The Professor

10: Aaliyah

"Hey babe, will you stop by the store and get some more sweet tea on your way home? We're out."

"Kk."

I jumped out of the shower and lotioned down. I grabbed my AirPods off my dresser and called my mom.

"Hey Liyah, what's going on?" she answered.

"Nothing much, mommy! You got a minute to talk?"

"Yeah I'm just in here getting dinner ready. Is everything okay?"

"Kinda...I just need to tell you guys something. I should've told you months ago, but I was scared."

"Oh Lord, you and Andreyuh didn't run off and get married, did you?!"

"What?! No!"

"Oh. Well what is it then?"

"Okay, I need you to promise not to get mad or yell. And when I'm done, YOU have to relay the news to daddy. I can't deal with him."

"This can't be good. What is going on?!"

"Okay...whew! Alright. I withdrew from school and moved to Michigan with Dreyuh," I said so fast that I could barely get it out without my tongue getting tied.

"You did WHAT?!"

"You said you wouldn't get mad, mama!"

"Aaliyah Marie James!"

"After y'all left, I was getting death threats and hate mail on all my social media. After that person spray painted my car, it made me nervous as hell. Even the day I went to withdraw, some dude walked up to me harassing me about killing his frat brother. It was all too much. I couldn't stay there and be looking over my shoulder everyday. So when Drey left to come back to Michigan, I came too."

"Aaliyah..."

"And I handled it like a big girl. My apartments let me break my lease with no penalty. I didn't have to pay the termination fee and they returned my deposit. And I talked the university president into letting me withdraw without it messing up my transcript. And I got my money, well y'all money back from the classes. And mama, I got a job here. I'm a receptionist at the admissions office and I've already applied and have been accepted for the fall."

"Well..."

"Well what?"

"You got it all figured out. I wish you would've called me and talked to first. But it sounds like you've handled your business. You're technically an adult, so I don't know if I can get mad."

"I just didn't want y'all to talk me out of it, especially daddy. You know how he is."

"I'll have to talk to him, but you know he's gonna go off."

"That's why you have to do it. And I really did do it because of my safety, not because of Drey."

"Like I said, you're an adult. And as long as you get enrolled and finish your degree, that's what I care about the most."

"Graduating is my first priority, I promise."

"So you and Andreyuh are living together, huh?"

"I mean...yeah she already had an apartment paid for with her extra scholarship money. There was no use in me paying rent somewhere else."

"Okay..."

"Ma, you said you supported me."

"Shacking up is a little different, Aaliyah."

"It's cheaper! I can save so much money this way."

"I know...it's just...nevermind. Do you feel better? Has everything calmed down, you know with the threats?"