Turnover

11.

News did spread quickly , people knew, they whispered, talked and Derryck was suspended from the basketball team while things pended. Aziah wasn't banged up too badly , her minor cut was healing and the swelling went down , with the right makeup application she looked normal.

Dejounte still couldn't believe what he'd seen. Aziah didn't deserve that at all , he wanted to kill Derryck himself but he knew better , he wasn't worth that reaction.

The important thing to him was that Aziah was okay. He'd texted her this morning and she told him that she was fine and that even though she was a Duke Blue Devil she was rooting for him tonight.

Ever since the incident had happened a few hours prior she felt like something had changed in her. When a man puts his hands on you , it's traumatic to say the least.

She would have never have expected for him to do that , he'd called her but she hadn't picked up. She never would again.

Aziah never had trust issues , but now she feared that she might. Dejounte was a possibility , she knew it but they were countries apart and he'd been with her in a moment of weakness. It was embarrassing.  Also she didn't know him well. Derryck started off just like a prince charming too in their relationship but then he turned into something else, a monster.

Aziah sat up in her bed , she knew Kesi was watching her, ever since she'd told her , Kesi had been shocked , she couldn't believe it.

She also was being very protective of Aziah and extremely caring , she'd gotten her breakfast so she wouldn't have to leave the room and she'd rebuffed Derryck's other attempts to reach Aziah coldly.

Things were over , game over and they'd never be the same.

"I'm fine Kesi , stop staring."

She pleaded softly and Kesi nodded before lying back on her own bed and opening a book.

"Things aren't right Azi , but they'll be okay I promise."

Kesi comforted her , her words a blanket that Aziah wrapped around her shoulders.

Yet another side effect of her assault , Aziah felt exposed , naked. She'd always had high self worth but now she blamed herself for what happened. Why hadn't she fought harder to resist him pulling her out there? Why hadn't she stayed with her brothers? Why did she stay in a relationship so toxic?

She was so stupid. She held her mouth and deeply inhaled , she was in emotional turmoil and she felt like she was drowning but she was fooling herself into thinking she was fine , she wanted to be , she knew she should be.

Her dad had drilled that into her , it was a military mantra, never let them see you down , never let them break you , but she knew she was cracking.

She thought she was so strong but the more she thought of it , the more she crumbled , maybe she was weak , maybe her toughness had been an act.

She fell back into her pillows and exhaled quietly , her chest felt heavy. She felt a vibration and looked over at her phone. Carter was calling her , she declined it. She couldn't hear his anger, she couldn't feel his heat, it would only make her memories stronger.

Carter exhaled roughly and threw his phone on his bed.

"I can't believe he fucking touched her!"

He practically growled but Cartier didn't move , he was pissed too. Aziah was his baby sister , the princess of the family , she gave them hell sometimes but  she didn't deserve that.

He blamed himself , they were at that party , they knew Derryck would've done some stupid shit. They didn't save her; they were too wrapped up in whatever had their attention.

"I'm going to kill him."

Cartier sighed and got up , he joined Carter's pacing.

"You'd have to find him first, he skipped out , no one's seen him since last night."

Cartier held his head and sighed.

"I can't believe we have to play with that nigga, we should have made him stay away from her in the first place."

Carter patted his shoulder but didn't say anything.

Their father had always made sure they knew that protecting Aziah was of the utmost importance and they'd both failed.

Thankfully Dejounte had saved her when they couldn't , who knows what could've happened? Would they have even still had a sister if he didn't show up?

Carter shook the thought from his head.

"Man we owe D our lives, if something worse had happened to Azi..."

Cartier cut him off with a hand.

"Don't say that. Don't put that in the atmosphere. D's a good guy but why was he out there in the first place?"

Carter smirked.

"Dejounte's always had a thing for our sister, you and I both know it , he was watching her all night. Saw when it went down and tried his best to make it through the crowd to stop it. When he got out , he couldn't find them because Derryck had taken Aziah to the side of the building , he heard her screaming at him and followed her voice."

Cartier nodded, that appeased him. Dejounte was cool but he didn't want his sister to date anyone for a while , he knew this incident would affect her greatly.

When they'd gone to see her a few hours ago , she said she was fine and that she'd come to their game tonight but Cartier saw it in her eyes , she was acting , she was mentally and emotionally collapsing. He wanted to help her but he couldn't.

He could say any and everything to make her feel better but at the end of the day Aziah wouldn't hear it , as much as he hated it , the only person besides God that may help her heal is Dejounte.

He was with her in that moment , so they were bonded albeit by tragedy , they still were. He saw her , right through her , not a façade and not her normal self , he saw her at an extreme , her true form , only he could make her open up and he was leaving tomorrow morning.

"How much do you wanna bet that they'll be a thing?"

Cartier whispered his mind reeling off his thoughts, Carter's face stayed serious but his answer was anything but.

"I'll bet my life, the boy's had her in his sights for a while."

"Should we be scared?"

Carter shook his head at his twin's question.

"No , he's no Derryck , besides he seemed more upset than her when I talked to him this morning."

"Yeah he did Carter but what if you're wrong."

"Then , we know where he lives."

Carter and Cartier headed to the gym after being ignored once again by their sister.

Aziah turned over in her bed as a single tear silently fell.

Kesi watched her friend closely , she wished she could comfort her but she knew if she approached her , Aziah would ignore she was feeling anything.

Dejounte lay back on the bleachers of Cameron Indoor Stadium and looked up at the ceiling. He closed his eyes and said a prayer for the first girl he'd deemed beautiful, the one who he saw suffer a grave injustice. He asked God to protect and care for his angel.