homecoming. | EDITING

forty four

Justin

After spending a week at Jada's, I've decided that I would go home and start working to make my money again.

Jada was fine with it, she didn't want to be the only parent taking care of Khaila financially.

I was walking around my house with gray sweatpants and no shirt when I got a knock on the door.

I pushed a button in the hall,"Who is it?" There was no answer, just a bunch of muffles and cries.

Someone was crying on my doorstep.

Jada

"What do you think?" I smirked, telling Angie my idea. She frowned,"Bad idea."

"Why?" I whined.

"It's tacky!" She exclaimed,"Girls don't propose to boys, it's backwards and weird."

"So," I shrugged,"You haven't noticed that I'm weird by now?"

She laughed and shook her head,"Jada, this is insane."

"I think he's scared to propose to me so why not Big Daddy Jada take charge?" I said with a smile. She was the only person I've talked to about this.

"Oh, I don't know, because what if he's planning to propose and you just steal all his thunder?" She pointed out. I chuckled and sipped my drink,"Oh, he's not."

"And how are you so sure?"

"Because he hasn't had the time. Besides, he doesn't need all the stress. Planning a proposal will be stressful as fuck on him. And I'm pretty hard to please, men on the other hand will take anything."

She sighed,"Are you sure?"

I nodded,"Yes. Are we forgetting who the older sister is here?" She cracked a smile,"You know I'm protective of you, Jada. Are you ready financially to propose? I mean, you are rooming with mama."

"I've got some money saved up. Besides, if we're engaged then we can move in together and split the mortgage half and half. And it's not like I'm gonna propose with an expensive ass ring, no."

She raised an eyebrow,"How long have you thought about this?"

"Ever since we got back together," I said honestly,"And it seems like a good idea. I don't think Justin is the type of man that'll be embarrassed by it. The worst he'll do is laugh, and shit I know I'm gonna be laughing with my goofy ass."

She smiled,"You really love him, don't you?"

I nodded,"I feel like God was just testing us the first time to see if we could make it through all the bullshit, and we did. That is enough motivation for me," I shook my head,"I just want to be happy."

She smiled,"Well buddy, you have my blessing."

I hugged her,"I was gonna do it with our without your consent," I chuckled,"But this works. Thank you."

Justin

I cracked open my door and saw Hailey, sitting on my steps. Her hair was moist and moppish looking, and her skin was pale. She looked awful. "Hails," I bent down,"What're you doing here?" I haven't talked to her in years, and if it wasn't mistaken it looked as if she was on drugs or something.

"They.. They told me you'd help me...." She slurred, her hands clutching onto her arms. "Come on," I took her arm and led her in. I couldn't talk to her outside where we'd get caught by paparazzi, then it'd be all bad.

"What's going on?" I asked her. "Nothing," she said, stumbling around,"I can't come to see an old friend?"

I groaned,"First of all, you need to sit down," I said helping her. I shouldn't even be doing this. With my past with rehab in shit, I was told specifically to stay away from people like this.

"They're gonna kill me, Justin," she said, crying in her arms.

"What?"

"I owe them so much damn money," she cursed, still slurring. Her eyes were half open,"They said they would kill me if I didn't have it," she cried. I was confused. Last I talked to Hailey, she was successful due to her father's achievements and her own modeling.

"What're you on?" I asked her bluntly. She sniffled as she sloppily cried on my couch. "You don't even want to know. I'm trying to get better, Justin," she sobbed,"I really am. Once I pay these guys back I swear you'll never hear from me again."

"Nuh uh," I crossed my arms,"That doesn't have anything to do with me."

She cried,"Please, Justin. You're the only one who even answered the door for me. I'm just asking for a small loan, please," she begged me. "You know I'd do it for you in a heartbeat if it were you in this position."

"How much is it?" I asked curiously, I still didn't plan on giving her anything.

She gulped,"5 mil."

My mouth dropped,"5 million dollars? How much drugs did you purchase? Why would you do that if you knew you didn't have it?! Are you out of your mind, Hailey?!"

"Oh, come on, Justin. You know you have it." Which was true.

"But I have a life, Hailey. I have a daughter and - and a family. I can't just be tossing millions out like that."

"Please consider it," she said, pulling me close and crying on my shirt,"This is the only thing I'll ever ask you for. I can't die, Justin. I have a life, too."

"And you chose to throw it away. You don't need 5 million, what you need is some help," I told her, holding onto her shoulders and shaking her,"And I'll gladly give you that."

"Once these guys are off my case I will go get some help. But what's the point of getting help if you're not even sure how long you have left until a bullet is shot through your head?"

I sighed. This was a difficult position to be in. Yeah, I didn't really like Hailey, but I didn't like seeing people in need. I had a big heart, it's just how I am.

"Justin, you know you want to. The only person holding you back is that girlfriend of yours--"

"Yep, sure is," I snapped,"And she has a name, her name is Jada. And we have a daughter, her name is Khaila. Don't come in my house begging me for money and then start disrespecting my girlfriend, that's not how we're gonna do this."

"Sorry," she slurred, shutting her eyes. I snapped my fingers,"Uhn uhn, get up. I can't have you in here, especially sleep and strung out," I said, dragging her towards the door. I just got my shit together, I couldn't afford to lose it all because of someone I didn't even care about.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Meet me at the park down the street on Tuesday around 8. I'll have your answer then," and I slammed the door in her face.