Trapped In The City

Seventeen

Sade

Amir is at my door.

Amir is at my fucking door.

I opened the door and he looked completely worn down. He brushed his hand down his face.

"Listen. I'm using the little bit of self-control I have left. It's not much, but I have some. I need my necklace back." Scared. The only emotion I could muster up and feel. He was speaking calm as ever, and I'm sure that everyone knows when a person is calm as hell, that's not pretty good.

"A-amir, I don't know what you're talking about. I promise." I was stuttering and stuff.

It all happened so fast, in a second he was in my house and flipping and destroying everything.

"What are you doing?!" I grabbed the back of his shirt as he was in the process of throwing the pillows off my couch. I leaned back on my leg, which was a bad idea because I'm still hurt.

He started to breathe heavy.

"Amir! You need to calm down!" He scrunched his face up at me.

"Don't tell me I need to calm down! I just want the necklace." He fell on the couch. I could tell he was getting emotional, his eyes were starting to water.

"I just need the necklace." He had his hands over his face by now. He was mumbling it over and over again. I cautiously sat next to him, afraid because now I'm aware that he could snap at any given moment.

"Amir . . . I could help." He didn't respond, didn't even acknowledge it.

After awhile, he started to speak.

"My pops gave it to me, a week before he died. It's like he knew he was gonna get killed. Even though he was out of my life at first, the fact that he tried to be more involved did give him credit, when he gave me the necklace he told me how I had to be the man of the house and shit, make sure I hold it down for my sister and my moms. I wasn't ready emotionally the day I found out he was gone, 'cause it's like I just got you back. Shit broke me down to nothing, my mom she was taking it hard too. Epiphany, she's always been one to let her feelings out. She was open, I had to be there for them. I had to make sure we were gonna be good. That necklace, that shit right there it reassured me that I was man enough for my family. When I get all destructive and shit, that necklace is what calmed me down. It reminded me that my pops is right there guiding me. It's some mind over everything shit."

This necklace is basically what makes him wanna be better.

"I understand." That's about the only thing I could say.

While in this silence, there was a knock on the door.

I reluctantly got up. This time I looked out the peep hole, because we see where that got me when I didn't.

It was Devin and Epiphany, I opened the door and Devin looked all calm and to the left of him Epiphany looked completely flustered.

"Hey." I greeted. Devin just pushed his way into my place.

"The fuck happened here?" He questioned once he got inside.

"Oh my gosh. Sade are you okay? Nothing too bad happened right?" Epiphany asked walking around. We were still standing by the door.

"I'm fine. Nothing happened." I reassured them.

They looked at me for a couple more seconds for reassurance.

We walked into the living room to see Amir cleaning up the mess he made.

"Amir, I would've done it."

"Nah, it's good. I did it anyway." He said fixing the coffee table back to the center.

I saw Devin tensing up his jaw. "Aye Sade, lemme speak witchu' for a minute." I sighed and nodded my head and followed him to the dining room.

"Yes Dev?" I asked folding my arms.

" 'Yes Dev?' Nigga what the fuck? You got this nigga in yo' damn house. After he was the reason you was shot up. You talkin' to this nigga now?" He asked angrily.

"You don't understand what's going on right now okay? And you're right I have him in my house. Just what it is, my house. "

"You for real?" He asked in disbelief.

"Very." He nodded and just walked out. I heard my door slam

I don't know what's wrong with him, it's too many situations right now.

I walked out and saw my living room was looking close to how it was before. Epiphany was sitting and looking around the house.

After awhile Amir was finish and was about to leave.

"Aye 'Princess'. Come 'ere right quick." He said and started walking towards the door.

I was right behind him, we stopped at my door.

"I legit didn't mean coming over here and cause no bullshit. I'm sorry, honestly I don't --"

"I know about your condition." I interrupted him.

He looked taken back, I decided to continue anyways.

"I know you have a Bipolar Disorder. I'm not judging you either, I should be the last person to judge anyone actually. Why didn't you say anything about that?" I questioned.

"Who comes out and just airs out the fact that they have a mental illness? I don't want to be labeled as no crazy nigga."

"Is-- is your condition the reason why sometime back you were always so aggressive?" He nodded in response.

"And you told me it was just stress because you didn't want anyone to know about this?" I asked him, because everything in the past was finally starting to make sense now.

"Uh yeah."

I nodded my head, speechless again for the millionth time tonight.

"Imma' just head out." With that being said, he was gone.

I slowly walked back to where Epiphany was.

She looked at me, throwing her phone down in complete shock.

"What in the hell was that?" She asked in utter disbelief.

I answered the best way I knew how.

"I really don't know."