𝙏𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 | 𝙎𝘽

032.

The next morning, Trevon woke up in Terry's spare room, his body feeling heavy from the restless night. He rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath, knowing he needed to head home and face Kayli.

He had to come clean, explain what had happened, and try to make things right. He was determined to be better, to find a way to keep Kayli safe without resorting to the kind of violence he'd grown up around.

Trevon thanked Tee for letting him crash and for the real talk, then got in his car and drove back to his house. The drive felt longer than usual, his mind racing with what he would say, how he would explain the mess he'd made.

When he pulled up to the house, he saw Kayli through the window, already awake and moving around. He took another deep breath, steeling himself for the conversation he knew was coming.

When he walked inside, Kayli was in the kitchen, her expression tense. She looked up when he entered, her eyes narrowing with a mix of worry and frustration. "Trevon, where the hell you been?" she asked, her voice strained. "I've been up all night worrying about you. What happened?"

Trevon hesitated, but he knew he had to tell her the truth. "I paid Ezra a visit," he said slowly, watching her reaction. "Me and Terry...we, uh, we had to handle it."

Kayli's eyes widened with a mix of shock and disbelief. "You did what?" she exclaimed. "Trevon, you didn't—please tell me you didn't do what I think you did."

He ran a hand over his face, already feeling the weight of his actions bearing down on him. "I had to, Kayli. I couldn't let him get away with what he did to you. He needed to know he can't come around here no more, can't mess with you like that."

Kayli's face flushed with anger. "And you thought beating the hell out of him was the answer? That's not protecting me, Trevon, that's just making things worse!"

Trevon felt his frustration rising. "What you want me to do, Kayli?" he snapped, his voice sharper than he intended. "Go to the cops? You know they ain't gon' do nothin'! You really think that's gon' solve this?"

"Yes!" she fired back, her voice trembling. "Yes, I do think that's what you should've done! At least that would've kept you out of trouble, kept you here with me instead of out there risking everything!"

Trevon shook his head, his anger bubbling over. "Man, you don't get it," he muttered, pacing the room. "Ain't no cops gonna help us, Kayli. I did what I had to do to keep you safe."

Kayli's eyes filled with tears, her frustration and fear finally boiling over. "And look where that got us, Trevon! You out here getting blood on your hands and dragging us deeper into this mess! None of this would be like this if it wasn't for you!"

Trevon's temper snapped, and he yelled back without thinking, "If it wasn't for me? None of this would be like this if it wasn't for you, Kayli! You think I like bein' out there, fightin' niggas? I'm doin' this 'cause of you!"

The words hung in the air like a slap. Kayli stared at him, stunned, her eyes wide with hurt. "Is that how you really feel?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "You blame me for this?"

Trevon's mouth opened, but no words came out. He hadn't meant it like that; the words had just come out in his frustration and anger.

But now, faced with the pain in Kayli's eyes, he couldn't find a way to take them back. He stood there, silent, unsure of what to say.

Kayli nodded slowly, wiping away a tear that had slipped down her cheek. "You know what, Trevon? You need to get your shit together," she said, her voice steady despite the tears. "You need to stop thinking about street shit and start thinking about your career, about your life. About our baby's life. Look at the bigger picture, 'cause right now, all you're doing is digging a deeper hole."

She turned away from him, heading for the door. "I can't do this with you right now," she said quietly. "I need some space to think. You figure out what you really want, and I'll do the same."

With that, she walked out, leaving Trevon standing there, his heart heavy with regret. He watched her go, the door closing softly behind her, and felt a mix of anger, guilt, and fear settle over him. She was right. He needed to get his shit together, to think about more than just the here and now.

He sank down onto the couch, his head in his hands, feeling the weight of his choices pressing down on him. He had to make things right, but he didn't know where to start.

♡ ♡ ♡

Kayli sat on her couch, her legs curled beneath her, feeling a heaviness in her chest that she couldn't shake. Across from her, Skylar and Miracle sat, their expressions a mix of concern and empathy as they listened to her recount everything that had happened with Trevon.

Miracle leaned forward, her brows furrowed in worry. "Girl, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this," she said softly. "I know you love Trevon, but this...this is a lot. I don't blame you for feeling lost right now."

Skylar nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you've been through so much already, and now with the baby on the way...it's no wonder you're feeling overwhelmed," she added, her voice gentle. "What are you thinking? Like, where do you see things going with him?"

Kayli sighed, running a hand through her hair, her eyes fixed on a spot on the floor. "I don't know," she admitted. "I love him, I do. But I don't know if I can keep doing this. The fighting, the drama, all of it. I just...I just want peace, you know? I want to feel safe. And right now, I don't know if I feel that with him."

Miracle nodded, reaching out to take Kayli's hand. "You gotta think about yourself and the baby, Kayli. It's okay to put yourself first. You can't be worrying about whether Trevon's gonna come home in one piece every night. That's no way to live, especially not now."

Skylar chimed in, her voice steady. "You know, Trevon's got a good heart, but he's gotta get his head straight. He can't be dragging you into his messes anymore. Maybe it's time to take a step back, give him some space to figure things out."

Kayli looked up, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I just don't know if I can do that," she confessed. "I don't know if I'm strong enough to just walk away, to give up on what we've built together. But at the same time...I'm scared. I'm scared for me, for this baby. I'm scared of what could happen if nothing doesn't changes."

Miracle squeezed her hand gently. "Nobody's saying you gotta walk away forever, Kayli. But maybe some time apart would be good, for both of you. Let him see what he stands to lose if he doesn't get his act together. And give yourself some time to breathe, to think about what you really want."

Skylar nodded in agreement. "And you know we're here for you, no matter what. Whatever you decide, we got your back. You don't have to go through this alone."

Kayli felt a small smile tug at her lips, grateful for her friends' support. "Thank you," she said quietly. "I don't know what I'd do without y'all."

Miracle leaned back, giving Kayli a reassuring smile. "You'll figure it out, Kayli. You always do. Just take it one day at a time. And remember, you're stronger than you think. Whatever happens, you got this."

Kayli nodded, taking a deep breath. She didn't have all the answers, but at least she had people who loved her, who would stand by her no matter what. Even if it's wasn't Trevon.

__________

I'm gonna speed up her pregnancy after I post these next couple of drafts. ✨

But I wanna ask you guys how do you like the book thus far? ✨