A Slum Love Crime. (A$AP Rocky Story)

Part Due

By the time I was finished getting dressed, Shandy was already at my house. She always had an ecstatic, thrilled look on her face, no matter what was happening. It was cool to have her around, just to boost my mood when I need it.

“Somebody looks nice,” she said as I let her into the apartment.

“Eh, I did my best.” I replied. I went back to my room to close the curtains, and caught a brief look out the window. It was way darker than I thought it would be. Almost too dark to even step outside the house…

“Tremaine!”

I rushed back to Shandy. She was standing impatiently in my doorway. As soon as I got there she rushed out the door and I closed it behind us, making sure not to lock it all the way.

Outside was chilly. A half-moon was lingering up in the empty night sky, and the streets were clear besides boys in black jackets walking aimlessly up and down the blocks, and expensive-looking black cars driving slowly. Those were the dealers’ cars. They only came out around these hours, when the police couldn’t care less what happens around here.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked Shandy, trying to hide the nervousness in my voice.

“There’s a party at Justin’s house tonight. Everybody will be there, Tremaine. I mean, all the cute boys from school, Justin’s older brother, and some other people that we don’t really care about.” She replied excitedly.

“Sounds boring.” I said. It didn’t sound boring—Justin was one of the most adored boys at school, and being at his party would make me seem to be a little less of a wall flower. I just didn’t want to go.

“Oh really? Well I heard Kevon will be there.”

My insides froze then. I felt like my heart skipped a beat. She must have been lying. Kevon wouldn’t be at Justin’s party. They’re both cute boys, but Kevon is different from all the cute boys at school. He’s not even cute..he's beautiful.

He doesn’t make eye contact with anyone, besides teachers and his brother. His brother isn’t half as cute as he is. Kevon can easily be crowned king of the school. He doesn’t go to parties like this one, and when he throws his own parties, they’re private. He probably invites really pretty girls from other neighborhoods.

“Liar.”

“I’m serious. I saw him outside my window walking to Justin's house.” Shandy said.

“Why would he be at this party?”

“I don’t know, but he’s there. If you think I’m lying, let’s go inside and check. Even if he isn’t there, that party is still poppin’.”

I sighed. She was right. With or without Kevon, this party was going to be worth it.

“Okay.”

We continued walking down our block and onto the next one, where Justin lived. I could already see a crowd forming outside his house. You’d think all these kids would be scared to be seen outside on a school night. I guess that’s just me, though. I’m the only goody-two-shoes around here. I didn’t focus on those kids from school, but instead looked at the Mob boys outside. I never understood what they do out here on these nights. Is it fun for them to just roam around like this?

“Ay, Shandy!” Somebody on the steps of Justin’s house called. Shandy smiled, tugged my arm and pulled me over to the girl that had called her. I had never met her before. She seemed to be the only girl on these steps. Everyone else out here were boys.

“Hey Nicole!” Shandy happily replied. Nicole waved to me and I waved in return, and examined the group of dangerous-looking boys. I took a deep breath…this was going to be something else.

As Shandy and I were walking into the house, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I ignored it, but then it turned into a tugging. I turned around to see…

“Come here.” He said firmly. Shandy looked at me with a puzzled expression. Seeing that I didn’t respond, he picked me up by the legs, carried me down the stairs, and halfway down the block. I could hear the giggles and laughter from everyone on the stairs.

“Let me go!” I squealed and wriggled, trying to free myself from Rakim’s strong hold. He wouldn’t let me go until we got back on my block. He set me down roughly and looked me hard in the eye.

“Calm down.” Rakim said.

“’Calm down’? No! You just dragged me away from that house without me asking you too! Why you—”

“Who you yelling at?” He asked me, more seriousness in his eyes than before. Then I calmed down, remembering who I was talking to. But when the fact that it was really him settled in, I was more shocked than ever. Had Rakim actually just…touched me?

“I’m sorry.” I muttered obediently.

Rakim pulled a familiar white piece of paper out of his pocket. It had creases in it, like it was crumpled up before.

“You threw this in the garbage, didn’t you?” He asked me. Shoot—that was the letter from my school! I didn’t reply. “That was my Grandmama’s garbage that you threw it in. Want to know what it says?”

I did, now that he had it in his possession. But I wouldn’t let him know that. He would use it against me.

“It’s a suspension letter, for a whole week. I read it. Why you fighting in school, huh?” 

I didn’t answer him. It wasn’t my fault that I had a fight in school. Someone tried to make fun of me because of the way I look—not having the latest Jordan’s, not having long pretty weave, not having a boyfriend, not having this, not having that. I got tired of it. So…I got violent.

“Because I can.” I answered him. Rakim raised his eyebrows.

“Ok, ‘lil mama, it’s cool. We’ll see who’s oh-so-feisty when you get inside to your momma.” He remarked.

“My momma? She ain’t home yet.”

“Oh, yes she is. As a matter of fact, she’s right down the block waiting for you.”

I looked past Rakim and down the block, where my mother was standing with her hands on her hips in a bathrobe and a head scarf. He snitched on me. He told her about the letter, and he saw me going to the party and told her that too. Rakim destroyed everything.

To make a long story short, I got a whooping that night because of him.

On Friday morning, while all of my friends (by all of my friends, I meant Shandy) were making their way to the bus stop for school, I was stuck on my bed. Momma had probably already left for work. She was a dentists’ assistant at our local dentist office.

Well, that was just today. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays she does that job. On all the other days, she’s a hairdresser at a salon uptown. She’s barely ever here, and I liked it that way.

I heard faint talking coming from a nearby room, but I was too tired to get out of bed. When the talking was interrupted by light laughter, I decided I should go see who it was. I got out of bed and discovered that Momma was still home. She was on the phone with someone.

“Okay, yeah. That can work.” She was saying. “Don’t worry about that honey, I’ve got it all covered.”

“I thought you left for work already.” I said to her. She didn’t reply.

“No, thank you. Take care.” She hung up the phone and grabbed her bag to leave.

“Who was that?” I asked her.

“Your new babysitter. Just because you’re suspended doesn’t mean you’re allowed to be in this house all day alone. I can’t trust you anymore, not after what you did last night.” She replied.

“Who’s my new babysitter?”

“The most trust-worthy and low-priced person I could find—Rakim.”