All Grown Up (Sequel To WDE)

25.

I walked to Adam's room where I found him in the middle of getting dressed. I'm tired of being the nice guy. I'm tired of holding my tongue. Nobody has told me shit about what's going on and I need answers. I grab Adam by the front of his shirt and throw him down. "When the fuck you were going to tell me?"

The fear in his eyes quickly turned into a glint of hatred. "You act like it's my fault!" He gets up. "I was going to tell you, Z! I didn't have time and I didn't know how. I found out not too long ago myself."

I suck my teeth. "So you were gone tell me once they killed my ass that my ransom was up? I thought we were cool!" I puff up, growing more and more angry by the minute.

"Zeus ..." he pushes back his hair. "I'm sorry."

"That's all you can say? I'm gonna die and this is all you can say to me? I can't even trust you! " I push him.

"You can trust me!"

"No. You didn't even have the decency to tell me ... or even answer my questions I've asked you for weeks now. You kept blowing me off!"

He reaches to touch my shoulder. I swat it away. He sighs. I swing. He ducks. "I -" I start.

"Zeus."

I swing again, punching him in the cheek. "- trusted you!" I punch him again. "You lied to me! I'll probably never know if I can go home."

"Zeus -"

I punch him in the stomach.

"Zeus, man ..." he groans.

"You a bitch for that. I trusted you, Adam. You blew me off .. and... and I had to find out through the grapevine my time is pushed up. You knew and you told Bambi. You knew that and didn't give me my answers. You ignored me for days. You brushed me off! I can't trust anybody here!"

He coughs up a little blood. "Z... It's not like that. I didn't mean to -"

"Save that shit!"

He glares up at me, sitting up. "You know what? All you do is bitch and complain about your life! You don't think I'm going through something too? Maybe I tried to save your ungrateful ass! Oh wait, I have! Since we've met I've been trying to protect you! "

"Protect me? You can't even protect yourself! You're softer than a stripper's ass, A. I protect you. But obviously I can't even get your trust."

"You're so oblivious. You should take your head out of your ass, it's not a hat! "

"Fuck you!" I start to walk away. "Clean yourself up for your wife."

"At least I have someone willing to be with me."

I stop in my tracks. "What?"

"I saw your proposal to Bambi."

"And? Leave her out of it."

He shakes his head. "You brought Maya into this. "

"You don't even care about Maya! You don't care about anybody but yourself! "

"I know you're just lashing out because your angry, so I'm going to let you rant. You can yell at me all you want, beat me up, cut me down, whatever. It won't change anything. I won't help you anymore."

"Fuck you and your friendship, Adam. I don't want to see you again in my life. I hate you."

"Fuck you too, bitch."

We lunge at each other, angrily fighting on the floor. I don't know why I'm mad, but I'm so tired of being treated like I deserve to be the last to everything. Last to know, last to be picked, last place, etc. I punch Adam like I wish I could fight my family for treating me like I never mattered since birth. Maybe that's why I'm really mad. Some men grab me off of Adam and chain me up until the wedding starts.

- The Major Wedding(s) : 2nd part of the ceremony

I sat on the sideline as the wedding began to take place. My wrists are itching against the irritating, heavy chains. The collar on my neck makes me feel subhuman. It reminds me of the pain of my ancestors. They don't trust me here, but I'm here to witness the spectacle that's about to take place.

I look around and immediately notice Bambi's hard work as some sort of wedding planner. The middle eastern flair of the room shines as greens, golds, reds, blues, yellows, etc sparkle and illustrate a sort of Alladin fantasy.  I chuckle softly, noticing how beautifully she orchestrated this with such class. The women walk in one by one in their Bam-designed dress, lighting up the room like her eyes. Even the brothers look presentable. I see Adam trying to catch my eye, pissing me off all over again. I roll my eyes. I catch a glimpse of my reflection in a glass. My beard is at full length, my hair tied back, my skin deep In complexion. Am I as much of a man as I appear?

As the brides and grooms link up, the sinking feeling of knowing what's to come creeps up. I try to shake it off for the moment. Bambi weakly smiles at me, but I look away.

The ceremony drags on until it's almost time for them to seal the deal.

"You may now kiss -"

"Wait!" Adam yells suddenly. I look up from the floor. The whole building puts their eyes on him. His brothers glare at him.

Adam, growing conscious of everyone, clears his throat. "I can't marry you,  Maya."

"Adam," Aamir  starts.

"If it's about love, you can learn to love her," Abraham starts.

"It's not that, " he waves them off. "This is wrong! I can't marry you ... Because I'm in love with someone else."

Maya looks down, causing Aamir to raise a brow. "Then who is this person?"

"They're here, " Adam looks down. I look around. Who is it?

"Then marry them, " Abraham laughs.
"This person ... I've been in love with for some time now. It hasn't been long; however, I know it's real. At least for me anyway. I've treated them wrong because of you guys and I hope they can forgive me." He turns to the crowd. "Their eyes light up my darkness, their laugh is a Symphony, their intelligence is unmatched, their story - unbelievable. They made me feel accepted. Loved. Wanted. Maybe they could never reciprocate the love I'll give them, but I'm deeply, madly in love with this person."

He walks towards me. I look behind me for this chick. He reaches me, whispering in my ear. "Follow my lead."

He turns to everyone else. "I'm sorry, but this is who I am. I'm in love. And when you're in love you can't be caged like a bird." He kisses me in front of everyone while untying me. "I'm in love with you, Zeus. Forgive me." I break free. The gasps and shock fills the room.

"Adam!" The brothers yell.

He turns to me. "Run!" We take off into the night.

"Run as far as you want! Your dad may be here, but he can't save you! " Abraham yells behind me.