A New York city love story ( boy x boy )

Chapter 1: Last day of summer

September 8, 1983

I remembered it like it was yesterday. The lingering smell of cigarettes as I made my through the dark green staircase of my apartment building. Apartment 3b . Third floor letter b . I lived in an old apartment complex on the rougher side of Brooklyn , Bedstuy .

This city was the place to be if you had your weight in gold . If you had your weight in dollars not so much . I'd just got off work , I delivered Chinese food for tan may a joint up the block . The pay was shit but i needed the money I'd been working there for almost a year now and I doubt Mr. wang would give me even a cent more to my earning the cheap old man.

I turned the key on the knob , pushing open the door , the place was empty . ma was no doubt going to be working overtime tonight . I went up to the counter to see the all too familiar sticky note .

Working late tonight there's a 20 under the cookie jar for dinner

                                  P.S. 

                                       Don't be late to  school

love momma .

I hadn't had a home cooked meal in forever if it wasn't for my insanely fast metabolism . I probably wouldn't be able to fit through the door by now what with all the pizza I consume on a weekly bases . Looks like it's Rossi's again tonight . I plopped down on the couch as the familiar sounds of Mrs. Garcia and Mr. Garcia my lovely upstairs neighbors began filling the brief silence of the room.

I was just fortunate not to have had their room directly above mine. I got up and decided to go change . I went into my room and shut the door. I looked over at my broken Walkman . Hopefully I'd be able to get it fixed when I get my wages this week.

I layed down on my twin bed and contemplated wether or not I would take the walk to Rossi's pizzeria and pocket the five dollars or pay the delivery fee . I was way to tired Mr, wang works me like a damn field slave. As I layed back my mind wandered back , way back to grade school.

" I want that cookie". The curly headed boy with pitch black eyes said

" leave me alone Marco , you had your cookie this one is mine". I said

" I want yours and my father said I can have anything I want ". He responded

" not my cookie". I said licking it . I watched as his small face contorted

" why would you do that I said I wanted it". He said before pouncing on me . He began smacking and kicking me repeatedly I returning the favor. Until Mrs. Gonzalez  our first grade teacher had managed to separate us from one another.

"  Lucio, Marco, when we get inside 15 minute timeout the both of you", she responded  I stood there silently as the evil little boy shot me a look and it was like that from 1 — 3 grade .

I don't know what I could've done at the ripe age of 7 to make Marcelo" Marco " Rossi  hate me and make made grades 1 — 3 a living nightmare. He stole my food , had me jumped several times , made sure no one befriended me and made fun of me for what I wore to school. I never understood why but then suddenly he disappeared must have moved or transferred out . That kid had serious issues but I do wonder whatever happened to him.  His family owned Rossi's pizzeria , all five locations and a couple apartment complex along with the one I currently called home.

When I was growing up they had only the one, 5 blocks down . Now they had another here in Brooklyn , two in queens and one in Little Italy in the main  city which I'd heard is quite the tourist attraction. Though it was all a cover up everyone knew the truth about the Rossi family and where their real money came from. there's no money like drug money and these days , crack was a party favorite. The Rossi family was responsible for the drug distribution of crack and heroin in most of the boroughs they had men everywhere out in the street . Even tried to recruit me a couple times , but I couldn't do that to momma . I couldn't end up like my father I had dreams for the both of us, and if that meant slaving for Mr. wang then that's what I'd do .

I got up deciding it'd be best to just take that walk and save myself the five dollar delivery fee. Rossi's was the best pizza in town so spending 15 dollars on a pie was well worth it.

I grabbed my keys and walked out to the familiar green halls that mow held the familiar strong scent of cannabis. This building was filled with a lot of sketchy folks most of which I've grown up with. Drug addicts , Dealers , bangers as sketchy as it gets it all resides within this building .

As I made my way out I could see the sun setting , the sky an orangish pink. Kids were still out in the street no doubt savoring every second they had left until tomorrow. The summer was officially over . though I couldn't say I'd gotten the chance to enjoy it.  I  wasn't looking forward to tomorrow not as  much as momma was.

" that Lucy , Yo Lucy ". I heard a familiar voice say I turned around to see Winston . He use to babysit me when I was a kid and was a couple years older then me.  it was his last year in school and he had turned eighteen over the summer,  He was honestly the only person I trusted around this neighborhood, I could come to him about anything really , but ever since his mom died a while back he's been hanging with the wrong crowd.

" wince, how u been man" I responded dapping him

" I'm good partner , where you headed Rossi's" he asked

" yeah I'm headed there right now , moms working overnight ". I explained

" shit you they number one customer , you still working at the Chinese spot ?" He asked

" yeah Mr. wang working me like a slave , I just got off shift".

" eyy you know if you ever need anything I got you, you ever wanna make some real money I got you on that to". Wince told

" yeah I know ". I responded

" you coming to school tomorrow ", wince asked

" well uh...." I trailed off

" oh yeah I almost forgot you going to that fancy pants ass school in the city now , you too good for us hood folk", he said which caused me to chuckle

" i honestly don't even wanna go man ", I confessed

" what's that place called saint peter or some shit named after some bible mofo ". He said I began chucking

" nah it's St. Bryan academy ". I corrected

" Bryant Academy , you a Academy mofo now huh?" He said which cause me to continue to laugh " well don't forget about us little people". He said giving me a hug . He suddenly placed a hand on my shoulder and gave me a stern look.

" any of them lil rich white kids start sum tell me about it ,  I'll take care of it , you ain't getting kicked out that nice ass school you hear me ". He said I nodded in response .  " aight man I see you".  I waved and With that me and Winston parted ways

Winston was one of the first few people I had Told before I had officially came out , not that I really had to tell anyone I'd been told I was gay before I even had the chance to figure it out for myself.  Winston didn't care , he never made fun of me or even cracked a joke .  He had wailed on a few kids in the past for me .

Winston's mom and my mom were good friends amd that's pretty much how me and him knew each other he was three years older then me and always treated me like a little brother. He even lived with me and momma for a year .  Since he had been taken from his mom via DCFS .

" If it isn't my number one customer , what happened momma working late again ". I nodded my head in response

" aight the usual  ?" Roberto asked

" yeah add some bacon on there". I added

" bacon huh ? You feeling spendy today. Boss man , I heard you going to that fancy pants school in the city". He said

" how does everyone know about that '.

" small town plus it was mentioned in the paper". Roberto said

" I didn't know people around here read the paper":