December 14th

"I hope to see more of your family here soon." Apostle Jones said after shaking Dajon's hand.

"Like you said, God has to lead them here." Renae quoted and he smirked. "I see you've been listening."

"Yup, always." She replied then smiled and he smiled as well.

"You've been looking happier lately, praying more?" He asked.

"Yes." She answered.

"How bout you.. Dajon right?" He asked and Dajon nodded.

"I've been good Pastor, just got back in school last week." He informed and Apostle Jones smiled nodding.

"Good, keep up the work. When sister Karen called and told me about your situation I prayed for you. I told her to give it to Jesus and look at you, healed."

"He sure is." Karen chimed in and Kingston chuckled.

"I know y'all ready to go, so go head and get on out of here. Don't forget to grab some sodas and snacks on your way out." He added.

Thanking him, they all said their goodbyes then headed out.

Grabbing a few sodas and cupcakes on their way out, they got situated in Karen's van.

"Did you like service today DJ?" Karen asked looking at him through the rear view.

"I did, it was pretty good." He answered popping his soda open.

"How do you feel about Apostle Jones?"

"He's a cool dude, he doesn't seem fake. I get genuine vibes from him." He replied then drank some of his soda.

"Yeah, he is. He's funny as well and he'll talk your head off if you let him." She spoke and they laughed.

"She ain't lying bout that." King said rolling the window down and tossed the cupcake wrapper out the window.

Renae stared out the window in deep thought.

Karen glanced over at her picking up on her sudden silence.

"Everything ok sweetheart?" She asked and King and Dajon leaned forward to see what was up.

Karen motioned for them to sit back then tapped Renae.

"Hm?" She hummed looking over at Karen.

"Everything ok?

"Yeah, yeah. Just tired that's all." She partially lied.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." Renae answered staring back out the window.

Nodding, Karen stared at her briefly before she focused on the road.

Something was bothering her heavily, but she's been trying to ignore it.

**

"What's going on with you?" King asked wrapping the towel around his waist as he walked up behind Renae as she tied her robe.

"Nothing, I'm ok." She replied picking up her cetaphil face wash.

"You know I hate it when you lie to me right?" He asked hugging her from behind.

"I'm ok." She repeated moreso trying to convince herself.

"You've been quiet since we left Church, you barely spoke in da shower and you cried... so what's going on?" He asked leaning on the sink and stared at her.

She remained silent as she washed her face.

"Nae?" He called turning her face towards him.

"I'm fine King." She stressed walking into the room.

"Do you not want to leave or something?" He asked leaning in the doorway.

"I do."

"You're giving me dry responses baybeh, what's going on?" He asked now worried.

Shaking her head, she grabbed her clothes and left out the room.

Standing in his spot, King tried to see if he did or said something that could have pissed her off but nothing crossed his mind.

They were doing good, hell great.

Once he got dressed, he sat on the side of the bed and replied back to Jamel and Ty's message.

He and Nae were supposed to be leaving tonight.

He wanted her to say her goodbyes to Bryson since he would be working until 10:30.

Dajon was gonna come down for the Christmas Break and so was Karen.

30 minutes had gone by and Renae had yet to return.

Putting his phone down, King headed out the room and down the hall seeing the second bedroom door cracked.

Pushing the door open, he furrowed his brows seeing Renae laying in bed hugging her giraffe as if her life depended on it.

Walking into the room, King carefully eased on the bed behind her and pulled her into him.

He wasn't sure what was going on but it was starting to bother him.

Whenever she got in this mood it always scared him, because he never knew what would happen.

Turning over on his back King stared up at the ceiling getting lost in his thoughts.

He was proud of how far he came.

If he had a chance to do it all over again, he would. For the simple fact that he met Renae, a broken girl just wanting good for herself and family.

To fall in love... to him it was something foreign but with Nae it felt right like it was supposed to happen.

He was in love with her and whatever she felt he felt.

If he had it his way he would take her problems and wear them on his sleeves.

Her happiness meant everything to him.

**

New Orleans

"Why you so quiet?" Trouble asked Renae as they stood on his corner in front of the barbershop.

"Just tired." She answered looking around. "Are you nervous about selling?" He asked.

"Nah, I'm fine." She answered nodding at the taller guy approaching.

Following him around the corner, she opened her purse to give him a look at his options.

"How much for an eighth?"

"Sixty." She answered. "How about thirty?"

"Boy you must be crazy, goodbye." She dismissed ready to close her purse but he grabbed her arm and she glared at him.

Stepping back, Trouble walked around and rose a brow.

"You good?" He asked keeping his eyes on the guy.

"Yup." She answered staring at the dude.

"Ok, here." He mumbled handing her $120. Nodding, Renae pulled out two eighths and put the money in the other compartment.

Closing her purse, she turned around just as Trouble punched the guy.

"Try dat shit again." He spoke shoving the man, wiping his lip, he looked at Renae then back at Trouble and apologized before running off.

"You didn't have to do that, but thanks." She acknowledged following him back to the barbershop.

"They don't call me "Trouble" for nothing ma." He reminded giving a nod to the younger guys.

"Why do they call you that?" She asked sitting down.

"It's self explanatory."

Laughing she squinted at him.

"Just answer, so difficult."

"If you try to play me there's hell to pay. Simple, no questions no warnings, just action." He informed.

"Oh ok, I guess it fits you." She replied and he only nodded.

"Bro proposed?" He asked and she looked over at him confused.

Nodding towards her ring she laughed. "No... it's a promise ring." She clarified.

"It's dope, he's lucky." He told her before he walked away to make a deal. Renae stood up and kept her eyes out for police or anything shady.

"Lil bit?" John called stepping out the barbershop.

"Yeah?" She answered looking around before giving him her attention.

"We got pizza on the way, y'all want any?" He asked. "I'm ok, I'll see if T wants some." She replied.

Nodding, he handed her a bottle of Lipton tea and she thanked him.

"Don't be out too late."

"I won't." She replied as he headed back inside Trouble walked around the corner and handed her the wad of cash.

"John said he ordered pizza if you wanted any." She informed.

"I'm cool, we gotta move in a lil bit anyways." He announced checking the time.

"Check your phone." He added, confused, she removed her phone from her back pocket and smiled at King's text.

"You must got it on silence?" He inquired. "I did, I wasn't trying to be distracted." She replied opening the message.

Once she replied back to King, she followed Trouble to his car.

"Where we going now?" She asked putting on her seatbelt.

"Bouta meet up wit Ace."

"Oh ok, this should be fun." She mumbled and he chuckled cutting the radio on.

"Where dat scar come from?" He asked pointing to the side of her head.

"My mom." She answered, he stared at her for a moment then focused on the road.

"Damn."

**

Kingston's Place

"What time are you coming in?" Renae asked King as she searched the fridge for something to eat.

"Three.. maybe four." He answered and she frowned.

"Kingggg!" She whined and he chuckled. "The time will fly by ma, I promise." He replied and she huffed.

It was 9:50 and she knew good and well time would move slow if she thought on it.

"I guess it's me and my lil thug tonight." She spoke referring to her giraffe.

"Dat is what I won him for." He joked and she pursed her lips.

"Got me in this house all by myself, mm I should throw a party."

"Don't even try it lil girl." He warned and she giggled.

"I'm just playing, hurry up ok?"

"I will, just make sure you in nothing but a t shirt." He replied.

"Nigga you nasty!" Ty and Jamel spoke and Renae covered her face in embarrassment.

"Oh my God... ok I'm hanging up." She said and King laughed.

"Mind yo business, man Nae let me call you back." King told her and she laughed hearing him argue with Jamel them.

Hanging up, she put her phone down and stared at the stuff in the fridge.

"I'll just order pizza." She mumbled closing the fridge and headed out the kitchen.

Making sure the door was locked, she headed towards the room and climbed on the bed.

Grabbing her stuffed animal she looked up the Pizza Hut menu online.

"What to eat, what to eat."

Looking at their dinner box deals, she tried to figure out what King would like.

"Shit I'll just do the simple thing." She mumbled ordering the pepperoni box with cinnamon sticks and wings.

Putting her phone on the charger she got under the blankets with her giraffe and hit play on Criminal Minds.

As she stared at the tv her mind began to wander to the nightmare she's been having lately.

It's been bothering her for quite a few weeks.

She thought they would stop once she got here but it only seemed to worsen.

March 25th

Sitting on the bathroom floor, Renae watched the blood trickle down her arm as she slit her wrist.

Numb to the pain, she carved the word "Dead" and just stared at it.

That's exactly what she felt inside... dead.

Tossing the blade in the trash, she laughed to herself.

Realizing that she cut too deep, she chuckled as she slid down and laid on the cold floor.

Feeling her body become weaker and weaker, she used her finger and wrote her name using the blood from her wrist.

"I drove for miles just to find you

and find myself, all these screams, all these voices in my head.."

"You gave me strength, gave me hope for a lifetime..." singing those words, she thought about Kingston feeling guilty for being so rude to him.

"I never was satisfied..."

"This time won't you save me

This time won't you save me."

"Baby I can feel myself givin' up.. giving up"

"This time won't you save me

This time won't you save me.. Baby I can feel myself givin' up, givin' up."

"It's not your fault, I'm a bitch. I'm a monster..." Her eyes grew watery as she began to think about her little brother.

"Yes I'm a beast and I feast when I conquer."

"But I'm alone on my throne, all these witches.."

The tears dropped onto the floor and her breathing began to slow down.

"I came this way all this way just to say... this time won't you save me?"

Looking at the blood on her hand, she went to sing the next line but her body went limp.

Macy knocked on her door and waited for a response.

"Renae?" She called opening the door slowly, not seeing her inside the room, she went to walk out until she saw the bathroom light.

Walking into the room, she hummed a tune but stopped seeing Renae's body laid out in her own blood.

Screaming, she rushed out the room to go get help.

15 minutes later

"Renae?!" Yvette, the janitor yelled smacking her face.

Macy stood in the back with her hands over her mouth as she cried.

"Come on babygirl." She stressed grabbing the bucket of ice water and dumped it on her.

Renae jumped up gasping for air.

"Oh my God!" Macy shrieked.

"Go get help!" She yelled pulling Renae into her.

"Why did you do that?" She asked, hut Renae only stared at the puddle of blood in a trance.

She wanted to die.

She couldn't take another assault and nobody believed her but Macy.

She couldn't tell her mom because she was the reason she was in here.

Death seemed like the only option for her.

"I got her." The evening doctor spoke coming inside. When Renae saw the familiar ring she freaked out.

"Renae! Stop! Renae Stop!" Yvette yelled trying to calm her down not understanding that her employee was the reason why Renae was like this.

"Get away from me!" Renae screamed grabbing her trash bin and threw it at him.

Yvette, scared and confused stood up as a few nurses rushed in.

Macy wanted to say something but she too had her own situation going on.

**

"No!" Renae screamed jumping out of her sleep.

Looking around the dark room, she placed her hand over her beating heart and tried to calm down as her chest heaved up and down.

She was sweating with fear, laying back she closed her eyes and clenched and unclenched her fists as her body began to heat up.

She was having a panic attack.

Getting out the bed, she fell to her knees gasping for air as she crawled towards the bathroom.

The voices came back and she looked around the empty bathroom.

Hitting her chest trying to breathe, she laid on the floor in fetal position wheezing.

The doorbell rang and her vision became darker.

The pizza guy rung the doorbell again before he left the box on the porch and walked away.

She let the fear get the best of her.

*

*

*

Aw damn

What y'all think her nightmare is?