Mirage (A Chris Brown Story)

Chapter Seventeen.

Arielle's p.o.v.

You know how they say that pride is what ruins people? That fact becomes evident the moment that I realize that I should probably return back to Chris and apologize for this whole thing, but I don't. I don't because, call me childish, but I want my fairy-tale ending. I want for him to march to wherever I am and demand that I go back with him because he can't live without me or some corny shit like that. However, being as though I know Chris, he wouldn't do that. He may be the sweetest guy ever but he's put  himself out there enough when it comes to me. Practically our whole relationship, if you can call it that, has been out on him. He's been the one to save me from my demons, although most of them didn't leave with Ramon as I assumed they would, and reassure me of things that I'd never even considered. It wasn't his responsibility to fix this mess that I'd caused. It was my responsibility, but that's where pride comes in. Putting myself out there and admitting that I was in the wrong isn't something I have ever done or that I plan on doing.

So because of that I found a run down motel room with a lumpy bed and peeling ceiling for MiMi and I.

As I look over at Baby Girl, sound asleep on the dingy burgundy comforter, I can't help but wonder how I'm going to pull this off. I've  been taking care of Baby Girl for as long as I can remember but never when I've truly been on my own. Eventhough Sharon was a shitty guardian it was still reassuring to know that I could say that I wasn't really alone. How was I going to get steady money for us? I haven't showed up for my job at the diner in the longest time, so I'm pretty positive that that's out of the question. School starts back up in a month or so so once that happens what am I going to do with Baby Girl? I can't just leave her alone in this sketchy room for hours. This is going to be alot harder than I thought.

As if by some miracle or sign from God the moment that this thought ran through my mind my phone began to ring, obnoxiously loud. I'd be a bald face lie if I said that a small...okay large part of me was hoping that it was Chris calling me. But I was pleasantly surprised that it was the one and only Eboni's name flashing across the screen.

I take a moment to contemplate whether or not I'm going to pick up because, don't get me wrong, I love my girl Eboni but I'm not quite sure she'll understand where I'm coming from. So because of this reason I allow my phone to keep ringing until the voicemail kicks in. Less than five minutes later my phone is ringing again. And then again. She calls me seven times, and then the ringing stops causing me to assume that she wised up and realized that I'm not in the mood to talk. However that isn't the case because immediately after the ringing stopped a text message came in on my phone. From who you may ask? My lovely best friend who I love so much that one day it will literally kill me.

'I'd ask why your punk ass is ignoring me, but since I know said punk ass, I know that you're most likely too deep in your punk ass thoughts and emotions to pick up your phone.'

I get ready to reply with a 'fuck off' when another text comes in.

'Lemme rephrase that, I love you and I'm here for you...so get your lil punk ass over here '

***

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I ended up on my best friend's couch eating a large tub of chocolate ice cream and watching The Titanic.

"Did this dumb ass bitch really just promise to never let go and then let go five seconds later?" Eboni screamed at the t.v. as the credits began to roll  "Plus, all her fat ass had to do was move the fuck over and let him on the damn raft! "

I raise an eyebrow at her as I reply, "E, the raft would have sunk if they both would've gotten on it and they would've both died."

She turns and looks at me as if I'm the stupidest person in the world, "Then they would've died and froze their asses off together in the name of love, but there is no reason why his fine ass had to die alone!"

We look at eachother in silence for a few seconds before we crack up laughing.

"You're so fucking stupid!" I tell her, wiping the tears from my eyes.

"Yes, but you love me and my foolishness."

Now that I can't disagree with.

She takes a deep breathe before a serious look takes over her face, "And I love you and your foolishness, which is exactly why I'm gonna ask you why Chris came over here earlier looking for you."

Yupp, there it is. I knew it was coming, I've been hanging out with E for a few hours now and she hadn't once mentioned Chris.

I sigh before saying, "I don't know girl, I just couldn't do it. It was too much."

She opens her mouth, most likely to tell me how much of a 'punk' I'm being, but I cut her off, "Look you don't get it, it's been just me and Baby Girl for so long and- "

"Let's not feed me that 'you don't understand' bullshit okay? You out of all people know how much of a mess I was before I met Jay."

Jay was Cameron's dad who died in a car crash when Cammy was only a few months old.

"-and I don't regret anything, even though things didn't work out like I would've liked them to, I had the best two years of my life and I got my beautiful baby boy out of it. Ari I'm not trying to tell you what to do with your life because, as much as I play around, I would never do that. However, I am saying that it sure as hell doesn't hurt to take a leap of faith every once in a while. "

I don't miss the hurt look that passes over her face as she speaks of her first love and their tragic love story. I reach over to her and squeeze her hand.

She offers me a sad smile as tears start to stream down her face, "It gets hard sometimes, ya know? Our anniversary is coming up in a few days too."

'I'm sorry E."

She wipes her eyes and exhales before she speaks again, "But that's the thing, I'm not sorry. Sure I feel a lot of pain now, but none of that even amounts to the joy that I feel when I think about all of the good times that we shared. It would be disrespectful to him to regret loving him simply because we didn't have our cliche happily ever after."

The tears kept falling as she sniffed, "Ari, I love you and I'd just hate for you to live your life wonder what if. It's okay to fall, because believe me when I say that even if he doesn't catch you I will. That's what sisters are for."

And as she says those final words I feel as sob rack through my body. I practically throw myself into her arms and give her a hug.

I seriously love this girl so much, through thick and thin she's been there for me even at times when I can be the shittiest friend in the world.

Once we both get all of our tears out we let go of eachother and chuckle lightly.

"Alright, enough of this sappy shit, I'm gonna go get some more icecream out of the freezer and then we're gonna watch Channing Tatum shake his sexy ass in Magic Mike." she tells me as she hops up off of the couch.

"He can Magic Mike me any day." I mumble under my breathe.

"Yess honey! I'd be like a magician and work that magic stick all night long! Abracadabra Big Daddy! Abracadabra!" Eboni screams from the kitchen, shaking her wide hips.

"Ellie, I like magic!" Baby Girl exclaims walking out of Cammy's room.

"Oh my God, no!" I chuckle, giving E a look that says that this is all her fault, to which she simply shrugs.

***

And there you guys go. FINALLY! Lol I'm so sorry!

Anyways I'm sorry if this chapter is shit, I literally was not feeling this at all. I was trying to write it and it just wasn't coming together the way I wanted it. Please stick with me, I'm tryna get back into the groove of things.

So tell me what you guys think! What do you think Ari should do? Did Eboni give her some good advice? Do you guys like Eboni? Do you want to know more about Eboni & Jay's story?  Comment and lemme know!

Next Chapter: Arielle goes job searching and deals with a hard time when she forgets a really important occasion.

10 comments and 20 votes for the next chapter!

-CeCe Monae