The next day, Zonnique was up way before Princeton.
"Princeton! Wake up! I have your breakfast and everything on the table! When should Isabella be here?!" Zonnique shouted happily as she shook Princeton.
"Mmmm... what- what time is it?" he groaned as he kept his eyes shut.
Zonnique glanced over at the clock beside the TV and saw that it was only 5:06 AM. "It's 5:00!"
"She won't be here for another four hours, Zonnique!" he yelled. "They have to go through their medicine and stuff. Just wait."
He snatched the covers back over his head then drifted back off to sleep, leaving Zonnique there to wait. She sighed then plopped down on the edge of the bed, forced to sit and do nothing for 4 hours.
Four hours passed and Princeton was up and ready to go.
"Ms. Marilyn already called and told me that she's going to be here a little late. They had a problem with the delivery in medicine, so it may take a while for her to get here." Princeton said.
"Okay, that's fine. As long as I get to apologize to that little girl." Zonnique smiled.
"I don't know what'd gotten into me the last time I was there. You just really pissed me off by calling me there JUST to apologize!" she giggled as she fixed up the balloons they had for her.
"I just wanted to say sorry, Zonnique. You went Hulk on me, man."
"Yeah, well just remember that the next time you decide to do or say something stupid. Boy, you know you made me mad!"
Princeton laughed then looked down at his fingers. He then glanced back up at Zonnique, watching her set up the balloons. Fuck it, that's it.
He ran up the stairs to his room then called Reginae. Even though Zonnique's grudge against him was basically gone, he knew Reginae still had one. He dialed her number, then waited on his bed until she answered.
Once he heard the phone pick up, he jumped off of the bed.
"Reginae! Listen, for just one second-"
"Who is that?" a guy's voice in the background shouted.
Princeton raised his eyebrows up, listening even more.
"Prod, it's just Princeton. It'll be quick. Trust me."
He waited some more on the phone until she decided to talk. Once she made her way into a bathroom then slammed the door, she groaned.
"What... do you want."
"I wanted to apologize the decent way, Nae!"
"God damnit, Prince! Apologize already! You're calling me talking about some damn apology that I should've gotten a long time ago."
"I tried to apologize a long time ago but you wouldn't let me!"
Suddenly, the phone clicked off. "Man, forget it." Princeton sighed as he made his way back into the front.
If Reginae didn't want to accept his apology, he wouldn't worry about it. It was her who was holding all of that stress on her shoulders, not him.
When he made it into the living room, he saw the Zonnique wasn't in there, and the front door was left opened. That's when Isabella came walking through the door with Zonnique and Ms. Marilyn.
"PRINCETON!" she squealed as she ran up to him.
"Hey, little girl!"
Once she let go, she scanned his living room as she started smiling. "Your house is so big and beautiful! It's just like the hospital!"
"Alright, Izzy. I'm just going to check around the house before I leave. Behave yourself, alright?" Ms. Marilyn nodded.
Isabella shook her head then gave her a tight hug around her waist. She then turned to Zonnique and walked up to her. Princeton bit his lip as he watched.
"Zonnique... I wanted to tell you that I forgive you for what you did the other week. My Sunday school teacher told me that you have to forgive in order to make it into the gates of heaven, so I forgive you."
Zonnique rubbed her lips toigether as she pulled her in for a hug. "Oh, Izzy! I am so sorry for that, sweety!" She pulled her back then stared her deeply in the eyes. "But I want you to forgive me because you forgive me. Not juyst because your teacher told you."
"I really forgive you, Zonnique." she smiled.
Zonnique paused for a little before bringing her in for a hug again. It was more than relieving to know that this special, little girl was forgiving her even after she knocked down all of her medicine, smashed her cabinets, and jacked her room all the way up; but that was the power of forgiveness.
The first place they went was to Disney Land. Luckily, Isabella was able to get on all of the rides for free.
"Bless her heart." Zonnique whispered to Princeton as they watched her ride the tea cups.
"Isabella has always been wise for as long as I've known her. I wonder how does a girl her age keep so much faith?" Princeton said.
"I don't know. Maybe, it's because she's been through it so long.."
They watched her as she was having the time of her life on the tea cups while they spun around. It was beautiful just to see her having so much fun and getting out of the depressing hospital.
"Or, maybe... the meds help her not to think about it?"
Princeton smirked. "Or maybe she was here to send us a message."
Zonnique glanced at Princeton then snapped her neck. "Send us a message?"
Before she even got another word out, Princeton grabbed her left arm, pulled her in, the planted a soft kiss on her cheek. He pressed against her stomach a little before slowly letting her go. He didn't want to kiss her on the mouth because he knew Ray Ray was dating her; and that just wasn't something they'd do to each other.
"Princeton, what the hell was that?" Zonnique laughed.
"I just wanted to give you a kiss so that we could confirm our friendship again." he said as he started fake blushing.
Zonnique playfully slapped on his shoulders as they both started giggling. "Sure, we're friends, Prince. Just don't pull that again, man. Ray will try to beat you into a pulp."
"Whatever." he said as he shrugged.
The two watched Isabella some more before taking her out on a couple of more rides, then going to eat. Once they sat down to eat their food at a bench, Isabella sat in the middle. "So, Izzy, how were the rides?" Zonnique asked as she dug into her popcorn.
"I loved it, you guys. Thank you for making my last days special!" Isabella said.
"Well, we really love you Izzy and we want you to be rewarded for your beautiful personality." Princeton smiled.
Right before she was going to speak again, Zonnique interrupted her.
"Wait.. did you say 'your last days'?"
Isabella turned to her and nodded her head. "I heard Ms. Marilyn and the other children talking about it. They thought I was asleep, but I heard them. They said I wasn't going to be here any longer."
She said it so casually that it seemed almost as if she didn't care. On the other hand, Zonnique and Princeton were both heart-broken. They couldn't even say anything.
"Izzy..." Princeton gasped as he stared at her. "No... "
"Preserve your best inner qualities."
Me. (Kay)
