The Games You Play : A Hood Love Story

Jay (26)

November 5th

"Man that don't count!" Smoke started yelling. "You fouled me!"

"Ian foul shit nigga." I said. "Next time get better position in the paint so I don't treat yo ass." Me and Bryce started laughing.

"What he said nigga." Bryce was finally back up on his feet. He wanted to work out so fucking much. We let him come to the court with us all the time but as soon as we saw he was in pain we made him sit his ass down.

"Yo, is that Ang?" Smoke pointed behind me. I turned around to see Angelo walking to the hoop. "My nigga!" Smoke gave Angelo a dap.

"Wassup, nigga? Still out here getting your ass beat I see." Angelo laughed.

"Man leave me alone."

"My bad nigga but listen. I got this event i have to go to this weekend. You mind giving me a cut?"

"Hell nah man. Come by the shop Friday at noon I got a opening!" Smoke always hooking everybody up. That nigga is tough but he got one of the biggest hearts.

"Bryson! My nigga! How you feeling?!"

"Im good man I missed yo ass!" Bryce hugged Angelo and there was just one person left for him to greet. All he did was stare at me.

"Ang-"

"Save it, Jay. I ain't the one you need to apologize to." He walked past me.

"I tried, Ang!" I walked up to him.

"Aye my nigga. You better move around." He didn't wanna say shit to me.

"Ang. Hear me out. Please."

"You promised me you wouldn't hurt her, Jay. The only thing keeping me from tryna hurt you myself is my sister telling me you made a mistake and I should forgive you. Even after what happened she still putting you first and you don't even deserve that." He put his head down. Fuck. I felt like such a asshole. And I was.

"Ang. I'm sorry-"

"You know how much my sister love you, man? It's so crazy because every day she tells me how much she loves you and that any other sane person would not fuck with you after what happened. But she love you and she wanna give you another chance even though this is some shit she should never forgive."

"Angelo. Forgive me. Please, man." All I could do was ask for forgiveness. It was amazing to know Lo didn't hate me after everything that happened. She was cheering at my game in a few days and I was gonna make sure I did everything I could to get her back.
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Loren
"What the hell's wrong with you?" My brother hadn't said two words to me since he'd come home from the park. I can feel when something's wrong with him.

"Loren-"

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? damn."

"I saw Jay at the park today. And I'm just still upset about everything." He put his face in his palm. I didn't know how he was feeling but I know there's nobody my brother loves more than me and if it were up to him he would tuck me away and keep me hidden from the world so that nothing would ever happen to me.

"I know you're upset and I can't even imagine how you feel. But, Angelo, it's okay. I promise. If I can forgive him and it happened to me, then you can forgive. I know it's hard and I know he lied and believe me I debate myself about how to feel about this every day. At the end of the day, he didn't stab me and he feels terrible, Angelo I know he does the girls have told me. Even his god mother has called me to check up and to tell me how bad he feels. But we can't change what happened. All we can do is forgive. And if you can't forgive him for you, do it for me. Okay?"

"The world doesn't deserve angels like you." He smiled at me. "Have you talked to him?"

"No. But I will."