Complicated

44. [Extended Ending]

It's been hours since the graduation shooting. In the waiting room, Kiloni turned on the news to see any follow ups about the graduation.

"Katherine Nguyen, reporting live from Millsap High School in Los Angeles, where just a few hours ago, in this stadium behind me, was a tragic shooting during the high school's graduation. In result, only two students have been critically injured; One, Chresanto August, was shot in the side of his neck while walking across the graduation stage, and Ilianeliz Wright was shot in the back in the head while sitting in the crowd of her fellow peers. Authories say that these two students were at gun point from two different high points of the school during the graduation. Both shots went off at the same time, leading to the investigation to have two criminals on the run, or maybe someone clever enough to set them off at the same time. Further investigation is now taking place throughout the district and we send support and condolences to Chresanto and Ilianeliz's families. Katherine Nguyen, signing off."

Michelle's eyes began to water. "Who would hold them at gun point? Who?!" Kiloni comforted her mom, hugging her, rubbing her arm and putting her head on hers. "I know, mom.. We're gonna find them, ok? No matter what it takes..," she said, reasurring Michelle as her voice cracked.

As most of them hoped, graduation signified that things were better and everything was good. Instead of all that, it was the start of things getting a little more complicated.

"I swear I saw someone on that roof.." Courtlen thought to himself. The twins fell asleep in the arms of their parents; Aidan with Abby, Imani with Courtlen. In another room, Ilianeliz was also in critical condition, but along worser lines than Chresanto. She was unconscious and due to wake up when she was doing better. In the room sat only her mom and Bahja. Ili's mom cried silently on one side of the bed while Bahja just looked at Ilianeliz on the other. Her face was puffy and drained from all the crying. At this point, Bahja had nothing left in her to cry anymore.

That night, nobody tried to leave Chres or Ilianeliz in that hospital alone. Michelle stayed in Chresanto's room and was dozing off as she held onto his hand; everyone else stayed in the waiting room. "You want me to take the twins home?" Abby questioned tiredly, resting on Courtlen's shoulder. He looked over at the twins in their two-seated stroller, sound asleep. "If your mom don't mind watching them.."

"She loves her grand babies. If she wants me to stay, I'll text you."

"Aight.." Courtlen softly ran his finger off each of the babies' cheeks, "bye y'all. Ima see y'all soon." Abby patted Courtlen's shoulder. He looked up at her; in his eyes, it was like him saying "that's it? A pat?" In response, Abby quickly looked away, "I'll see you guys soon." She started pushing the stroller to the exit. Courtlen took a deep breath, "Loni, can you tell ya friend to stop acting so stingy to a nigga.."

"That's all you care about? Did you forget that we're in a hospital for Chres?"

"How are you and him gon work out? Now that y'all are siblings and all? I haven't been paying attention." Kiloni tensely looked at the ground with her arms crossed. "I ain't tryna make you upset. I really wanna know. Y'all are better than Jerry Springer--"

"Nothing. Is going on. Ever since Jake disappearing, I've been single. Chresanto is my brother now. That's it."

"I gotta see it to believe it." Kiloni rolled her eyes at Courtlen.

Eventually, Michelle joined her kids in the waiting room so the doctors could run some tests on Chresanto. After testing for a while, one of the doctors met back with the family in the waiting room. "Chresanto?" He asked, reading his clipboard. Michelle's head popped up and turned around. "I'm his mom," she blurted. She stood up and walked towards the doctor, "..well?"