walks to the drivers side of the car. he gets inside and smiles at me.

"you ready?" he asks cranking up the car. a smile still sits on his face.

"just drive the car goofy." i reply. he chuckles lightly.

he drove for about an hour. i didn't know i fell asleep. i woke up on the highway. he drove us just outside of charlotte. he drove us down an open road. the setting sun gives the sky a red shade.

"come on." he says. he grabs the keys and gets out the car. i open the car door and step out slowly. i look at the view.

numerous tall buildings catch my eye and i walk toward the edge of the cliff. i stand a little closer to the cliff.

"woah, ali. be careful."

i take a couple steps back from the edge of the cliff.

"you like it?" he asks.

"yea." i reply. "it's nice."

"i thought you would like it." i feel his presence behind me.

"can i tell you something extremely personal?" i ask. 

"of course." maliki replies.

"kiara's brother, tobiah is the heir to a mafia. he put us in danger by meeting us. his father, a mafia leader, came to kiara's house yesterday. his men attacked kiara, isaiah, xaela and i. i had to shoot them. i shot lots of them, but i only killed one. i killed someone." i sigh.