Safe Haven ( August Alsina x Janet Jackson )

18

Bentley

After breakfast at my house and Aliyes family and mine mingling it was about time for us to catch our flight to Miami.

"Everybody ready?" I looked around at Aliye, Robyn, and Kendall.

"Yes, we're ready." Kendall asked followed by a cough.

"You good woe?" I arched my eyebrow.

"I'm straight." His eyes shot daggers at me. He hated talking about his condition in front of Robyn. It was bad enough that he was forced to tell her due to him having to explain why his hair had fallen out and why he couldn't attend shows like he had at one point.

"So we should get going." Aliye spoke, breaking the awkward silence that fell between us all.

The flight to Miami wasn't that long but it seemed to be. Between fans approaching us every so often, Kendall's coughing which he swore up and down was fine, and my mind racing a mile a minute telling me this trip was gonna be bad. All bad.

We finally arrived to Ft. Lauderdale airport and it was a breath of fresh air being in Miami weather. A little bit of sun was always a guarantee in Florida. We took a uber to the Hilton hotel we were staying at. Robyn and Ken had their own room and Aliye and I had our own. Our birthdays were tomorrow but tonight Aliye said she wanted to sit in and spend time with me. Plus Kendall was already coming down with something and we weren't trying to push it.

"Baby." Aliye called from the bathroom while I put our belongings away.

"Yeah?"

When she didn't answer I decided to just go see what she wanted. "Ye- baby what happened?"

Upon entering the bathroom she was in full nudity balled up into the fetal position in the shower and there was small dots of blood on the ground.

"I can't.. I can't." She shakily breathed out.

I kneeled down in front of her forcing her to look at me. "What's wrong Aliye, talk to me? I ain't neva seen you like this before I'm worried."

"I f-feel like I'm suffocating Bent." She choked. "I'm suffocating."

"Come here." I scooped her up in my hands bridal style and noticed that the blood was from a cut on her vagina. She was clearly trying to shave before she started panicking. We'd handle that later though.

I took her to a wall of the hotel room and sat down on the ground with her. "Put your legs up on the wall baby and push your butt all the way to the wall."

She did what I instructed but looked at me like I was crazy. "I'll do it with you." I got in the same position as her and held her hand, her hands were still shaking. She was still panicking. "Okay close your eyes."

She did as I said and tears were still rolling down to her ears. "Pay attention to how you feel. How do you feel right now?"

"I-" Before she could get another word out she broke down crying.

"Don't focus on nothing except for how you feel in this very moment."

"Do I say it out loud?" She asked through her cries.

"If you want."

She fell silent and I squeezed her hand to reassure her that I was listening and here for her.

"As of lately my anxiety has been through the roof." She said quietly. "Right now I feel like I have no control over anything. I'm trying to figure out my own life but trying to be strong for everyone around me." She took a deep breath and I don't even think she realized how much calmer she was becoming. "I mean I'm just about to be nineteen and I shouldn't feel like this. I'm overwhelmed."