The Coldest One

Tara

Zy: what hospital y'all at? We need to talk

I wonder if he really thought I was going to reply. On the inside I was laughing. This man's father just shot up my house and now Kyan is fighting for his life. He's lucky Kyan's safety was my only concern and I walked away peacefully like I did. The old Tara would've turned my living room into a damn cemetery.
There's a dark side to me Zyir didn't know of but was really close to meeting. His father shooting up my house didn't sit well with me at all. I knew from the jump that him and his father were on odds about him not continuing the family business. We hadn't been together long but over the last six months we had gotten pretty close. I knew all about his mother's death and the suspicion he had towards his father and stepmother's role in it. The day after her funeral he told his father he wanted to branch out on his own and that didn't go over well. I didn't know the oldman wasn't working with a full deck in his head, but it's cool because neither am I. When I whispered in his ear and placed a kiss on Mr.Banks' cheek I could see the flash of fear and recognition. Everyone in his position of power knew of me, they just didn't know what I looked like. Shooting up my house was disrespectful but shooting my brother woke up the beast I tried to put away.

At the age of sixteen I became a hired killer. Layla's dad took me under his wing after I killed my father. I'm not crazy, well actually yeah I kind of am. But years of abuse finally made me snap. My father and Layla's father, Chris, were partners delivering the purest coke across the 757. Everyone loved my father and thought we had the perfect family. High school football player married the head cheerleader when she announced her pregnancy graduation night. They gave birth to a girl and a boy living in a white neighborhood and on the outside appeared perfect. But only my mother , father , brother and I knew the truth. My father was far from the family oriented, nice guy they thought he was.
We were at Mr. Chris's house for dinner and while helping Layla set the table I dropped one of their good plates. It was an accident. Mr. Chris wasn't mad but my father was furious. He smacked me so hard across my face I blacked out, my ears were ringing Church bells. This was far from the first time he put his hands on me or my mother but the first time he did in front of other people. I was hurt and embarrassed. When we sat down to eat I couldn't stop mugging my dad. I tried to look away but I couldn't. Flashbacks just kept flooding my mind. My mother being tied up while he made us watch him rape her with a broomstick because dinner wasn't done, my little brother being beat with a wire hanger for leaving his toys out, me gasping for air as he held me under the water in the bathtub because I came home late from school. I was his daughter, he was suppose to be our protector yet we lived in fear of him. My brother Montae was eight years old and didn't talk. I couldn't take it anymore. My father must of felt my stare because he whipped his head in my direction and looked directly in my eyes. A smug smirk appeared across his face. In one swift motion I launched the knife I was supposed to be cutting my steak with into his heart. Blood started splattering all over the table. This time I smirked, not an ounce of remorse was felt as I heard the screams of everyone around us. My eyes connected with Mr. Chris's and in that moment he said he knew I was different. My eyes showed no emotion, no sympathy only coldness. He took me in and taught me to kill, precisely, quietly and brutally. I became his secret weapon and knives became mine.

"Who is this dude Tara ?" Travis yelled, bringing me back to the current situation. Spit was flying from his mouth as he paced the waiting room floor. I had to tell myself to count to ten before I spazz out and stab my best friend's husband. Trav and I go way back but he was really trying me right now. He already know how I get down and all this screaming in my face like I'm a child doesn't sit well with me at all. He was there that night and we both knew my father was dead. Layla must of seen the look on my face because she went over and whispered something in his ear. His face relaxed some as he looked back at me. Layla was special and sweet, she often had to play the mediator between the two of us. She was the only one that could tame the beast in him when his anger surfaced. I admit Travis was nothing to play with but neither was I. Sitting in the same position with the same look on my face, I stared back at him. "If my brother don't make it your dead bitch. I don't care how gansta your ass think you are. You brought that nigga in the circle and now my brother is fighting for his life!"

I opened my mouth to respond but was cut off by the last voice I wanted to hear right now.

"Make that the last time you threaten her." Everyone's head except turned in the direction of the door. I didn't need to look to know it was Zyir's voice. The sound of his voice once made my panties soak, but now it just irritated my soul. Despite Travis pissing me off these people are my family and one of them is fighting for his life right now. I didn't want to hear his voice or see his face because I was already having a hard time not slicing him up back at the house.

"Nigga you got a nerve coming here. Just like I told Tara if my brother don't make it these streets going to bleed heavier than a bitch straight out of childbirth. You and your punk ass daddy are the first two on my list."

  Before anyone could say anything the Doctor walked into the waiting room. The tension was heavy and you could tell he sensed it. We had been sitting here for hours and his face wasn't displaying good news. For the first time in a long time I felt sadness and worry.

"Family of Kyan Mathis?"

"That's us Doc." Miloh said softly getting up from her seat. With everything going on I forgot she was even here. You could see the fear on her face but even as disheveled as she was she still looked beautiful. Her crystal blue eyes were bloodshot red and swollen from crying. She pulled her thick curly red hair up into a high bun like she always did when she was anxious and rubbed her hands up and down her mocha toned arms.

"It was touch and go for a minute but Mr.Mathis is a fighter. He suffered six shots only three of them were serious. We were able to remove all but one. The last one has broken off and is lodge too close to his spine. Until he wakes up we won't know how serious it is. I need you to prepare yourself because he may never be able to walk again."

Miloh fainted as soon as the doctor finished his last words. Layla and I caught her just before she hit the floor. Travis snapped and attacked Zyir. My body went weak as security rushed in. The entire waiting room went black and all the noise faded out. That sad feeling was turning into anger and only my knives could make me feel better. I looked over at Zyir for the first time since he got here. Maybe love just wasn't for me because i knew in my heart I was about to kill the father of the only man I ever had feelings for.