Status *Re-written*

Chapter 21

The drive from the arcade to the house was filled with awkward silence and tension, everyone was in there own world asking themselves questions. Roc was thinking, Should I tell her that he's cheating and that I like her? He has been asking himself that question for a month and some weeks now, he just couldn't come up with an answer for himself. Zoe was thinking, What's wrong with Roc? Since that night when she met up with the boys after eight years he has been acting different. He's been changing his moods from happy to angry, angry to sad, and sad to undescribable. Was he phsyco? Princeton was thinking, Why was Ray so frantic when he called? He sounded like he was in trouble, something was up.

Once they got to the garage they all got out of the car and headed inside. Princeton went out to go get the mail while Zoe took Roc into the kitchen, "What is your problem?" she demanded poking him in the chest with her index finger, "Nothing," Roc replied irritated. He began to walk away but Zoe stood in his path, "Oh don't give me that crap! It is something wrong, its been going on for a long time now. Now tell me what's wrong!"

"Why would I tell you? Like you'd really believe me,"

"I might if you would just tell me,"

"Yeah right,"

"What makes you think I wouldn't?"

"Oh please! You're completely blind to what's going on right now, so how in the hell would you even understand if I told you?"

Zoe was confused, Completely blind to what?, she wondered. "Roc," she said, "I don't have time for this. Can you just tell me what's wrong? I'm here to listen,"

Say it! Say it now!, he was saying to himself, But he's my brother. That's wrong.

"I can see it in your eyes, Roc," said Zoe, " You want to tell me something, will you please tell me?"

Just then Prodigy came in the house at the same time Princeton came back from getting the mail, "Hey Prod," said Princeton flipping through the mail, Prodigy got startled and started to stammer, "W-w-what? Huh?"

Princeton looked at him confused, "I said 'Hi',"

"I'M NOT HIGH! I'M JUST TIRED!"

"Dude calm down! All I said was 'Hi'. Are you okay?"

"Yeah....yeah! Why wouldn't I be? Look I'm tired, I'm gonna go lay down,"

Prodigy rushed upstairs to his room, Princeton was so confused on what was going on in the house. Everyone was acting crazy, just then Bella came down the stairs and Zoe came out of the kitchen looking like she was going to kill someone, and Roc was chasing after her screaming, "Zoe you just can't understand! I'm sorry!" 

She was already out the door, Roc looked at Princeton with discust and headed to the gym.

"You guys are weird today," said Bella.

"That's what I was thinking," said Princeton. Wait, did Bella just understand what was going on? Today is officially weird. Bella went to go sit down on the couch and continued talking, "First Ray comes home with a little girl, then Prodigy almost pushed me out the room, then I come downstairs and see people runing and screaming. Wow,"

"Wait! Wait! Wait! What little girl?"

"I can't really explain, its weird. Ray came back from dropping off Roc and the poofy-haired girl and I was watching the news on T.V. then he just rushed off and said he'll be back. I don't know what happend,"

Princeton was totally lost, Zoe just rushed out mad at Roc, Roc looked at Princeton funny for no reason, Prodigy was acting jumpy and weird, and now there's a little girl in the house? Princeton didn't know how to find out why all of this was going on but he was going to try. First off, he was going to ask Ray about the little girl.

On his way upstairs Prodigy came out of his room looking relaxed and totally normal, "Prod," asked Princeton, "Did you see Ray come out of his room at all?"

"Um, no," said Prodigy, "Why?"

"Come with me,"

Prodigy followed Princeton to Ray's room curious about what was going on, Princeton knocked on the door. On the other side of the door they heard Ray say, "Wait here honey,"

"Who is he talking to? He got a girl in there?"

"Uh, something like that,"

Ray opened the door just a crack and slid outside, "Ray, what's going on?" asked Princeton. Ray bowed his head, "You heard huh?" he asked. Princeton nodded, "However, somethings still don't make sense,"

"Okay, I'm lost now," said Prodigy.

Ray took in a deep breath and spoke slowly, "Four years ago I met this girl, her name was La' Shay. Me and her were close, then we started to like each other and one night I was over her house and I... slipped up."

"What do you mean you slipped up?" asked Princeton, he had an idea on what he meant but just to be sure he asked.

Ray continued talking, "I mean I got her pregnant. I wasn't thinking and I wasn't being careful. So she ended up getting pregnant."

Prodigy began laughing, "I can't believe this!" he said, "All this time you've been judging me about how many girls I sleep with and how I got Bella pregnant but you've had a child this whole time?"

"Hey!," replied Ray, "First off, don't be so loud I don't want my daughter to hear things like that. Second, at least I take care of my child and can own up to it. So quiet!"

Before Prodigy could respond Princeton asked Ray one more question, "So why is she here Ray?"

"Well," he responded, "When I came back from dropping off Zoe and Roc I saw Bella watching the news and they were reporting a car crash," Ray began to get choked up, tears welled up in his eyes. "I recognized the car. I bought her that car when I bought her the penthouse, it was recked pretty bad. They said the driver was in terrible condition," Tears started to escape his eyes, "So, just to make sure, I went to the hospital to see if she was okay. And it was so much blood on her clothes and on her face, I was terrified. And then they pulled in another streacher and..... and..... it was my baby girl! She had her eyes open but I was still scared out of my mind. She ended up being okay but La'Shay is in a coma right now, and since I'm her father I might as well take care of her until she gets better."

Princeton pulled Ray into a hug as he continued to cry. Well, one question answered. he thought, "Can we see our niece?" asked Princeton. Ray sat up, whiped his tears, and nodded. He then opened the door, "Nicky," Ray said stepping into the room, "Yes Daddy?" a sweet voice answered back.

Once Princeton and Prodigy were in the room they saw a little girl with curly hair styled into a bun sitting on Ray's bed watching Dora the Explorer. She reseambled Ray a lot, she even had his skin color. Ray went to go sit next to her on the bed, "Nicky, this is your uncle Princeton and your uncle Prodigy,"

"Hi," she said to them.

"Guys, this is my daughter Nicole Mariah Smith."

"Hey Nicky," said Princeton.

"Hi Nicky," said Prodigy.

Just then Bella came up the steps with Roc, "Guys," he said, "Okay first, who is this little girl? Also, why are there paparazzi and news casters outside?"

"What?!" they all said in unison.

Prodigy opened the curtains and saw a crowed of people at their front door, "I knew this might happen," said Ray.

"Daddy, what's wrong?" asked Nicole.

"Nothing honey," he said pulling her into his arms, "Don't worry about it, okay?"

"Okay Daddy,"

Everyone was nervous. It wasn't going to be easy keeping secrets now.