My New Neighbor

7- Promise

          I woke up and was just looking through people's stories when I came across this:

'Long live Srackz'?

I replied to their story with a question mark but they just aired me. I guess it wasn't my business after all...

"Tanisha! Did you hear about Samuel?" My mum came into my room in distress.

"Um, no"

"Last night, some thugs went to go and beat him up!"

I froze. I was it too much shock.

"So you didn't hear about anything? They didn't try to call you?" My mum asked.

"Uh, we had an argument, so I didn't pick up his calls" I replied lowly, tears running down my face.

Jennifer had to have been a set-up. I can't believe I didn't see this coming.

"Oh Tanisha! Anyway let's go and see how he is doing, his parents say he doesn't want to involve police"

I wiped my tears and I got ready to see him. Although after yesterday, will he even want to see me?

"Yeah, yeah. We thought it wouldn't get worse from Tottenham, but we don't know about this place." I heard Mr Boateng say on the phone.

Were they thinking of moving again?

We got to Samuel's room and I saw him and Daniel in his bed, Daniel sleeping like he'd passed out from crying.
Samuel looked like he had a black eye, and had quite a few plasters on him. I felt helpless.

"Thank you auntie" Samuel said to my mum as she left me to talk to him.

I looked at him and immediately broke down.

"I'm so, so sorry" tears ran down my face as I hugged him. I felt too guilty.

"Don't blame yourself," He said, grabbing my hands.

"I'm just glad you're okay now" I said before he kissed me.

Taken aback, I stopped the kiss and looked at him.

"Look, I meant what I said before; I thought you were playing with man's feelings. But I was only going to the link to tell Jennifer that it wasn't a dat ting. She just never showed up.."

"Samuel, I've liked you for time but I convinced myself that being friends would be better"

"I'm willing to try this relationship ting if you are. Just promise to keep it a secret for now since so many man are on us"

"I promise" I said going in to kiss him.

"Me too" I heard Daniel say, not realising how long he had been awake for.

"Aah for flips sake Daniel! You better not tell anyone" Samuel stuck his pinky out.

The next day, I came over to help look after Samuel.

"I got this for you," Samuel said handing me a shoe box with the Jordan logo on it, "since you're my girl now, I thought we could match"

I opened the box to see off-white Jordan 4s. I'd been telling him how much I liked his, but they were too expensive for me to even think of copping them.

"Nah, how can you spend £1,000 on a gift for me? I love them but I can't take them. Do you even have a job, how could you afford them?"

"Don't worry about all that, I just got a lot saved up"

Maybe he was right when he said I didn't know him because what 17 year old has enough money for a gift like this?
But I've been wanting these for time so I was definitely gonna take them.

"Try them on while I go shower quick" Samuel kissed my forehead before leaving.

I looked at the shoes before thinking about how I would explain where they came from. Jamila knows how much I wanted them, but I couldn't tell her that Samuel got them for me because that just looks sus. I didn't like lying to her, but I'd probably have to say it was a gift from my mum or something.

I unboxed the Jordans, but there was a piece of unrippable plastic. I needed scissors so I started looking through the drawers in his bedside table.

Whilst searching, on the third drawer I saw he had a bible. I smiled, knowing he was about his faith unlike most people our age. When I picked it up, it was quite light, so I opened it.

My mouth hung open as I saw the book was hollowed out, carrying about 100 grams of weed. He couldn't be...
I opened the bag that was under the bible only to see stacks of money; there was no less than £10,000 in there.

"Aah I forgot my-" Samuel walked in and stopped, seeing what I was holding.

I looked up at him with tears in my eyes, "Samuel, I told you about this the first day I met you. You know my dad d-, he died because of drug dealers. You've been lying to my face all this time."

"Tani it's just weed. I'm not like those guys that did that to your dad in Nigeria"

"You know how I feel otherwise you wouldn't have to hide this from me. What else have you been lying to me about? I bet you're not even a virgin...F*ck you and f*ck your drug money gift" I said, throwing the shoes at him and pushing past.

"Tanisha!" He called out but I had no intention to go back to his room.

I felt like one mug. I felt betrayed.

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