I love my daddy! I love my stepmom!

Every day I spent with them was better than the last. They let me be, talked to me when I needed them, and encouraged me to make my own decisions. I knew my father wanted me to stay at home, and finish the year virtually, but that's not what I wanted. I wanted my college experience to be as normal as possible.

I knew there was nothing ever normal about me.

I went to the therapy appointment Angel set up for me. Spent an hour or so talking about my background. I left nothing out. Though nothing was "fixed" it did feel better talking to someone about things I never told my parents I felt growing up. I felt unwanted. Like I was a mistake. My parents had me when they were fifteen, surely I was not planned.

My father did not love my mother, although he said he did at the time. My father balanced his time between me and my sister for years, and that was not much time. I looked forward to every minute I spent with my father because even those pieces of time were better than time spent with my mother. Then Angel came and I had to share my piece of time with her.

I realize now I was immature with feelings of hatred toward Angel, even though the therapist said it was valid feelings. By the time my mother was pregnant with Jalon, I realized something was off with my mother. I clung to my father even more, and thus, began to build a relationship with Angel.

That was as far as we got in the one session, and I told her I was away at school and she set up some virtual times she could meet with me.

Hopefully, it would all help.

My sister came over and braided my hair for me again. She said she did Angel's braids and enjoyed it, especially getting paid. Symone was so excited about that and Angel said she could get her more clients to braid. Symone could not stop talking about all the money she would make.

I saw a turning point in her relationship with Angel. All Angel had to do was stay patient with her and fit in her life where she could. Symone was always the hip one, from how she dressed, to how she wore her hair, to how she took no nonsense from anyone. She spoke her mind, let you know how she felt, and had lots of friends.

I wanted to be like her one day.

"There is this girl I like-"

"Girl? You're gay? Whoa!"

Symone rolled her eyes at me, sucked her teeth, and popped me in the head with her comb. "Big fucking deal. I like both. Don't make it like a thing."

"Oh no, of course." I thought it was pretty cool that at age fifteen she knew who she was and had no qualms about it.

"Anyway, this girl I like has a boyfriend, but do you think that's going to stop me?"

I chuckled at her. "What if she's straight?"

"No one is straight in this day and age, believe that."

I smiled a little. "I kissed a girl."

"And?" Symone was unfazed. "I kissed a girl too."

Already? Here I was, eighteen having all my firsts, and my sister was knocking hers out of the park at fifteen.

"Wait...have you...had sex?"

"I'm not telling you."

I jumped up. "You had sex?"

"Shhh!" she said. "Yes, I have. Say it loud so Dad can hear and ground me or something."

I did not want to know this about my little sister. It was too much. At this rate, my baby sister who was not born yet would beat me to it. I was in no rush, and Diallo had not pressured me, and King did not seem like the type. We definitely needed to have that talk though.

I Facetimed King every night and I told him I was feeling better and ready to go back to school. I did not have any thoughts that Todd would reappear. If he did, I was going to stay safe. King said he would not leave my side, and although he exaggerated, I knew he had my back. Between him, Gay, and my other friends, I think they all had me covered.

So after nine days home, I was ready to go back. Since my father did not want to be far from Angel, he enlisted my Uncle Davion to drive me back.

"How are you liking college, college girl?" Davion asked me. "You need me to bust some heads or bring some heat, I got you."

"Huh? No unc, don't do anything crazy." My uncle was all street. He may have stopped dealing drugs and worked at the car repair shop with my dad now, but I knew he was referring to shooting someone. I wonder how many bodies he had.

Never mind, I did not want to know. Let me pretend my uncle was an upstanding citizen. We talked about my classes and my friends on the two-hour ride, and I did not mention Todd to him. I simply said I needed time to get my head right. It was true and I'm guessing my father did not give him much detail either.

"My oldest looking like she wanta' go to college as well. Shit's expensive, I hope it's worth it."

My uncle had six kids and the oldest was a year younger than me. That meant he had his first kid at seventeen. I did not know much about all of his kids, they all had different mothers I think, and I had not spent much time around them all.

"College is worth it, more than just the classes and the degree we earn. The whole experience has been eye-opening for me. Making new friends, depending on myself and not having my parents hovering, and just...you know, being an adult. I have my first job, and have met people I would not have met in St. Louis."

"Good point. I don't know anyone outside of my city."

"College isn't for everyone though. Not a four-year college anyway. Maybe a trade school like you and my dad. Or maybe work full-time and work on your passion. There are other ways to become a success."

"You your daddy's child," Davion said with a chuckle.

I smiled because I took that as a compliment. My daddy was a very wise man. After I texted King when I was closer he said he would be waiting for me at my dorm. I felt like the air changed in Columbia since I had been gone. It was fresher, or maybe I was refreshed. Either way, I was so happy to be back. I wanted to get through the next several weeks with my head down, with no new drama, and finish strong.

Davion parked in front of my residence hall and helped me get my bags which were more things than I left with. My father packed lots of food for me to bring back, and he said something special for King. I suspected he was trying to poison my boyfriend, so I had to warn him.

King walked up to the car and grabbed the bag of packed food from me I held. "I got this."

"Aye, aye!" Davion grabbed King up in a headlock before either of us could react. "You better drop my niece things!"

"Unc! That's King! My boyfriend."

"Your who? Naw man, what you doing with a boyfriend?"

"Davion, let him go! Oh my gosh, King, I'm sorry."

Davion let him go and King rubbed his neck. I was so embarrassed. Maybe my father did say something about what happened. Why else would Davion react that way?

"My bad," Davion said, holding out his fist to King.

"No problem." King dapped him up, but I was not cool with this.

"Are you done nearly choking out my boyfriend? I'm almost nineteen unc, and you're treating me like a child. Even my father did not react this way."

"Rave, it's cool," King said.

"No it's not! He didn't have to do you like that."

"Naw baby girl, he walked up on you like that and I'm from the Lou, we don't play that. Brother saw me with you, he should have greeted you, and me first before grabbing your shit. I did what had to be done." Davion looked King up and down. "I still don't know this lil thundercat. Who are your people? Where are you from?"

"OMG!" I covered my face with my hand. "Just leave unc, I'm good."

"No, it's all good," King said and held my hand. "It's my bad, sir. I'm King Williams. I'm from Kansas City. I understand wanting to look out for your niece. I want the same."

"Good! I don't want no punk okey-doke around baby girl."

"Bye, unc!" I said to him, still disgusted by his behavior.

"Whatever with that attitude." Davion grabbed me in a hug. "Yo Daddy told me to rough him up," he said in my ear.

Oh dear God! I was so over both of them. Grown men acting juvenile. I hope King did not hate me. Davion gave King my other bag and then went back to his car. I could barely look at King, I was embarrassed.

"I missed you," King said when we were in the elevator. "I missed you a lot."

I gave him the biggest kiss for that. Facetiming had nothing on real face-to-face. King was so hot and sweet. He made me want to smile all day.

We made our way to my room. Soon as I opened my door I heard a loud, "Welcome back!" from all my friends. Gay, Felix, Chandler, Bria, Rodney, and even Perez.

"Guys!" I smiled so hard my cheeks hurt. "You didn't all have to be here."

"Of course they did." Gay pulled me into a big hug. "I missed you, roomie! And I felt that was a good time to have a party. Food, drinks, edibles, smoke...I mean, any time is a good time to party."

"Ooh! And my father sent lots of food back. Too much for me, so I can heat that up."

"Homecooked food, count me in!" Perez shouted.

"Oh, let me just get this one thing." I did not want to give away the dish my father marked for King. "My dad said to give this to you King. I did not peek into it. What is it?"

"I hope it's your favorite food."

"My favorite food?" Why would my father want to give King my favorite food, which was mostaccioli?

"Yeah," he said with a grin. "He told me I needed to learn and make your favorite food, so he sent me some to try."

WHAT? I did not know if that was a cute thing or weird. I would just let it be for now. King never said he could cook or anything, so I wonder why they even discussed that, but I did leave it alone for now. I missed my friends and wanted to catch up with them and relax.

"Save me some mostaccioli!" I said to King as he went into the kitchen with the rest of my food. My father had not sent me home with any.

I put my other bags in my room before coming back out to the gang. There were brownies, gummies, and chocolates. Tonight was going to be a good time.

We chowed down, talked about everything, laughed, and had a good time. This was where I wanted to be. Where I needed to be.

All was well in my life.

But for how long?

A/N: What else could possibly go wrong?