The DownFall of Jermaine Lewis

Chapter 2 "Floating in Deep Water"

Johnathan, Jermaine's dad who is serving the rest of his sentence. He has 5 more years.He gets out of prison in 2021. He went into prison in 2013. It hurt Jermaine a lot to see his dad like that. But it hurt Malcolm worse, since Malcolm lived with Jermaine since 2005, Johnathan was a father-figure to Malcolm, more than Malcolm's father ever was. Malcolm looked up to and was inspired by Johnathan, wanted to follow into his steps and be just like him. When he was sent to prison in 2013, it hurt Malcolm so much more than Jermaine. It was almost as if Johnathan died, is how bad Malcolm was hurt.

Back to 2016, it is around the end of March. Jermaine and Malcolm both graduate in June and both have to find a college to attend around the end of May going in June. But Jermaine is getting a little stressed out because the block has been hot, shootings everyday, trying to juggle the end of school and work, trying to pick out a college, all around trying to get himself together. Jermaine and Malcolm both work at Foot Locker. It is a shoe store. His boss keeps calling him into work back to back while trying to get himself together. Jermaine ends up quitting the foot locker job because he wants to focus on his career and college. Malcolm still works there though because for him, he does not have to juggle an athletic career, only work and the end of school. He isn't sure on what college to attend, he has plenty of scholarships on academic work. He always maintained a 4.2 GPA out of High school. He could probably get into Harvard if he applied there.

Jermaine quits his job to focus on himself so since he now has more freetime, he goes to visit his dad in person at prison. They talk about how Johnathan's life is in prison, girls, scholarships options and how he quit his job. Jermaine meets Malcolm at Foot Locker and they go home together. Malcolm gets a call from a number he does not recognize so of course he does not answer. It rings again and again. Malcolm finally answers the phone and the person on the other end says..."Hey Malcolm, this is Chelsea, don't tell your bestfriend that I'm calling you, but I want you. I want to be with you. I think you are so fine and you are looking so good around school, I am peeping you lil boy. And wanted to tell you before you graduated." Malcolm responds and say's "I'M TELLING JERMAINE ON YOU, YOU NASTY BITCH!" Malcolm has never used language like that before because he isn't really a person to cuss. He then hung up and ran to Jermaine to tell him, He tells Jermaine and Jermaine goes "You are lying, you've been trying to break us up since day one. Leave me alone Malcolm, I have shit to do damn nigga.." Malcolm is frustrated because Jermaine doesn't believe him.. Malcolm says "I swear to you on my dead momma grave im telling you the truth bro and you a dummy not to believe it, but you do you lil nigga."

Malcolm goes on with his day because Jermaine does not believe him. It's now the next day and Malcolm confronts Chelsea about what happened at school, and she denies all of it. Malcolm then thought to himself and went to show Jermaine his call log. He says "See bro, i told you i was not lying bro, this the lil girl number right here brody." Jermaine says "Damn bro, you right, my fault for not believing you man, I had shit going on." Malcolm and Jermaine put that behind them. Jermaine goes and embarrasses Chelsea in front of the whole school and breaks up with her in front of everybody. Now all of the girls are all over Jermaine and he isn't really trying to mess with them. Now Jermaine is head on trying to focus on school and picking a college. Even though he had some downfalls he is focusing on point now. Malcolm and Jermaine are leaving school, Malcolm goes straight home and Jermaine goes to McDonalds then goes home. When Jermaine gets home, he gets the mail and takes out the garbage. He briefly looks over the mail, and sees a red envelope and he opens it. He opened it and it is a whole bunch of eviction letters, overdue bills, drafting bank account letters, cease and desist letters. His mother Nia normally handles the bills, she works as a hairdresser at a hair salon. Jermaine RUNS to his mother and tells her. She busted out crying. She then explains everything to Jermaine that they have been struggling and can not afford anything anymore. Jermaine says "Ma, why didn't you tell me?" She says "Son, Baby, I've been trying to protect you. I didn't want you worrying about it." Jerrmaine says "Ma, you know i can handle anything, you should've told me, I'ma make sure we straight at the end of the day."

Jermaine tells Malcolm everything that is going on. Malcolm says "Man, wtf are we going to do?" Jermaine says "Bro you already know what we gon have to do. This chum change foot locker paying aint shit, we don't have a choice yo. We got too to make sure moms straight. She always had us. It's our turn to have her." Malcolm says "Yo bro, we got all these scholarships, you sure we can do this?" Jermaine says "Man fuck allat, we can do what we gotta do to provide and we can still go to college. Hop in right quick, hop out. Simple, plain just like that, 2, 4 MAX runs."

What Jermaine and Malcolm are talking about considering doing is selling drugs. I mean they have easy access. They live off 6 mile. It can be very easy. They aren't that sure though. But once Jermaine gets his mind set on something, he WILL accomplish it, sort of like he did basketball.