Note: The beginning of this chapter is based off a real event which happened to me. It’s from summer camp a few years back lol. shaking head just read lol. The We Are The Champions part is for my brother who is always singing it.

Chapter 16*~

“You’re a pretty cool kid Nathan.” Aaliyah smiled and looked at him.

“Thank you very much Mrs. Timberlake.”

“No problem Nate.” She smiled softly and looked at her group of four kids. “Alright you all can go and play, but make sure you don’t go in the deep end of the pool ok? We don’t want anybody drowning.”

“Yes Ma’am!” They yelled and ran towards the pool.

“You guys no running!” Aaliyah giggled and looked at Justin who slouched down in a chair next to her. “What’s wrong with you, you look like you’ve been to hell.”

“How did you get the good kids?”

“Jay if you treat them fairly, they will return the favor.” Aaliyah bit her lip and shrugged. “They can’t be that bad.”

“Really?” Justin pointed at Catalina and one of her little friends Kami as they ran around the pool. “I’ve been trying to calm them down for forever.”

“Watch and learn.” Aaliyah stood up and whistled and got their attention. “Cat, Kam, stop running! I’m serious.” She watched as they started to walk and smiled. “Thank you.”

“How did...”

“R-e-s-p-e-c-t.”

“Yeah....yeah....yeah...”

Aaliyah laughed and shrugged. “They’re young, lay down the law. Tell them what’s right and what’s wrong.”

“Don’t you think I’ve tried that?”

“No actually I don’t.” She stuck her tongue out at him and laughed. “Today has been fun...”

“For you...”

“Aww honey you didn’t have fun. That’s right your group got your ass whooped in basketball.”

“You know what, yall were lucky...”

“More like talented, but that’s ok. Don’t cry, it’ll be ok. Because Weeee Areeee The Champions.....We are the champions......We keep on fighting till the end...Duh du, du dummmmm.”

“Li I am gonna hurt your ass when you get home.”

“Soo you’re just mad, you’re a sore loser.”

“That’s it. Get back here.”

Aaliyah laughed and jumped into the pool. “Come get me if you want me that bad Jay. Bring it!”

“Girl you have pushed me to the edge. You are so dead!”

“Nah, Nah, Nah, Nah, Nah!!!!” Aaliyah stuck her tongue out and went under water as she swam to the other side. It was always so much fun to aggravate the hell out of him. It just made it all worth it.

~*9:24 p.m.*~

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
And you still have all of me

Aaliyah sat on the back landing as she looked up at the sky. It had been a long day and she needed some time to think. To think about everything that had been going on between her and Justin. That included Drew, Will, and Samantha. It was time to move on. Move on away from our past. Because it was sure as hell right that the past will come back and bite you in the ass. She pushed her hair over her shoulders and rested her head in her palms as she stared out into the dark night. Justin had already went to bed, and the kids were all asleep too. She was the only one up and she didn’t feel like she would get any sleep tonight. She heard a cry coming from the baby monitor and sighed as she stood up and headed back in the house. She rounded a corner and slowly opened the door to the nursery and looked at the open window and then at Andra who was crying. She didn’t remember opening a window, and she sure as hell knew it wasn’t open before hand. She turned around and looked at the wall and held her hands up to her mouth and then looked at Andra. Aaliyah let out a slight cry of pain when she felt a sharp pain in her side and fell to the floor. “Help...Let go of me! Let go of me!”

Justin was startled at the sound of screams and quickly ran down the stairs. He stood in the hall to see if he could figure out where the sound was coming from. He heard crying echoing from the nursery and opened the door. He looked at Andra who was crying and then he heard a sound like someone gasping for air. He walked over to the window and gazed to the side and spotted Aaliyah bent over on her side. He bent down to her side and flipped her over quickly and picked her up. “Aaliyah who did this to you?”

“S.....”

“Aaliyah please honey, talk to me. Who did this?”

“Sam.....”

“Samantha?” He looked her in her eyes and watched as she lost consciousness. He hurried towards the phone and quickly dialed 911. He couldn’t waist any more time.