Chapter 67: Change Your Mind

 

Mere

“What do you mean you know me?” She crossed her arms. Here she goes with this annoying defensive attitude.

“It doesn’t matter how I know you. We should just focus on Lahel right now,” I switched the topic.

“If you think I’m gonna let the fact that you know me drop then you obviously got me fucked up. So you’re saying you knew me before you even started coaching the team?” She narrowed her eyes at me.

“Look Jaznae, I just know you. That’s all you need to know. I don’t have time or the patience to go into dept about that. Just drop it,” I gave her a look. She looked at me for a minute trying to figure me out I guess.

“Can you at least tell me your last name? Maybe that will ring a bell?”

“Just. Drop. It,” I glared at her.

“Whatever, Lahel is my cousin on my dad’s side. I’m really close to her and she told me a similar story but she never mentioned the guy’s name,” she explained.

“Do you know where she is?” I raised a brow.

“Yes but I’m not telling you if you’re gonna start shit. She’s my family at the end of the day,” she eyed me.

“Despite what you think you know about me, I don’t start shit but I damn sure will finish it. Keep your cousin in check and I’ll stay in my lane. I just think that if she talked to Aubrey, it could help him get over the past and get back with Nicki,” I told her.

“She lives in New York. I can call her up and we can go meet up with her tomorrow,” she offered.

 “Alright,” I shrugged.

“Don’t take this the wrong way cause I still can’t stand you,” she scrunched up her face. I rolled my eyes and turned around.

“Trust me, the feeling is mutual,” I called over my shoulder before going inside. I’m never gonna like that girl; she rubs me the wrong way. I’m just glad that we could put the bullshit aside for a minute to help our friends. I just can’t get over the fact that I know her.

 

 

Nicki

“I can’t do this,” I looked at Aubrey’s house in front of me.

“Look, I’m here and I’ll help you get everything. He’s not supposed to be home,” he reminded me. Mylan just walked up to the door and used her key. We all walked in and it was silent. I grabbed my things and Mylan followed suit. Daven helped get our stuff in the car.

“Um Nicki?” I heard someone say from behind me. I turned and saw Mere standing there.

“Oh it’s just you,” I let out a sigh of relief.

“I hope you know that if you’re hoping not to run into Aubrey, you are in his house,” she looked at me weird.

“I’m just getting my stuff,” I grabbed my last bag.

“I think you guys should talk this out,” she tried to reason with me.

“I made a huge mistake and he has every right to be mad at me and never talk to me again,” I held in my tears and we walked down the stairs. I turned and saw Aubrey standing in the living room talking to Mylan. “Let’s go Mylan,” I told her. She sighed and hugged him. She went out to the car and I was about to until he called my name. Mere went into the kitchen as I turned. “What?” I crossed my arms.

“Just make sure I get my time to see our daughter, you know the kid you didn’t kill,” he added in.

“You are unbelievable. I’m so sick of this back and forth. You might hate me for the rest of your life but after all the bullshit you’ve put me through, this equals it out. I always forgive you but the one mistake I made, you can’t seem to forgive me. You’re a hypocrite and an asshole. Have a good life Aubrey,” I turned and walked out.

Cassie

“I’ll pick her up in the morning,” I told Shad and turned to leave but he grabbed my elbow. “Why do you feel the constant need to grab my elbow?” I snapped.

“I don’t know, it’s just the first place I go to grab,” he shrugged.

“What do you want?” I sighed.

“I wanna talk to you,” he said simply.

“What does it look like we’re doing?” I motioned between us.

“I wanna talk to you alone,” he eyed Alexis on the couch.

“And what do we have to talk about?”

“We gotta set some boundaries for this whole co-parent thing,” he elaborated.

“I guess,” talking shouldn’t be that bad right?

“Alright,” he smiled.

Lahel

“Babe, Jaznae’s here,” Steven told me. I nodded and he led her to the living room.

“Hey baby cuz,” I stood and hugged her.

“Hey Lahel,” she hugged me back. I looked behind her and stood in shock.

“Chimere?” I scrunched up my eyebrows.

“Lahel,” she nodded.

“How do you know my cousin?” I looked in between her and Nae. “Are y’all?” I trailed off.

“No way in hell.”

“Hell no.” Well that was a relief.

“Why are y’all here?”

“Drake is going through something similar to what happened with you guys. His girl had an abortion six years and she just told him. He’s comparing her to you and it’s an entire different situation,” Nae explained.

“Wow,” I felt even worse for Aubrey. First I had one and then his girl.

“So what do you need me for?”

“We need you to talk to him. He’s holding onto the past and we need him to let that go,” she told me.

“Um sure,” I nodded.

“Nae!” Taelor ran into Nae’s arms.

“Hey baby girl,” Nae picked her up and kissed her.

“You have a kid?” Chimere asked slowly.

“Yeah, she just turned four,” I smiled.

“Aubrey surely is in for a surprise,” she mumbled.

Drake

I laid out on my couch just done with everything. “Man you acting like the world is falling apart,” Shad nudged me. I stayed quiet and he sighed. “She’s not like Lahel,” he tried to convince me.

“I honestly don’t wanna think of either of them right now,” I cut him off.

“Shit,” he mumbled when he looked towards the door.

“What now?” I sighed and turned to look at the door. I saw Mere and Nae standing next to each other. I couldn’t really see the other girl but she looked familiar. She moved so I could fully see her.

“Hey Aubrey,” Lahel said in a small voice.

“Why the fuck did y’all bring her here?” I snapped at Mere and Nae.

“You need to let the past go and this is the only way. So suck it up and talk to her,” Mere cut her eyes at me. I groaned but kept quiet. Mere walked towards the kitchen and Nae followed with Shad right behind them.

“What do you want?” I didn’t even wanna look at her.

“Look Aubrey, I was a cruel heartless person back then. I only cared about myself and I was sick of the games you put me through. I wanted to piss you off so I got an abortion. I didn’t wanna be a mom and I knew that it would hurt you so I did,” she bluntly told me.

“You know that just makes me hate you more right?” I hated her with so much passion.

“That’s a good thing. Your girl ain’t nothing like me. She was in Paris and you were here. From what they told me, you put her through worse shit than me. She was an emotional wreck and she also had her own dreams that she needed to pursue. She might regret it now but she probably thought that it was the best decision at the time,” she said.

“Damn,” she actually got me thinking differently.

“Exactly,” she nodded. I looked at her and saw how much she’s aged and it seemed like she got wiser.

“So how are you?” I was curious to how she turned out.

“Um, I’m married now with a four year old daughter. I learned how to not make decisions out of spite. I’m really sorry for how everything went down back then. You didn’t deserve that and the abortion still haunts me,” she apologized.

“I ain’t gonna say that I’m not still pissed at you but I gotta move on from the past,” I needed to let the past go with everything. I don’t know why I’ve been stuck in the past lately.

“Alright, I’ve done my job. Nae!” She called out.

“Y’all done?” She looked at Lahel who nodded.

“See you around Aubrey,” she smiled small before leaving out with Nae.

“So?” Mere and Shad walked in.

“She better have talked some sense into your ass. I had to deal with Jaznae yesterday and today. You’re lucky you are important to me because that was practically impossible,” she glared at me.

“I gotta apologize to Nicki. Thank you Mere for always helping me,” I hugged her.

“This was beyond help. I had to deal with Jaznae and Lahel. I don’t dislike many people so being stuck with them was pure torture,” she shook her head.

“I love you,” I tried but she just pushed me.

“Naw, I’m done helping you for about a month,” she shot me a look.

“I’m not gonna screw up in a month,” I scrunched up my face.

“Wanna bet?” She smirked.

“What’s the bet?”

“I bet that you’ll need my help in less than two weeks,” she crossed her arms.

“You have absolutely no faith in me do you?” She shook her head and I chuckled. “Alright, if I win you have to do one of your old routines,” I smirked.

“You don’t mean what I think you mean,” she narrowed her eyes on me.

“Yep, the one you did when you were twelve,” I nodded.

“And when I win you have to give Antonio a chance,” she said.

“Hell no, that’s not a bet. Why would I ever give him a chance? I told you I support you not him,” I denied.

“You’re scared you’re gonna lose?” She taunted me.

“Fine, it’s a bet,” I agreed.

“Perfect, now get your ass over to Nicki,” she smiled.

“Where is she staying?” I questioned.

“I’m sorry, you can’t have my help,” she crossed her arms. I turned and looked at Shad.

“She’s over at Daven’s,” he answered.

“Why the fuck would she be over at that nigga’s house?” I snapped. He shrugged and Mere chuckled. “Alright, I’ll go over there. Do you know the directions to his house?” Shad scrunched up his face and shrugged.

“This is depressing. Here are the directions to his house. This is the last time I helping you,” Mere typed it on my phone.

“Thanks,” I rushed out. I drove there and tried to get my words together. I know I said some hurtful things but she did something horrible. I got to his house and hopped out. I knocked on the door and was shock to find Jaymie answering it.

“Oh Aubrey,” her eyes went wide.

“You don’t have to explain anything,” I offered. She moved and let me in.

“We are just talking,” she answered.

“It’s none of my business,” I shrugged.

 

“Nicki’s upstairs, the last door on the right,” she pointed. I nodded and went up the stairs. I walked in her room and saw Mylan sitting on her bed.

“Dad!” She hopped up and hugged me.

“Hey baby girl,” I kissed her head and looked around.

“Mom’s in the bathroom,” she pointed to the door. I heard the shower and nodded. “Please fix this,” she pleaded.

“I’ll try,” I told her before she left to give us some privacy. I waited for Nicki to get out of the shower and I think I heard her crying; that just made me feel horrible. It took a minute but she walked out and looked at me in shock at first. Her eyes were red and it looked like she barely slept. “Onika,” I tried to walk to her but she put her hand out.

“Can you just leave?” She asked softly.

“I just wanna apologize,” I wanted her to hear me out.

“Okay,” she sat on the bed. I sat next to her and tried to figure out how to say this.

“I’m sorry for some of the stuff I said. It was uncalled for and I just said that out of anger. There are some things in my past that I haven’t told you. I was with this girl for a little while and she got pregnant. She had an abortion because she wanted me to hurt. It just triggered something,” I explained.

“Okay,” was all she said.

“Nic, I’m sorry and I just wanna put everything in the past behind us,” I offered.

“I don’t think that’s possible Aubrey,” her voice was weak.

“Why?” I scrunched up my face.

“This is beyond us right now. I just need a minute to think,” she finally looked at me.

“How is this beyond us?” I was highly confused.

“Aubrey, please,” she pleaded.

“Alright, can we talk tomorrow?” I asked and she nodded. I kissed her forehead and sighed. “I love you Onika.”

“I love you too Aubrey.”