HER WAY

Belong to the City

*Years ago*

"Jahari. Do you know what it is that your name means?" His father asked.

"No, sir. I do not."

Zohar smacked him across the face and said, "Youth. Strength. Power."

Jahari always strived for athletic excellence. His dad expected nothing less from him; if it wasn't perfection he wasn't happy.

Jahari started getting into basketball when he was 8 years old. His dad would train him and if he'd mess up the punishment would be unruly. Jahari and his father had an odd relationship. He didn't love his father but he did respect him. And he was a lot like his dad in many ways.

On the other hand, he didn't respect his mother because his mother didn't respect herself. She knew about her husband's cheating for years but she stayed because she needed money and housing. Jahari thought she was weak.

One thing about him was that he felt he was entitled to whatever it is that he wanted. Especially when it came to girls. But he knew how to take no for an answer. He lost his virginity when he was 13.

Once he stepped into his high school all of the girls fell head over heels. He tried the dating thing, didn't work out.

But his Sophomore year, he noticed Remi for the first time. She was one of very few girls who didn't try to get with him. He found her interesting and he was intrigued. She was his type physically, but he didn't know her.

"Hey, Delilah. Who's that girl you're always hanging out with? She's in my class and I want to ask her to be my partner." That was a lie, he just wanted to know who she was without sounding so... needy.

"Um...Natasha? I hang out with a lot of people. Describe her to me." Delilah closed her locker and looked at him.

"She has light brown hair, brown skin, she's got a nose ring, and she can dress really well. She's in all the AP classes too."

"Oh! Remi! Her name is Remi. Yeah, if you want an A; partner up with her."

Jahari smiled and said, "Thanks."

"Um... Jahari? Do you want to hang out some time?" Delilah twirled her hair around her finger.

"Sure." Jahari chuckled and walked away. It was a whole year later until he actually decided to talk to her. In that time he had messed with a lot of girls in the school, including Delilah. He was the type of boy you'd avoid as a freshman.

"She's a bitch." Jahari said.

Delilah elbowed him and said, "Don't say that. Just give her a chance. She's really nice once you get to know her. I'm sending you her number." Later on that day, Jahari texted Remi for the first time.

Over the next few weeks they'd just had regular conversations; occasional check ins. After some time, they started talking about other things like their goals and what their personal lives were like.
They'd gotten really close in such a short amount of time.

They would FaceTime each other every day during Christmas break.

"Hey." He said.

Remi adjusted her phone so he can see her clearly, "How's your break?"

"It's good, wish you were here with me... in my bed. And all snuggled up watching the snow go down."

"Uh uh. Don't do that."

Jahari laughed, "Nah, I'm just playing. You're like my sister."

Remi laughed it off even if it kind of hurt her feelings. She'd never been the girl to seek male validation but she did little things for Jahari to notice her.

She made small changes to her dress style; she wore a lot of light blue because blue was his favorite color. Remi made sure Jahari knew that she listened to him when he talked. For the longest time she thought he didn't notice, but he did.

"You look different today." He said.

Remi leaned forward on her desk. "Different good or different bad?"

Jahari moved her hair behind her ear and slightly caressed her face, "Just different," he said moving his hand. Remi blushed wildly.

Remi snapped out of her trance and cleared her throat, "Let's do this work before the Mr.Porter comes over here."

"Your hair... it's in a ponytail. It's usually down. I like it." He said.

"Thank you, Jahari. Now let's do this work, please."

"I can't compliment you?"

She rolled her eyes and put down her pencil, "No."

"I think you're in love with me," he grinned.

"You think wrong."

"Oh yeah?" He taunted.

"I'm not in love with you... you're like my brother."

Later that day he went home filled with glee. His father had already been home, but he was drunk.

"Dad?"

"HEY SON! How was school today?", he slurred.

"It was real good." Jahari smiled.

"You blushing nigga?!" He took another sip of his beer.

"I met this girl, she's real nice. She's beautiful and smart. Her name is R-"

"What the hell?!?!" Zohar yelled.

"Pop?"

"What happened to you, son?!?! Jahari! Youth, Strength, Power! You're acting like a blithering idiot! Are you fucking shitting me?! Anyone can be naively happy or they fall in love! But, talent is not possessed by everyone. Not everyone has DRIVE. I raised you to be THE BEST. Don't let pussy be what stops your success! What the hell happened to you?!"

He stood there in silence as his dad walked back to the kitchen to get another beer. His mom was nowhere to be found, per usual. She was probably out hiding from her husband, per usual.

Later that day, his father's words echoed in his head. And next thing he knew, he was in bed with another girl.