BROTHERHOOD.

CHAPTER 2: BROTHERHOOD.

"Um, I'm not sure I got you babe," Justin smiled nervously, seriously hoping she was just messing around.

"I said, I cannot marry you," Samantha said slowly, and clearly, counting her words. Justin looked at her, furrowing his brow, confused. 

"I don't- I don't understand, Sam," he said, still on knees.

"Aren't you getting me? I cannot marry you. You can't afford to take care of me. I've endured putting up with your broke life for this long. I can't anymore."

Those words hit Justin as though a two thousand pound bison slammed him in the gut on full speed. His head swirled, as a daze overwhelmed him. 

"Sam, tell me you're kidding right now," Justin said, struggling real hard to fight back tears. 

Samantha sighed frustratedly, and said, "Do I look like I am joking right now? It's over between us." 

Justin stood up, dumbfounded at the turn of events. This was the last thing he ever imagined could happen. He looked round and saw Samantha's friends laughing at him. The worst part of it was that, Samantha joined them. 

"Oh wake up Justin. We both knew this was bound to happen. Stop acting like a child," Samantha laughed with her friends. 

Tears ran down Justin's cheeks. He could no longer hold it in. He looked at the girl he had made sacrifices for, a good years of his time in college, schooling and working a part time job.

Duke and Alex walked over to him, standing on both sides, holding him. 

"Party's over guys. Everyone out," Alex declared. 

Everyone whom was invited took their leave, quietly. It sure was a night they'd all live to remember. Samantha and her friends were still there, and Alex walked up to her.

"That includes you, most especially," he snarled. 

She rolled her eyes at him and said, "Let's go girls." They all walked out. 

Reaching the door, Samantha turned and looked at Justin. With tear filled eyes, he looked back at her. He had put on a tough persona, refusing to let himself weep nor sob.

"Justin, let's both take what we had as a fair trade. You gave what you could and I gave what I could. I think that makes us even."

Justin scoffed, wondering who Samantha actually was. He couldn't recognize her anymore. Saying that, she turned and left the apartment. 

Duke patted Justin on the back, consoling him nonverbally. He took a few steps away from Justin and kicked a balloon that was on the floor, causing it to pop.

"That fucking bitch! How could she, after everything you've done?" Alex raved. Justin simply scoffed, and chuckled softly, wiping the tears off his face. 

"All I ever did was love her. Well, that wasn't enough," Justin said, cracking a smile, but from a pained heart. 

Alex angrily approached the cake that he was asked to contract someone to bake with the intention of throwing it into the waste bin.

"Yo! Hold on," Duke yelled. "Don't do that. We can't let such beautiful cake go to waste. Isn't that right?"

"Of course," Justin replied softly.

"Hmm," Alex grunted dissatisfactorily. Duke went ahead to pour each of them some beer in plastic cups. 

"This, is to better days," Duke said. 

"And good riddance," Alex added. 

"Yeah. Good riddance," Duke acknowledged. They toasted and gulped down their beer.

"Go get some rest. We'll clean up," Duke told Justin. He nodded, and went to his room. Duke and Alex went on cleaning up their living room. 

"He's going to be okay. Won't he?" Alex asked.

Duke sighed, and said, "He will be. He's got us." He smiled at Alex, and continued cleaning up.

Justin went straight to his room and laid on his bed, face up. He felt like letting himself breakdown in tears, but he willfully and consciously refrained from letting himself come to such a point.

_________

"Whoo...! Yo, we made it!" Duke yelled out excitedly as they trio joined in shouting and celebrating. It was finally the day of their graduation ceremony.

"Bye bye to education, forever," Alex said, filling fulfilled. 

"Let's go meet my family guys," Duke said to his friends. 

"And after your's, we'll go see mine," Alex said to them. 

"Let's go," Justin said smiling. But his heart was dismayed. No one came to celebrate him. His late mother's sister didn't come, neither did her son nor husband. 

Both families eventually came together as they had gotten to know themselves through their kids. They all celebrated joyously, taking pictures.

"Let's head to the apartment guys, and continue this. What'd you say?" Alex suggested.

"It's an excellent idea," Duke's mother agreed, and everyone else did also. So they all got up and headed to their cars. 

"Justin!" Professor James called out to. Justin excused himself from the bunch and went to his Professor.

"Congratulations are definitely in order," Professor James said. "Graduating with honors."

"I can't take all the credit for that," Justin responded.

"So, my offer is still open," Professor James said.

"I truly am grateful Professor James, but I don't think I'll need it," Justin outrightly declined this time.

"Well, the offer will still be open. But if I don't hear from you in three weeks time, I'll take it that you've passed up the opportunity."

"Thank you Professor," Justin politely said, as he rushed back to his friends.

"Still making his offer?" Duke asked, as he got into his car.

"Yeah," Justin replied. 

"Don't you think you should reconsider?" Duke asked, as he turned on the ignition. 

"I don't know man. I don't know," Justin replied, looking out the window.

_________

Two days after his graduation ceremony, Justin decided to go see his family. He needed to let them know he was done with school, in as much as they hadn't spent a dime for his college tuition, neither did they support him for his daily needs. 

He solely depended on his full time scholarship and part time job to survive. And yet, he loved them.

Duke and Alex had left to go spend some time with their family as well, on the same day as Justin.

Getting off the taxi that conveyed him from the bus stop to his house, he headed straight to the door. He sighed, adjusting himself, then he rang the door bell. 

Nobody responded at the first instance, so he rang it a second time. Then, a voice that he was familiar with but wasn't expecting, responded from within.

As the door swung open, his heart thumped. He couldn't believe his eyes.