31.

"Tiara Gold Thomas, I should slap you like you're crazy! Y'all went to Atlanta and didn't tell anyone? I had to find out from your aunt ? And you were in a hospital ? You have a heart condition? You are getting on a flight to Detroit tomorrow morning. And if I don't see you at that airport. I will fly down to D.C. myself and drag your aśs right back home"

My mother has been going off on me all morning about everything that's been going on.

I really didn't feel like we had to tell her that we were coming to Atlanta for Anthony, I know I should've but it was such a spontaneous thing, it never crossed my mind.

"Mom I know you're mad"

"Mad?!? I am livid- Yolanda please calm down" I heard my father cut her off.

"You do not tell me to calm down" she yelled back.

Aw man.

I heard him sigh and then shut the door.

"Right now is not the time to be mister calm." She mumbled.

"Can you please listen to me. You only know what aunt Yasmine told you. And no I don't have a heart condition. My heart almost gave out because I had a panic attack. We came to Atlanta for Anthony's mothers funeral. I saw Korey and Bre. Bre is Anthony's cousin. When I saw him, my body went into shock mom..." I explained to her.

I heard her crying "I could have lost you Tiara! What if the phone call I was receiving was your aunt telling me that you were gone! I don't care how grown you think you are. But you are only 18 years old. When you are catching flights to other states you tell me and your father." She was going off.

She wasn't even on speaker and I knew Keenan heard everything she said. He was rubbing my leg trying to comfort me.

"I know and I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get you all worked up. But I'm not coming back home to Detroit. It's my spring semester of my freshmen year of college. I'm staying" I told her.

"You're heart- my heart is fine" I cut her off before she could say anything else that might lead Keenan to asking me a bunch of questions.

I really don't need either of them on my case right now.

I heard her sigh. "You scared me, you scared the fück out of me Tiara" she stated.

"I know and I'm really sorry ma.. I am" I told her.

"When you're alone, I want you to explain everything that doctor told me. I have to get to work. I love you and call me as soon as you land back in D.C." she said.

"Okay I will, I love you too" I said and then hung up the phone.

I fell back onto my bed and just laid there.

"We have to start getting ready for the funeral" Keenan said. "I know, I just need five minutes to myself please" I told him.

He got up and kissed my forehead then left out of the room.

I started to take deep breaths and get myself together. I looked at the pills bottle aunt Yasmine left on the dresser for me.

I grabbed it and popped one Xanax. I grabbed my water bottle and then swallowed the pill.

I haven't told Keenan anything about what the doctors said. I don't want him worrying about me or questioning himself and our relationship.

I will be okay.

He came back into the room with his towel wrapped around his waist.

"Showers all yours" he said.

I got up and went into the bathroom. I turned the shower on and let it get hot. Before the bathroom got too steamy I just stared at my reflection in the mirror.

I look okay. I look completely okay. I will be okay.

I took a few deep breaths and felt my body begin to relax as the medicine started to kick in.

I took my clothes off and got into the shower.

I feel so much more calm.

After I was done washing, I got out of the shower and started to get ready for Anthonys mother funeral.

My hair was pretty much a mess, so I decided to just put it into a neat top knot bun. I did a natural makeup look with my signature matte brown lip. I had on a black turtle neck tight fitted dress and my black red bottoms.

Kennan had on black slacks, a white button down, with black dress shoes. His hair was still fresh from his cut. He had on his earrings and silver chain and watch.

I decided to also put on my studs and accessories with my silver jewelry.

Once we were done we headed downstairs and the girls were already down there waiting for us.

Kendall had on a black off the shoulder sweater dress, with clear heels. Cassie had on a black body con dress that was quarter sleeve with black heels. Lani had on a black pant suit with black heels.

I grabbed the keys to Yasmine's Range Rover and handed them to Keenan.

"Hey how you feeling?" Kendall asked me. "I'm okay" I said blandly "just cooling it" I added.

"You took the medicine this morning?" She asked me.

"Yup, right before I got in the shower. It kicked in within minutes, I feel very relaxed" I told her.

"Did you tell Keenan what was up?" She whispered to me. I shook my head "only told him it was for my anxiety" I told her.

"Ti..come on" she shook her head "no, don't do that. I know Keenan. I know that if I tell him what the doctors told me he will take full blame, I don't need him thinking he caused this" I explained to her.

She just nodded her head understanding.

We all got into the car and made our way to the church where the funeral was taking place.

It was only twenty minutes away and we got there before it had started.

Keenan opened the door for me and grabbed my hand, holding it tightly.

When we walked in the church, we noticed it was a lot of people like how it was at her viewing last night.

When Anthony saw us his smiled brightened right away.

"I'm so glad you guys made it" he hugged all of us. "Of course we did" Lani said. "Yeah, we're here for you because we love and care about you" Cassie added.

"I love you guys more. I still can't believe y'all just packed up everything and hopped on a flight like that" he teared up.

"Yeah as soon as Ti told us, we didn't think twice about it" Lani said.

He looked over at me "how are you?" He asked "I'm great" I told him "I really had no idea. That was your Korey".

"He's not my Korey" I said sternly. "The way they told their story. They didn't mention you in it at all. They made it seem like, when they met. It was like love at first sight" he explained to me.

I felt my heart sink. Keenan started stroking my hand with his thumb calming me down.

"Oh uh , wow" was all I could say and then my eyes landed on him.

He was already looking at me. "Excuse me" I let go of Keenan's hand "where you going?" Kendall asked "to the rest room" I told her.

I walked towards the restroom and when I heard someone behind me, I turned around right away already knowing who it was.

"Leave me alone" I said to him. "Ti" he started. "Tiara" I interrupted him. He sighed and looked at me with those sad puppy dog eyes.

"Tiara, I'm so sorry," he said. I noticed his lip was busted. I didn't mean to but I smirked thinking about Keenan busting his lip.

Then I came back to reality "Korey, I don't want to hear it. I don't care about your apologies. I don't care about what you have to say. I don't care about you. Or her. Or that baby. I do not care. I don't want to hear anything else you have to say. You're so in love with her right? Go be with her and stop worrying about me. Because you surely wasn't when you put your dick in her and got her pregnant" I spazzed on him.

I felt myself starting to get angry. My breathing becoming heavy.

I felt Korey step closer to me "please don't come any closer. I'm fine" I told him.

"No you're not, and it breaks me knowing I caused this" I saw him tearing up.

"I need Keenan" I watched as me saying that broke him. I didn't care though, I need Keenan.

"I'm right here" he said. He walked up to me completely ignoring Korey's existence and pulled me into his arms.

I automatically calmed down at his presence and him hugging me made me feel calm and safe.

"Let's go the funeral is about to start" he said to me and grabbed my hand.

We walked past Korey without looking his way again.

I saw Bre and she couldn't even look me in my eyes. I just shook my head.

We walked inside of the church and found our seats next to the girls. We are in the third row, right behind Anthony.

Bre and Korey sat in the row with Anthony. I saw as she comforted him.

Then paid attention to the pastor that was talking.

I noticed throughout the funeral that Anthony didn't really cry. He's so strong, even if I got to say my final goodbyes to my mother, I'd still be in full blown tears going crazy.

But he's accepted the fact that she is gone and found peace within. I love that for him.

After the funeral, we all drove to the burial sight.

We watched as the workers began to lower her casket. I watched Anthony as he watched her go under. I saw him start to shake.

"You guys" I got our friends attention and pointed to Anthony. We all nodded our heads and went over to him.

We all hugged onto him and he started crying. The balling of tears that I was talking about earlier.

I knew he was holding it in. "She's gone" he sniffles. "We love you Anthony, we're here for you" Lani said.

"So so much" Kendal added, "we aren't going anywhere" I added.

He cried in our arms.

After about ten minutes he got himself back together and we headed to his house for the post funeral get together.

He sent us the address to his house and in about fifteen minutes we were pulling up.

His house was filled with family and friends, even some neighbors came.

"You can tell she was so loved" Cassie said "definitely" Kendall agreed.

We all sat down outside at a table that was set up after we grabbed our plates.

His uncle was cooking out and they were really celebrating his mother's life. Everyone was smiling, dancing and eating. With the Hispanic music playing in the background.

Anthony was making his way towards us and sat down at the table with us.

"Y'all are so lit. It reminds me of my family" Cassie said. "Yeah this is how we always are after funerals. We refuse to be sad. We celebrate life. And my mom , she lived a great one and had an impact on so many" he spoke.

"I wish we could've met her" Keenan said. "Me too, I know for a fact she would've loved you guys" Anthony agreed.

"So I'm sorry to bring this up but Ti, what the hell happened?" Anthony asked me.

"Yeah me and Lani don't know either so please spill!" Cassie said.

"Well, when we had first got back to school Korey and I were still talking like every other day. Mind y'all he was still telling me he missed me and loved me, and that I was still his. Whole time he was messing with Bre , got her pregnant and didn't mention her to me at all. Then he told us thanksgiving in front of everybody. My family , Keenan's family and his family. I never felt so embarrassed in my life. Then he brought her with so none of us knew who this girl was in our house" I explained to them.

"In front of everybody?" Lani repeated "literally" Keenan said. "Bro, I would've spazzed on him" Cassie said "I left. I had to leave. I couldn't even believe that happened" I told them.

"Wow" Anthony said "if I knew that, I would not have let him anywhere near Bre, did she know about you?" He asked. "I assumed she did because she came with him to my house to tell me they were expecting" I explained.

"Wow" was all he kept saying.

"Their story was way different, like you were never mentioned at all. They told us they met at a party. As soon as they laid eyes on each other they just knew, they met in August, and every since they've been vibing" he explained to us.

"That son of a bïtch" Kendall said.

"You want me to fight him?" Cassie asked.

"We can go tag team him right now Ti! I swear" Lani said.

"I already handled that" Keenan said.

"Who says he can't get another asś whooping" Cassie said.

"He better not do that shït to Bre bruh, she's literally like my sister" Anthony said.

"He won't" I told them. "How do you know?" Cassie asked.

"Even though what Korey did was fücked up on so many levels. There's a child involved. He wouldn't do anything to hurt her or their child" I told them truthfully.

That's when I got up from the table "where you going?" Keenan asked. "The restroom" I told him.

I grabbed my plate and then headed inside of Anthony's house to find the restroom.

It's crazy that as soon as I walk in, I see Korey and Bre on the couch rubbing her belly that's starting to show.

"Want me to help you find the restroom?" I turned around and it was Anthony.

I smiled "yeah, thanks".

"So, you read my letter" he said as we were walking through his house.

"I did...um, you said some very kind things. It made me smile but I'm with Keenan now" I told him.

"I know" he said. "But if he weren't with him would you have considered it?" He asked me.

"Yes. I would have. I've always enjoyed your company and you all together. You're a great person. I care for you deeply" I told him truthfully.

"I wish I could've got you before he did" he said to me.

"Everything happens for a reason and maybe I'm just not the one for you" I told him.

"I love my bro. Don't get me wrong, but he's gonna mess up. And when you're ready. I'll be here." He stepped closer to me and kissed me on my cheek.

"The bathrooms first door on your right" he said and then left me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am sooooo sorry for keeping y'all waiting for so long. Idk why my professors are actually taking this online class bs serious. I hate it here.

But I made sure the chapter was long for you guys!!!

Lemme know what you think :)

And thank you soooo much for the 19.2k reads. Literally the last time I updated I was just hitting like 15k ! Thank y'all so so much 😭

I have a lot in stored for y'all, I can't wait to make it all happen.

I Love you I love you sooo much

XxJordyn