Tough Luck, Rough Love {Slümptäçïøn}

The Deadline.

"Whatever you want to do, just let me know and we'll do it. Anything in the world."

"Promise?" I asked.

"Promise."

And that's what we did. We went out on hundreds of dates after that, I can't even begin to count. It was fun.

Much of those dates were due to my requests, but surprisingly, majority of them were from Stokeley.

We dated. He was my boyfriend. And I was ecstatic.

He and Omar made up, I made Stoke apologize. And it was just Stoke, Omar Gazzy and I. Our little clique.

We ended up going to prom together. I was extremely nervous to be honest. I was a wreck. But I had to admit, it was the best time of my life.

And then we went to the hotel after that and let's just say...

The fun didn't stop til AFTER 6am the next day.

We ended up wanting to go to the same school as Gazzy and Omar, we didn't want our little family to be broken up. And it helped that we were all accepted to the University of Florida. We all moved down there much to my Mom's dismay. She didn't want me to leave but she understood this had to be done.

My mom approved of Stokeley and I's relationship. It took some time though, ever since stoke accidentally hit me, she's been on high alert everytime he came over. But pretty soon she warmed up to him. He treated us to well to be treated any differently.

It was the summer vacation before our freshman year of college when we found out Stokeley's father was really sick back in Chicago.

Stoke would go out there frequently to visit him, and I would go too sometimes. Though I get the feeling he doesn't really like me. Everytime I came over he would just look at me and grimace, like I'm the angel of death or something.

I tried talking to Stoke about it but he always dismissed it. Saying that his father was a kind man. He had a big heart.

Sure.

It was one fateful day that we went to visit him though. His condition had worsened and he was placed in hospice. I had left the room to go to the restroom, but I was walking back when I heard a conversation they were having.

"Son, I know you love that... Man. And I am really happy that you have learned to love someone. But can't you find someone of the opposite sex?" His father questioned.

I felt my stomach drop, I was sick. I couldn't believe that a man on his death bed was worried about who his son was dating. You should be enjoying the time you have left.

"Dad, I know how you feel, but I can't just leave him. He's apart of me now. He's my everything. I can't see myself without him." Stokeley replied.

That's my man.

"Well son, as a final favor for your father, I want you to do something for me."

"What is it?"

"There's this place I want you to go to. It's a ministry. I want you to go there instead of the University. It will enlighten you on things and help you get to where the Lord envisioned for you to be."

A ministry for four years? What the hell? We're supposed to be going to college together! This can't be happening can it?

"I'll think about it pops. For you." Stoke said.