From Bringston, With Love

Chapter 11: All I Want For Christmas Is You

Simone and Keisha are on their way to LA. Cam has already made it home for the break by now. Keisha will be staying with Simone, but still plans to spend time with Cam's family on Christmas. Simone feels a lot more at ease on this journey back to LA. She's not dreading the potential ending of anything. Only looking forward to being able to relax, spend time with her family and Shay, and get a complete break from the things going on in Atlanta. Keisha's always along for the ride and down for whatever. The most she is concerned about is meeting Cam's parents and wondering what they'll think of her.

JR and Nate are with their families. Damon goes to spend a few days with his parents in Chicago but comes back before Christmas to be there with Thea for her rotator cuff repair surgery and post-op care. She doesn't really have anyone else that she'll allow in her space at such a vulnerable time. Not even her parents. Her surgery goes well but it's still an uphill battle to get back on the court. That's her main focus.

Simone and Keisha have a pretty smooth first few days in LA until they run into some familiar faces as Slauson Cafe. It's just 2 days before Christmas and Clay is on the hunt for talent to sign at his label so he's hosting an event. Spencer, Layla, Jordan, and Olivia are all in attendance. Layla's talking to Clay. Spencer, Jordan, and Olivia are together but Jordan still somehow has his eyes on Layla. Cam's on stage just finishing up singing Ordinary People by John Legend. Everyone's clapping for him in the end. Simone turns her head to see Jordan staring intensely at Layla while she's talking to Clay. This bothers her, but not as much as what's to come next. Spencer breaks away from Jordan when he sees Simone and Keisha. He comes to greet them and Cam just as Cam is leaving the stage. Then a familiar voice, but unpleasant presence adds themselves to the mix.

"Yo Cam, I didn't know you could sing let alone like that! Good to see you bro. How you been?" says Dane as he goes to dap Cam up.

"Ohhh shoot, Dane?! What's good bro? It's been a min," Cam says in response. "This is my girl Keisha, and you already know Simone."

Dane: "Oh damn, Simone? It's been a minute. You look beautiful as ever, but that's no surprise."

Simone: "You can't be serious right now." She turns to Keisha. "Is he serious right now?"

Keisha mumbles, "If I speak..." Cam squeezes her hand urging her to chill.

Dane tries again asking Simone, "You been doing good though?"

Simone: "You have no business asking me personal questions. If it's not about your son. You know the kid you've seemed to miraculously have forgotten about, then you shouldn't have a damn thing to say to me."

Dane: "My bad I was just trying to have polite conversation."

Cam steps closer to Dane. "I think you should just go bro. Ain't nothing left for you here."

Dane throws his hands up just before walking off. "Aight, I'm out."

"That's my baby!" Keisha says as she goes to kiss Cam on the cheek. She turns to Simone and grabs her hand. "You okay, girl? That was kinda crazy."

Simone takes a deep breath and smiles reassuringly. "Yeah, I'm good. I'm not gonna let anything ruin Christmas for me. Especially not someone like that." Simone sighs. "Anyways, I think it's time for us to get out of here before anything crazier happens," she says, as she looks in Jordan and Layla's direction.

After seeing Jordan and Layla, then Dane all in one night, Simone just needs time to herself. The night is still pretty young and she could hang with Cam and Keisha for a while but she chooses to go home instead while they hang out without her. Cam drops Simone off at home. She opens the door and heads straight to the kitchen. She grabs some water and a few snacks, then heads to her room. As she's walking up the stairs to her room, she guzzles her water. By the time she gets to her room, the water is almost gone, but she notices that she still has leftover water in a bottle from the other night on her nightstand. She admires the framed picture of Shay on her nightstand before tossing herself forward on her bed.