Crumbling Paradise

/14/

Yooo so this chapter is meh😥 I'm sorry y'all but i tried.

Ion know what the f I'm doing with this shit😂😂😂

major mistakes up on this bitch yoh😯

Omniscient      
“And in other news a deadly fire broke out last night in one of the suburbs homes in Key West, Florida. This particular home is where the famous rapper Ski Mask the slump god’s ex husband Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy resided with his mother. Now the two were inside when the fire broke out apparently trapped in the kitchen. Luckily none of them perished in the fire and are currently recuperating in the general hospital. The fire is believed to have been started by angry Ski mask fans who are still upset about the betrayal of the ex-husband Jahseh Onfroy. However, no suspects have been arrested yet although investigations are still ongoi-.” The tv screen went black when the power button was pressed.

“A fire? Seriously?”

“Cleo fucked with me. She thought she did something with that pregnancy stunt? Yeah okay.”

“But you had to burn their house down? With them inside?” the younger rolled his eyes still shocked by the fact.

“She had to learn a lesson. You don’t disobey me and live to gloat about it.”

“Still the fire was a bit much. You aren’t satisfied with destroying his life you just had to destroy their house as well? Dude you’re a monster!” the younger laughed sipping on the whisky in his hands.

“Shut the fuck up Trevor! Dead men don’t talk you know. You might just end up six feet under for real this time if you keep running your mouth like that.” At those words the smirk vanished from Trevor’s face completely.

“Whatever. Just run me the rest of my money. I have places to be.” He stood up putting the glass of whisky on the expensive glass table. The other person grunted reaching over a bag and retrieving a wad of cash. The neatly stacked crisp bills got thrown at Trevor’s feet carelessly. He sucked his teeth bending over and picking up the money. He shoved the bills into his pockets rolling his eyes then strutted out the ridiculously expensive apartment. Some people were just pure evil. He shook his head ready to finally have his vacation to the Himalayas.

Meanwhile at the hospital, the group of friends waited anxiously for some type of news. Kentrell, Sheyaa, Kimetrius and his twin sister Kimberley, Omar and Gazzy who recently flown to Florida after getting the news. They’d been at the hospital for sometime and they wondered why the hell it was taking so long to get some news. The fire had been successfully put out but the damage was devastating. The furniture was all burned down, the flooring was messed up, windows broken, doors turned to ashes! Nothing was salvaged except the owners. They had both suffered minor burns on their bodies but the doctors were yet to assess the damage  caused by the smoke they inhaled.

“Onfroys?” a doctor announced in the waiting room. Kentrell woke the others up since he was the only one awake. They all approached the doctor with grim expressions waiting on some type of news. “Well Jahseh Onfroy is out of danger. The smoke didn’t do that much damage to him nor the baby. They are both safe.” He read from his clip board. Kentrell sighed in relief calming down a little.

“And Ms. Cleo doc? How is she?” Sheyaa asked getting the doctor’s attention. The man bit his lip letting out a sigh.

“Her burns weren’t that serious either but she did inhale a lot of smoke. She also lost a lot of blood from the fall she suffered. It cracked her skull open. I’m so sorry. She didn’t make it.”  The doctor shook his head as gasps came from the group of friends. Gazzy whimpered burying his face in Omar’s chest. Kentrell stumbled backwards on to the waiting room couch and dropped his head in his hands. Sheyaa stood transfixed on the spot too shocked to move while Kimetrius and his sister Kimberley held each other beginning to cry.

“What? Why y’all look like somebody died?” Tyquian asked anxiously as he stared at everybody. He’d gone to the cafeteria to get something to eat while grabbing a coffee for Kentrell. Nobody said anything.

“I’m sorry for your loss.” The doctor said before walking away. Tyquian’s eyes widened. “ Sheyaa? Trell? Somebody speak up.”

“Ms. Cleo is gone Ty.” Kimetrius choked out. Tyquian dropped his coffee his body shutting down in shock. Sheyaa was quick to snap out of his own shock to catch the younger man before he hit the floor. Kentrell gathered himself enough to call for help. Two nurses helped them taking Tyquian somewhere else for medical attention.

“Excuse me, Jahseh Onfroy is up and is requesting for a Kentrell?” a nurse announced looking around for said person. Kentrell felt his heart dip to his stomach. “ Is Kentrell here?” the nurse repeated looking around.

“Y-Yea.”he struggled to say.

“Oh, good come with me.” She ordered leading the way. Kentrell forced his legs to follow. He didn’t know if he had the strength to face Jahseh at the moment. He had barely recovered from the shock of the news he’d just gotten. “In here. Don’t exhaust him too much. He is still weak.” The nurse instructed then walked away leaving him to stand at the door looking stranded. He gathered everything he had then slowly opened the door slipping in. The steady beat of the heart monitor reached his ears the moment he entered the room. Jahseh turned to face him his eyes instantly lighting up at the sight of him. He reached for his face removing the oxygen mask. A weak smile was plastered on his lips.

“I’m glad you’re here.” He let out weakly putting his hand out for Kentrell. Kentrell bit the inside of his cheek letting a slow breath then walked over taking Jahseh’s hand in his. He pulled out a chair with his free hand and sat down.

“ How you feeling? You in any pain?” he tried so hard to keep his voice steady but he was failing.

“No. I’m good. I’m just glad I didn’t get roasted.” Jahseh chuckled shifting slightly on his bed. “I really thought I was gonna die. It was so scary.” He admitted the same smile never leaving his face.

“You didn’t tho. You still here and yoh baby is safe too.” Kentrell was trying to count the blessings despite the tragedy. Jahseh shrugged locking their fingers together.

“I guess.” All he knew was that he was glad to be breathing even though he barely had enough strength to keep hi eyes open. “ How’s my mom? I have to scold her for passing out on me. I was struggling so hard to hold both of us on that counter.” He shook his head chuckling slightly. Kentrell felt bile rise up to his mouth. He instantly looked away holding his tears back. He never cried ever! Last time he cried was so long he barely remembered it yet he couldn’t really keep the tears in check this time. Jahseh’s smile dropped a frown replacing it. He sensed the tension from Kentrell. “What’s wrong?” he asked studying him. He sensed it wasn’t something he would like.

“Your mom uh-.” Kentrell paused swallowing hard. He couldn’t fix his mouth to say it out loud but he had to. Lifting his eyes back to Jahseh’s questioning orbs he decided to suck it up. “Ms. Cleo didn’t make it Jahseh. She’s uh she’s dead.” Kentrell bit his lip harder than he should as he looked into Jahseh’s eyes studying his reaction. Jahseh blinked just staring back at Kentrell. “I’m so sorry.” Kentrell breathed out holding onto his hand tighter. Jahseh let out a slow breath not saying anything. He let go of Kentrell’s hand and just let it lay limp in the other man’s grip. Silence followed. The only sound in the room came from the heart monitor. Kentrell watched as the remaining life drained from Jahseh’s eyes. He waited for a reaction but none came. Jahseh just laid their staring at him but he had a feeling he couldn’t really see him life that. No reaction was scaring him. He knew Jahseh’s mental was already on edge due to all the drama he’d been through recently and now this. It was too much pain for one person all at once.
“Jahseh?” Kentrell shook his arm but got no response. “Jahseh come on bruh say sum’n please.” He shook him again but still no reaction. He wasn’t even linking. “ Fuck!” Kentrell stood up rushing outside to fetch a doctor. “ Please help ion know why he not reacting. His mama just died and he just lying there like a frozen cabbage mayne.” Kentrell frantically explained to the doctor. He watched in panic as the doctor flashed a light in Jahseh’s eyes then readjusted the oxygen mask.

“Sir, please leave the room.” A nurse started pushing Kentrell out.

“Wait no. I wanna know wass wrong with him.” He protested  looking over at Jahseh who seemed frozen in place.

“Sir, please leave the room.” The nurse demanded more forcefully. Kentrell had no choice but to walk out. He was in not in the right headspace at the moment himself. He rejoined his grieving friends at the waiting room. They watched him in concern. Out of all of them he was closest to Ms. Cleo so they knew he was taking this more personally than they were.

“You told him?” Sheyaa asked grimly watching his panicked longtime friend. Kentrell nodded sitting back down on the waiting room couch. “ How’d he take it?”

“Bad.” Kentrell let out a breath feeling a thousand heightened emotions all at once.

                                                                                  ☺☺☺
Kentrell opened the passenger door grabbing Jahseh’s hand and helping him out. Jahseh complied his body working on its own like an automated robot. It’s been a week since the fire. He’d said nothing in those seven days. He responded to know one either. All he did was lay in a bed staring into space if he wasn’t in medically induced sleep. He felt numb. Eyes cold and void of all emotion. His face was blank and stoic.

Kentrell sucked his teeth at the paparazzi that kept flashing camera lights and throwing questions at them. He and his friends had really tried to keep them out of the otherwise private affair but weren’t successful so Sheyaa just settled to getting security to keep a safe distance between them and the nosy meddling vultures. Four of the security men came to them escorting them through the pathway of paparazzi and reporters on either side. The men fell back when the two finally made it through the restriction and headed towards the row of seats set for the guests. Kentrell sat them at the very front row dapping his friends up before sitting down. He pulled Jahseh next to him reaching out for his hand. Jahseh didn’t react. He didn’t even look at him. He just stared ahead at the white coffin with lilies all over it. Kentrell sighed feeling defeated. He wanted to comfort him but he didn’t know how. He was also grieving was prolly not the most comforting person either currently. There was a decent amount of people  present at the funeral most of which were friends and acquaintances of Ms. Cleo. The priest stood up saying a bunch of supposed comforting words then gave a chance for people to say something.

“We could start with her son. Jahseh please come up and say a few words.” He spoke gently looking towards him but he didn’t move. Kentrell turned to him and so did everybody else. A tense silence followed as they all waited on him.

“Jahseh? You wanna say sum’n?” Kentrell asked softly. No response.

“Okay- anybody else?” the priest asked awkwardly.

“I’ll go.” Sheyaa stood up. He talked about how grateful he was for Ms. Cleo and for knowing her in his lifetime. He talked about how much of a blessing Ms. Cleo was and how he’d miss her. Others after him basically summed it all up in a similar manner. Then Kentrell stood up walking to the casket. He stare at the still corpse a lone tear slipping which he quickly wiped away before facing the crowd.

“This woman right here was the last remaining family I had. She took me in when I lost everythang. When I had nun to my name. She wrote to me all them lonelily years I was out serving the state in the military. Her letters always gave me hope. Hope that even if I died out there somebody was gon’ cry over me and claim my body. I never pictured I’d be the one burying her mayne. This shit hurt for real and I swea on her name ian gon’ rest till the muh’faka that did this to her is brought to justice!” he spoke with so much bitterness. He turned to the casket again. “ I promise you Ms. Cleo. On grape your death will be avenged.” It was a promise he planned to keep and everybody in the crowd knew that. He wasn’t alone either. The other’s held the same sentiments. He walked back to is seat not wanting everybody to see him  get emotional.

“Alright I think we can now see her one last time then-“ everybody snapped their heads  back their attention caught by the sudden buzzing and cheering of the people behind the restriction. The guests started to murmur excitedly despite the current grieving atmosphere.

“oh my god! It’s ski mask!”

“Ski mask!”
“oh, shiet it’s him for real!” and the murmurs continued as Stokeley made his way towards them. He was in all white contrasting to everybody’s black outfits. He walked straight to the front and stood directly in front of the casket staring at Ms. Cleo’s lifeless body. He bit his lip a sigh leaving his mouth. Lifting a shaky hand that he placed at the casket he mumbled a few in audible words springing a white rose out of nowhere and planting it in the coffin. Then he turned around facing everybody that was staring at him dumbfounded. All except Kentrell who was mugging the hell out of him. Stokeley searched the front row his eyes finally landing on Jahseh for the first in almost a whole month which to  felt like a thousand years. He felt his heart dip and his breath caught in his throat as if he’d been punched in the gut. He cleared his throat gathering himself.

“Cleopatra was my second mother. Not just my mother-in-law. I met her when I was seventeen. We became close in a way I can’t explain. She was a friend to me for the longest I’ve been grateful to her for giving me the most important person in my life.” He paused his eyes dragging to Jahseh again who was still unresponsive and oblivious to his surroundings. ”Despite my fall out with her son I still love her and it hurts me that the last time we saw each other she was cussing me out for reacting to her son’s mistakes.” He looked down shaking his head. The guilt was weighing on him. “ This past few weeks my life has been turned upside down.” Tears begun to leak. “ I not only lost the love of my life but my brother and now a mother. I honestly don’t know how much loss I can take.” His voice cracked. The crowd let out sounds of sympathy. “Rest easy mom. Your death won’t go unpunished.” he breathed out promising himself to follow up on the investigation until whoever killed her paid with his own life if necessary. “Continue.” He nodded at the priest then started to walk away. Everybody watched his every move as if in a trance. Stokeley stopped in his tracks standing still for a second or two before turning around again. This time he walked straight to Jahseh standing in front of him. Those in the back stood up nosily watching the two. Kentrell looked up at him still mugging.

“uh can we help you?” he asked rudely sizing him up. Stokeley ignored him completely. He was still angry at Jahseh and the last thing he ever wanted was to see him again but he couldn’t over look the fact that his ex-husband was grieving.

“Jah?” he said lowly his body quivering at the mention. As if startled back to reality, Jahseh looked round confused for moment. A familiar scent wafted to his nose his eyes widening. He instantly looked up making eye contact with the one person he’d missed to the point of insanity.

“S-Stoke- Stokeley?” his eyes instantly filled with tears which is the most reaction he displayed in seven days. Instead of replying Stokeley just extended his hand to him. Jahseh hesitantly put his hand in his allowing Stokeley to lift him to his feet. “stoke my mom-.” Jahseh whispered catching a glimpse of the casket. “She-she-she-she.” His voice trembled and for once in the last seven days he looked human.


“I know Jah. I know.” Before he could process anything, he was holding on to the shorter man as if his life depended on it. This brought a moment of de ja vu. He remembered the time Jahseh came to comfort him when Jarad died. He overlooked all his anger at the moment and just decided to be there for Jahseh. People finally started moving to pay their last respects to Ms. Cleo. Kentrell continued to watch the couple unamused. It didn’t sit right with him that this man would just show up out of the blue to show ‘support’. Where was he when the fire started? Where was he when Jahseh was stuck in the hospital the past seven days shut out from the world? However, Jahseh wasn’t thinking about all that. His mind and body were still detached from reality. Not even Stokeley’s embrace could warm him up because in his detached state he could feel his ex-husband’s hesitance. It wasn’t the same for them any more and it never would be. The Stokeley that loved him to the moon and back and until death did them part was now distant and was holding out on him.

“Thank you.” He looked at him after pulling away from the embrace. “ For being here.” The tears that had glistened in his eyes were now dried up. It seemed as if his body couldn’t bring itself to produce more tears. They continued to stare at each other different thoughts swimming in their heads. “I miss you-so much.” Jahseh confessed breaking the silence but not the intense eye contact. Stokeley looked away his heart aching. Unlike Jahseh he couldn’t check his tears. He took a step back. Jahseh hurt him and he knew there was no coming back from that. It was a mistake coming back to talk to him. With that he turned back around walking away as quickly as he could. Jahseh watched him sadly exhaling a breath. Kentrell moved in front of him blocking his vision of the retreating man. His friends frowned watching the two stare at each other before Jahseh closed the gap between them into the circle of Kentrell’s arms. The other people continued to murmur  gossiping and making up scenarios.

“You good?” Kentrell whispered using his hands to rub Jahseh’s back soothingly. Jahseh shook his head no.

“Take me out of here.” He mumbled catching Kentrell off guard.

“But we ain’t done tho.” He reminded him

“Please.” He pleaded lifting his face up at him his chin resting on Kentrell’s chest. Kentrell sighed but gave him an approving nod. HE laced their hands together and started to lead them away. He could feel multiple eyes on them but he was too tired to care. Jahseh was practically glued to Kentrell’s side hiding his face from the cameras and stupid questions being thrown at him. They finally got to the car Kentrell instantly driving away.

“What the fuck was that?” Kimetrius asked confused.
“Ion know bro. Ion know.” Kimberley stated. They all looked at Sheyaa who was just as confused as they were.

“You killed her.” The man stared as his employer who looked indifferent to that fact.

“Nah. Collateral damage.” The unknow person stated letting out a chuckle as they watched the casket being lowered to the ground. They could care less that what was initially supposed to be a scare ended up in a death tragedy. “Too bad.” She laughed not even meaning it.