7.20.2015

Not So Different Part 11

Hi ! First of, I want to start by apologizing for taking so long to post, and I don't even have an excuse for it. I just didn't take the time to write. But I feel like this was a well needed break, I'm nowhere near where I want to get in my writing and I wouldn't even say that it got any better but that break did me some good, I think I needed it to come back with a fresh mind and do better.

Anyways, I know you aren't here for a speech about my state of mind so here you go.




Nicki happily sighed when the teacher dismissed the class. She wasted no time packing her things and making her way out of the lecture hall. She got her phone and was writing a text when she bumped into something or rather someone.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I wasn't..." Nicki started before looking up and noticing who she ran into.

"Oh , hi Trey." Nicki smiled small and was about to walk away when Trey hold her back.

"Wait." He said holding onto her arm.

"What's up ?" Nicki asked.

"Well you tell me what's up, It's been a while."

"Right, erm, I've had a lot of stuff on my mind lately."

"Yeah , I understand , by the way how is Drake doing ?" Trey asked.

"Good, he's getting better, thanks for asking."  Nicki answered.

"Good, Nicki look, I know what you said the last time we talked, I know there's nothing between us, but I was hoping we could stay friends, as I told you I really like you , as a friend."

"Of course Trey. I'm sorry, if you felt like I cut you off, of course we're still friend." Nicki  said, more so as to be polite than because she meant it.

"Good, I didn't want any bad blood between us." Trey said.

"No, not at all." Nicki smiled hoping that way she'd put an end to the conversation.

"Great, so how about we hang out sometime ? As friends of course."

"Erm yeah, yeah why not, I have a lot to deal with right now. But we could see about that later. " Nicki spoke not meaning what she was saying but she really didn't feel like having any kind of explanation with him at that moment. She just needed to go. She had more important things to deal with.

"Alright. Looks like I'm catching you at a bad time so I guess I'll see you around." Trey said giving her the puppy dog eyes to make her feel guilty.

"Yeah. I'm sorry. But yeah erm catch you later Trey." Nicki answered patting his arm so as to dismiss him.

"Alright." Trey answered with a smile and Nicki nodded before turning around and making her way towards the school's entrance. Leaving a dumbfounded Trey behind her. Right then he realised that he had to step his game up a bit if he wanted to get where he wanted to get to. His charming smile wouldn't be enough anymore.

Nicki quickly made her way towards her car and there she was met with Ciara who was leaning back on her car with her arms crossed over her chest.

"I'm sorry Ci, it's like these teachers have no notion of time. Plus I ran into Trey so yeah." Nicki explained why she was late to her friend as she unlocked the car and her and Ciara got in.

"It's alright, what did Trey want ?" Ciara asked as Nicki put the car in drive.

"Nothing, he doesn't matter anyways." Nicki brushed the subject off.

"Ok, Nic you need to chill, you're stressed out and I can feel it from right here." Ciara spoke while typing away on her phone.

"Don't act like you wouldn't be stressed out if you were in my position." Nicki answered.

"You're right, I would be. But still, calm down Nicki please." Ciara said and Nicki took a breath to calm down.


A few minutes later Nicki pulled in their driveway, and Ciara got out of the car and quickly ran to go get the mail from the mailbox, she got the right envelope and ran back to the car and handed it to Nicki.

"Here you go babe, You call us right away alright ?" Ciara asked and Nicki nodded before kissing her friend and driving off.

It took Nicki a few minutes to drive to the hospital, when she got there, she parked her car in the parking lot. She got the envelop and her purse before getting out of her car and running towards Drake's room as usual.

"Here's the prettiest of them all." Drake spoke holding his arms open to hug Nicki who was just walking in the room.

"Hi handsome." Nicki answered going to hug him.

"How have you been ?" Nicki asked Drake who sighed.

"Good I guess" Drake answered.

"What do you mean you guess ? What's going on ?" Nicki asked getting worried and she took a seat next to him on his bed.

"Nothing. I just get tired of all this.Tired of these four walls, tired being assisted in everything I do. Nicki I can't eat on my own, I can't walk, hell I can't even get up without help.  I need to get out of here, this is driving me crazy, I need to get out and go back to real life. I've been here long enough." Drake explained and Nicki sighed as usual, she knew how Drake felt and hated the fact that there was nothing she could do to make him feel better.

"Don't say that. You're not an assisted and you'll be out of here soon. You're doing better and better. It's gonna be alright ok ? And I'm here. You're doing amazing." Nicki tried to encourage him. This was the best she could do when he was in that state.

"Yeah right. Anyways enough about me. How are you baby girl." Drake asked Nicki wrapping an arm around her small frame to bring her closer to him.

"I just got the results." Nicki let out with a sigh.

"Really ? So what do they say ?" Drake asked casually playing with Nicki's hair. 

"I haven't opened them yet. I wanted to do it with you." Nicki spoke sitting up straight and getting the envelop from her bag. 

"Actually, I was wondering. Maybe you could open that for me." Nicki said handing Drake the envelop.

"Are you sure you want me to do it ? You don't want to do it yourself ?" Drake asked Nicki looking her in the eyes. 

"Yea, yea. I'm sure. You do it, I don't think I have the courage to do it." Nicki answered. 

At that Drake took the envelop from her hand and started to rip it open. Nicki's eyes were riveted on the envelop anxious. She felt her stomach tie into knots and her throat got dry as Drake slipped the sheet of paper out of the envelop.

"Wait !" Nicki said placing a hand over Drake's as he was about to unfold the paper.

"I don't really know if I'm ready for that." Nicki shook her head. 

For over a week she had been waiting for these results. In this envelop was the answer to the one and only question that she had been asking herself every single moment, days and nights ever since her parents had made that announcement to her. Was the man that raised her her biological father ? 
She had been anticipating these results for over a week and right now her question was going to be answered but was she really ready for whatever was in this envelop ? Was she ready to face whichever consequences that could with these results ? If the results came out positive and Boris was her father then everything would fall back in its place and she knew she'd be good. But if not, if he wasn't then she didn't even know how to feel. She didn't know what she was supposed to do then.

"Hey, look up here." Drake spoke putting the envelop down and taking both Nicki's hands in his.

"No matter what's in there, everything is going to be just fine for you baby. You've talked to your dad about it and you know he is going to be here for you no matter what. Whether you're blood related to him or not that's still your father, he will always be your father. This won't change anything alright ?"  Drake reassured placing his hands on both sides of Nicki's face to make her look up.

"I know, but I can't help it, I feel like if the test says he's not my father then I'll loose him. I don't want to lose him. He's all I have. It ain't like I had a mother to rely on." Nicki expressed.

"You're not going to loose your father babe. He stays your dad no matter what this paper says. You know that."

"But what if he doesn't want to be anymore, what if he finds out he's not my biological father and decides he doesn't want anything to do with me ? I know I already had that conversation with him but there's still a possibility." Nicki said sniffling. 

"You are so good at imagining the worst !" Drake laughed in an attempt to calm his girlfriend down.

"Do you even believe that yourself ? Do you really think he'd do such a thing ?" Drake asked.

"I don't know ?" Nicki hesitated and obviously it wasn't the answer Drake was expecting.

"Really ?" He asked and Nicki shook her head no.

"No, I don't believe he'd do that. You're right." Nicki answered. She knew that from the beginning , from the beginning she knew Boris wouldn't cut her off even if the results came out negative but she really needed to be reassured and needed to hear someone tell her that it was all going to be alright.

"Ok, go ahead and read it." Nicki said getting the sheet of paper and handing it to Drake who grabbed it with one hand and held Nicki's tiny hand in his other hand.

"Ok. Here you go. Erm hold on do you want me to read everything or just go to the conclusion ?" Drake asked and Nicki rolled her eyes at him.

"On to the conclusion Aubrey. Ugh what kind of question is that. Hurry !" Nicki ordered and Drake shot her a look before reverting his attention to the paper in his hand.

"Conclusion : Mr. Boris Kodjoe is... Is erm... Excluded from being the father of the child Onika Kodjoe. The exclusion is based on the fact that he does not show the genetic markers which have to be present for the biological father of the child Onika Kodjoe at multiple DNA-Systems. Therefore, it is practically proven that Mr. Boris Kodjoe is NOT the biological father of Onika Kodjoe." Drake read what was written on the letter he had in hands. He then folded it back before looking up at Nicki who's face was completely emotionless.

"Nicki ?" Drake called snapping Nicki out of her thoughts.

"Aubrey this can't be right." Nicki finally said grabbing the letter and reading it for herself she even read the incomprehensible genetic facts, as much as she thought she was ready for that news, she just wasn't, she couldn't stomach that news it was too hard.

"No, no, no, no." Nicki kept repeating under her breath as the tears started slowly rolling down her cheeks.

"Hey." Drake called trying to sit up straight as best as he could and wrapping his good arm around Nicki's shoulders.

"You're alright Nicki don't cry, everything is going to be just fine." Drake tried to soothe her as she laid her head on his chest.

Nicki stayed in his arms like that for a little while, until she calmed down.

"What do I do now ?" Nicki asked herself out loud.

"Well first of you have to go speak to your  father, he has the right to know." Drake started.

"And don't stress it out, it's going to be just fine alright ? Your father stays your father ok ?"

"Ok. I'll go now, I need to get this out of the way." Nicki said raising from Drake's chest.

"Good. But before you go, I have a question." Drake spoke and Nicki gave him her attention.

"What is it ?"

"Why did you lie to me ? I thought Nicki was your real name." Drake asked not that he was upset or anything, he was just curious as to why she would tell him that when obviously it wasn't the truth.

"I just didn't want to explain to you that at the age of five my mother made me start to lie to everyone around me just because she didn't want people to find out that my name was Onika, and even worse that she did that just because that name which my father chose in homage to his mother was too "exotic" and didn't sit well for corporate America. I'm sorry I never told you. It's just habit I even forgot about that name at a certain point."  Nicki explained lowly, she did feel bad for not telling him about her government but at the same time she was feeling like she had way more important stuff to deal with right then.

"I understand." Was all Drake said before Nicki got up from his bed and kissed him .

"I'm sorry ok ?  I promise not to keep anything from you anymore." Nicki apologized.

"It's no big deal, I was just curious." Drake explained.

"OK, I'll go see my dad now, thank you for being here Brey, I really don't know what I'd do without you.

"I don't know either but hey anytime." Drake joked.

"Shut up fool." Nicki said before leaning in for another kiss.

"I love you." She said before walking.

"I love you too." Drake answered. "But I'd love you more if you took me with you." Drake said and Nicki turned around to look at him.

"Aww, you'll be out soon baby." She said truly feeling for him.

"Future and Chris should be here any minute now. And I promise to come by later and we can go for a walk." Nicki said before blowing him one last kiss and walking out of the door, she always felt bad when she had to leave him all alone with nothing to do but be depressed, she knew just how down he was and hated every minute she wasn't there for him but she knew she'd be of no help in the state she was in, she needed to go see her father and set everything straight with him.





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"Cassandra don't tell me that you still don't have an answer to give me."' Taraji asked shooting Cassie a death glare.

"I'm sorry , but I don't. She won't tell me anything but what I have already told you, she says that whatever happened back then is in the past and they're happy now, she just wants him to get out of the hospital." Cassie answered obviously not satisfying Taraji.

"You are of no use to me if that's all you can do Cassandra, do you not care ? They are brainwashing your friend." Taraji spoke and Cassie swallowed the lump in her throat.

"I know, I'm trying to help her out of it but she thinks they are her friends for real. I don't know what to do." Cassie answered looking down at her hands.

"Well work on it." Taraji said before turning to Trey.

"What about you Tremaine ?"

"I talked to her today, she seems pretty open to me, she agreed to meet up sometime to catch up." Trey spoke.

"Alright, now that is interesting." Taraji smirked.

After everything that had happened she had decided to take matters into her own hands and get her revenge on her own but for that she still needed Trey and Cassandra to get some supervision over Nicki given that she had left the house.

"Now, y'all can leave. I'll let you know what you have to do later on." Taraji said watching Trey and Cassie get up and leave her office.

Once the two young adults were gone, Taraji picked her phone up and dialed his number after a few rings he picked up.

"Hello ?!" The man called through the phone.

"Hello Robert. It's Taraji ."

"Taraji ? What do you want ? Last time we talked you screamed at me not to try to contact you ever again."

"I know, I know and I'm sorry about that, I shouldn't have treated you that way." Taraji apologized and the man on the other end of the line just chuckled.

"What do you need now ? Did you get in trouble with the law ?  That would be the only reason why you'd call me and I got an apology now something must be up."

"Well you got me. But it's not about me Robert, it's your daughter."







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Nicki was back at her house and was waiting for her father after she had called him and told him that she needed to talk to him, for the past week they tried to act as normal as possible even thought there was this huge question mark hovering over both their heads. For Boris it was quite easy and was just the continuation of the twenty past years. He knew for a fact that there was a fifty percent chance that Nicki wasn't his daughter but he made the decision twenty years ago to raise her as his and nothing was going to change that. For Nicki on the other hand it was more complicated, for the first time in her whole existence she felt like she was walking on eggshells whenever she was around him. But it was all about to end now that she had an answer she could finally move on from this position.

Nicki was snatched out off her thoughts when she heard the bell ring. She got up from her spot on the floor where she had been sitting since she got back home observing the motion of the ocean. This view and feeling never failed to soothe her.  She made her way to the door and opened it revealing her father. 

"Hey" He spoke.

"Hi." Nicki greeted him with a smile and stepped aside to let him in and Boris 
walked in stopping in his tracks to peck his daughter's cheek and after that she led him to the living room. 

"Are you alright ? You sounded pretty upset over the phone earlier." Boris said taking a seat on the love seat. He was referring to the call Nicki gave him right after she left the hospital asking him to come over so they could talk.

"Erm well... I'll go straight to it. I had a paternity test done and I received the results today." Nicki blurted out and Boris just looked at her. He knew that something was going on during the past few days, he had noticed how stressed out Nicki was but he wouldn't have imagined that she had went and done that without telling him.

"When ? And how ?" He asked keeping his voice as low as possible. He was cool with her looking for the answers she needed. He just hoped she'd talk to him about it all before going through with it.

"The day right after you told me about mom cheating on you and it was pretty easy I just had to send some of my hair and then I got your straw after you left. And that was it." Nicki explained not so proud of herself for going behind her father's back.

"Alright." Boris tried to keep his composure. He knew he couldn't be mad at her but he wanted to because he was now confronted to something he carefully avoided for twenty years and he really wished he was at least prepared for that instead of it just falling on his head like that.

"What does the test say then ? " Boris asked looking down at his hands. Nicki simply slid the sheet of paper across the coffee table feeling like she really couldn't break the news to him herself.
She took a quick glance in his direction to see his face as he was reading. She saw the dejection on his face as he threw the paper down on the table.

"Not the biological father huh ? " Boris said out loud before raising from his seat and walking towards Nicki who was intently watching his every move. 

"Well guess what. I'm still your father and I will always be no matter what DNA says alright ?" Boris explained, of course he was disappointed and heartbroken by the news but he knew he had to be strong and stay cold headed for the both of them. Plus he had made his decision anyways Nicki was his daughter and he didn't care for no DNA.

"I know. And I'm still your daughter that's for sure but now I have so much questions going through my head." Nicki explained feeling defeated.

"Like who's your real father ?"  Boris asked with a sigh.

"I wouldn't say real father, you are my real father, I would say biological father." Nicki corrected getting up and going to sit on her father's lap to reassure him.

"Right. but you know I wouldn't have any answers for you. I told you everything I know. Your mother has the answers you want."

"I don't think I even want to face her right now, plus it's all good because I'm not even sure I'm ready for that. It's already a lot to take in, so right now I'm just glad we managed to get through it and that we're sticking together." Nicki spoke snuggling closer to her father.

"Take all the time you need, I've had twenty years to get ready for this news and it's still a shocker I just want you to know that I love you baby girl. And I will always love you the same way I did for the twenty past years." Boris spoke 

"And I will always love you the same way as well dad." Nicki said before kissing the top of her father's face. At that point she was finally at peace. It was partial because she still had questions that needed to be answered but the huge question mark was erased, she didn't get the answer she wanted but at least she had one and now she knew her and her father's relationship could get through anything they were now closer and stronger, in all of this she might have definitely lost her mother but she had gotten closer to her father and she couldn't ask for more. She was just glad her mother didn't manage to break them apart, she knew that by breaking this news to her Taraji just wanted Nicki to lose a father at the same time she was losing her mother but it didn't happen.





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After her father had left, Nicki immediately hoped in her car and drove to the hospital to go back to Drake's bedside, she had promised to take him for a walk and she intended on keeping her promise but before he had insisted on her telling him how things went with her father.

"See, I told you everything was going to be just fine, you have no reason to be tripping." Drake said after listening to Nicki telling him how it went with her father.

"I know, you were right. I don't even know why I was stressing like that. Anyways let's go, before it's too late." Nicki spoke walking over to the wheelchair that was in the corner of the room.

"We won't need that." Drake said struggling to get up.

"What ?" Nicki said turning around only to see Drake painfully walking towards his crutches and grabbing them.

"You are not going to walk on crutches are you ?" Nicki asked amused, she was happy to see how persistent and courageous he was wanting to walk at all prices and she was going to make everything in her ability to support him morally, mentally and physically but she wasn't about to let him hurt himself either. She knew he had been trying to walk outside of his physical therapy session which she was fine with as long as he was doing it in his room where there was medical staff around and where he was safe in case he'd fall or anything but it was a whole other story if he was going to do it outside the hospital, just in the streets like that. 

"Actually I am going to. Why ?"

"Because Aubrey, you know you're not even allowed to walk outside of your sessions, now you want to go out in the streets and walk without any medical staff around ? What if your legs give up huh ?" Nicki asked and Drake sat back down and shot her a look.

"It's good to see that you have faith in me." Drake spat obviously upset and Nicki sighed heavily.

"Do not twist my words like that. It's not about me having faith in you or not. I have faith in you and I know that you'll be walking just fine soon. But I can't help worrying. I don't want you to push too hard that's it. Plus no matter how well you're doing your legs could give up at any moment so I'd rather have you in the wheelchair instead of walking on crutches. It's safer. " Nicki explained.

"Well thanks for caring but I'll pass. I'll be just fine on crutches. Plus it's like ball, if I don't practice I wont' succeed. " Drake insisted and Nicki shook her head tired of how stubborn he was. But she agreed anyways wanting to avoid the headache. She knew this situation was taking a tole on him.

"Ok let's just go. Don't even think about leaning on me though. " Nicki joked.

"I won't even need it baby girl." Drake answered and received an eye roll in return. Nicki walked over to him and helped him up. Once he was good to go they made their way out of the hospital room and got out of the hospital after going through the front desk so they sign him off.


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"Ouch . Shit !" Drake hissed as his face scrunch up in pain.

"Ok, take it slow." Nicki coached as she was helping him on the bench. Once he was straight sitting on the bench, Nicki took a seat next to him and pinched his arm.

"That hurt Nicki. Why would you do that ?"

"Because I'm tired of you being this stubborn Aubrey. You scared me. I thought you were gonna collapse to the ground." Nicki spoke referring to the fact that Drake had just had a bad cramp which happened a lot when he pushed too hard on his legs and which could cause his legs give up.

"You happy now ?" Drake asked and Nicki frowned.

"What ?" Nicki asked confused.

"You just proved that I wasn't able to walk two fucking blocs."

"Aubrey, why would you even say that ? I never wanted this to happen. I would've been so proud and happy if you did actually make it till the end. Don't act like I'm the enemy Aubrey. Don't do that."

"Yeah, it's whatever. Let's get going."  Drake said getting up from the bench and it was obvious that he was in pain.

"Stop being stupid. You obviously need five more minutes at least." Nicki intervened.

"I am not a kid Nicki, I know what I can or cannot do." Drake responded offending Nicki who rose from the bench.

"Great then, do you. Get up and walk. You can do it right ? Just like you just did." Nicki spat with a lot of sarcasm.

"You know what ?" Drake started but then decided against saying anything and got up, this time feeling less pain. He grabbed his crutches and started on to walk. Nicki shook her head tired of his childish behaviour and followed behind him, walking very slowly, so that she wouldn't catch up to him.



Moments later, Nicki was opening the door to Drake's hospital room and she then stepped aside to let him walk in. Once Drake was in, Nicki followed suit and stepped in the room before closing the door behind her.

She walked towards him and out of habit went to help him as he was sitting down.

"You don't have to help me, I'm fine." Drake spoke and Nicki rolled her eyes for the hundredth time that night.

"You're welcome Aubrey." She said sarcastically, standing up before him with her arms crossed over he chest. She was silent for a moment, waiting for an apology but got nothing, thus she shouldered her purse and made her way out of the room slamming the door behind her. She wanted to be kind and understanding but at that point she just felt highly disrespected and rejected and she had had enough of it, she never left his side since the accident out of everyone she was the one person that held him down the most so for him to so ungrateful and take out all of his frustration on her as more than what Nicki could take.








Thanks for reading me, I hope you enjoyed it, please leave comments, don't hesitate, any feedback is good to take for me ;)

Mucho Love Xoxo