𝑪𝑶𝑵𝑻𝑹𝑶𝑳

Prologue

"𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝑺𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒅"
MAR | leo
2006
Boston

"Can you tell me what color you think of when you think about your parents, Leo?" The doctor asked young Leo.

"Red." He said staring at the light blue walls but still adjusting himself in the leather seat.

"Okay, now, why do you think of red?" Dr. Nguyen had always been the type to pry.

'She's so annoying' Leo thought.

"Because they make me mad. They don't love me, so why should I love them." He finally looked up at the the pale women.

"What makes you think they don't love you?"

"Doc, you know why!" Leo snapped, but neither of them were surprised. They couldn't get through a session without an outburst from him.

"We're here to talk things out and make us all feel better, bud. You will feel better when you talk to me."

"You always tell me that, doc, but I just wanna go home! When am I leaving?!" He stomped his feet and then stood up, his feet touching the gray carpet.

Leo had been going to therapy for 4 months now and there wasn't a time where it didn't end in screaming and yelling. He hated talking about his feelings and his family. He just wanted to be a nine year old and play at the park like everyone else.

Instead of continuing, he walked out the room and outside, waiting for his grandmother to come pick him up.

ALI | aliana
2011
Atlanta

"But RiRi wants to go swimming tomorrow and I don't have cool goggles like everyone else, TyTy!" Ali was on the verge of tears.

She couldn't be the only one at the pool without goggles. She hated feeling left out and she didn't plan on feeling like that tomorrow.

"Man, go ask Ma. I know you not in my face crying over some damn goggles." TyTy putting on a white sweater from his closet.

"I already asked her and daddy and they both said to ask you to take me! Please, TyTy!"

"Ight, let's go. You do too much lil sis," He said with a chuckle.

Being seventeen, while Aliana was only eleven, Tyrell was beyond protective over his little sister. He was doing all he could to keep his family safe and stable. More than any of them, especially Ali, knew.

"Yay! Thank you!" She jumped up and down running down the stairs to the front door.

TyTy followed behind.

"Ma, I'm taking Ali to get sum from the store!"

And with that they walked down the lawn and down the block.

"Hopefully, they have pink ones there because RiRi has pink ones too." Ali told him thinking it would be cool if her and her best friend matched.

"Yea, but you should wanna stand out Ali. You yo' own person with a personality too, sis. Stop tryna-"

The air rung.

Faster than they could move out the way, a bullet struck Tyrell in the chest knocking him onto the side walk in front of the neighbor's yellow house.