Tuesday

Elisha wakes up around 8 am, last night she talked to Zack on the phone for two hours straight.

Then she called Tony after logging into Snapchat to get his number, now he was very worried and angry at the same time, they chat for an hour and a half. He got her stuffs from her ex roommates who moved out and she explained everything to him what's happening.

Evan was really worried and Kacy too.

Brendan and the guys are out today with their ex boss, she still doesn't know what they're planning to do or when she's getting to go back to Chicago.

Elisha walks down the stairs two hours later and sees Melissa cleaning,"hey, I am going to take a walk", she says.

"Okay dear and when you're coming back please pass by the mini mart and pick up these things on the list for me", Melissa hands her the list and money, she nods and leaves.

She strolls down the sidewalk watching her environment and waves at people who pass her on the opposite side. A teenager steps out from her house and puts on her headset about two houses up then tucks her hands in her pockets.

She had long curly chocolate brown hair wearing a skinny jeans with a tank top and converse in her feet, she walks down the sidewalk and turn left to the main road where vehicles are passing.

Elisha stops walking when a park catches her attention ten minutes later, there aren't much people around but mostly kids from age 7 to around 12 or 13 playing around the play park or on their phones for the older ones.

The adults were mostly females or babysitters, since it is after all summer time so parents have to work. There are flyers around  a camp will start from next week and registration ends on Friday, it'll be near a lake not far from here for three weeks.

"Mom I want to go camp, you promised last year that I would go this year", a seven year old boy tugs on his mother's dress while she talks on the phone.

"Yeah mommy", the girl next to him adds, they both share the same dark brown hair.

Probably twins.

"Guys mommy is on the phone right now, go play with your friends", the woman with light blue eyes looks down at them.

"But we want to-"

"I am busy, now go or else no ice cream later", the woman warns.

The two children go back to the swings with a sad expression, the boy pushes his sister on the swing as the other kids with their parent or babysitter sign up for the camp not far away.

Elisha sighs, she knows how that feels not to have your patent's attention around that age.

She walks up to the woman who is talking on the phone, "excuse me."

She watches Elisha,"yes? What do you want?"

"I know you're busy and all, but please don't ignore your children trust me, they'll grow distant from you once they get older", she advises.

"Aren't you a little to young to have a kid? How old are you? 21, 22?"

"I don't need to have a kid to know how they feel because I been their age and know what's it like to have your parents ignoring you", Elisha snaps.

"Why don't you mind your businesses dear? My kids are my problem not yours", the woman snaps.

"And when they turn out to be rebels by high school just remember who made them that way", Elisha states,"and they aren't a bother, they just want to go to a camp for three weeks. I would say that can be a mini vacation for you since you have them with you every day for the pass year", she adds handing her the flyer.

The woman watches the flyer then at her kids who are on the slide now,"Marc and Mackenzie come!" She calls them. 

They run over to where their mother and a young lady are, the boy shares the same color eyes as his mother while the girl has sea green eyes.

"Let's go", the woman gets up,"I'm going to sign you up for that camp, I did promise you last year", she takes both their hands and walk to the line, the little girl glances back at Elisha and gives her a grateful smile.

"That's a wonderful thing you did, no one couldn't get through to her no matter how much we tried", a woman in her early thirties says standing next to Elisha.

"Yeah I know how important a parent's attention to a child at age is", Elisha nods,"do you have kids?"

"Yes two, well adopted. They're playing in the sandbox, ages five and seven", the woman explains.

"No kids of your own?"

"Can't have kids of my own", she sighs sadly,"but those two angels fill that empty space I had for years."

"Both girls?"

"Yeah, I am planning to adopt a boy since my husband wanted another male in the house and to go fishing, play sports and do other activities with too", she adds.

"I always wanted a sister, I got an older brother", Elisha says.

"Sometimes having a brother is a great thing and other times not so great. I should know, I have three brother no sisters, but a cousin who is close to me that I call her my sister", the woman grins.

"My name is Elisha."

"Tina."

Elisha relaxes at the park for the next two hours with Tina, met her two kids who are friends with Marc and Mackenzie. Marc and Trina's daughter Izzy are in the same class and best friends since day one when they started school.

They reminded Elisha about Brendan and her friendship and how it all started.

*****

Flashback to kindergarten

"Mommy I don't want to go to school", three years old Elisha cries.

"You have to muffin, you will make friends like Ace did" Damon Black lifts her up.

"I want to stay home, schools are for babies", she scoffs and he laughs.

"Such a little rebel you are, but you got to go. Mommy will drop you off and pick you up later", he places her in her car seat as she starts to cry.

"You are a big baby", Ace teases her pulling her ponytail.

"No!" She screams and scratches him in the face trying to fight.

"Ace stop teasing your sister", Kathy says as she gets into the passenger seat in front.

"But mommy she scratched me, see", Ace points at his bruise cheek while Elisha giggles and claps.

"You're a naughty one, but no fighting in school", Damon kisses her forehead and shuts the door.

**
"Welcome to school, who's excited?" The teacher greets her new group of kindergartners,"I want everyone to stand up and say their names and what they like to do."

"I'm Lily and I like to draw", a strawberry blonde hair girl smiles.

A boy with black hair stands up,"my name is Brendan and I like to run."

Elisha goes next since Brendan is her table mate along with a curly black hair girl.

"Um.."

"Go on dear, don't be shy", her teacher says.

"My name is Elisha and school sucks", she says and her classmates watch her in surprise and so did the teacher.

"We don't use that language in school Elisha, where did hear that bad word?"

"My brother, he said its a good word", she frowns.

"He's lying, its a bad word", the teacher says as tears begin to form in Elisha's eyes.

"Don't cry, you didn't know it was a bad word. Now next person."

Elisha sits and Brendan whispers to her,"I think school sucks too Lisha", he grins.

"My name is Layla and I like to dance", their other table mate says.

One week later

When it is recess Elisha sees her brother with his friends by the playground,"that's my brother", she points for Brendan to see.

"The tall one?"

"Yes with spiderman bag", she nods and Brendan hands her piece of his sliced apples as she hands him a muffin which her mother put in her lunch kit.

"Can we be friends forever?" Brendan asks.

"Best friends", she hugs him.

From that day, they became best friends and did everything together and built an album of pictures thanks to their mothers for the next fourteen years and when Zane and Malcolm came into the picture it was very more fun.

End of flashback

----

"What got you thinking so hard Lisha?" Brendan enters the room.

"Kindergarten, those were the days."

"Yeah, my mom still have all four albums with us. Remember our first trip to the zoo?" He laughs.

"Yeah, you tried feeding the monkeys cotton candy", Elisha chuckles.

"But mom panicked and snatched it away, I cried until your mother brought another for me but made sure I stayed away from the animals", he grins.

"Yeah, I wouldn't share with you with my own", she smiles.

"Greedy."

"But you still love me", she winks,"anyway, what's the plan now? When can we go back to Chicago?"

"That's what I came to talk to you about, we're not going back to Chicago just yet. We'll be staying here a little while longer and Joey thinks its best for you to go back to Connecticut", Brendan explains.

"What about Stephanie's wedding? I told her I would come also your mother", Elisha frowns.

"When's the wedding?"

"The ending of this month, which is in two weeks and I still don't have a dress to wear", she sighs.

"I'll see what I can do, but if you have to go back to Connecticut I'll arrange a flight three days before the wedding for you to go back to Chicago and stay in a hotel", he states.

Elisha grins and hugs him,"you know I can never repay you right?" She looks up into his gray eyes.

"Sure you can", he smirks,"by moving back to Chicago."

"Only if its safe for me, I don't want you getting hurt again or any of our friends."

"Of course, now tell me who do you like?" He sits down.

She shrugs,"Evan seems nice enough, but so does Zack who isn't in Chicago for the whole summer so that doesn't say much."

"Have you even had feeling for anyone expect Draven when we were younger?"

"No, I don't think so", she shakes her head,"but you were with Layla for two years right?"

"Yeah, but I'm over her. She went and sleep with some guy and got pregnant", he shakes his head.

"Did you ever found out by who though?"

"Sadly no, she disappeared from the face of the earth or move to another state", he shrugs.

"Do you like anyone?"

"Yes, but I don't think she feels the same way", he looks at her.

"Of course she would, you're a great guy", Elisha assures him,"go call her and tell her", she gets up and walks out the room.

****

Jett's phone rings and Ace answers it,"who is this?"

"I need to talk to Jett now", the woman states.

"Sorry, but that can't happen."

"Why?"

"He's dead."

She gasps,"what? But I am coming to visit him soon, its time for him to face his mistake", she cries.

"Who are you anyway?"

"Does Anika ring a bell?"

Ace turns pale,"A- anika?"

"Yes, who are you?"

"Ace, Jett's best friend."

"You son of a b*tch, it was you who made Jett stay away from me for three years", she snaps.

"He was to be engage to my little sister, I protected you."

"Well he didn't want that, we were meant to be together."

"How are you so sure? You're just another one night stand."

"Well this one night stand was pregnant and now have a two years and a half old son", Anika snaps.

"What?"

"Yes, he's been sending money, but stop. I can't raise a child on my own", she sighs,"I have to work to provide for my child and now Jett's dead, I am not giving up Chase."

"Anika, are you one hundred percent sure it was Jett you slept with that night?"

"Yes, when I woke up it was his room I was in and he was in the bathroom, so I left. Two month later after I finally got him and told him that I was pregnant, he denied it first then accepted sort of and started to send money every three months, when Chase was born he stopped for a while since he was busy building that club of his in Connecticut", she explains.

"Jett was drunk out of his mind that night no doubt, but it was me who was in the bathroom. I crashed in his room for the night with a brunette girl", Ace says.

Anika gasps,"so you're his father? All this time I thought Jett was", she cries,"Chase has brown hair like me, well us and blue eyes like yours, but since Jett's eye color is close to yours I assume.. "

"Hey, its okay. Where are you?"

"Living in New York, I moved the day I told Jett about my pregnancy."

"Right now I can't come since I am in a situation, but I will soon and call me on my phone from now on and send photos of Chase", Ace explains.

"Thank you so much, I'm sorry about Jett though."

"Me too, we'll Skype when I get a chance then I'll get to see little Chase."

"He starts to look like you, you know?"

"Future heart breaker in the making."

"Bye, I'm going to take Chase for a walk."

"Be careful and when I do come, we're going to Central park for a little family day out", Ace promises.

"We'll love that."

He hangs up.

"So I'm a grandma?" Kathy says behind him.

"Don't tell dad, I don't want them drag into this mess", Ace says.

"I wouldn't, but who's Anika?"

"A girl from college, she was in some of my classes and parties I attend until Jett hooked up with her first a few times", he explains.

"I see, once you support them I'm fine with it, but I wouldn't risk seeing my grandson until I know its safe", she leaves.

"Thanks mom, but when's the funeral?"

"Friday and no your father is not attending. He is still trying to track down Elisha", she sighs.

"Why? What's the use? Jett's dead."

"It wouldn't be long before he finds another guy for her to be engage to, to join his gang together with another."

"Isn't Jett's right hand man in charge of the gang?" Ace frowns

"Mr. Smith's nephew will be, he's only a year younger than you", Kathy explains.

"Great so dad is going to want him to marry Elisha?"

"No doubt and I heard rumors that he's kind of abusive and impatient."

"We have to stop dad."

"We can't, let's hope he gets catch from the police and behind bars."

"Why go against dad?"

"This", Kathy shows her bruise on her cheek.

"He did that?" Ace turns angry.

"Yeah."

____________________

Now you know who Jett's mysterious caller is.

Who did you think it was?

Who do you think Layla was pregnant for?

Who does Brendan like?