Spectrum

Chapter 7

Azariah grabbed a hold of my other arm stopping all movement.

" She ain't come here witchu, and ion know how you do it but we come and go together. " Azariah pulled me closer to her.

" That don't matter, if I don't mess with y'all, my blood don't mess with y'all either. " Riana said unconsciously starting a game of tug of war but in this instance, I was the rope.

" I look like I care? you ain't had no problem leaving ha in the middle of a lil shoot out, this ain't no different " A skeeving look was sent to Azariah from the other party as she refused to let up her grip on me.

" Man, y'all got me messed the hell up, " Riana let my arm go before leaving her final words with me " stay with em, cause the only thing they bring in yo life is drama and they worse ain't loyal to nobody. "

Those words might have been true for her, but for me they were something different, they were loyal, just not to her and the reason would soon make itself apparent. From that day on, the hate from Riana was constant and it had seemed as if she had gotten Mason to join in with her.

We were currently at the dinner table, something mother had insisted on as she wanted us to be a bit more united although we all knew that it was all a ruse to save face in front of Mason and I as she could hardly cook and despite their money issues, she often ordered take out for dinner.

We ate, and after, the table was cleared, the two adults going elsewhere leaving the three of us at the table. It was awfully quiet for a bit before Mason and Riana got up to whatever they did alone together but later I had planned to confront Mason.

It was about eight when my phone rang, it was my father, as usual, he'd been calling me every night since I had gotten here, this was nothing new for us, it was quite normal for us to talk about our days, he tried to stay in our lives and make as much time as he could with us and I was truly appreciative of it.

" How was your day? " His voice came through to me as I picked up my phone, straight to the point, as always.

" The usual, "

" The usual as in good or the usual as in I want to set someone's house on fire, " I couldn't help my laugh as he spoke.

" A bit of both, " I replied but as I listened closer, I could hear a female's muffled voice over the line perking up my attention a little bit.

" Seems like you have company, is there anything you want to tell me? " I asked, my dad, clearing his throat a bit.

" I'll call you tomorrow. " He rushed out hanging up the phone, in turn avoiding the topic, which lead me to the conclusion that he really liked her because my father wasn't one to avoid topics which allowed me to be a bit more amused than I should have been.

Later in the night, mother had sent us all to our respective rooms with a less than enthusiastic Good Night.

" So, I heard you were hanging out with those thugs. " Mason said sitting on his bed.

" What is your problem? " I turned around to face him.

He seemed a bit annoyed as if I should have known what he was upset about.

" What's my problem? Don't you see, people like us shouldn't be hanging around those people, they're hoodrats and know nothing other than gangs and betrayal, don't you see, they're using you. " I rose my brow at his statement which didn't surprise me in the slightest bit, if anything, it was an eye-opener.

" Is that all? " I asked turning back around to look at myself in the small vanity mirror

" You don't have anything to say to that? " He said surprised.

" What's the use? I'm my own person and I can do whatever I want to, I don't have to explain myself to the likes of you, " I didn't know where all of that hostility came from but I went with it and With that, I wrapped my hair, soon going to bed after.

The next day I was having lunch with Chandler.

" And then he had the audacity to call them hoodrats as if they're beneath us and then he's acting as if I can't take care of myself, " I huffed looking over to Chandler who was too occupied by his phone.

I tapped the table softly to get his attention, " Were you even listening? "

He smiled at me " I honestly just think you should just do what feels best for you, we know you can take care of yourself, sure, they might be some of the most genuine people you meet but they may not be the most trustworthy or safe to be around, taking into consideration that shoot out you were telling me about. "

I leaned back to sip my drink, he was always like this, he was a great multitasker and listener and often analyzed situations better than I did and I could come to him at any time for advice or just for small talk.

I rubbed my hand on my forehead a bit bothered at the situation " Honestly, they're just different, I haven't known them for long but they've been more real with me than a majority of the friends I've had over the years. "

" But it's honestly not even that that's bothering me, it's the fact that Mason is bad mouthing me with Riana, after she put the blame on me for breaking that vase I can't see her in a positive light anymore, that girl has some serious issues I'm telling you. " I continued.

" Why don't you try talking to her? see what her problem is, you are blood after all- " I cut him off.

" Half, " I rolled my eyes.

" That's my point, I know how insensitive and cold-hearted you can be but wouldn't it fell good to know that you're on good terms with all of your siblings, " He finished checking his watch before calling over the waiter for the bill.

" Come, I'm bringing you home, I just have a quick stop to make. " 

I stood up smoothing down the back of my small black mini, my frilly white shirt flowing in the wind as we walked to where the valet had brought his car back around. Chandler looked as good as always, but he was dressed a bit more professional today in his black Armani suit which told me that he had left from work earlier to pick me up for lunch.

He opened the passenger's side door for me, going over to the driver's side after. " Where are we going? " I asked as soon as we pulled out of the restaurant's parking lot.

" Just for quick business, nothing too serious. " He replied paying keen attention to the road.

Not long after we turned off of the main road and into a suburban community where the houses were terrifyingly alike.

We stopped in front of one of the houses " Be right back, just stay put. "

The house was two stories tall and painted in a similar shade of grey as the other houses but this one was different, you could tell by the air surrounding it and the men that it seemed to attract, but that, was none of my business,

As soon as he left the car I pulled out my phone and was instantly scrolling through my timeline and to be truthful, I wasn't paying attention to what was going on outside of the car so it came as a complete surprise to me when I saw someone being forcefully pushed out of the house.

He was badly beaten and could barely walk, at that moment I took grave pity on him, I watched him limp for a bit and looked on where he soon caught my gaze, his eyes were dead, no life left in them and I wasn't one to lie but it scared me, he looked to be truly over with life.

I was more than a bit shook by that encounter and Chandler realized that as soon as he got into the car and amidst his attempts to try and calm me down, I only had one question.

" What were you doing in that house? " 

A question I did not get the answer to that night as the car ride was quiet from there on out and I was left with a simple kiss to the back of my palm as Chandler dropped me off at my mother's house that night, extensively leaving me to my wild thoughts.