STAY - PAUL GEORGE

15

Julianna Coley

"She's awake.." My fathers voice spoke out.

My eyes fluttered opened in excitement. I was a daddy's girl at heart. His eyes met with mine and he jumped off his chair. "I'm so happy you're awake honey"

I smiled rubbing my forehead. My forehead was giving me sooo much pain. "Ya, I'm just glad you're here daddy" I said back.

My mama let us have our moment, but that didn't mean I didn't love her as much. She wrapped her arms around my neck, "You good?"

"Eh, My forehead hurts but I think I'll be fine" I said back. They seemed so happy, it was almost unusual. But then again if a loved one is in the hospital you want nothing but the best outcome, and right now I could feel better, but I'm happy to be where I'm at. Things could've been a lot worse.

"Is Cynthia okay?" I asked all of a sudden.

They nodded their heads, "Physically yes, but she ain't been talking to no one. I don't know what to say to her because we still don't know what happened" my mama said back.

I know Marcus meant a lot to her. They were together for two years. He was a good guy until he started doing drugs and selling weed. After that I dislike him because he was a negative influence on her. She needed someone to make her better. You always need that.

"Oh," I sighed staring at the wall. I was just so worried about my best friend. "Where is she?"

"She's outside. They said they can't let her in until you woke up" My dad explained.

"Well, can you guys get her for me please?"

"Ya, baby" He went over to the door.
"Cynthia! She's awake" My dad yelled.

My mom glared at him, "Karl you acting as if we were at home this is a hospital you can't be yelling like that" She scolded him. My dad nodded his head, but I knew he thought he hadn't done anything wrong. My dad had his own ways, and he ain't gonna change.

Cynthia peeked her head inside the room. She smiled running up to my side. She had bruises on her cheeks, and she had stitches on the top of her eyebrows. If I saw Marcus again I was going to beat his ass. You can mess with me, but with the people I love.. nope.

"Are you okay?" We both said at the same time.

"You go" I said to her.

"So you're good?" She smiled. 

I nodded my head, "Ya I'm good. My forehead hurts a little bit, but I think if could've been a lot worse."

She nodded her head in agreement. "Sorry about what happened, It won't happen again." She didn't need to apologize though. It wasn't her who decided to jump on top of me. It was Marcus, and she didn't need to take responsibility for his actions.

I shook my head, "I love you, but sometimes I wonder what you're thinking. You didn't cause this, okay?"

I saw tears slip out her eyes, "I can't believe I was in love with that monster" She cried out in my arms.

My hands rubbed her back as she continued to let it all out. It seemed like she had been holding it in for the longest time. It broke my heart seeing her like this. She was good. She had something going on with Melo, she was glowing, she was happy at the bakery. She was just genuinely happy and then some clown from her past walks in and ruins that. That ain't fair at all. If you decide to walk, don't plan on coming back. Simple as that.

She broke the hug and she wiped her eyes, "Anything I can do for you?" I asked genuinely concerned on her well being.

"Can we put the Thunder game on?" My dad interjected. That's where I got my love for basketball, and I knew he didn't want to miss a game.

I obliged as I scrolled through the available channels. "Stop" My dad said as I had landed on the correct channel. This was the best remedy. I had a bad day and now I get to see Paul play.

Cynthia wiped the remaining tears off her face, "Let's go Melo" She whispered to herself so my parents wouldn't hear a thing. We exchanged glances as my attention was now on the flat screen TV. All I wanted was for them to win. They're more than capable of doing that.

"Now presenting the starting lineups." Paul wasn't there. "As you can see there has been a change, Paul will not be playing due to a personal problem. So they will now slide Melo over to the three and Jerian will play PF" The announcer commented.

"It was a late game scratch, I'm being told.."

I furrowed my eyebrows as I reached over for my phone. Almost falling in the process. "Why ain't PG playing?" My dad asked curiously. I swear sometimes he thinks I'm the human version of google always asking me the most random things.

"I don't know" But I wanted to know why he wasn't.

Julianna 💕
Paul why ain't you playing?

I wouldn't be as entertained if he was playing. I still wanted the Thunder to win, but I just didn't get the same excitement if Paul was out there playing. After a few seconds my phone buzzed. I had to remind myself to mute it.

Paul 🐐❤
Relax. Are you okay?

Julianna 💕
I'm fine. But what happened?
Are you okay?

Paul 🐐❤
I'm okay if you're okay.
I was worried about you,
so I flew back to OKC to
check on ya.

I smiled, and I smiled hard. He didn't have to do that. Especially just for me. But I was glad he came. My mama caught me, "Girl, did you win a grand or something?" She joked.

I shook my head laughing, "I wish!"

Cynthia and my dad turned to us and glared. They were really invested in the game. "Talking about I love basketball" My dad mocked me.

"Daddy, I do it's just my favorite player ain't playing" I explained.

"Steven is playing," He tried to correct me. I always used to switch up on who my favorite Thunder player was. It was hard to keep track of.

"No, It's Paul" I smiled.

Cynthia coughed as she grinned. She was cheesing and it was obvious we were hiding something from them. "What are y'all hiding?" My mom asked us. "Remember we don't bite"

"Nothing mama" I said back. Sure we were cheesing and stuff. But technically me and Paul weren't dating, so there was nothing to tell. We were just friends who occasionally kiss and that was that.