Furthest Thing

Chapter 13

Harmony
We arrived in Arkansas early that Friday morning. I was so happy to be back home. As much as I didn't want to admit to myself, I love coming home to Arkansas. We pulled up to my mom's mini mansion in the suburbs.
"So you grew up here?" Aubrey asked.
"Not necessarily. We moved here when I was in 9th grade." I replied, getting out the rental car.
"My babygirl!" My mother ran outside. "Oh, you look so gorgeous!" She said, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug.
"Hi mommy. I miss you so much." I smiled.
"Oh, I miss you too." She released me. "And this is Mr. Aubrey, I'm guessing."
"Hey ma." He chuckled, hugging my mom.
"Where's Lauren and Anthony?" I asked.
"Lauren went to the store to grab some things for dinner and Anthony's upstairs." Mom grabbed my hand. "Come in, y'all. Y'all can get the bags out the car later."
Mom walked us into the house and to the kitchen.
"Anthony!! Come say hi to your sister!" Mom yelled up the stairs. "I'm making tacos tonight."
"Cool, I love tacos." Aubrey said, taking a seat next to me at the island.
"So how's work for you two? I know y'all been too busy to come see me, apparently."
Aubrey chuckled. "It ain't even-"
"Harmony!" A voice yelled.
I turned to see my baby brother Anthony, walking in the kitchen.
"Oh my gosh! Ant!" I yelled, running and hugging my brother so tightly. "I miss you so much!"
"I miss you too, sis." He squeezed me.
I stepped back and looked at him. "You're so tall now and you look so handsome with your thot haircut." I laughed.
He smirked. "The girls like it. You see how big I got?" He flexed his muscles.
"Oh yeahhhh, that's what mommy was talking about. The baby muscles."
He laughed and threw his arm around my shoulder. "Yeah, yeah. Ma don't know what she talking bout."
We walked back over where my mom and Aubrey was.
"Anthony, this is my boyfriend Aubrey." I introduced them.
"What's up man? I'm a big fan." Ant said, shaking Aubrey's hand.
"I appericate it. Even though you make me look small." He chuckled. "How tall are you?"
"Last time we went to the doctors, he said I was 6'4"."
Aubrey nodded his head. "So you play any sports?"
"Football. I'm a wide receiver for my high school."
"Ma?!" Another voice yelled.
"In the kitchen!" Ma yelled back.
I heard Lauren's footsteps get closer then she stopped. "Sissy!" She screamed, running into my arms. "Oh my gosh! I miss you so much!"
"I miss you too, babygirl."
She pulled away and walked towards Aubrey. "Hi, I'm Lauren."
He smiled and pulled her into a hug. "I'm Aubrey."
"You should know I stalk all your fan pages to see if your cheating on my sister, so don't slip up." She patted his back. "Ma, I'll bring the groceries in." She walked out the kitchen.
"Well, she's nice." Aubrey joked.
"Yeah, she's not the easiest cookie in the container to break." Anthony said.
"Just give her time. She's just overprotective of Harmony, that's all." Ma said, wiping down the countertops.

Drake
"So how do you like my family?" Harmony asked, from the bedroom.
I wrapped the towel around my waist and walked out the bathroom. "They're... interesting."
She giggled. "I bet yours is way worse."
"My ma is. She's a difficult one." I sat next to her on the bed. "I'm glad we came though."
"Yeah, I thought it was about time you stopped being a secret." She responded, laying the book she was reading on the nightstand.
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in." I spoke.
In walked Harmony's mom with two water bottles in her hands.
"Figured you guys would be thirsty before bed." She sat them on the desk. "Y'all comfortable?"
"Yes mommy, we're comfortable." Harmony said.
"Okay, okay. Just making sure. We're having movie night tomorrow. Lauren's bringing her little friend & so is Anthony."
I laughed. "Little friend?"
"I'm sure they're not that serious yet."
Harmony laughed as well and got under the covers. "Goodnight ma."
"Goodnight baby. Goodnight Aubrey." She said, walking out.
"Goodnight ma." I turned off the lamps on the nightstand. "Baby?"
"Huh?"
I leaned over and kissed her cheek. "You're not sleepy, are you?"
She yawned. "Yeah. After taking Lauren shopping and going to Anthony's practice, I'm exhausted."
I chuckled. "Alright. Goodnight."
She turned towards me and kissed my cheek. "Goodnight."
*
"So how do you like touring the world and whatnot?" Lauren asked, dipping her bacon in a pile of syrup.
"It's straight. Stressful but it's fun." I answered, drinking my orange juice.
"No phones at the table Anthony." Ma said. "You know better."
He stuffed his phone in his pajama bottoms. "My bad. My girl was asking what she should wear tonight."
"What's her name?" Harmony said, walking back into the dining room.
Anthony smirked. "Her name is Krystal."
Lauren rolled her eyes, making me laugh.
"Krystal gets around." Lauren stated.
"Lauren!" Ma widen her eyes.
"Don't spread rumors about people."
"That's not a rumor, it's true. She slept with 5 guys in like a month. Just pitiful."
"Look Lo," Ant said. "That's your last time talking about her."
Lauren grabbed her plate and stood up. "Whatever. Ain't my fault you like a hoe." She whispered.
Harmony and I heard her but I don't think Ant did cause he continued to eat his breakfast.
I cleared my throat. "So um, what are we doing until movie night tonight?"
"We can drive around and see the place where I grew up. I ain't been here since college."
"Alright. Let's go."

Harmony
I was so glad I decided to go buy Aubrey & I some coats and warm clothing because it gets colder faster in Arkansas than Atlanta.
"It wasn't this cold yesterday." Aubrey said, getting in the drivers seat.
I shrugged and buttoned my pea coat. "That was yesterday."
We sat as we waited for the car to warm up.
"That Anthony is something. else, ain't he?" Aubrey spoke.
I chuckled. "Him & Lauren always bicker like that."
As we drove towards the highway, Aubrey's phone kept vibrating in his lap. I ignored the first couple of times, understanding his career. But after the tenth time, I got annoyed.
"Aubrey, you know I don't like when you text and drive." I simply stated.
He looked over to me and back to the road. "My bad, Debra got all these shows set up. She just trying to OK them with me before she book em."
I just nodded. We pulled up to the gas station and he turned off the car.
"I'm not pumping the gas." I said.
He knows good and damn well I never pump the gas when we're together.
"Can you go pay for it? Gosh, have do I pump gas that ain't been paid for yet? What's up with you, ma?"
I rolled my eyes and got out the car. I paid for 30 and went back to the car to see him putting the gas guzzle in the car. I got back in the car to see Aubrey's phone vibrate again.
Look at the phone, I thought.
No, I trust him.
It wouldn't hurt to just see who it is.
My thoughts took me over as I reached over and picked up his phone. It was a unsaved number texting but due to his privacy settings, all I could see is that it was a iMessage.
"What you doing?" He asked, getting back into the car.
"I was finna give you your phone. It vibrated again." I held up his phone.
He grabbed it and looked at me weird. "Cool. Thanks."
He started the car and we went off down the street.
I ain't dumb. That clearly wasn't Debra.

This is another filler chapter.
Lauren and Anthony to the side.