"How are you today, Josiah?" Dr. Ross smiled at me.

"I'm good. Feeling better." I admitted.

It's been two long months since everything went down with Montana and I can't lie, things have been going good for me.

"I see." She pointed at me as a smirk crept onto my face.

"I've heard you've been doing well here at the center. Helping out, keeping your room spotless and even volunteering." She expressed happily and I nodded.

"And no medication has been distributed to you since, this is your own doing?"

"Yeah. I needed to keep busy to keep my mind off of that negative shit. Once I did, things just changed.

"Completely understand. I'm glad you found a way to cope with your anger, Joey."

"Yeah. It was hard but I couldn't just let this shit take over my life. You know?" I explained and she nodded, listening intently.

"And what really gave me the motivation was my mama. I talked to her on the phone two months ago and she was so upset with me.."

"Like not only did I hurt Montana but I hurt my mama too because of what I did and I couldn't have that no more. I needed to find a way so here I am." I explained, feeling like a better man.

"You're doing fantastic, Joey." She expressed to me, making me feel even better.

"If you were to leave today. What's the first thing you would do?"

"Go home, take a shower, get a real meal then hug my mama."

Being in here felt like jail and all I wanted was to be back home in my own space.

"Would you go and see Montana?" She asked and I shook my head.

"Nah. Not immediately."

"Really?" She raised her eyebrows and I nodded.

I still loved Montana, of course but having no contact with her for two whole months made me realize a lot of things.

"I just want her to be happy and if it's not with me then that's okay." I shrugged. I loved her enough to let her go.

"Then once I feel good enough, I'll eventually move on too."

"Wow."

"Yeah. I've been doing a lot of thinking and after all of our sessions, I just realized.."

"I've been devoting my life to the wrong things. It's time for me to be myself again and that's surrounding myself with people who genuinely care for me. Not people who only stay by my side so I won't hurt them or feel like they're obligated to be around for safety. I just want happiness and I could only find that through blood, my family. They love me." I explained and she listened intently.

"Wow. I'm at a loss for words. I'm extremely proud of you, Joey."

"Thank you." I smiled. I was proud of myself if anything.

"Josiah, you've showed an immense amount of improvement throughout these past months and I must admit you're a great person. And I enjoyed every moment working with you."

"Thanks, Doc." I smirked.

"So listen, after further evaluation, I think it's best I issue this to you today.." She held out a piece of paper and I grabbed it.

"What's this?" I furrowed my eyebrows, looking down at it.

"That's your completion letter. Congratulations, Josiah. You've passed your anger management sessions and you can finally go home."

*

"Stop." I laughed as Melakhi tried to tickle me.

"Y'all are just too cute." Teesh instigated as I sat on the last step, Melakhi sitting directly above me.

I listened as Kace scoffed before walking away from us completely while Milly got up and followed suit.

"What's his problem?" Melakhi asked and Teesh shrugged.

"He's just mad that your here with Montana and not his crazy ass friend." She told him and he simply laughed.

Melakhi was new to the neighborhood and though he was one year younger than us, Teesh and I ended up befriending him about a month ago. Our relationship was a bit different from his and Teesh's. But nonetheless, all of us were friends.

Kace and Milly didn't like it though since Melakhi was a huge flirt and he always flirted with me. I guess I could understand why they would feel a way, Josiah's their friend and they wouldn't befriend the guy that's trying to take his ex but they needed to get over it. Josiah and I were over.

"Well they need to get over it. I am.." I trailed off, shrugging.

"I'm over it too." Melakhi spoke, licking his lips as both Teesh and I laughed.

"Shut up. You don't even know what we're talking about." I nudged him.

"I do. Y'all talking about the lame ass nigga, Joey, right? The nigga that tried to hurt you." He rubbed a hand down my arm. Teesh went quiet and said nothing as I chuckled.

"Stop." I whined, laughing as he continued rubbing my arm with a smile.

"I'm just saying."

"Let's go and get some food, Mon. I'm hungry." Teesh suggested, making Melakhi and I look up.

"From where?"

"Anywhere. I'm just hungry." She said as my stomach grumbled.

"Yeah, me too."

*

"I can't believe my baby bro is home." Messiah dapped me up as a smile appeared on my face.

I'd been home for a couple hours now and he was still saying the same thing over and over.

"Yeah, man. They let me out the can. Just did a 5 to 10." I joked, making the homies laugh as we stood on the corner.

"Where Kace?"

"He said he was on his way like an hour ago. I don't know." I shrugged.

"Oh, there he go right there." I nodded, making everybody look in his direction.

"What's up, nigga?" He put his arms in the air once he saw me.

"Ain't shit." I told him as he came across the street and dapped me up.

"Where Milly?"

"Nigga went somewhere with his girl. He said he gon' come and see you later."

"Girl?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

Damn. I missed a lot.

"Yeah. He got a lil shawty now."

"Milly? Wild ass, uglass Milly?" I joked as everybody laughed.

"Yeah, man. Shit is crazy."

"A lot of shit done changed." He went on, looking at Messiah.

"Oh yeah. For sure." Messiah spoke up and I raised my eyebrows.

"Yeah?"

"Fill me in. What's up? What's been going on?"

"Take a walk with me, bro." Messiah said and I nodded. Kace stayed put on the corner as bro and I walked toward the end of the block.

"For starters, your boy Kace.."

"He down with us now." He started as he lit his blunt.

"Yeah?" I raised my eyebrows. Kace wasn't no dope boy but Messiah was a bad influence and could rub off on anybody for better or for worse so I could see how he got Kace to get down.

"Yeah. He been moving for me this past month."

"Aw man." I shook my head, I knew that would go bad quick.

"Then we got them Italian niggas two blocks over tryna pin that nigga, Mesiyal death on you."

"Mesiyal?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Oh yeah. The nigga who shot at me?"

"Yeah.." He nodded.

"They tryna say you got unc to do him in. Now unc doing time for that shit."

"Nah, unc ain't do it. He just a real nigga."

"I killed him." I nodded. I wasn't going to lie on my unc. The hood knew what was up and they knew not to fuck with us. But their man fucked with us and now he 6 feet under.

"Just watch your body, bro. Them niggas been real quiet and I don't need you out here getting murked."

"Of course. I stay strapped." I showed him the gun in my waistband.

"Good." He nodded, taking a pull from his blunt.

"Oh yeah and your girl.."

"Montana." He went on to say and I chuckled.

"Nah. That's not my girl." I shook my head with a smile.

"I figured because she out here running around with some lil nigga."

"Yeah?" I smirked, looking down. I figured she'd move on but like I said, she could do her. I just wanted her to be happy.

"Yeah. That nigga short though. They like the same size."

Chuckling, I shook my head and flagged him.

"I don't want to talk about that, man. As long as she's happy that's all that matters."

He looked at me weird before laughing.

"Oh aight." He nodded, patting my shoulder.

*

"Okay, my stomach is really starting to hurt, Teesh." I whined.

We'd just came back from grabbing food and we were stuffed. But Teesh still had Melakhi and I walking around the hood, looking for Kace.

"No because I know he's not over here on the corner with Messiah." She squinted her eyes, picking up the pace.

"Is that him?" I asked hopeful.

"Yup and I'm about to kill him."

"A nigga is tired." Melakhi admitted as he slickly grabbed my hand.

"Stop it." I tried to let go but he simply kissed the back of it.

"Let me hold your hand so these niggas can know you're mine." He nodded toward Messiah and his crew who were up ahead.

"Okay." I gave in, only so Messiah could see. I knew he was probably running back and giving Joey information every time he saw us together.

I was finally moving on and everybody needed to know. Even if it wasn't what I really wanted.

Making our way onto the block, Kace gave something to Messiah once he saw Teesh walking toward him. My eyes went directly to Messiah as his fell upon me once he saw Melakhi and I holding hands.

A smirk appeared on his face as I tooted my lips.

Yeah. Go run and tell that. I thought.

"You good?" Melakhi whispered in my ear and I nodded.

I watched as Teesh began to curse Kace out on the crowded corner and Melakhi and I ended up going to the other side of the street since there were so many people on the corner.

We didn't want to be in the crowd.

Sitting on a random person's step, Melakhi let my hand go before speaking.

"Ain't that the bitch ass you used to fuck with right there?" He asked, making me look up.

My breath got caught in my throat seeing Joey come out of the corner store with a juice in hand. His tall, lanky body and his plump pink lips. It was him. He was home.

"Mhm." I shrugged, trying to pretend I wasn't surprised to see him. I had so many questions. Like how is he is he out here? Is he better? Is he different? Did he still love me?

"I thought he was in the crazy house or some shit?" Melakhi interrupted my thoughts and I shook my head.

"I guess not." I looked down.

Trying not to but I couldn't help it, I lifted my head up and my eyes followed Joey's every move. I watched as Messiah told him something and then Joey's eyes landed directly on me. He stared for a while before shaking his head and laughing.

I was nervous that he was going to come over here and do something to Melakhi but I was wrong. He began conversing and pretending as if I didn't even exist.

"Your phone's ringing." Melakhi broke me away from my gaze and I nodded, answering my phone.

"Hello." I heard Teesh's voice come through.

"Yeah. Where y'all go?"

"We're going back to his place. He got me fucked up, Montana." She snapped and I nodded.

"Alright. Melakhi and I are going to leave too."

"Okay, cool."

"Oh yeah and Josiah's home. Kace just told me."

"Yeah, I know. I see him." I spoke as if I didn't care.

"Did he say anything to you? Did he see Melakhi?"

"No. We didn't speak but yeah, he saw him."

"Hm. Alright. Well I'll come to your house tomorrow or something." She insisted.

"Alright."

Hanging up my phone, I looked across at Joey again as a group of girls walked by and all of the other guys began to do as boys do. Except him, he played his cool act and leaned up against the wall, saying nothing. I watched as one of the girl's stood in his face, trying to get his attention.

I can't lie, it was killing me every second to watch it go down.

"Come on." I stood to my feet as Melakhi did the same, looking up from his phone.

"Let's go back to my place." I spoke seductively and he raised his eyebrows.

"For real?" He asked, making me chuckle.

"Yes."

*