I had no kids this weekend and couldn't believe it. For the past several weekends, I was booked and busy with the babysitting. There was no problem with that in my opinion.

Tiff and Bryce finally went on their honeymoon about three weeks after their wedding, Carmon and Trent took their kids to Disneyland for the week, Jess and Mario were spending more time with the twins at her place, and Tiarria was with her dad.

I hadn't seen that sweet girl in so long because she asked me not to pick her up from practice anymore. Then her father took over her tuition. I guess he got a new job that helps with that tuition or something because he's been very quiet lately too. He went from asking T about me to T going away all together.

It had me worried for a while until she told me that they've been spending more time together every other weekend. That made me feel a bit better but he was still taking my time with her.

Rena, none of these kids are yours. Calm down.

Well, I can't help but be a bit worried because he's had women in and out of his house, trying to get T to like them or whatever. That was the only way he'd spend time with her and she confessed to me that she was happy with that. If that was the only way Brian would spend time with her, she was cool with it. Not on my watch, missy.

Anyway, this meant that I had no one else to hang out with except...

"Rena! Hey, girlie. I brought popcorn and beers for Movie Night! I figured we'd watch something scary. Like a horror movie or something. What do you think?"

Grayson...

After the wedding and the bouquet catching, he's been coming around the apartment more than usual for some reason. Apparently, he has more time on his hands since there's not much for him to do on campus, telling me he's done everything ahead of time.

The more time we spent together, the more annoying he became. Asking me questions like he was really paying attention and wanted to get to know me. Well, if he he really cared, he'd know that none of these things are what I cared for.

Beer's absolutely disgusting. It takes like expired applesauce. Don't ask how I know.

I didn't feel like eating popcorn and having to pick out popcorn kernels out from between my teeth. Lastly, horror movies are a no-go. Thrillers are barely good enough for me but horror was out of the question. I'm squeamish as hell and do NOT like anything popping up on me, especially if it's paranormal.

One time, we came back home from a horror movie that was so bad, it gave me nightmares, my bowels had no problems coming out of my body that evening, and was 'sick' so I didn't go to school the next day.

Absolutely not.

Anyway, it was like he was trying way too hard. Like he wanted to become more than friends. We didn't have sex or kiss. There wasn't any kind of intimacy going on in our friendship. Why would there be?

Or maybe he's doing this because he wants out of this friendship because real friends wouldn't bring things their friends don't like and pretend everything is good. Why didn't he just say that he didn't want to stick around if that was the case?

Now that I think about it...why the hell was he in my apartment again? I never agreed to a movie night with him.

Feeling annoyed, I addressed all of this with "Look, Grayson, can we do this another time? I have some things to do this weekend."

Like what, Rena? Spend time with your married and boo-ed up friends? Babysit the oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air? You don't have anyone else to spend time with. Let the guy stay.

"But you agreed to it this weekend. Is everything okay with you, Rena? It seems like you don't want to hang with me." His long fingers crawled up the thick of my back and I had to move as he asked me about my mood.

Hell no, sir. Not making that mistake again. Keep your hands off me.

"I did? I don't remember agreeing to this weekend, Grayson. I have some work to do for my classes and they have to get done before Monday. You know how much I procrasterbate-"

Shit! I said that out loud! I meant procrastinate but that wasn't a lie technically. When you don't have love in your life, you don't feel like doing any work, you get in the mood or you get bored, that's all you got left to do.

Plus, after getting accepted into grad school, deadlines were thrown at me left and right. Graduate school was just deadlines and more work. I had to focus on that more than a movie night.

"You must have forgotten about our movie night. Let me show you what I mean. You can do your work after," Grayson persuaded, showing me our latest text messages with me agreeing to a movie date, this weekend, at 2 in the morning on a Monday.

Is he serious? I was probably halfway asleep, probably walking to the bathroom close to naked. That's the time of the night I get up, go pee, get a Chewy bar with a bottle of water, and go back to bed with Spongebob on. That's sleepwalking Rena for ya.

Anyway, how was I supposed to remember that?

"Look, Grayson, tonight's not a good night. I'll text you though so we can-"

"Rena, what's really going on? Is something bothering you? You know I can help you, sweetheart."

Yes, something is really bothering me. You are! Go away!

HIT HIM, MOMO!

Subconscious Sierra is not going away any time soon, is she? Facepalming into my hand, I continued with "This is something you can't really help me with. I'll see you on-"

"It's that Brian guy, isn't it?"

Woah. What the hell? Where did that come from? I just felt lonely with or without Brian here. Even if I was thinking about that boy, that's none of Grayson's business. He had the audacity and the nerve!

"If it was, it's none of your concern. Now, I will see you-"

As my fingers wrapped themselves around the door knob, he blocked me from opening the door. His chest moved up and down and I could've sworn that smoke was coming from his nostrils. As if he were mad as hell...

Where did the nice Grayson go? Who was this guy?

Again, I say HIT HIM, MOMO! He's about to hit you!

Absolutely not. He wouldn't dare touch me like that. Let him lay a finger on me if he wanted to.

"Let's watch that movie, shall we?" He went from irritated to decent in the matter of a second as he demanded and walked to the couch. Once he sat down and made himself comfortable, he patted the other side of him as he flipped through movies on my fire stick.

So, this is how he wants things to end, huh? I got his ass.

Turning the TV off with the plug, I demand for him to leave. My anger was getting the best of me. It built up the longer he stayed in my apartment. The fact that he just busted up into it already rubbed me the wrong way. Now all of this?

"So, it is that Brian guy. You really think I'm going to let him come in here and have his way with you? Let him take what I've worked months for? He tried to fight me at the bar a while ago and that's the one you want?" He slowly walked towards me and grew closer to me with every word that came out of his mouth.

"I don't even know where this is coming from but who I talk to or hang out with is none of your-"

At that point, I couldn't even finish my sentence. He already had his widened hands around my thick neck, pressing his thumbs into my throat. My life flashed before my eyes and, in that moment, I had no idea what to do. I thought I was going to die. I really thought.

Holding my breath was the hardest and my eyes looked over towards the living room table for help. Searching for something, Subconscious Sierra came into play:

GET THAT BEER BOTTLE, BITCH! BOP HIS ASS LIKE A TENNIS BALL!

So that's exactly what I did. My hand wrapped around the closest beer bottle and smashed it upside his head like one of my dishes Jess destroyed. That bottle hit his head so hard that he let me go and fell down backwards.

Shit, and I thought Brian was the dumb one.

There you go, Rena Bobeena! Fuck his ass up! Kill that mother-

Nah because killing him would give him what he wants. Coughing my brains out, I kept an eye on the injured moron as he laid on the ground rolling back and forth.

Fuck more air. There was no time left and my roommates would be back any minute. There were no witnesses at the moment. I had to check to see if anyone was coming through the apartment area. No one was walking around.

Walking back inside, I grabbed a second beer bottle and smashed it so hard to his head again to make sure he was knocked the fuck out. And maybe that hit came from my underlying anger for all the men that I fucked with, thinking there was something there.

The smell of Jack Daniels flooded the apartment as I looked over to see him bloody and filled with glass around his face. I got this shit. Don't nobody choke me unless it's during sex and the only time that happened was with Keenan because I thought he was long term. Fuck him and myself.

This dumbass had to get out of my apartment. Grabbing him by the ankles and feeling lightheaded, I drug him across the floor and outside towards the neighbor's apartment across the way. Hell, they wouldn't care.

How dare this fool touch me like that? Since I was single, he figured I'd be that desperate enough to let him choke me out like that, huh? Not on my watch. I couldn't believe this. A man who was as sweet as a button tries to kill me because he can't have his way with me. What has the world come to? How the hell could I not see that?!

As much as this singleness was getting old, I'll take it over being with men like that. How did all of that anger come from him so fast?

My body fell against the couch and picked up my phone. My lightheaded feeling took over after thumb-dialing my cousin for help. The headache led me on until it couldn't, causing me to pass out.

****

"Rena! Rena! Wake the fuck up, please!"

My eyes slowly opened to everyone standing around the couch, waiting for me to wake up. Carmon and Trent were on Facetime with worried faces.

I shook my head before a hard slap to the face woke my senses even further. That same caramel hand was about to come back around to my face until Tiff stopped her. "JESS! She's up and okay! Girl, calm down. Oh my goodness, Rena. What the hell happened? Why is Grayson outside with a bloody face?"

So, it worked? My beer bottle tennis match worked and I won? How do I even remember that?

"What the hell happened?" I sat up from the couch and took in some deep breaths to stop myself from crying. What little that did to help. Breathing in and out only makes it worse for me because you realize you're doing it because you're sad or hurt.

Rena boo, focus!

"We want to know the same thing. Did he hurt you, girlie? What happened?" Tiff asked hugging me tightly but something was off.

Why was she still here? They were supposed to be off to their trip in Bora Bora by now. Where's Bryce at?

My head felt a bit dizzy as I heard Carmon ask "What's with all the glass? Did he hit her with some kind of glass object?"

"What?! We're coming back home. Nobody lays a hand on my little sis. We gotta get back home." I heard Trent in the background. Ever since he's been married, he's called me 'little sis' from time to time. Probably because he's the main one who worries about my mental health but we'll talk about that later.

"No! No, no, no! Please stay. Everything is just fine. Tiff, why are you still here? You're supposed to be on your way to your honeymoon. Guys, I'm okay." I pleaded while putting my hand to my head in pain. Losing breath really affects the body but, fuck, did it affect mine.

"Rena, we got worried when Jess called us about you. Bryce is outside parking the car. Don't worry about us right now. You need more attention," Tiff said as she rubbed my back.

"You did a number on him, Rena. His face was all bloody and he ran off all kinds of scared once we pulled up. I applaud you," Jess said as she chuckled and cleaned up the glass off the floor.

Entering the apartment was Bryce in a rush, saying "We need to call the police. He probably ran up there to tell on you, Rena."

What do I look like going to tell the police on him for? If anybody will be in a jail cell, it'd be me and he wouldn't have any charges. The system isn't made for people like me. It would be pointless to tell them.

I had to swat his hand away because, one, don't touch my hair. Two, his patting on my head hurt like shit. It was sensitive.

But knowing that I ruined their honeymoon made me feel some kind of way. Great! What else are you going to ruin, Momo?

"Like hell he will. If he knows what's good for him, he'll keep his froggy lips shut. Little Sis, we're coming home now. We'll see you soon, okay?" Trent demanded over Tiff's phone.

Bam! Just when you think it couldn't have been worse, you get worse. Now you ruined the Carters' vacation. Way to fucking go, Rena. Next time, don't call anybody so they can live their lives.

Suddenly, a slam came from the apartment walls, signaling an opened front door, and in came a "Where's Aunt Rena? Is she okay?"

Oh hell no. Fuck, who invited my sweet Tiarria to my shit show? She can't see me like this.

Her tanned arms wrapped around me as soon as she found a seat on the couch, not making me nor my irritated eyes feel any better. Her touch only made things worse.

One thing I never let kids do is see me down. I have to get up and move. So, I got up from the couch and moved towards the TV, wiping my tears in secret. My headache grew worse.

"I just need to lay down and get a cup of orange juice. That's all. Thank you all for-"

Turning around, there he was. Standing in his semi-muscular stance with a bottle of Minute Maid orange juice in his hand. That's when I learned that T didn't come by herself. How the hell did he find out about this? The audacity-

Ugh, fuck it. This pain in my head is not tolerating my anger right now.

I took the bottle in hand and walked into my bedroom. There's no need to stick around for the embarrassment and awkward silence in the living room. As the yellow tangy liquid rushed down my throat, I wondered where Brian got the nerve to come up in my apartment. All big and bold.

After everything with Gina and those other females, I thought it would be understood that he was never to step foot in my place again. What made him think he was allowed to come into my apartment the way he did?

Oh, come on, Rena. He was just trying to be nice.

See? That's the problem when men like him 'try to be nice'. He tried to be nice three different times and look what happened. I don't want his niceness if it turns into manipulation. A pawn just to keep himself feeling good until he finds someone else. Hell, we shouldn't be friends after all of that.

Men 'trying to be nice' is their way of making us weak and I'm not that naïve anymore. That's how my pants magically came off and my bra was unstrapped. By men 'trying to be nice'. It ultimately worked on their behalf, ruining my self-esteem in the process.

'You're so beautiful'. 'What's a girl as sexy as you doing single'? Oh, and here's my favorite. 'I'd never do you like those other guys did. I'm different'. Yeah, you're different alright. You're a different body but the same piece of work.

A knock sounded at my door before it opened to the man in-

The boy in question.

Like you aren't acting like the kindergarteners right now, Rena?

Shut up, Subby Sierra.

Rolling my eyes, I picked up my laptop and went looking for more assignments to do on the school's website. Because grad school, right?

Nah, because of your graduating stubbornness that's making you feel like this. You know you don't want to even look at another research paper.

"Well, don't you look busy. How ya feeling?" he asked as my eyes blinked away the tears. The tension was building up between us again.

That same tension from that date at this same apartment years ago. The same tension we had between us after T's menstrual situation. The same fucking tension that we had during our first date. Fuck that tension. Three times the charm and that tension fucked me over each and every time.

"I'm fine. Just getting some work done." Don't even look at him. Don't you dare fucking look at him.

"Right. I just came in here to check up on you. Jess and them left so they wanted me to stick around and make sure you were good. Since you're good, we'll head out. See ya around."

Jessica...why the hell would you tell him to stick around knowing about our history?

Nodding at his words, I continued looking through the school's online learning system and watched him exit until...

"Dad, I wanna stay with Rena."

Oh, sweet Tiarria.

"Well, baby girl, Rena wants some time alone to do her work. I thought you wanted to hang out with your Pops anyhow."

Well, 'Dad', maybe she wants to hang out with her auntie. You've been taking up our time together anyhow. Let her stay with me. Use this free time to drill another woman like a nail in a piece of wood. Then confess your love to her.

"Well, I want us to stay like aunt Jess and Tiff told us to. I want to make sure she's okay. We can make it a slumber-"

"T, I said no. Rena's got work to do. You can stay over another night. Let her rest and study."

Oh, now, he wants to leave. Seriously? He reads my mind way too late. Or was he trying to play these mind games with me? Do reverse psychology on me? Either way, it's not working on me.

Looking up from the luminated screen, my eyes looked up to a pleading face only an auntie could love. Fuck. Gotta love the kids.

"Fine. You can stay with me..."

The pleading changed to a precious smile, excited to stick around with her favorite aunt. Can't refuse her when she looks like that.

"Okay, Dad, you're staying in the living room. Aunt Rena and I have some things to talk about, okay? You stay in the living room."

"Aye, you don't wanna talk to your dad-"

"Nope. Girls only! Talk to you tomorrow, Dad."

And stayed in the living room, he did...without protest for some reason. He really listened to T and went in the living room while T and I talked about her little crush on a guy at school.

Meanwhile, the only guy that stayed on my mind was Brian because it was strange seeing him listen to his daughter. Usually, he debates with her and whatnot but not this time. That was odd. Good...but odd.

Anyway, the next morning, I walked into the living space only to find him and T gone. It was expected but it was one moment I wanted to be the woman that the guy fought for. Instead of the woman with a sunken heart again. For once, I had hope in Brian only to lose it again.

But isn't this what you wanted, Rena? Don't cry now.

You're surely right, Subby Sierra. You're surely right.

****

What's up, folks?!

I didn't not mean to make this chapter that long. I didn't even think I made the chapter that long until I posted it. Oh well.

Tell me what you think.

Do you think Brian was just looking out for Rena?

Do you think Rena was going a little overboard?

Was this a missed opportunity for the two?

You want Grayson to come back?

Well, until Thursday! See ya soon! Love ya!