Hustla (BOOK ONE)

Chapter 31

Once Dre found out Aaliyah had a twin, he and her talked about things. He realized that Aaliyah lied about having sex with somebody else and Carmen realized that Aaliyah was pregnant.

Aaliyah got a knock on her door. Carmen told her that she was coming. She opened the door and it was Carmen.

"Hey. What's up?", Aaliyah asked.

"No what's up with you. You've been lying to me", Carmen said as she walked in.

Aaliyah didn't say anything she just shut the door.

"When were you going to tell me you were pregnant? You didn't think that's something I should've known?", Carmen asked.

"How do you know that?", Aaliyah asked.

"Dre.. who's apparently the father", Carmen said.

"When did you talk to him?"

"It doesn't matter when I talked to him. You lied to me.. Aaliyah you could've put the baby in danger", Carmen said.

"Carmen listen. I don't know what it was like with you growing up, but me? It's hard for me to trust anyone", she said. "I couldn't even trust my own mom"

"Yet you're acting just like her", Carmen said.

"You May look like me. But You don't even know me", Aaliyah said.

"I know that from what you said that mom didn't even protect you growing.. your doing the same to an unborn child Aaliyah", Carmen said.

"You know I thought you were different but you're just like my best friend. Judging me", Aaliyah said.

"You best friend must really care about you then", Carmen said. "I'm just trying to help"

"Do me a favor don't", Aaliyah said.

Carmen stares at her. "Is this what you always do? Run from the truth?"

"I don't run away from anything", Aaliyah said.

"You ran from Dre", Carmen said. "Somebody who seems to care and what's to be there for you"

"He put a gun to my head", Aaliyah said.

"You provoked him!", Carmen yelled.

"He cheated!", Aaliyah cried. "I'm suppose to just let that slide??"

"You know those types of dudes and what you don't do is get even because they'll come back ten times harder", Carmen said. "Trust me"

Aaliyah folds her arms.

"You're running away from somebody who actually likes you and care about you. I don't know Dre like that and his first impression wasn't the best... but after talking to him tonight he does have a sensitive side for you. He looked for you all night Aaliyah. If he didn't care he would let you go and not cared where you went but he did care", she said.

Aaliyah looked down.

"I was like you once... I hate so much hate in my heart that when somebody loved him I pressed them away", Carmen said as she teared up. "I dealt with this guy and he really really liked me and I liked him but I was afraid to let him in my life. One night he told me he loved me and I got drunk because I was nervous and cheated later that night... and grandma died because of it"

Carmen quickly wiped her tears. "Now I've learned to let people in.. I keep my guard up but I let people in"

Aaliyah looked at her.

"Aaliyah listen.. what I'm trying to say is you can't do that anymore. Things will Never changed if you turn your back on the people who love you", she said. "You can't grow as a person doing that... you can't be there for your child physically and emotionally if you continue to do that. You will be just like mom"