Try Me

Thirty-two

2 years later

"What are you so sad for?" Khalan's dad asked when he walked into his son's house with Kamari, Kameron, and Jada. "It's about Akia, ain't it?" Jada gave Khalan a hug, already knowing why he was so out of it.

"It's so boring without him." Khalan huffed and picked up Kamari to give her a hug before he did the same for Kameron. "Y'all are too big for all this now." He told the nine-year-old and the six-year-old.

"We're your little siblings!" Kamari crossed her arms.

"You'll be fine. Just don't think about him too much." His dad assured his son.

The next person to walk in the house was Marbell, who had Carter in her arms. The moment Carter saw Khalan, he instantly tried to get away from his mother. Khalan was definitely one of his favorite people. It's crazy how all the children in the family loved Khalan.

"I'm yo mama. Why are you acting like that?" Marbell mugged her son and handed him over to Khalan. She put her bags down and said hello to everyone.

"Hey, Carter." Khalan spoke to the two-year-old.

"That's not fair." Kameron pouted and crossed his arms. He didn't like Khalan giving any other children attention. "Stop pouting. You can't have me all to yourself." Khalan said, ruffling Kameron's curls, that he decided to grow out after he saw Akia's hair.

The next to walk in were Taija, CJ, and Cole, the newest addition. Cole is one and a half. The second they walked into the room, Taija handed Cole over to the nearest adult, which happened to be Jada, to give herself a break. Nobody told her how hard it would be to handle two children.

"You look like you're going through it." Marbell laughed, hugging Taija. Of course, after Chris went to jail, Taija was able to freely socialize, and although she was still heartbroken about his sentence, she was glad that she could go out a little more. "You still look good as fuck, though."

"These kids are taking me out!" Taija wiped the imaginary sweat off of her forehead.

"And what are you looking like that for?" Khalan mugged CJ, who's also got a mug on his face. He was clearly upset. "Fix your face." Khalan flicked CJ's bottom lip.

"He's mad because he tried to hide that report card, and I found it." Taija shrugged.

"I thought you were doing good in school." Khalan looked back over to his nephew, who ignored him again. Now that CJ is getting older, he acts like he doesn't like being under Khalan anymore, but he's not fooling anyone. "CJ, do you hear me talking to you?" Khalan spoke sternly, which broke CJ's act.

"I was, but I knew she was going to tell you if I didn't do good in reading, and I don't want to get you mad!" CJ stomped his foot and yelled.

Kameron immediately looked over at the person who was getting loud with his brother. "It's not that serious. You don't even need to yell at him." Kameron mugged CJ.

"You don't tell me what to do. I'm older!" CJ pointed to himself.

"Boys are so dumb." Kamari sighed, acting like the princess she was. She's the only girl surrounded by a whole bunch of boys. CJ, Kameron, Carter, and Cole. Kamari was going through it with all of them.

"The life of the party is here!" The front door swung open, revealing Aria, followed by her older brother, who's shaking his head behind her. "I love y'all all, but I'm still mad that my best friend isn't here." She said, going in to hug everyone.

"Look who it is. Nigga, I haven't seen you in weeks." Khalan went and dapped up Arian. "Shit, Zaria be tripping. I can't do shit without her complaining." Arian said, talking about his pregnant fiancé, who is also having a boy.