Chapter 11: Chapter 11

Reign hadn’t been in school and hadn’t been in touch with them since the incident at the party. For once the guys didn’t know, is whereabouts and it disturbed them. Narcia poked her lunch.

She had no appetite for food these few days. Their table hadn't been lively since Reign's disappearance. Zaid hadn't been himself and it was affecting his relationship with Anya.

"Hey, you guys want to ditch?" Sean asked. "I'm in," Xavier stated as they all got up and got their bags. They headed to their cars and drove to Reign's, money, I miss my b you need to recover, you've been in a coma for two whole weeks, we almost lost you, man," Edwardo explained.

"Thanks, guys for having my back, especially you Jack." He told him. "Welcome, sir," Jack added.

"At least, can I turn on my phone?" He pouted. "Nope," Edwardo added sticking his tongue out as he walked out. "I fucking hate you!" Reign yelled after him. "The feelings mutual!!" Edwardo yelled back.

Edwardo sent the money to Rahul as Reign had directed. It had been close to a month since his disappearance. His friends gathered courage and believed he was fine. Anya and Myra's relationships we're going much better and Narcia spent more time with Kayla taking her mind off her dad for a while.

It was a Saturday morning and Narcia was helping Nora in the kitchen and Kayla watching cartoons. The doorbell rang and Narcia rushed to open it before Kayla did.

She was shocked and relieved to see who was at the door. "Dada!!" Kayla screamed as she jumped to hug him. Narcia retreated to the room, picked her bags, and left without a word. She was relieved he was alright at the same time angry.

Why hadn't he called all these weeks? Didn't he care about how they felt? She wondered without realizing she'd reached home.

"You're back quite early," Zaid said from the couch.

"Reign's back, he finally came back after a month." She announced as she collapsed into the couch.

"When did he come?" Sean asked. "A couple of minutes before I left." She answered.

"Did he say where he was or what happened?" Xavier inquired.

"I didn't ask him anything, I just left as soon as Kayla saw him. She needed some time with her dad." She said void of any emotions as she walked up to her room locking everyone out.

"I don't understand, now he's back she's become hostile" Xavier added confused.

"She's not hostile Xav, she's broken, she can't seem to understand why he never bothered contacting us to tell us he was okay. She had built walls around herself, but she let him in and this so she feels betrayed and heartbroken." Myra remarked.

"She's been lonely since y'all are dating, yet she is extremely happy for y'all, so when she and Reign started hanging out she felt better until all this," Zara added.

Reign rang the doorbell to Narcia's house. He had to talk to her and explain himself. Zara opened the door for him as he limped in. His friends rushed towards him and hugged him.

"You guys are suffocating me." He stated as they let him go. "What happened man?" Sean asked as Reign sat down to explain himself.

"You could have taken Jack's phone to tell us you were okay." Zaid retorted. "It didn't come in mind ok!" He yelled frustrated.

"Where's Narcia?" He asked as she descended the stairs. "What do you want in my house?" She spat. "Sweet cheeks, I can explain." He tried.

"Reign, whatever explanation you have, keep it you could have called. You could have." She stated. "Do you know the emotional trauma, the little girl had to go through or the emotional trauma you put your friends through, they almost lost their relationships because of you and you stand here to tell me you tried?" She inquired.

"I know my explanation sounds lame but I almost died, I was in a coma for two weeks Narcia two fucking weeks!" He raised his voice as tears streamed down Narcia's face. His expression softened as he saw her tears. He limped towards her to touch her face but she leaned back.

"I thought I lost you just as I lost Mason but you were somewhere else forgetting that people were dead worried about you, welcome home Reign." She added walking out of the house.

"Let her go, she needs to clear her mind." Zaid held him leading him to the couch to rest. He looked dishevelled. He had eye bags under his eyes and even though he had enough rest in California he looked like someone who hadn't slept in months.

"Welcome home," Zara added as she served him food to eat. After the meal, Reign left Narcia's house.

Where could she be? She thought to himself as he walked along the road? He saw a figure on a swing at their backyard and then turned back towards her house approaching her. She sat on the swing with headphones on her head singing "Someone You Loved" by Lewis Capaldi. She sang ;

I'm going under and this time I fear there's no one to save me

This all or nothing got a way of driving me crazy

I need somebody to heal

Somebody to know

Somebody to have

Somebody to hold

It's easy to say

But it's never the same

I guess I kind of liked the way you numbed all the pain

Now the day bleeds

Into nightfall

And you're not here

To get me through it all

I let my guard down

And then you pulled the rug

I was getting kind of used to being someone you loved

I'm going under and this time I fear there's no one to turn to

This all or nothing way of love got me sleeping without you

Now, I need somebody to know

Somebody to heal

Somebody to have

Just to know how it feels

It's easy to say but it's never the same

I guess I kind of liked the way you helped me…

"Hi." He greeted starting her. "Sorry I didn't mean to startle you." He added sitting on the next swing as she took the headphones off and stopped singing.

"You have a wonderful voice." He added as she nodded a thank you.

"What do you want to Reign?." She mumbled. "I just want you to hear me out, and if my explanation isn't good enough I leave." He finally said.

"I'm listening." She added. "At 15, I fell with the wrong crowd, I joined a gang that dealt in drugs. I never took in drugs my boss didn't allow since I was young. I was their delivery boy anytime an order was made, I did the delivery.

A few months after I met Zaid, Sean, and Xavier I decided to quit and Rahul my boss wasn't happy about it. We made a deal that I would be paying $5000 into his account every time he needed it. The first month, I found it difficult to pay but within a few weeks, I was able to do so.

I started working in a restaurant to earn money to be able to pay for him. With time, I decided to open my restaurant at 17. It wasn't easy but I was able to get recommendations and then start up something business was booming so I decided to open another one in California and in no time, I had restaurants and cafes around and it wasn't difficult to pay Rahul anymore. Zaid suggested I employ a CEO so I can focus on school while he runs the business so I employed my elder cousin Edwardo to do so and he's been handling it relatively well.

Before Xavier's party, Rahul called making obnoxious demands and I got angry because I had already paid him a week ago so I didn't understand why he needed more money. He threatened to send his men in but I doubted. So when the gunshots began I knew he was at work. I tried taking them on but I got shot in my abdomen making me lose consciousness. I woke up in one of my apartments in California and pain. Edwardo explained how I was in a coma for two weeks and how I miraculously gained consciousness.

I begged him to allow me to contact you guys but he refused to say I had to fully recover. So when I felt better I told him I was coming back because I had to see my baby girl and you guys." He finished.

There was an awkward silence between the two of them before Narcia broke it. "Where were your parents when you joined a gang?" She asked. "My mother had died when I was 10. It was me and my dad. We lived in peace and happiness until he decided to remarry.

My stepmother was more than a which and she changed my dad he no longer cared about me, so that pushed me to join a gang." He explained.

"How come you never took Jack's phone to call... we were frustrated and at the verge of giving up." She added playing with her fingers.

"It didn't cross my mind, all I had in mind was to come back and I'm sorry." He apologized. "I forgive you Reign, but don't you ever go missing in action again." She added hugging him.

"Thank you." He smiled and heaved a sigh of relieve.

“You welcome, but if this happens again, I ‘m gonna beat your ass.” She said making a first with her tiny hands.

“With what?” He asked trying not to laugh as she punched him on his arm.

“Um, I didn’t feel anything.” He flexed his muscles as she pinched him making him wince in pain.

“Now, you did. ” She said sticking out her tongue at him as she got up and run. He also got up and chased her around the house.