Born Husltas : Spin-off to Hustla

Chapter 52

Currently, someone was on stage singing "umbrella" by Rihanna.

"Oh my gosh, you weren't lying about the drunks", Aaliyah said with a giggle.

Kevin looked at Aaliyah and smiled. He was actually just admiring her for a moment then he looked back at the girl on stage.

"Jeremiah's mom introduced you to this too?", Aaliyah asked as she looked at Kevin.

Kevin looked at Aaliyah. "Yea. At first I didn't wanna come but I ended up enjoying myself", he said.

Aaliyah nods.

"Like me", she said with a smile.

"...can I ask you something?", Kevin asked.

"Go ahead", Aaliyah said.

"This isn't anything to ask you right now but I've just always wondered it", he said. "... do you think your life would've turned out the way it did after we broke up, if I didn't do what I did?"

"...I don't know", Aaliyah said.

Kevin looked down.

"But what I do know is things happen for a reason. May not be good, may not be bad. But at the end of the day...stuff happens one way or anything", she said.

Kevin looked at her.

"I hated you after that. I tolerated you at a point of time because you were the only person I trusted with my weed", she said,

Kevin chuckled.

Aaliyah smiled.

"But now I forgive you and I'm glad I did because... you're apart of my support system again. And I really need one of those right now because I'm afraid of what I'd do", Aaliyah said.

"What do you mean?", Kevin asked.

"...when I was in Atlanta....I brought something. I didn't wanna use it but at the said time I really wanted to use it...it's in my apartment right now. Sometimes I just sit it on the table and stare at it and debate on whether I want it or not", she said.

"...are you taking about what I think you're talking about", he asked.

Aaliyah nods. "Yes", she replied. "...it's actually what I wanted to get off my chest to someone face to face"

"Come on Aaliyah. Please do not turn to that again", Kevin said.

"I'm trying. But it's hard when you're in a situation like this. From Jada, to Andrea, to XL, to this divorce...it's a lot and I guess I'm just too weak to handle all of this", Aaliyah said.

"You aren't weak. You're stronger than you know", Kevin said.

"I'm not", Aaliyah said.

"You are. I haven't met anyone who has been through half of the shit that you have been through and is still standing. You've been taking care of yourself since you were a kid basically. Liyah, you've been strong and independent since birth", Kevin said.

Aaliyah sighed.

"Do not let those negative thoughts, fuck you up", Kevin said.

Aaliyah looked at him.

"Like I said you're stronger than you know", Kevin said.

"...thank you, kev", Aaliyah said.

"No problem. I've always been here for you. You just never need or want that so I kept my distance", he said.

"Wasn't that much of a distance. You moved across the country because of me", Aaliyah said.

"And I'll do it again", Kevin said as he looked at her lips.

Aaliyah looked at his lips then back at his eyes.

Kevin started leaning in for a kiss and in that moment Aaliyah did too but then she touched his shoulders.

Kevin stopped and looked at her.

"...my bad", he said.

"It's okay", she said.

They put distance back between each other.

"Damn. I wasn't thinking", he said.

"...I was about to kiss you too so...don't feel bad", she said as she looked at the person on stage.

Kevin smiled a little then looked at the person on stage too.

After karaoke, Aaliyah and Kevin got into their cars and left. Before going to her apartment, she went to Dre's house first.

He came to the door and opened it.

"I need to talk to you", Aaliyah said.

"Hell nah. Go talk to that pussy ass nigga", Dre said.

"Is that why you froze my credit card?", Aaliyah said. "Cause you saw me with Kevin?"

"Yea. I froze every since last one of them muthafuckas. You going on dates and shit. How about he pay for your shit", Dre said.

"Look. You told me that you would help me until I get back on my feet. I haven't found a job yet, Dre. and if you wanna be technical, I helped your business make that money", Aaliyah said.

"Aren't you the one who said-"

"I know what the fuck i said and I still stand by it. But at the end of the day, you promised me you were going to help me until I found a job but instead you wanna be petty", Aaliyah said.

"Petty? You moving on already and you wanna talk about I'm petty?", Dre asked.

"Dre! I am not moving on. How in the hell can I move on if I still love your ass?", Aaliyah said.

"If you love me, when why are we divorcing?", Dre said.

"Because I'm caring about myself for a change. Is it hard for me to divorce you? Yes. But it's even harder to know that I'm in a marriage with someone who loves another woman", Aaliyah said. 

Dre looked to the side.

"...I just came here to ask you about the credit cards and ask why you backed out of the deal but ... I don't need your money anymore. I don't want it anymore. That was wrong on so many levels. So petty. Yet, you didn't see me acting a fool, while nae was in the house with my kids even though you know I don't like that", Aaliyah said. "You're a hypocrite"

"I'm not a hypocrite", he said.

"You are. It's okay when you do things. But when I do something as simple to just talking to another man, hell breaks loose", she said.

Dre sucked his teeth.

"You can't even admit it. Wow. You know what I'm done talking to you. Tell my daughter Goodnight. Better yet, I'll text them myself", she said as she took her wallet out and dumped all of the cards on the ground.

"Really? Im not picking them shit up", he said.

"Neither am I", she replied before she walked to her car.

Dre watched her.

Aaliyah got in the car and drove off.

Dre shook his head, picked the cards up and went into the house.

TO BE CONTINUED...