"Why am I so emotional? This is not a good look, gain some self-control. And deep down I know this never works, but you can lay with me so it doesn't hurt. Oh, won't you stay with me? Cuz' you're all I need," Stay With Me, Sam Smith

It was crazy how much time flew. 

"Aw," I felt a manicured finger poke my cheek and I scowled, turning to glare at the mother of my best friend. "You look so happy, Eazy E!" I rolled my eyes at the disgusting nickname, a retort on my lips ready for one Serina Walker. "Get your hands off of me, ma." I replied and she snickered. slinking back to go check on her chocolate chip cookies in the oven. "And yes, I am happy," I felt a tug on my collar and I looked down to see Noelani pulling at it. 

"Does it have anything to do with that hunk of a man who I saw in that picture with you?" She raised a brow, referring to that magazine with that huge scandal. Surprisingly, I hadn't had much backlash about it. If anything, there was a support group going on Instagram for Nishan and I, according to Natalie. There was a dubious amount of fanart, stories, pictures from the media, anything people could get their hands on. I didn't know whether I liked it or if I found it creepy.

"Yea, something like that," I waved a hand at her, wondering where Travis was. I told him that I was gonna go by his mom's house to see what she was up to and I kinda thought that he would be here. He had been acting a little off for the last week and a half, and I was trying to understand why. 

Ezra Moore: i'm here with your mom. Are you gonna come by?

Bad Boi Trav: sure.

Ezra Moore: okay, I'll be here waiting.

Bad Boi Trav: k.

I was really trying to understand what it was that was making him act this way towards me. He seemed to be okay with Nishan in the picture, even going so far to declare himself the uncle of Noelani, so I couldn't put together where this newfound attitude came from. I had tried asking him what it was that was making him this way, but he just brushed me off.

"You know, have you noticed?" Serina asked and I tilted my head in confusion, shaking my head. "You've stopped stuttering." I furrowed my brow, not having paid any attention to the way I spoke. "I guess so??" I wasn't sure what she was trying to get at, but at least something about me had changed. "It's a good thing, don't worry. Shows how far you've come," She smiled softly and I nodded, remembering the time four years ago, when I met her. I was a stuttering piece of crap who was afraid to look people in the eye. Time really brought out some parts of me. 

Speaking of time, it was nearing the middle of November, which meant that I had less than a month left of college life. Yeah, your boy was graduating early because I had more than enough credits and experience to go directly into my dream job. 

"Look," Serina pointed through the door of the kitchen to the television in the living room. "Let me go in there," I carried Noelani into the living room and sat down, watching one of the talk shows. I turned up the volume as it tuned in, unsure of why I felt the need to sit here and watch this.

"Good afternoon, San Antonio! Today, we have a special guest here with me," Another media sensation Anna Martin of the San Antonio Scoop sat on set with a blurry figure next to her, waiting to reveal who it was, and I was no doubt curious as well. "You guys may know him as the highest-paid model around the world," My heart started to skip a beat as the blurriness began to fade away. "But we know him as our very own Chief of Police," A grin came to my lips as that long and curly hair became even more evident, revealing that smirk that I saw every day.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please give me a hand in welcoming Nishan Lawrence!" 

Everyone in the audience started to clap and Noelani decided to follow suit, cooing and babbling at the screen. "Yah!" She screamed happily, wiggling around in her pink tutu. "Oh? Seems like someone recognizes papa," Serina chuckled as she came to sit down next to me, ignoring the burn of my cheeks. "Thank you for having me, Anna," Nishan resounded in a smooth voice, looking as delicious as ever in those ripped black jeans, that tight white shirt donned with a black leather jacket and that chain around his neck, down to those smooth and shiny black boots. 

I was done for.

He had no idea how close I was to just throwing myself at the screen. I really needed to control myself. "Need some water there, huh Ezra?" Serina asked with a hint of mirth in her tone and I ignored her presence, not wanting to admit that my throat was a little dry. Anna and Nishan got to talking and all of a sudden, the magazine that debuted us on the front cover popped up, garnering my attention and a shriek from Noelani as she bounced in my lap.

"So, can your lovely fans take this as your way of telling us that you're off the market?" Anna asked and Nishan nodded. "Oh yeah, for sure," He replied and I swooned like a gutter rat, listening to Anna chuckle. "Well, it was a nice way for you to tell us your preference in a significant other. You realize that this contradicts all of your previous arguments about the LGBTQ community?" Oh, that's right. Nishan did want to bring fire to anyone who even spoke an ounce of gay.

He nodded in reply to her question, taking a deep breath. "Yes, I am aware. However, I do want to take the time to apologize for all of the comments that I made, the people I offended, and the image that it made of me because that is not who I am," He began to explain, each word drawing in his audience. "I admit that I was prejudiced because of some personal things that happened to me in my life growing up and that hate from that traumatic event followed me to my adult life," Anna nodded, having some clue of what he was talking about. If I recalled, Easton Foxworth's court case made the news.

"But you know, life does play some funny games," He chuckled, ending his words with a dopey smile. "I met this dude and he done slapped some sense into me," Anna let out a laugh and I burrowed into the couch, cheeks flaming. "But he also gave me a reason to smile every day," He looked so damn happy and Anna caught onto this. "You look like a teenager in love. Does this mean that this is your happily ever after?" Nishan shrugged in response. "For sure, there's going to be ups and downs between us," He paused for dramatic effect, plastering a shit-eating smirk on his lips as he turned in the camera, those eyes burning into my soul.

"Hey babe, if you're watching this," I let my mouth drop as Serina started to screech. "There's no way in hell I'll let you go." With that thought, he winked and I felt my soul descend to the sky. "Aw! That's so cute!" Serina gushed and I just held my breath, heart thumping rapidly inside its cage. I know he did not just.

"Well, I'm glad that's going well for you," Anna smiled and Nishan nodded, watching her flip to the next cue of conversation. "So Nishan, do you think you can tell me about the allegations that were made against you?" He raised a brow, wondering how she knew about it so quickly. "You know, in which you are the prime suspect in the Alonzo Hasashi, Zora Ramon, and Nathaniel Myers case that took place five years ago, but a perp was never found," I could see Nishan trying to keep his cool on screen as he clenched his hands, not wanting to be reminded of the reason why his scar was on his stomach.

This must've been the case that he told me about, in which he caught all of the murderers, but one was still loose to this day.

But it didn't make any sense. Why would he be a prime suspect? He was the one who caught the other killers. Maybe it had to do with the 'surprise' he received a couple of weeks ago. "Does it have something to do with the bloody shirt that the police have in custody, the one with your DNA on it?" Damn! That was what was sent to him. But how would the police know that it belonged to him in the first place? How would they assume he would've done?

Something wasn't right.

Maybe he was being framed. 

Who knew?

Either way, I had faith in him. Nishan took a deep breath, his fingers clicking against the sofa chair he was sitting in. "It's all under control, Anna," He said in a steady voice, but even I could see the glint of doubt in those eyes. Then the show went to a commercial, declaring the end of the episode. 

It was about ten minutes that Serina and I talked about nothing in particular, just enjoying the time we had. "Oh! Travis, you're here!" She hopped up off the couch to see her son walking through the door. "Guess who came by to see us!?" She stood next to Travis, who I hadn't seen in a week or so. "It's your best friend," She cheered, flicking her black hair over her shoulder. "Yea, what's up?" He drawled in a bored tone and I frowned, wondering why he wouldn't look at me. "Hey, it's been a long time, man," I said and he shrugged, looking everywhere but me. Something was not right.

"Ma, I'm gonna go take a nap," Travis said before giving her a kiss on the cheek, barely sparing me a glance as he walked away. "I'm sorry about him," Serina said, understanding that something was going on with her son. "Don't worry about it," I muttered as I stood with Noelani on my hip, my phone ringing. "Hello?" I mumbled without checking to see who it was. "I'm on my way to get you," I blinked, wondering how Nishan got in his car so quick. "I'll be there in 5 minutes," I nodded dumbly before he hung up, making haste to get Noelani's diaper bag ready. 

Within five minutes, I could hear the doorbell ringing and Nishan standing there, whistling some tune like the big oaf that he was. "I'm here for my precious cargo!" He sang as Serina opened the door, revealing me behind her. "Oh my, Eazy E. He's a lot more attractive in person," She gushed and Nishan smiled in appreciation. "Thank ya, ma'am," I rolled my eyes, handing him the bag. "I'll call you later, Serina. Tell Travis the same," Though I wasn't sure if he would answer. I kissed her on the cheek goodbye before entering Nishan's Benz.

The radio was playing some random tune as we drove along in the silence, enjoying the peace. That was before I turned to tell Nishan about himself and that stunt he pulled on t.v. "You aren't shit, you know that, right?" I muttered to Nishan, who chuckled. "I like to think that I am the shit," He winked before pulling into the parking lot of Target. "It'll be a while before the shipment of baby food comes to the house, so I'm just gonna get a few for now," Nishan explained his purpose as he got out, walking over to open the door for me. I grabbed Noelani and put her in her carrier on my chest and began walking inside the store. "I'm gonna go get some snacks, aight?" I said and Nishan waved me off, walking in another direction. I walked towards the chip aisle, browsing the many delicious options.

"No way! Is that you, Ezra Moore?" I frowned at the sound of my name, putting back the item to turn around to face whoever it was. "Do you remember me, us?" The guy referenced to himself and the three guys behind him, smiling as brightly as they could with red cheeks. "It's me, Milan Rush!" I gritted my teeth, various scars throbbing all of a sudden, but the one on my neck started to burn. Memories of being kicked in the spine numerous times until all I coughed up was blood, having my head shoved down the toilet until I was blue in the face, having a piece of glass dug into the side of my neck as a way to gain my silence.

"How could I forget the people who made me want to kill myself?" I sneered hatefully, glaring daggers into Milan, Xavier Sanderson, Shayne Yosen, and Emil Sykes. Lucky for me, they were in the same grade, on the football team. They had made it their mission to torture me for whatever reason. Milan's smile fell and I took a step back. "I would say it was nice to see you, but I'm not a fucking liar," I took a deep breath, reminding myself that it was in the past. They didn't hold that power over me.

I was happy that I was shaking in the legs or stuttering. Talk about a blast from the fucking past.

"We just wanted to say that we're sorry," Emil muttered, looking guilty as ever. "Take your apology and shove it up your ass. That's what you would always tell me, isn't it?" I could feel myself getting angry because of how much pain they put me through. "I don't know why you decided to do the things that you did to me because I had never done shit to you nor said one singular word to you," I rubbed Noelani in her carrier. "But you had no right. Because of you, there's so many things that I'm afraid of. I'm still scared of the dark because I fear you hurting me in my sleep. You ruined a lot for me," I spat coldly and they recoiled in shock. "If you hate gay people, keep that to yourself."

Xavier fiddled with his fingers like the cocky little shit that he was. Only difference was he grew some facial hair. "We didn't really care that you were gay..." He trailed off as if I was supposed to catch onto the hidden meaning. "Either way, we could've been friends, but you are the very people I loathe with all my being and you can go straight to hell," I finished, breathing heavily as a hand latched onto my shoulder behind me. 

"Hello, what's good? I just want to say thanks for pushing such an amazing person away because he's all mine now," Nishan said, grabbing both of my shoulders to push me behind him, staring daggers into the group of men standing in front of us, looking as intimidating as all get out. "But if you so much as breathe in his direction, I'll break all ya damn bones," He growled lowly and I could see them visibly gulp in terror. "You feel me?" He raised a brow and they nodded, exiting the store with wind drifting behind them.

I held back a snort, realizing that I could finally take a deep breath and let go of the reins that were my past life. "Oh," Nishan mused, unaware of the stupid grin that I was sporting as I stared at him, holding my chips in hand. This man was really something. "I ain't even had to pull out these big guns," He turned around to face me, clicking his tongue as he flexed his biceps. "What?" He tilted his head, taking a step closer. "Something wrong?" He asked and I shook my head.

"Thank you," I muttered and he just rolled his eyes at me, waving a hand at me. "Yea, yea, assface, just doing my job," He shrugged as if it was nothing, but it meant a lot to me. Someone fought my own demons with me and that said a lot. "Hold that thought." He put a finger up as he pulled his vibrating iPhone out of his pocket, glancing at the screen. "The mayor is calling me," I narrowed my eyes as he answered the call, wondering why Mayor Joey Padilla was calling him. 

I stood there, a wave of uncertainty coating my features as I watched him talk. "Yeah, uh huh, yes sir," Nishan said, but the look on his face gradually darkened as the conversation went on. What was this man telling him? I looked down to see Nishan clenching his hands tightly, his jaw taut. "All due respect sir, that can't be proven un—" He was cut off by a harsh voice on the other end, his teeth grinding as his facial expressions became more prominent. He was pissed, I could tell. "Fine," He said before hanging up the phone, doing well to keep his raging temper in check.

"W-what happened?" I asked unsurely and he took a deep breath, slamming his phone on the counter next to us as he shook his head, releasing a growl of frustration. This, I knew, was something serious because he looked at me and sighed heavily.

"Looks like I'm no longer the Chief of Police."