You're All I Need

One

When They Met...

1996

       Sydney couldn't wait until her car was fixed. Until then, the bus or a cab was it for her. Sure she didn't mind doing it and she didn't have a choice but taking the bus at night in her part of Brooklyn was sketchy. You never knew what you would run into. Despite carrying mace with her, she still feared for anyone who could have a knife or gun. And where she was from, it's extremely common.

"Next stop, Franklin Avenue." The bus driver announced through his microphone attached to the dash board. Sydney stood to her feet, picking up her bag that carried her school books and other personal items. She yawned as she made her way from the back of the bus to the middle where one of the exits were. She held onto the metal railing above her head as the bus wobbled through potholes in the street. She was used to it at this point, having endured this for years.

Sydney was originally from a small neighborhood in south Jersey called Camden. She lived there for years with her mother in a small row home, until she was about four. It wasn't until her father Santana, who lived in Brooklyn with his parents, learned that she even existed. At the time, her mother had on and off relationships with different men who ranged in age. It was all confusing for Sydney and after some back and forth, Santana eventually took Sydney and moved her to Brooklyn.

That was fourteen years ago.

So far, she's never had a gun pointed at her and she could only thank God, her father and grandfather for looking down on her and protecting her.

The bus neared her neighborhood, she could tell by the small market it passed that used to be owned by her grandfather. When she was a little girl, she spent some time around there while her father was at work. Her granddad used to cut her up the sweetest apples to eat while she watched him restock shelves. She pulled the string so the bus could stop a few blocks from where she lived with her grandmother Maxine. The second she got off the bus, she pulled her mace close to the top of her tote bag and began to briskly walk down the dark street. The newly councilmen still haven't had the street lights fixed. Just like those potholes in the street.

As she walked, Sydney heard miscellaneous sounds that made her heart race but she never looked over her shoulder or stopped like those crazy people in those horror movies. It was most likely street rats digging in the trash, stray cats or dogs, or sadly, drug addicts digging through the trash for money or food. She would be home before she knew it and stopping to investigate was not only dumb but it would prolong getting home and getting into bed. Her feet ached, she was starving because she worked through lunch and she had class tomorrow morning. Needless to say, she needed the rest.

Walking by an old, abandoned row home, Sydney noticed a group of guys sitting on the steps hanging out. She only glanced their way once before she walked by and could tell it about six or so of them.

She mentally pleaded, 'Please don't say anything to me. Please don't say anything to me-'

"Well damn, where you goin'?"

She cursed to herself, but didn't answer as she kept moving. Answering only invited conversation.

"Can I go too?"

She still didn't answer as she passed the third house pass that abandoned house. She could see the end of the street nearing which meant once she turned that corner, she would  be closer to her house.