ALL TO MYSELF.

XIV - Liyah

"I fucking hate him!" I yelled with a face full of tears.

"Girl, shut up. You love that man," Tiff said, grabbing me to hug me. "That's the only reason you tore up like this. At least hear him out, he been blowing up your phone for over an hour."

"No. Fuck him. I'm so tired of this shit, I wish I never responded to that fucking DM."

My phone started ringing across the room again making this the 27th time Pluto called me in the last 15 minutes. I got up and walked over to it, declining the call and putting it on vibrate.

"Aaliyah, answer that man. I'm sure he wouldn't have done something that stupid on purpose."

"I don't wanna talk to him, Tiffany!"

"Look bitch don't be yelling at me in my fucking house! I love you and so does he. You wanna be hurt so bad that you just jump to the worst possible conclusions. This man is the best thing that's ever happened to you and just because everything not sunshine and rainbows 24/7 you wanna run away."

"So I'm supposed to sit here and look stupid?!"

"You don't even know if you look stupid, Aaliyah! You believing the word of a group of messy ass people over the nigga you supposed to love. THAT makes you look stupid."

My phone started buzzing again and Tiff got up, snatching it off the dresser to answer it.

"Hey, Pluto ... We not there, she came by me ... On a scale of 1 to 10, 75 ... Not gone lie to you, probably not ... Yeah, I'll try ... Okay, bye," she said ending the call.

"What did he say?"

"If you wanted to know, you should've answered," she said putting the phone back down before getting in the bed and scrolling on hers.

I picked the phone up, debating on whether or not I should call back. I went to our messages to see if there was anything that could change my mind.

nayvadius

Bae answer the phone

Come on shawty please talk to me

Liyah stop being petty and answer the phone

I'm bout to pull up

Come outside or I'm coming up

I know u hear me. Open the door

Nope. Nothing. I'm glad I decided to leave the house because if he woulda pulled up when I was as mad as I was I would've been in Fulton County Jail. Tiff's phone rang, breaking the silence between us.

"Hello? ... Yes, this is Tiffany ... What happened?! ... Is she okay? ... I'm like 30 minutes away but I can get there in 20 ... Okay, I'm coming," she said hanging up.

"What happened?" I asked as she jumped up to throw clothes on.

"Pat had an accident at work and she's in the hospital. They couldn't tell me much over the phone. I don't know how long I'll be so you can stay if you want."

"Are you insane? I'm coming with you."

We jumped in her car and sped off towards the hospital. I clutched the door handle fearing for my life as she swerved in and out of traffic, texting and sending messages.

"Tiff, slow down or we gone be in the room next to her!"

We pulled up in the parking lot of the emergency room and parked.

"Can you go inside and wait for me? Her mom should be in there but she can't get in touch with her sister. I need to call her and let her know what's going on."

"Yeah, sure. I'll text you and let you know what they say."

I got out of the car and started walking across the parking lot.

"Aaliyah!" I heard a voice behind me yell.

I turned around and saw Pluto getting out of the truck parked by us. I looked towards Tiff's car and she smiled and waved, letting me know this was all a set up to get me to talk to him.

"Both of y'all are fucking sick."

"I needed to talk to you," he said walking towards me.

"Nayvadius I swear to God if you touch me, you going inside," I threatened, pointing behind me at the emergency room.

"I just wanna talk," he said holding his hands up. "Can we at least sit in the truck while I explain?"

"No because depending on what you about to say you might need to be as close to them sliding doors as possible. Start talking."

"I made an appearance at a birthday party. Draya showed up. Photographer asked us to take a picture for the homie. I didn't know it was gone end up online, I swear."

"Did you know Draya was going to be there?"

"I didn't even know she was in town. I thought she went back to LA."

"You're lying. Y'all looked friendly as fuck in that picture."

"It was a party, I was doing my job. She came over to speak and it happened."

"Speak about what after the shit that happened at your house?!"

"About what happened at the house, Aaliyah. I needed to smooth shit over with her to make sure you not getting pulled in no drama."

"And look what still fucking happened, Pluto! Drama."

"I told you stop paying attention to the shit that gets posted in the blogs."

"If I wasn't paying attention I wouldn't have known she was there because you would've never said anything."

"You really didn't need to know anything, if we being honest. What happened between me and Draya is between me and Draya. It really don't have shit to do with you but you putting yourself in it."

"Putting myself in it? She showed up at the house popping off at the mouth. If you wasn't tryna be sneaky and told the truth upfront none of this would've happened."

"If you would've stayed in the house and let me handle it we wouldn't be talking about this right now. Goddamn, shawty, it ain't like it was just us. It was a birthday party at a fucking club. Every time you see me with a female you swear I'm tryna do you dirty."

"Because you try to hide everything then get mad when you get caught. I don't even know why I'm arguing with you right now. You keep showing me how you really feel about me and I'm done ignoring it."

"You need to work on your insecurities. That don't have shit to do with me."

"I have nothing to be insecure about."

"So what's the issue, Liyah? A nigga never showed you nothing but love from Day 1 and you always tryna find a reason to be done. Do you love me or do you love the shit I do for you?"

"You know the answer to that question."

"No, I don't. When is the last time you really went out of your way for me? The past 3 months been about Aaliyah and whatever makes Aaliyah happy."

"Hiding shit from me doesn't make me happy."

"I wasn't hiding anything. You found out before I got the chance to tell you."

"Whatever, Nayvadius."

"Do I make you happy?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you running from me?"

We stood in silence as his words lingered. Why am I running? This man would move heaven and earth for me at any given moment. I feel loved, wanted, cherished. What else is there to ask for? Just thinking about the love he gives me without me having to ask and for nothing in return brought tears to my eyes. He walked over to me, grabbing both sides of my face and kissing me deeply.

"Just let me love you, Aaliyah."