Cree fell asleep on my chest and soon after I was asleep as well. I had never fallen asleep with a girl before, let alone held one. It was one thing to have sex with a girl, because then it was easy to move and to know what to do, but comforting one was a whole other ball game. There were levels to touching females and with Cree, I was clueless.

         Draya was right. I didn't have girl friends and for that reason alone I wasn't used to girls like Cree. Girls who gave into their emotions and cried when upset. If we weren't friends and she was just Cree Jacobs, I would've pushed her away and ditched her, but now that we were friends, I knew I had to be there for her.

It was fucked-up what her father did to her, but I was sure he had his reasons and sooner or later she'd have to go home and find them out.

Saturday morning, I woke up alone in my bed with no trace of Cree anywhere. It was after my shower that I found her down in the kitchen with Devonte at the table eating breakfast.

Cree looked over at me and smiled. "Dre! Come and eat, Devonte made me breakfast and I didn't even have to sleep with him."

She seemed to be in a better mood, making advancing towards her easier.

I looked to my brother as I took the seat furthest from Cree. "Breakfast?"

Devonte shrugged. "Girl's gotta eat, don't she?"

On the table sat bacon, eggs, toast and waffles, along with potatoes, grits and orange juice and milk. It was a lot of food for just three people. It was eleven thirty and I'd slept through my morning run, making me wonder if my father would later reprimand me.

I grabbed a plate and fixed myself a little of everything. "Dad here?"

"Nah, he stayed downtown. He's really trying to fuck that reporter," Devonte said.

" 'Te," I warned. Cree had enough hearing the boys talk filthy. She didn't need to be hearing it so early at the breakfast table.

Devonte appeared clueless. "What? This is the longest he's ever chased a woman, which means it'll be one of the best conquests." He looked to Cree. "It's all the more fun when you let them think they're in control."

Cree's brows rose. "Really? Do you think Susan will give in?"

They'd talked about Susan?

Devonte shrugged. "She's smart and determined, but this is my father, she'll fall eventually." He looked over to me. "No girl can resist a Parker for too long."

True or not I wasn't interested in talking about my father and Susan.

"I didn't run," I said.

"Me neither. He says he's letting you off the hook for the summer, it'll be up to you to keep up with running, but in August he wants you back on it."

It was like a test, to see how committed I was or not. Either way, I'd get up and keep with the routine. Running made sense, just like basketball, in a lot of ways it helped start my day and clear my head. Something I wanted to do especially after the previous evening with Cree.

I faced her. "What do you wanna do today?"

"I was thinking about sitting back and keeping up with annoying women who disrespect their mother."

It took a second to catch her drift. "Cree, you hate the Kardashians."

"And right now I hate my father just the same."

I gazed at Devonte, urging him to keep quiet with just one look.

"You don't really mean that," I said. There was no way she really felt that way when her father had always been there for her and raised her.

"I remember when he first saw me dance, it was there then. I remember the look in his eyes, it was instant disapproval. I never got it. I always thought it was because I wasn't good enough." Her eyes watered and she quickly wiped them. "I spent all this time trying to get better so that one day he'd look at me and say I was good. Little did I know that that day would never come and that the reason he doesn't approve of my dancing is because it's what killed her."

I could understand her angst and feelings of betrayal, but there had to be more to the story. It was obvious in his own way Mr. Jacobs wanted to protect Cree. Sure, he'd done it in the wrong way but he had his reasons. Reasons Cree needed to go and learn.

"Cree, you have to talk to him. Or else you'll never know the truth about your mother."

Cree sighed, hunching her shoulders and picking at her plate. "I guess you're right."

"I'm not forcing you to go, but—"

"No, I should just hear him out." Cree stood from the table and I stood too, in case she'd do something else emotional, like breakdown in the kitchen.

She met me on the way out of the room, stopping and starring up at me with glassy eyes. "Thanks, DeAndre, for last night and letting me stay here. I know it wasn't easy and I was a wreck, but it means a lot."

I reached out and smoothed some of her messy hair back out of her face, admiring its softness as I shrugged at her comment. "Would you have done the same for Troiann?"

"Of course."

"For Tremaine?"

"Yes."

"For me?"

She nodded.

"Then it's nothing." I returned my hands to my sides and stared down into her eyes.

Cree leaned up on her toes, going and kissing my cheek and wrapping her arms around me anyway. "Still, it means a lot."

All of the hugging was beginning to take a toll on me. I patted her back, wishing for things to go back to normal.

Cree pulled back and stared up at me, shaking her head. "God, Dre, you are awful at hugs."

"I thought I did okay last night."

Cree looked over towards Devonte. "Hey, can you come here for a sec?"

Devonte was confused as he came over to us. Cree disappeared behind me and soon I felt her breasts on my back as she was up against me, grabbing my arms and making me hug my brother.

Devonte took one look at me and twisted up his face. "If you don't get the fuck off of me." He turned and peeked at Cree. "Unless you wanna get in between us."

Gone were Cree's breasts and her grasp on my arms as she took a step back. "Fine, I was just trying to help."

She headed upstairs and left me with Devonte.

"Nice of you to make breakfast," I commented as I headed back over to the table.

"Same to you in letting her spend the night. Since when does my little brother spoon with a girl?"

"We didn't spoon." I'd only held her to my chest until she'd fallen asleep.

Devonte wasn't buying it, but he let it go. "Darnel was annoyed. I don't think he's going to be calling any time soon."

I dropped my fork, ignoring its harsh echo of clattering against the table top. "Why not?"

"He said you've been trying to reach him and when he finally calls you were too busy."

Only on a rare occasion did I ever get mad. Darnel was pushing my buttons. Had he no sense in figuring out I'd avoided his call because of an important matter?

I shoved my plate away and tried to think of anything irrelevant to keep my fists from clenching so much. It wasn't working and Devonte could see it.

He shook his head. "He's fucking up."

I stood from the table. "I need to run."

"You want me to take her home?" Devonte offered as he cleared the plates from the table.

Cree was my friend and the least I could do was see her home.

"I've got it."

Cree came back downstairs wearing a t-shirt of mine and her sweats. Her hair was in a tighter bun, but still a little messy from her sleep.

"I figured this was a great way to rub it in about where I stayed last night," Cree said as she gestured to her attire.

The last thing I wanted to do was crack a smile or laugh or feel anything, especially not after the game Darnel was playing, yet Cree managed to lighten the mood with her smart ass sass.

I gathered my keys and led the way out of the house. "Let's go, Cree."

We listened to the radio the entire drive over to her house. She didn't say anything and neither did I. I was too busy thinking of ways to calm down and not go off on my oldest brother. It almost seemed like he'd been looking for any excuse to distance himself further from me and the family.

Fuck him.

I pulled up in front of Cree's house and killed the engine. Together we sat in silence while neither of us budged to leave the car.

"Are you okay?" Cree asked after a while.

I nodded, not taking an eye off of the street ahead of me. "I'm fine."

"You sure?"

I didn't want to talk about it. Looking past Cree, I saw her father outside. He stood on their porch with his arms folded. "He's waiting."

Cree looked over at her father and quickly averted her gaze to her lap. "Can't you take me to Troiann's?"

She was running away and that wasn't the resilient Cree Jacobs that I knew.

I shook my head and placed my hand on her thigh, gaining her attention. "You need to do this."

"He's probably more mad than sympathetic."

Gazing at her father I could see that she was right. Mr. Jacobs seemed to be practicing patience as he stood on the porch instead of coming down the path and yanking Cree from the car.

"I'll talk to him." I doubted he'd really listen to me, but I could at least buffer the situation before Cree and he went at it on their front walk.

"What are you going to say to him?"

"I'm just going to soften the blow and get him ready." I patted Cree's arm. "Hey, you don't really hate your dad. Not when he's the only parent you have left. My dad can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but he's the only one I have. My mom bailed but my dad stayed. Your mom died but your dad didn't check out mentally, he was a man and raised you. Yes, he fucked-up by lying, but he was there, Cree, you can't forget that."

She took her bottom lip into her mouth as her eyes watered. "I hate you right now for making me understand him."

Sensing she needed to be held, I leaned over and took her into my arms. "I know. I'm going to go prepare him."

I got out of the car and headed over to Mr. Jacobs, who wasn't happy to see me at all.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his tone threatening.

I looked back to my car, finding Cree watching us. "Buffering the situation," I said. "Cree's upset and she needs answers."

Mr. Jacobs snorted. "I'm not talking to a seventeen-year-old about my private matters. Get back in the car and send out my daughter, now."

He was right about that. I didn't expect for us to talk and for him to lighten up and things magically get better. I just wanted to try to lessen his anger before he and Cree really got into it.

"I'm not trying to talk all heart to heart, sir, but I do want to say something about Cree." I gestured back to her. "She's hurt, and she feels betrayed. I know as her father your pissed that she ran out and stayed out all night, but I think the bigger matter is the situation at hand about her mother being a dancer and your not telling her. You're the only parent she's ever known and she's been in the dark about her mom this whole time.

"Not to mention she loves dancing. I have a strong feeling she'll never see it the same way again. You have no idea how happy she looks when she's talking about dancing, the passion, the vigor, the zeal and that's going to suck if she gives it up. I'm not saying you shouldn't be mad, I'm not saying how you should feel, but I do think you have to put yourself in Cree's shoes and understand you held something from her that's a major part of her life and past." I backed away and held my hands up. "That's all I wanted to say. I'll go get her now."

Cree was already out of the car and standing against the passenger door by the time I made it back over.

"I can take over from here," she said as she stared ahead at her father.

Not knowing whether to give her a pat goodbye or if I were obligated to hug her again, I stood there for a moment beside her, feeling so unsure.

Cree looked over at me. "Thanks again, it means a lot."

She must've sensed my confusion and reluctance to make a move, as she went past me and headed over to her father.

I let out a breath of relief. There was just too much going on.

Troiann was at my house when I got home, making my appointment with running pushed back further. She was sitting in our rec room watching TV while Devonte sat opposite her in a chair texting.

Once Troiann noticed me she sat up and appeared concerned. "I was coming over to hang out and Devonte said Cree spent the night and was crying. What's going on?"

It wasn't my place to say so I kept quiet. "Call her later and ask her."

Troiann wasn't happy with that response. "I'm her best friend and she goes to you?"

"We were already meeting up." I looked around and noticed she was alone. "Where's Ike?"

Troiann rolled her eyes and sat back. "I ditched him."

I sat beside her and looked at the TV, seeing that they were watching Next Friday.

Troiann elbowed me. "I'm serious, I hope you took care of her last night, Dre."

"I did all right."

"I hope it's okay."

Cree never really spoke about her mother and judging from her tears I knew the confession had hit her hard. We were both in the dark about our mothers, but unlike Cree, I wasn't sure if I would care to know why my mother left. Though, our situations weren't entirely similar.

Devonte stood up and pocketed his phone. "I'm about to head to the mall, I'll catch y'all later."

"Hey," I said, eliciting his attention as he was on his way out of the room, "do you ever think about her?"

Devonte took a moment to digest the question. "Sometimes. You?"

I shook my head. "What's the point? She left."

Devonte looked down at the floor. "Still would like to know why sometimes, you know? Was it us? Was she too young, overwhelmed, was it basketball? Sometimes ignoring it doesn't do anything but push it back for later."

I faced the TV and let him leave.

Troiann's phone rang but she didn't answer. It rang again and she still ignored it.

I sighed and glanced down at the phone sitting between us. "Don't hurt my best friend, Troy."

She scowled as she turned from the TV. "Would you be saying this to Marcus if he was sitting here and I was calling him?" She crossed her arms and didn't wait for me to finish. "Of course not, because all Ballas stick together."

"You're different from the other girls." And she was. No other girl had ever had Marcus so consumed and captivated like Troiann did. It was beyond them messing around, because he was genuinely spending time with her as well.

Troiann rolled her eyes. "Come this summer I'm through and no one can stop me."

"Troy—"

She leaned into my face, showing me just how annoyed she was. "What? Why should I stay with him? Hmm? I'm so different from these other broads yet he doesn't even claim me? Only a basic bitch would stay with a guy like that. I deserve a full-time boyfriend not a part-time lover. I refuse to be with a guy who plays games, I will not be my mother."

I had nothing to say. Marcus was fucking up a good thing by letting his ego get in the way. He was into Troiann and he was playing it off for either our benefit or his own. She'd tried to let him go and he chased after her. It was obvious to everyone that they were together; there was no use in fronting.

"He won't say it, but he shows it. When you tried to cut him off he chased you down. He's giving you all of him, Troy."

"No he's not," she said. "Who's looking out for me, Dre? Huh? I don't want to get hurt and I refuse to let him get away with this any longer."

Again her phone rang and she rolled her eyes as she grabbed it and answered.

"What... I told you I was at the library... Well there's more than one library in Akron... Why are you looking for me anyway... You sound like a stalker... I'll call you whatever I want to call you... I wish you would... Uh-huh—"

"What's going on?" Marcus stepped into the room and pressed a button on his phone and shoved it into his pocket. He was staring at Troiann and she merely rolled her eyes.

"I'm fuckin' Dre on the side," she said in a lazy tone. "What are you doing here? Did you track my phone?"

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. All I wanted was some peace and to enjoy the weekend. If I wasn't comforting Cree, I was subject to playing therapist for Marcus and Troiann.

Marcus glared at her and I stood up from the couch. I really needed to run.

"No, I was coming to see Dre, what are you doing here?" Marcus said.

"Getting away from you."

I was in the middle and I couldn't even use the TV for a distraction because the tension was too much to avoid.

"Why are you playing games, Troy?"

"What games? I'm free to hang out with whoever I please and I do not have to answer to you."

Marcus frowned. He looked to me and I merely shrugged, staying out of it. He focused back on Troiann and I knew the jig was up. "You're my girl, okay?"

There she had it, he'd officially claimed her.

Troiann was stubborn as she crossed her arms and faced the TV screen, watching Ice Cube hitting up some Latina. "Oh now I'm your girl. Too late for that. I'm good."

Marcus crossed the room and headed over to her and I backed away towards the doorway.

There was way too much shit going on and I couldn't deal.

I thumbed a finger over my shoulder as I watched Marcus whisper things in Troiann's ear that was causing her to blush. "I'm just going to go run now."

They were lost in each other, oblivious to my existence.

I headed out of the room. I needed to run.    

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"Ready to Run" – One Direction

https://youtu.be/eKLBiC-b3O0