Scars. |✔️|

Chapter 29: Figure It Out

(So I published this chapter a couple of days ago, but half of it got deleted! So now I'm republishing it. I'm so sorry, I semi-want to cry! I'm really glad I backup my book, or I would be screwed.)
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Monday, July 29
Los Angeles, CA
6:30 AM

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The deafening sound of my alarm causes me to almost fall out of bed. I swear I will never get used to it, no matter how many times I wake up to it. Without looking at it, I unplug my phone and throw it on the bed. I've been trying to not look at my phone as soon I as get out of bed because I like to have some time away from reality. I walk to my bathroom, brush my teeth, and throw on the clothes that I picked out last night.

I grab my phone and see the same thing I see every morning. Except this time there are no missed calls from James. I haven't talked to him since the night everything went down. I don't know why I'm so mad at him. I just feel like if you don't think you can trust me then there is no reason for me to be apart of your life. It's that simple.

I open the text from Kenzie and silently giggle.

Kenz😘❤️: You ready for this?

Me: Nope. Honestly don't feel like dealing with adults who can't solve their own problems.

Kenz😘❤️: Same, but we gotta make that coin.

Me: True. But let me finish getting ready so I don't look a WHOLE mess.

Kenz😘❤️: Same, see ya!

Me: Peace!

I throw my phone back on my bed and finish getting ready. Once I'm done, I grab my stuff and walk out the door. No breakfast, no coffee, nothing. I haven't been eating much lately. For some reason I'm just never hungry. Plus, the thought of food makes me gag. I take the trek down to parking garage and unlock my car. I look around the back seat, turn on some music, and go on my way.

~~~

I let out a long sigh as I enter the sky-scraping UPS building. I hear my stomach growl as a reminder that I have not yet eaten anything. I shake it off and clock in. Today is gonna be a struggle, but it's another one of those things that I'm just gonna have to get over.

I'm thirty minutes early, as per usual. I absolutely hate being late, being early was the one good thing my father taught me. I walk to the quad and see Kenzie scrolling through her phone. Completely disconnected from the rest of the world. I sit my stuff down extra hard on the desk causing her to jump.

"Dang, Liy. You scared the mess out of me.

"My bad," I laugh. "Feeling any better?"

"Yeah, I still can't shake this cough. But it's not as bad as it was when we talked."

"Well that's good. Now, why the hell are you here so early? You never get here before me," I question.

"Chris had to be here early for a meeting. And I didn't feel like driving, so I just came with him-"

"Came with who?" Micah interrupts, as her and Kayla walk in.

"Um... an Uber driver. I had to come in an Uber this morning. My car wouldn't start," she says, looking at me with begging eyes.

"Well damn. Are you gonna get it fixed?" Kayla asks.

"Yeah, I'm taking her to get it fixed after work," I say, saving her ass.

"That's good, what is it with these damn cars?"

~~~

We are currently in a meeting talking about shipping concerns and ways to "please" the customers. Kayla, Micah, Kenzie, and I are all just sitting around, looking at our managers like dumbasses. The fact that we've been in here for hours and have gotten nothing done, amazes me.

The conversation starts to get intense and people start to stand up. Practically jumping across the table.

"Okay okay!" Chris screams. "Maybe we just take a break for the day."

"I'll email everyone later today with meeting times. We have to settle this before the meeting with the client next week. Have a nice day," Kenneth, one of the men about to jump the table, says.

I look down at my computer screen and see that it is 5:43. That not only means I'm working almost 45 minutes past my shift, it also means that I'm gonna miss my cycle class. On Mondays, I always go to an indoor cycling class that is very intense, but so much fun. I have to keep my body in shape at all times. Never know when your ass is gonna have to run.

"HELLO! AALIYAH!" Micah screams in my face.

"What?! Why are you screaming," I respond annoyed.

I fucking hate it when people scream in my face. And she knows that, so why the hell she would do something that pisses me off, I don't know. Probably because she doesn't give a shit.

"I mean there is literally no one else in this room. And your ass was off in Aaliyah Land. Plus Kayla and I want to go out to eat."

"Well, have fun. I'm not hungry."

"Since when are you not hungry? You fucking love food."

"What is that supposed to mean?! Am I not allowed to not be hungry? I mean I'm not judging you because you are hungry, so you don't need to judge me because I'm not hungry," I reply.

I honestly don't even know where that came from. I'm literally picking a fight about hunger. But like she didn't need to say that, it's okay to not be hungry.

"Okay damn, you didn't have to come at me like that. I know you didn't eat breakfast and I didn't see you eat lunch. That means that you haven't eaten all day. Just trying to help," she says throwing her hands up.

"Well stop trying to help," I say brushing past her, hitting her shoulder in the process.

I walk past Kayla and Kenzie who have confused looks on their faces. Kenzie mouths 'Are you okay' and I just shake my head no. She walks towards me with Kayla following her. She quickly turns around says something and continues walking. We grab our things from the quad and make our way out of the door.

As we walk to my car, we are completely silent. Every single feeling just comes plummeting down, all at once. I go back over everything that has happened to me in the past month. I was kidnapped, stabbed, found out about a new sister, left James, and lost my best friend.

"Can I ask you something?" Kenzie asks, breaking the silence between us.

"Yea?"

"Do you love James?"

"Yeah, I do. A little too much one might say."

"Then keep him. Don't give up. Don't get mad over shit he can't control," she says with a comforting voice. "Look Liy, when Christian left, I lost a piece of me. I don't wish that pain upon my worst enemy. And even though James is no Christian, I just understand how James feels. It's kind of like you're just... giving up."

"I know, but I don't know what to do. I'm getting angry at people for absolutely no reason, which means I'm eventually gonna lose everyone I have in the process. I just don't know what to do."

"How about call him?" she shrugs.

"I will, just not now. I'm not ready. I need to figure out some stuff before I try the whole relationship thing again."

"Well you figure it out, but don't drive yourself crazy doing so. And call him. He'll understand."

"I hope so."
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What y'all thinking about! How y'all feeling? I had some fun writing this chapter, it went in an unexpected direction but I'm not mad at it. Love you guys sooo much!

Hope you enjoyed chapter 29! Make sure to vote, comment, share, and follow me for more!

Stay tuned for Chapter 30... coming soon!

-Nadia❤️