How It Used To Be

Present Time

I told them I'd be back that day and now.... I'm finally heading back home.

Oh, it's just me, myself and I
Solo ride until I die
'Cause I got me for life
(yeah)
Oh I don't need a hand to hold
Even when the night is cold
I got that fire in my soul

"Hello hello hello baby boy. How's it going?" I say, knowing who it is.

"Nothin much, just checkin to see what my favorite little short stack is doing." Shawn says back

Yes, true to his word, Shawn did stay in contact and talks to me all the time. I talk to Jay sometimes and Kelsi a lot. But, it seems as though Keli and Todd have dropped off the face of the Earth.

"Well, guess where I am right now." I say.

"Where?" He says.

"Look out your window." I say.

I see the curtains in his room move. He looks at me and his eyes widen with shock.

"Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit...." I hear him saying as it sounds like he runs down the stairs.

The front door is thrown open. Shawn comes running out and grabs me. He picks me up and starts spinning me around.

"Hahahaha Shawn stop spinning and put me down I'm not used to these 6'1 heights. I'm used to the 5'2 heights. " I say laughing.

"How did you get here? Are you staying? How long are you going to be here?" He says without taking a breath.

"Well, hey I missed you too. But, I finally convinced my parents to let me stay with my aunt!!" I say jumping up and down.

"Your crazy aunt?" He asks

"She's not crazy," I say smacking, "She's eccentric and apparently she's rich because as a welcome present she bought me a car." I say proudly presenting the Toyota Camry I drove here in.

"Oh my god that's great but, I still can't believe your really here." Shawn says, hugging me again.

"Ok ok Shawn where is everyone else?" I say laughing a bit.

"Actually, everyone is here except Todd. He's on a camping trip with his father. They don't have any service there but, baby girl look at you." He says spinning me around.

"Haha ok you pervert lets go in so I can see them." I say running towards his house.

"Hold on....wait...."Shawn says running after me,"You can't just go barging in there you gon give someone a heart attack. Let me introduce you first."

"Ok and meanwhile imma talk to your mom cuz I know how much she loves me." I say, smiling.

I have always loved Ms. Mayers. She is so kind and full of wisdom but, she will also smack the hell outta you if you catch an attitude. She is the perfect balance and has always been like a second mother to me ever since Shawn
met me in first grade.

"Yeah go talk to moms she missed you....like....a lot. She doesn't stop talking," he says as we begin walking inside, "she always says 'Rae would have done this' and 'Rae would've done that' and 'Rae wouldn't have let get involved with that lil messy lil girl. I knew that girl was bad when I seen her.'"

"I KNOW YOU BETTER STOP MOCKING ME OR YOU WONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANYBODY SAYING ANYTHING ELSE TO YOU." I hear Ms. Mayers call from the kitchen.

I cover my mouth to keep from gasping out loud. Shawn puts a finger to his lips and we start quietly walking to the kitchen.

"Ma I got a surprise for you." Shawn says.

"It bet not be another fast lil girl." She says.

We step into the kitchen.

"Ma look." He says.

She glances up, looks down, and looks up again. She puts the bowl of cake mix down on the counter and runs over to hug me.

"Oh my goodness, Rae, is that you? Oh my goodness you look so beautiful and you don't have acne anymore. Oh my goodness I have missed you so much now you keep my lil big headed son outta trouble with these fast-tail lil girls he be around." She says, looking up at Shawn.

Mama Mayers is only five three but she could make a grown man cry with just one look. She is just that intimidating.

"Mama she was not a fast lil girl." He sighs out.

"Whatever she was she wasn't good enough for my son." She says. 

"Ok mama and that's over now anyway but, imma take Rae upstairs with the rest of them so, bye." He says, grabbing my wrist.

"Alright bye baby." She says as we turn the corner.

"I love yo mama." I say as we walk up the stairs.

"I know you do," he replies, "ok so stay out here real quick...wait..actually get in this box." He whispers as he picks me up and puts in a box that was by the door.

"Hold on...Shawn...ugh I freakin hate you." I whisper back.

"You can't stay mad at me." he says as he folds over the top of the box. I feel my self being pushed into the room.

"Aye....PEOPLE...alright now look we gon play guess what's in the box, whoever guesses what's in the box gets to play with it first. Alright....go." Shawn says.

"A puppy."
"A PlayStation."
"Nah, he's more of a Xbox boy, Xbox."
"A baby."
"A animal."
"A gaming thing."
"Some dolls."

"No no no no no no and another time no. Y'all are terrible at this. It's really a...."

Shawn opens the top and I pop out with my hands up in a 'praise me' pose.

"That's right kittens I'm back." I say as I pop out.

They say 'RAE' is unison and suddenly, I'm knocked over along with the box and there's a weight on top of me but, I expected this.

"Kelsi get off me." I croak out laughing a little.

"Rae I have missed you so much and now I'm gonna hate you even more when you leave for teasing me with your presence." She says pretending to look upset.

"That's the thing though. I'm actually here to stay." I say smiling, something flashes across Kelsi's face and I hear someone gasp.

"What?" I ask, "Is there something that I need to know?"

"Nope, I just can't believe you're here, like, this is awesome. Now you can be with us for Junior Year."

"Of course I'm back. I told you I would be.", I gasp "Did y'all doubt me?"

"With your parents....Yes I most definitely did." Jay says, "But, you know that you always got a spot in this family."

"Alright now I want y'all to tell me everything that has happened in the past year....especially this lil girl yo mama keep talking bout Shawn." I say