Chapter 23

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I M A N I ' S < P O V

I ain't care nothing about what Malique was talking about. I wanted to hear from Jonah and go from there. I was drunk but I remembered everything from last night and I hoped it was all a bad dream but I woke up and saw Malique's eyes, which told me it was in fact not a bad dream and real.

The emotions I was feeling were so conflicted. I didn't know how to feel. I was upset. Upset at the fact that I've been in a relationship with a person who possibly caused me to go through one of the hardest times in my life. I didn't know how Jonah would feel about this.

I didn't wanna throw away me and his friendship, but if Malique really was the one who shot him, I don't see us ever being able to get past that.

Do I leave Malique because of the loyalty I still felt towards Jonah?

I pulled up to Jasmine's house and Jonah's car was in the driveway so I knew that he was home. Jasmine told me he wasn't doing so well. His nose appeared broken but he didn't want to go to the hospital and his lips were swollen. But he was more upset about being shot than anything.

I got out the car and knocked on the door.

Jasmine came to the door and rolled her eyes. "Now isn't a good time Imani."

"Did he tell you what happened the night he got shot?" I asked her as I walked in the house.

"He doesn't need to. All I need to know is that your boyfriend did it. And he seems pretty confident that Que did it."

"Well come on." I ignored her comments about Malique. I didn't have anything to say. That was her brother of course she believed him. And if I'm being honest, I know Malique did it too. Between Jonah's reaction last night, and the way Malique was this morning, everything says he did it.

Jasmine followed me upstairs and I knocked on Jonah's door and walked into his room.

"What Imani." He didn't even look up from his bed.

"How'd you know it was me?"

"Jasmine told me she just got off the phone with you. I figured it was only a matter of time before you came with questions."

"Well then answer." I sat at his desk as Jasmine sat on his bed. "We're all ears."

"When I was shot, I saw a tattoo on the guy's forearm. Killa K." He started. "And I already suspected that it was Malique because the niggas voices were similar, as well as his build to the nigga who shot me but last night-" he trailed off and got up from his bed and I was finally able to see his face. "I seen his tattoo, same exact place as the nigga who shot me. Same font, same color. It was him." A single tear escaped down my cheek. I was so conflicted right now and didn't know how to feel.

"Look though real shit. I reacted without thinking. I was angry. But I ain't got no beef with yo nigga." He continued and my breath got stuck. "Being down in New Orelens the way I was I got a taste of what it was like to be that nigga. So now I know more. I ain't give that nigga his money. That's asking for death in the eyes of the streets and I understand that now." He looked me in my eyes and then into Jasmines.

"I don't want this shit to break yall up. Imani, we're not together anymore. You didn't know, it wasn't done out of spite and for that... I have nothing to say. I'd never make you choose between me and ya man over some shit that happened years ago and that I now understand the rules of. And Jasmine, I know how you coming behind me, and if Imani stay with that nigga after this I don't want to stop being cool because of that. It's cool. I'm cool. I'm alive, and that's all that matters."

"But you could've died." I stated.

"And it wouldn't have been nobody's fault but my own. I own up to my mistakes. I was never supposed to be in the streets at that young of an age. I ain't give niggas they money back, shit happens. But I'm alive and I really do this shit now." Jonah gave me a warning stare. He didn't have to say, I knew exactly what he was saying.

"Jasmine let me talk to Imani." Jasmine walked out of his bedroom without saying two words to me, and once she was gone, Jonah pulled me out of his chair and into his lap.

"I love you Imani. And I don't think it'll ever change. But I also get that you're in love with someone else now. He treat you good right?" He asked and I nodded. "Then real shit that's all that matters to me." This right here is what I meant. Jonah has always had the purist love for me. As much as I loved Malique, I didn't think I could get this from anyone else.

"I love you Jonah, thank you, for everything." He nodded his head and leaned in to kiss my lips, and I kissed him back. It lasted about 5 seconds. I got up from his lap, tears threatening to fall. I didn't see the kiss as anything but a goodbye kiss. We would never get back together, but we would always have a friendship, no thanks to Malique.

I walked out of Jonah's room and went to search for Jasmine.

"So I know he said not to worry, but are you? Are we still friends, even though I'm not leaving Malique?" I ask Jasmine who I found in the kitchen.

When Jasmine didn't answer me I got worried.

"Yes Imani. Were locked in for life. I just, don't wanna be around your boyfriend if that can be arranged?"

"You got it."

"You do know though... had my brother decided to go the other route, I would have rode for him." I did know that. Jonah had all the power to turn my life upside down and he didn't. I know he wanted his revenge but he decided not to, because of his love for me.

"I know." I shook my head. Grateful for this outcome. Now I had to deal with this cry baby I had back at home.

+++

"See you decided to come home." I heard the second I opened the front door and rolled my eyes to the sky. He was starting to aggravate me more and more.

"Yeah, had I been you I would've been out all night and not called." I threw back as I sat my purse down on the end table next to the door along with my keys.

"You got some shit you wanna get off yo chest Imani." His eyes never left the TV.

"Yeah I do actually." I looked at him and he didn't move a muscle. "I wanna break up." I lied and the way his head snapped to me pretty much immediately.

"Fuck you say?" He looked me in my eyes and I shook my head with a slight smirk.

"Nothing baby. I got your attention?" I asked as I made my way over to him and sat down next to him on the couch.

"Why you playing with me." He relaxed back in his seat, eyes going back to the football game on the TV.

"Did you shoot Jonah?" I asked him, causing him to look me in my eyes. I wanted to know if he would lie. I mean he shouldn't, right?

"Yeah I shot him." He admitted.

"When did you figure out who Jonah was?"

"After I left your house for the time. He looks different but I know my bodies."

"And you didn't say anything?"

"What was I supposed to say? Hey mamas, I shot your boyfriend all those years ago and made him bedridden." He scoffed and I rolled my eyes. When I didn't say anything for a while he spoke again. "He looking for war?"

"No actually. He's gonna let it go." He scoffed listening to me speak.

"Why? Because of you."

"Exactly because of me."

Yeah." He shook his head and I got up from the couch and headed to the shower. 

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