ElijahBrake if you guys are looking for another good book to read please check out my boy book "Infinite Cycle" It's realistic, relatable and overall good as fuck! I'm hooked on it and I'm sure you guys will be as well.

Now onto the chapter...

C H A P T E R
E I G H T

Marcus & Anaya in MM

-

Weeks had passed since Ahmad spilled those secrets and even though at the time he felt better, now he wasn't seeing the hype on telling people to release their demons when it only made a person more depressed and reflect on how fucked up their life actually is.

Slowly getting out of bed he grabbed his bottle of pills seeing he was down to his last two, pouring them into his hands he popped him into his mouth swallowing them dry.

Walking to his kitchen he yawned loudly checking the fridge for groceries. When he saw how empty his fridge was, he walked back to his room slipped on his slippers grabbed his keys then walked out the front walking over to Marcus's place.

Knocking on the door twice, he took a step back biting his lip as he waited. When the door opened Marcus smirked slapping hands with him then moved to the side to let him in.

"You good man?"

Ahmad nodded going straight for his kitchen. Looking inside his freezer he grabbed a Jimmy Dean breakfast bowl and went to set it up while Marcus sat on the couch staring at the picture of his biological parents.

Today marked ten years without them and he had to admit it was tough. He could never get over losing them but he did appreciate Ahmad's family welcoming him in with open arms and treating him like their own.

His parents were all he had since his family was always on that fuck that and couldn't fuck with them. The day he lost them apart of him died right along with him but he continued to be strong for them.

Once Ahmad's food was ready he took it out the microwave then walked over to the living room sitting next to him. "You sure you don't wanna go to that family get together in rememberance of them today?"

"I'd rather grieve on my own then be surrounded by some fake ass muthafuckas that never gave a damn about us." He spat standing to his feet.

"Well what do you want to do? I'm here for you man."

"I just wanna visit their gravesights, talk to em, release some stress and call it a day .. might even bring Anaya with me."

Ahmad smiled. "I would say I'd tag along but I'll let y'all have that moment."

Marcus smiled sitting the picture of him and his folks back down on his coffee table. "Are you good though bro?"

After Ahmad told his parents he told Marcus and after that Marcus stayed even more concerned about him. He knew experiencing something like that was life changining and never wanted him to just get too depressed to where he wanted to end it all.

"I'm straight, been taking my meds and shit never better." He smiled lying.

Ahmad was abusing the meds, taking more than what he was suppose to take. He has gotten two refills already and it has barely even been two months. "That's good to hear, but I'm finna gon' head and get ready cause I know they gon' come to the graveyard and I wanna be long gone before they show their fake asses up."

"I'm gon' finish this then head out to get groceries, you want something?"

"Whatever you get you know I'ma eat it so why even ask?"

"Shut up nigga,"

While Marcus was in the back getting ready, Ahmad continued watching whatever he had playing on tv and eating. Once he was finished, he threw his trash away, yelled good bye to Marcus then walked out the door going back to his so he could get dressed to get gas and groceries.

Slipping on a pair of Nike basketball shorts, and a grey tank top, he sprayed himself down in cologne slipped on his Nike slides then headed out the door.

As he was locking up his apartment he saw Anaya making her way up the stairs. When she saw him she smiled going in for a hug. "How have you been?" She asked since she hasn't seen him since that night Cali and him hooked up.

"I've been good, you?"

"Good, just keeping yo ugly ass friend in line."

"Aye you better hop up off my boy now," He laughed.

"Whatever but nah but forreal I been good,"

He nodded. "How your friend been?"

Smirking she leaned against Marcus door, "She's been good, back to her stuck up ass ways but good."

"That's good,"

Things got quiet between the two and Anaya already knew what she had to do, pulling out her phone she went to Cali's number then held her hand out. "That's her number, get it while you can."

Taking the phone from her he typed the number into his phone before handed it back. "Preciate it,"

"You're welcome, well I'll see you later."

As she entered Marcus apartment, Ahmad walked down the stairs staring at Cali's number. Saving it in his phone he slid it in his pocket unlocked his car then got in.

Back at Marcus place, Anaya sat on his bed watching him get dressed. She sensed his attitude and hated he was feeling this way, she knew today was gonna be tough for him and she wanted to do nothing but keep him in good spirits.

The whole week he had been making himself extra busy to keep himself from thinking about it, around this time for like maybe three weeks or so he'd be somewhat depressed then it would pass.

But this year was different, soon as this month hit it was like that switch came on and he couldn't do anything but think about them. Ahmad and Anaya tried their best to be there for him but a lot of times he just wanted to be left alone.

When he was ready he sighed grabbing his wallet and keys. Anaya stood up from the bed taking a hold of his hand giving it a tight squeeze. "I'm here," She mumbled placing a kiss on the back of his hand.

Leaving out his apartment together, they walked to his car. Holding the door open for her she got in thanking him.

Once they were both situated he pulled out of the parking lot. Music from the radio played lowly, but no words were being said.

Grabbing his hand he looked over at her then looked back at the road. "Talk to me, express how you feel."

"I just thought this shit wouldn't affect me as much as it does since its been so long ..it's been ten years yet it feels like this shit just happened yesterday."

"It's never easy to get over something like that babe, so what its been ten years you lost your parents, tell me who can get over something like that fast?"

He shrugged. "Exactly, I can't even imagine losing my parents so I can't pin point on how you feel but I know it hurts knowing they are never returning. But as your woman I am here for you okay? You wanna cry, my shoulder right here to cry on, you need to vent whatever it is I'm here.. don't ever hesitate to pick up that expensive ass Iphone 7 to call me."

Leaning over to kiss her lips, she held his face. "We in this together forever cause once you get me to knock those walls down, ain't no getting rid of me." She smirked.

"Who said I wanted to get rid of you though?"

She shrugged. "It's been what three months for us now?"

He nodded as he focused on the road. "Yep, three months going on thirty years."

"You know I just want to apologize for how I treated you when we first met .. I really thought you were like other guys but you really proved me wrong."

"I had my fun when I was younger running through females and shit but that got old fast and the minute I met you I knew you was different .. had to make you mine before some other nigga did."

The rest of the ride they talked and laughed which was something Anaya was happy about because she knew once they got to the gravesight it would be the opposite.

Pulling up on the curb, he shut his car off taking a deep breath he reached back grabbing the bags of flowers he would need to place down.

Getting out the car, he walked through the graveyard going straight towards the back where his parents were buried. Taking the dead flowers out he replaced them with the new flowers he brought trying to keep their gravesight beautiful.

Anaya stood back and watched him clean up their area and smiled. Once he was finishe he stood up and just stared at their toombstones. "Ten years since you guys left but surprisingly I remained strong. I do wish sometimes I could just call and hear y'all voices one last time though, I know y'all up there watching over me and I just hope I'm still making y'all proud .. I love you guys so much, nobody can ever take y'all place and I'ma continue to do whatever it takes to let y'all live through me."

Pausing he wiped his eyes as he silently cried. "I haven't been truly happy since you guys passed and I really thought I never was going to until I met a special someone .. I wish you guys could have met her cause she honestly was a blessing in disguise. I know when I was seventeen I brought home a lot of chicken heads that didn't even deserve to be in y'all presence but she a real one , she a full chicken not just the head.. mama you woud've loved her and pops you would've probably tried to smash ha moms cause sh--"

Anaya laughed hitting his arm wiping her eyes. "Shut up,"

Waving her off, he focused back on his parents. "Anyways my life now is pretty good, Ahmad still my bestfriend but I really need y'all to watch over my boy .. he going through a lot and I just want things for him to get better for once like my life has he deserves it. He trying to get better but I know he starting to go down another path of addiction with those pills, he just thinks no one knows but I'm trying to help him as much as I can so we both can ride out together and be truly happy for once."

"But let me get going before our fake ass family shows up, just had to stop by and see you guys. Miss you guys more than anything, love you forever and always, continue shining and watching over me up there y'all."

Kissing two of his fingers he touched their toombstone. Standing up he dusted off his knees wiping his eyes. The hardest thing was always leaving because when ever he came and visited them he always felt as if they were there with him.

Anaya walked over wrapping her arms around his torso as he stared down at the nicely built toombstone. When he got older and had more money, he hooked their gravesight up.

As a kid he couldn't afford to help pitch in money, and his family barely gave any fucks so the funeral was trash. He felt his parents deserved to go out in a beautiful way, so as he got older and more money was coming in he saved enough money to get an actual toombstone for them, had a gardner that came by every two weeks to place flowers down since he couldn't do it everytime.

Once he finally built the courage to leave, he grabbed Anaya's hand and slowly walked away in the direction towards the car. He looked at all the other toombstones but stopped at one that caught his eye since it was fairly soon and the dirt was still high as if they just buried this person.

Looking at the name and years, he sighed when he realized that it was a baby that had just be buried. Something about children death always got to him, he felt their lives were always taken way too soon before they could even get a glimpse of what this life had to offer.

His heart immediately went out for the parents that just lost their child and made a mental prayer they got through it.

Getting inside his car the ride back to his apartment was quiet, the two held hands and let the radio play so it wouldn't be dead silent. Anaya wanted to let him have his moment of silence since she could only relate so much to his situation.

Arriving at his condo he pulled in next to Ahmad's car, this was the time when he'd go to his friend house  and just chill and vent.

Ahmad may not be vocal with his own issues but the advice he gave was always needed.

But he decided he'd stop by later after Anaya left.

Getting out the car he locked it up behind him then walked up the stairs that lead to his apartment.

Reaching his door he saw it was a small box and a card sitting on the welcome mat. Picking it up he unlocked his door then moved back to let Anaya inside first.

Closing the door behind him, he stepped out of the shoes he was wearing leaving them by the door then walked over to the couch taking a seat beside Anaya. "What do you think it is?"

Shrugging his shoulders, he used his key to tear the tape. Opening the box he laughed pulling out all his old shit from his childhood.

When his parents died he never went back to the house to get his belongings so all the memories he had with his parents where in this box.

Grabbing the card he opened it reading it out loud. "I know yo ugly ass couldn't build up the strength to go inside that house so I did, here's everything you need to remember yo folks .. I know this hard for you and as yo brother and best friend I know you needed to see this .. its some stuff in there that might be real valuable to you. Love you bro, stay up and stay strong."

Folding the card back, he smiled placing the card inside the box and closing it all together wanting to look at his things later.

He was truly grateful to have a friend like Ahmad, he was far from perfect but he was always there whenever Marcus did need him and vice versa.

"What were your parents like?"

Sitting back he placed both his arms on the back of the couch, snuggling closer to him she laid her head on his chest. "Um my parents they were amazing .. they were supportive, real down to earth, barely even saw them mad. My whole teen years they supported everything I did, where at all my games away or home didn't matter they were there front and center. And the year that it was my time to shine they got taken away, but I didn't stop playing football, I played for them."

"They were laid back most of the time, always cracked jokes and they loved each other unconditionally and I know this may be fucked up to say but I'm kinda glad they did pass together because they can't function without each other."

"No its not really fucked up, because you're pretty much saying if just your mom died your dad wouldn't function and vice versa."

"Yeah, like everybody used to tell me stories about them back in the day. My mama stayed fighting bitches over my dad and he stayed fighting niggas over her. He cheated once when they were teens but once he realised how bad he needed her, he vowed to never do it again and he didn't. I want their love, I want that soulmate type shit."

Anaya smiled, "You think you found that yet?"

Looking down at her, he smirked. "Possibly, its really down to her though .. cause I'm down."

"I think she's down as well."

"Then yeah I think I found it."

Leaning up to kiss his lips, they stayed in that position for a while making out. Getting up she straddled his lap taking off her shirt in the process along with his.

The rest of the evening they spent quality time together. Anaya used this to keep him from thinking about his parents, something to just clear his mind for a minute and have fun in the process.

While they made love all over his apartment. Ahmad sat next door on his phone staring directly at Cali's number debating on his next move.

Looking back down at his phone, he looked at the new bottle of pills in his hand popping them open and taking two then leaned back into his couch closing his eyes.

-

So sorry for the delay, work was harder than I expected .. but here you guys go a little insight on Marcus life ❤

Thanks for the support and love you all show!
- Denise 💕