Hustla (BOOK ONE)

Chapter 16

The next morning Dre finally came home. Aaliyah was sitting on the couch with her things.

Dre made a face. "What's this?", he asked as he shut the door.

Aaliyah stands up and starts walking to him. "I know what you did yesterday", she said.

"What?", he asked

"Don't play dumb", she said. "You threatened that guy and I don't even understand why because we aren't even dating"

Dre didn't say anything.

"You can't be doing that Dre", Aaliyah said.

Dre rolled his eyes.

"Why did you?", she asked.

"... maybe I was jealous", he said.

"You said you don't wanna be in a relationship with anybody right?", she asked.

"Yea", he said.

"Well then why the fuck are you fucking with a nigga that's tryna talk to me", she questioned. "Not that I want to be in a relationship with him or anybody for that matter but why do that?"

"Because you don't need him", Dre said.

"Who do I need?", Aaliyah asked.

"Me", Dre said.

"But yet we both know two people who have trust issues, the same attitude and millions of more these in common don't need to be together", she said.

Dre rolled his eyes. "I didn't say I wanted to be in a relationship", he said.

"But yet you want me all to yourself while you can do what the fuck you want and we ain't even in no damn relationship?", she questioned.

Dre looks at her. "We done talking?", he asked.

Aaliyah was shocked by the way he was acting. "..yes we're done talking. Like completely", she said as she grabbed her bags.

"Didn't I say if you go back to your apartment you'll be dead?", he asked.

"I'm not going there. I'm going to my Jay's place while I look for another place to say", she said.

"Aaliyah you really about to leave", he asked.

"Dre just leave me alone alright", she said as she walked out the door. "And send me my money", she said before she shut the door.

Dre shook his head and walked upstairs. He didn't want her to leave and he did care about her leaving but he wasn't going to beg her to stay or run after her.

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Aaliyah had been at Jay's house for a little over a week. She hadn't heard from Dre and she didn't plan on calling him either. He did eventually send her my money.

Aaliyah looked for places to stay but didn't find anything available that she liked. She kinda was thinking about moving out the state or the city or something because of this but she also didn't wanna be far from Keyanna. Her support system.

Aaliyah was starting to get to know Jay a little better. He was a cool guy behind that "thug" mentality. He would tell her stories about their sisters and dad sometimes and Aaliyah enjoyed them.

Jay and a girl he was messing with walked out of his room.

"I'll see you later okay baby?", she said.

Aaliyah would always study her when she came in. She never asked questions about her to him because she thought she was just some one night stand at first but today was her third time seeing her.

"iight ma", he said as he bit his lip.

The girl smiled and kissed him. After she kissed him she looked at Aaliyah.

Aaliyah mugged her.

"You know.. every time I come in here you don't speak to me", the girl  said.

"Maybe because I don't have to", Aaliyah replied.

"Liyah", Jay said trying to signal her to stop acting like that.

"Jay", she said with a face letting him know she wasn't.

"I'll see you later JaQuan", the girl said as she walked out.

Jay shut the door before her.

"Don't worry I'll be outta here in no time", Aaliyah said. "Besides..I hope that isn't your girlfriend"

"Why you say that?", Jay asked.

"Because she seem sneaky", Aaliyah said.

Jay shakes his head and sits down and chuckles a little. "How you gone say that when you ain't even talk to her?", he asked.

"Because I can read people good", Aaliyah said.

"Whatever you say", he said.

Aaliyah looked back at her laptop.

"I know you told me not to tell dad about you but why?", he asked.

"I just don't want to right", she said. "I um.. I can't"

"Why?", he asked.

"Because... you said he used to talk about me all the time... and I don't want him to be disappointed if I'm not the daughter he expected me to be", she said.

"Hey.. I'm not the son he expected me to be but he still loves me. Even if we bump heads", Jay said.

Aaliyah just looked at her computer, scrolling through apartments.

"It ain't nothing to be scared up", he said.

"I'm not scared", Aaliyah said.

"Whatever", he said with a smile.

Aaliyah chuckled. "I'm not", she said.

Jay sat back.

"Oh and I don't know if you didn't cook that food long enough last night but I woke up feeling bad", Aaliyah said.

"I didn't. So my food was cooked right", Jay said.

"Maybe yo stomach used to undercooked food. Mine ain't", Aaliyah said jokingly.

Jay chuckled. "You threw up?", he asked.

"No. I wanted to", she said.

"Then you ain't have food poisoning", he said.

"Man listen. You can't cook and imma leave it at that", she said jokingly.

Jay got up laughing. "Fuck you", he said.

"Fuck you too nigga", she said as she chuckles.

"I'm going to my room. And once again when you tired of sleeping on the couch we can switch out and you sleep on the bed and I sleep on the couch", he said.

"Ew. I am not sleeping on that bed after you and who ever that girl is been in it", she said.

Jay chuckles. "I'll wash the sheets", he said.

"Nigga Imma need some brand new ones", she said.

"You funny as fuck", he said. "You like my favorite sister and I just met you"

Aaliyah smiles.

Jay walks into his room.

TO BE CONTINUED...