Life is a given, a gift.
A marvelous thing that no price nor promise can surpass.
It is more precious than a diamond, as fragile as glass.
Life embodies balance and chaos, tragedy and beauty, joy and sorrow.
And it leads to one unchanging truth: the...
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It was a scorching summer evening, and the entire block buzzed with life. Children filled the streets, engrossed in various games, women chatted animatedly on porches, and men rolled dice; the atmosphere was vibrant.
"I'm not too sure about this," Lisa said as her best friend Lynette dragged her along the sidewalk, they were passing a group of children rushing home. It was around when the sun was starting to dim, and it wouldn't be long before the street lights came on.
Lynette held a firm grip around Lisa's wrist, making it difficult for Lisa to make a swift escape. "Lisa, it's not even that serious. It's just a party. Live a little bit." Lynette said.
Although there was a cool breeze flowing through the air, Lisa could feel the sweat start to accumulate at the nape of her neck. "I'm just worried," Lisa said frantically, trying to yank Lynette back toward her house. She looked around quickly. "What if my mother finds out?"
Lynette released her hold on Lisa, sighing. They stopped at the corner of Ingston St, the meeting point with Lynette's new friends. Right in front of "Shop express," territory of Black Mafia Crew, a fairly new group of dealers that had been shaking up the neighborhood.
"Got that, Rockafeller," a young one called out to the two girls; he had to be around thirteen or fourteen. Her mother would always say, "they get younger every day." The more years Lynette saw, the more valid the statement became. She could tell the young boy was still fresh, and an older boy she knew tapped him as if to say, "not her."
Corner boys and friends stood around many corners sprinkled throughout the neighborhood, and it seemed as if every day, there was a new crew setting up new territory
Lisa looked as if she would crawl out of her skin at any moment, and although Lynette wasn't as green as Lisa, she didn't want to be around the fiends who were coasting around the area any longer than she had to.
One stood not too far from the two in a drugged-up stupor looking at the two as if they were the last piece of chicken at a cookout. Lynette grabbed Lisa, facing her in the opposite direction, not needing her to get any more nervous than she was. "There is absolutely no way that your mother will find out. There's going be so many faces that even if she rides down the block with all her windows down, she still won't be able to see you. So chill and have fun for once."
Lisa looked down, fiddling with her fingers. She knew Lynette had been slowly pulling from her, and if she chose to leave at the moment, she might lose her for good. She sighed, "okay," her voice barely above a whisper.
"Thank you," Lynette said, a sense of relief flowing through her body. If Lisa chose to go back, her whole plan would fall apart. Lynette wanted to be at this party more than anything in the world. She pulled Lisa into a hug. "I appreciate you for doing me this favor, Lisa. You don't understand how much I do."
