Perspectives (Season 1)

Mikahyla 4

"It's been fun, girl, but I gotta go." Remi said, climbing up from her spot on the couch. "No, Remi, stay. Please?" "Kay, I got work in the morning. And anyway, I promised August I would help him get ready for his date tonight." "How is he?" I asked. "He's doing really good. Justin finally agreed to go public with him." Remi said. "What? That's good. I wish I could call him." "You can, Kay." "The last time we talked we said the meanest shit to each other. I don't know how to approach it." "Like I told him, we've been friends too long for this. Don't let some dude come between us." "Christian isn't just some dude. You know how I feel about him." I defended. "And that's my cue to go. I'll call you later." Remi called, hurrying out the front door.

I got up to lock it behind her, peeking out to make sure Remi left safe before going back inside when my mom's white Range Rover pulled into the parking space beside my car. I smiled, sliding my feet into my Nike slides by the front door and hurrying out to the driver's side of the SUV with a huge smile. As I neared, I noticed a face I hadn't seen since I was 19 years old. It was my dad. I made a face and my smile dropped.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I charged. "Yo, Kay, chill." Myles said, getting out of the backseat. "Don't tell me to chill, Myles. Why is he here? Why are you here?" I asked him again. "Mikahyla, watch your mouth when you talk to me." My dad demanded. "Go to hell. I don't wanna see you. I told you that. I told all yall that." "Mikahyla, what happened between me and your father was years ago. You need to grow up, honey." My mom tried to coax me. "Grow up? He hit you. Every day for years you let this man beat on you and when you finally got the courage to tell us you expect me to just forgive him? Fuck that. And fuck you." I spat at him. "Lil girl..." Myles grabbed my dad as he leaned towards me. "Do it. Hit me. You like beating on women, right?" I challenged him. "Mikahyla!" My mom yelled at me. "Yo, how you gone be on they case when you let that nigga walk all over you? You been with this nigga for two years, two years shorty, and he still ain't tryna make you his girl. All the times you called me crying cause you caught him cheating. You ain't no different than Ma." Myles shot at me.

I felt my heart drop to my stomach. My face got hot, and I couldn't control the boiling rage that was building inside of me. How dare they ambush me with a man I no longer recognized. This man wasn't the dad that I knew and grew up with. He wasn't the dad that picked me up and spun me around and took me out for ice cream. He wasn't the dad that held me when I cried and sang to me until I drifted off to the sleep. He wasn't the dad I knew. The dad I knew would have never hit my mom and he damn sure wouldn't have had an illegitimate kid on her. One that me nor my brother ever met.

And I couldn't believe Myles had brought Christian up at a moment like that. All the things I told him in secret, all the times I called in the middle of the night crying, he threw it all back in my face the one chance he got to use it against me. I thought I could trust him at the very least, but I saw then that my family didn't have my back or respect my wishes about not seeing or talking to my dad any more than August and Remi did about me being with Christian. Without a word to any of my family, I turned and started back up the slight incline towards my front door.

"Mikahyla!" My mom called after me. I ignored her, hurrying inside, and locking my door.

I collided with my bed, tears still rolling down the side of my face as I called the only person I wanted to be with in that moment.

"What's up, Kay?" Christian answered. "Baby, can you please come over?" I managed. "You good? What's wrong?" "I just want you to come over. I can't be by myself right now." "Mikahyla, I told you I got..." "Amari, please. Please, I need you." I bawled into the phone speaker. He sighed. "Aight, but I can't stay long. I'm on the way." Christian ended the call and I continued crying, cuddling up tight with my pillow until he came.