No matter what Ian did, it didnt seem like Aryah wanted any part of it. Ian would call (no answer), Ian would text (no answer), he even went as far as stopping by and still....there was no answer.

He was utturly disgusted in himself and for the way that he treated Aryah, it's all he could think about. But the main thing that stuck out to him the most was the last time that he saw her face.

Depression became his new friend.. he stopped seeing his friends, he stopped answering calls, he stopped talking to other people, he completely closed himself off from the world; and it was as if a huge hole had been punched right through his chest. He didnt wanna see anyone, but it didnt stop him from trying to reach her..

Ian:".......please pick up"       (buuuuuuuuuurb...buuuuuuuuuurb)

Ian:"please...."  (buuuuuuuuuurb...buuuuuuuuuurb)

~voicemail~ (Heeeeey, you've reached Aryah Drake...sorry I cant come to the phone right now, but leave your name, number, and brief msg and ill get back to you as soon as I can. Byyyyyye!~

-click-

*Hanging the phone up Ian sobs with sorrow as his heart falls heavier in his chest, Sentoria walks by taking notice and she quickly pulls Red aside*

Red:"What's wrong baby?"

Sentoria:"Your son is whats wrong.... honey he doesnt even go outside anymore..all he does is mope, cry, and sleep.."

Sentoria:"Im worried about him"

Red:"He'll be alright baby. He's been through a lot, and might've just lost the only person who ever gave a damn about him.... just let him be. He needs time to heal."

Sentoria:"How much more time, because I dont know how much more of this I can take...its breaking my heart."

Red:"I know, mine too.... but we need to let him stand on his own. He made his bed, now he's gotta lie in it."

Red:"I promise, what ever the outcome is, he'll be alright.."

Sentoria:"I cant handle this Red.... thats my baby.... I dont wanna see him go through this."

Red:"Neither do I, but he chose this.... now he gotta deal with the consiquences. Just give him some space...PLEASE.."

Sentoria:"Okay...."

Red:"It'll be alright."

Kendrick:"Hey man, how you feelin?"

Ian:"Like shit..."

Kendrick:"Yeah, you like it too.." *They laugh then Ian exhales slowly*

Kendrick:"I know man..."

Ian:"I didnt mean to hurt her..."

Kendrick:"I know, but hey..I told you not to do it. I warned you, didnt I?"

Ian:"please Ken, I really dont feel like havin an I told you so moment... Im already feelin bad enough."

Kendrick:"Well you should...."

Ian:"UGH...Now you sound like mom"

Kendrick:"Good! At least you know that im bein real with you"

Ian:"yeah"

Kendrick:"I dont wanna be the (I told you so) kinda person, but Ian if you think about it...I did. And look what happened.. You have a great family, a great life, and a great girl... Now... not so much of the girl cause you didnt know how to keep it in your pants."

Kendrick:"I was tryin to warn you because I know what kinda temptaion rest out there, and I know what it can do to a man.... Ya see, men... we're weak when it comes to sex.. we're the type to never pass up an opertunity unless we really dont wanna, and sometimes.. it can be one that we'll really regret later down the line."

Ian:".............boy am I regretin this."

Kendrick:"I know you are, and I wanted you to steer clear of them women.. I knew somethin wasnt right when you were with that Nikki girl... somethin just aint sit well with me there, but I let you do your thing cause im not your conscience. I cant be there with you all the time... I needed you to be the person to stop anything that went on between you two, and you didnt.. but its alright cause we all fall short sometimes.

Ian:"yeah I know, I just wished I listened when you were tryin to tell me before."

Kenrick:"Well if you did, then there wouldnt be a lesson to be learned now would it?"

Ian:"yeah I guess.."

Kendrick:"Its alright though, cause no matter what... you know we alway got'chu..... c'mere."

Kendrick:"I love you man.."

Ian:"I love you too Ken....and thanks for talkin to me."

Kenrick:"You're welcome, I just hope that you listen next time around.."

Ian:"Oh there wont be a next time.."

Kendrick:"Theres always a next time.... Temptation is everywhere, it just a matter of seeing if youll listen this time around or not."

Ian:"True....I will."

Kendrick:"Thats my boy..."

*Listening nearby was Xureila who got a call from Aryah*

Xureila:"Hello?""

Aryah:~hey......~

Xureila:"Hey Aryah, how you holdin up sis?"

Aryah:~...meh..im alright i guess. how are you?"

Xureila:"Im doin good.... you missed Nia's birthday today."

Aryah:~I know...im sorry, Ill make it up to her I promise..I just didnt think I could face Ian.~

Xureila:"Oh..I understand.. Look. Aryah, you two really need to talk."

Aryah:~No, he's already said enough.~

Xureila:"No really, you two need to talk."

Xureila:"Why dont you just come over for a little while."

Aryah:~I dont know....~

Xureila:"............fine.. Well why dont you let me take you out for some dinner between the two of us. And we can talk...Sounds good to you?"

Aryah:~...........okay, im coming.~

Xureila:"No, its dark out.. im comin to get you.......im on my way."

*Back at the restarant*

Aryah:"This is really nice.."

Xureila:"I know, Kendrick took me right the night before our wedding."

Aryah:"Wow...."

Xureila:"Yeah.. But enough about us, you know what we came out here to talk about."

Aryah:"Yeah.."

Xureila:"I know you miss him...."

Aryah:"I dont.."

Xureila:"Yes you do...."

Aryah:"How do you know?"

Xureila:"He's your first................ thats how I know. That and you keep checking your phone.."

Aryah:"....I was just reading the other texts he left me. He's texted me ever since that today.."

Xureila:"Sounds like a lot of messages"

Aryah:".........It is."

Xureila:"Are you gonna reply?"

Aryah:"No......not yet at least."

Xureila:"You know you cant avoid this like it never happened.."

Aryah:"I can try.."

Xureila:"Thats not fair Aryah.."

Aryah:"Fair??? Whats not fair is giving yourself to a man that you thought would never hurt you only to find out he's been fucking 2 other chicks aside from yourself.... and 1 of them has HIV."

Xureila:"And you have every right to be mad, but-" 

*Aryah slams her fists on the table*

Aryah:"HOW COULD HE DO THAT TO ME?!?"

Xureila:"Calm down...."

Aryah:"Im sorry, im still kinda angry at him because he could've put my health at risk as well as he did for his own."

Aryah:"Im sorry to say it but, thats so selfish of him."

Xurila:"I dont blame you for being angry at him Aryah , he did you dirty... trust me, he had that black eye comin."

Xureila:"But what im tryin to say is that I know that he was selfish, and I think he know that he was too."

Aryah:"How?"

Xureila:"Cause ever since the day you dumped him he's been in his room... he'll come out to eat ever so offten, play with his food, and then he'll go back inside."

Xureila:"He cries, he beats himself up, he calls you, you dont answer, he texts you, you dont reply, he visits you, you dont come out.."

Aryah:"Visits??"

Xureila:"Yeah, he's been going to your house to see if youll talk to him face to face but you never come out. He's done it for the past week and half."

Aryah:"Oh... I wasnt even home."

Xureila:"Really??? Where were you?"

Aryah:"I stayed with my aunt for a little, I left my phone here.. I had to get away.."

Xureila:"Oooh okay, well I understand...That must be why you never came out and stuff."

Aryah:"Yeah.................It just hurts ya know?"

Xureila:"Yeah, but look.... I didnt ask you out here to talk you into doing anything your heart's not ready for, I just asked you to come out so I could tell you how much he really misses and loves you."

Aryah:"Xureila, if he really loved me then love shoulda brought him home to me... I would've never done that to him. Every chance a guy got to ask me out, I turned them down because Ian's the only man I want. I would've never slept around on him"

Xureila:"And you're the only one he wants believe it or not.."

Aryah:"Would I be wrong for assuming that he doesnt?"

Xureila:"YES!!"................."Look....you're my best friend and I know how you feel about Ian. I know that Ian has done some  fucked up shit, but believe me when I say he's paying for it...because he IS paying for it."

Xureila:" Ya know... there's a saying that says that Sometimes God has a way of giving us hints to wake us up......maybe this was his hint."

Aryah:"I dont know.......he hurt me pretty bad Xureila."

Xureila:"I know he did, but everyone deserves a second chance....Even him."

Aryah:"You really think so?"

Xureila:"Know so.... I mean, this boy barely eats now, he sleeps all day, wakes up and cries himself to sleep all over again, he doesnt go out anymore, he doesnt talk to his friends anymore, he stopped talking to everyone basically...... and he prays."

Aryah:"Prays?? About what?"

Xureila:"............You."

Aryah:".......me?"

Xureila:"Yes you........ I've never seen him this way before. So I know its something real. I've heard him say how if he ever got another chance to hold you in his arms that he'd do right by you, and swore never to take your for granted again, and how sorry he is for ever hurting you in the first place..."

Xureila:"Let's just say ive never seen him like this.....but again..im not trying to make you do anything you dont wanna do."

Xureila:"If you still dont wanna be with him thats fine, just please... at lease be his friend. Because he needs one now more than ever, and I dont like see you both like this."

Xureila:"Okay?"

Aryah:"okay..."

Xureila:"Just think about it... thats all im asking.. I gotta pee ,ill be right back."

Aryah:"Take your time..."

*As Aryah ate another bite of her food, she let out a long sigh...*

Aryah:"I guess she's right... I guess I do still kinda love him..." *She sighs again*

..............................................

*Aryah picks up the phone*

Aryah:"...........hey..its me. ...............call me." *she hangs up*

Xureila:"Okay...what I miss??"

Aryah:"Nothing.. im done actually, the waiter just collected my dishes."

Xureila:"Oh okay, I guess we can go now huh?"

Aryah:"haha...yeah, I guess we can."

Xureila:"Alrighty..."

Aryah:".......Thanks for talking to me Xureila"

Xureila:"You're welcome, I love you.... my parents love you, kendrick loves you, Nia loves you..you know she calls you aunty right?"

Aryah:"Yeah.."*she smile*

Xureila:"Yeah she does... that and Ian loves you too.... We all care... I wouldnt have said anything if we didnt. You're pretty much part of the family already. haha"

Aryah:"Thank you.." *Aryah hugs Xureila tightly*

Xureila:"You're very welcome"

*The next morning*

Aryah:"Good morning Mr.Ramos.."

Red:"Goodmorning, how you doin?"

Aryah:"Im doing okay, um... Is Ian home?"

Red:"Nah, you just missed him.. Kendrick took him out to get some fresh air... but I can tell him that you stopped by if you want me to."

Aryah:"Actually, id like to stay if thats alright. I kinda wanna talk to him face to face."

Red:"Thats alright with me, you know you're always welcomed. Well Xureila's at work, Nia's at school, and Sentoria's on her way home. Just let her know that I let you in ight?"

Aryah:"Yes sir.."

Red:"Ight baby, take care."

Aryah:"You too, have a good day at work."

Red:"Will do."