Demario's POV

They say that family is supposed to wish you the best, how family- no matter how perfect or dysfunctional it may be- can pull one up when he or she is facing hard times.

I guess I never got the memo since most of my surviving relatives still wish me the worst in life, even more so since I got more visits from the Bader family members (Douglass and Evangeline Bader and their three adult daughters). Out of those five members of the family, only Yvonne was the most repentant as she was dealing with an unwanted pregnancy and being Mom's unwilling member of the hate parade in return for an abortion. Everyone else seemed to stand my Vivian Ingram-Bader's word and made it clear that I wasn't really a part of their family.

I could understand some of the reasons with me being a love child as one of them. But the latest revelation from Mr. and Mrs. Bader (Damon's parents) about the family being connected to powerful families that valued having strong family members and hated any weak links...well, that's a bit hard-edged and nonsensical. On the other hand, I guess you can say that the Bader-Simmons-Ingram clans all wanted everyone to be on one accord with the ways of toughness and street-savvy mentality. And that's something I never gained even though I grew up in one of the hardest neighborhoods of the DFW Metro Area. But what really got me thinking (and had me feeling pissed off) was how my family was rich yet living in some apartment complex. Maybe it was all a front for me to not know what's really going on or maybe they just didn't like showing it off too much. All the same, I was left out and told that I would never inherit any part of the inheritance for as long as anyone can allow it.

And the worst part? The rest of the family knows about Ryan and Theo making their moves to attack me and wished the two of them the best of finishing me off, if not me saving the duo the trouble and ending it all myself.

Even now, I can't get my mind off that. And I can't help but ask myself one question: Will this drama regarding my blood family ever end? Or is this going to follow me to the end of my life?

"Demario?"

I snapped out of my thoughts to face Coach Lanier after being lost in thought while changing into my swimsuit for another diving practice. "Hey, Coach," I replied. "My mind's been lost in a lot of thought lately."

"I could tell," she hummed, motioning for me to join her at a nearby bench as more and more students came into the natatorium before heading to the locker rooms to change. "Wanna talk about it?"

I nodded, the two of us sitting down before I gave her a recap about the Baders visiting in the past few days and how I'm still mentally and emotionally recovering from Ryan and Theo's brutal school shooting. "My mind's been bouncing up and down like a basketball, Coach, and I'm still trying to figure out if this is ever going to go away," I said after a few moments. "I mean, I'm still doing therapy and voicing my feelings, but there's only so much I could do to let myself breathe. And with Theo and Ryan still out there and watching my every move in hopes that I would be alone and planning to attack me, I guess you can say that this is all...chaotic."

Coach Lanier nodded in understanding. "Are you still talking to your therapists?" she asked.

"I got another appointment tomorrow during break period since we got a meet that afternoon," I told her. "But my main thing is about me still burdened from the memories. I want to fully heal from the scars and fully be free from this mess, Coach, but it's like there's something that won't allow it every time that I find some sort of balance."

Coach hummed. "I can't tell you what to  do exactly, Demario, since I can't understand fully about the situation," she said. "But believe me, this journey of yours isn't going to knock you down even with everything going on. And I  know that this is going to sound cliche and all, but this is all part of a giant test that you're going through. Believe me, everyone has their seasons of trials with crosses to bear and bridges to cross over. And you're going to have to shed some tears many times, but there will be relief at the end. All you have to do is truly believe it and find some comfort in people who wish you well. Remember to count the rainbows in the sky and not the storms. To be victorious in the greatest wars, you have to find the victories in small things: you talking to people like myself, seeking therapy, even waking up and being grateful are some of them. The small things that we never appreciate can be a big blessing for those who have nothing left in life."

I nodded. "You're right about that," I replied. "So, all I need to do is-"

"Learn to take the small victories before you celebrate the big ones," Coach finished. "And that starts by you stretching your bod and getting ready for practice."

"Of course," I replied, granting the coach a smile, which she returned one back to me.

Two hours later, I was drying my body off and ready to shower (and maybe enjoy a small makeout session with Oliver) when I noticed the grim faces of Joel and Taylor coming forward with Judge McGillivray following suit. "What's going on?" I asked.

Joel took a deep breath. "It's the Baders, Demario," he said firmly. "Douglass and Evangeline Bader, alongside Candace and Amelia, were found dead from a fire at one of the vacation houses that Ryan's family owned. But their bodies were also marked with gunshot wounds. Some people believe that Ryan and Theo were there and they were planning something when it happened."

I felt my stomach churn. "So, they're dead," I said. "The Baders are dead except for Yvonne."

"That's pretty much it," Taylor replied. "Yvonne's been informed, but she has nothing left to say to them since she's now getting ready to leave. But this only means that Blake and Peavey are now planning something major against you."

I inhaled sharply just as Oliver came over still dressed in his speedo. And I knew that this was only the beginning of what would be the perfect storm for what's to come.

And that's the truth, folks! Something tells me that there's going to be more deaths in the future!

Anyway, Demario's surprised with another person who didn't take too lightly of Demario being mistreated by his clan. You can't afford to miss out on what's to come, boys and girls!

Dedication: silentlycreating. Song: "What Now" by Rhianna.

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