Loving A Gangsta

Chapter 42 (Saturday-October 17th)

Korrine's POV

People are led to believe that time heals all. It might not be completely true, but time sure does help. As much as I've tried, I haven't forgot about the whole kidnapping situation or the shootings of Trey and Jessie, but it's been a month since all that happened and they're both walking, talking, and living well. There's really no complaining that can be done when I can say that about them. If it wasn't for having to go to therapy once a week, then it would probably be out of my head already.

Everything isn't all peaches and crème and our life hasn't worked out like a fairy tale just because we're all out of the hospital though. Gustavo may be behind bars, but he's still a very powerful figure in the streets and has spread word of Jessie's traitorous ways, so it's been hard for Jessie to walk around without having to watch his back every time a car full of Hispanic ride up close to him. Mike and Marcus have been keeping him in his corner for some protection, but they've been trying hard to stay out of the streets themselves being it's close to the end of their senior year and after all that's happened, they know that the streets aren't for them. Hopefully things will die down and Jessie won't have to keep his guard up so much.

Marisol, Silvia, Rider, and Scraps are still around too. I've gotten to know each of them even better and they're all not too bad. I haven't seen Jessie this happy with a girl in a long time, so as long as Marisol continues to keep him happy, she's good in my book.

My surgery went well according to my follow-up appointments, but I haven't yet got back out on the field to cheer. The last thing I want to do is hurt myself, so I've just been keeping in shape, taking care of myself health wise, and saving my energy so that hopefully I'll be back like my old self when nationals come up in the next few months. All of the scars that were on my face have faded away, helping me gain back a little of the confidence I once had, but the sad, pitiful looks my peers and teachers at school continue giving me still makes me shy away.

As for Trey, his surgery also went really well. He's been having to go to physical therapy twice a week so that he can be strong enough for basketball season, and aside from the scar where the gun shot was removed, he's his usual cocky, humorous, and playboy self.

We've been almost inseparable the past month. This whole situation just helped bring us closer than we were already getting. If we're not texting, snap-chatting, face timing, or on the phone, then we're hanging out at each other's houses, the mall, the movies, or with the rest of our friends. He doesn't treat me like he owes me something for taking part in saving his life, and I also don't treat him like he owes me because he doesn't. I'm glad we're as close as we are, and things can only get better from here on out.

My grin widens as Ms. Trina opens the front door and pulls me into her embrace. "How you doing, honey?" she asks.

"I'm great. How are you?" I ask, entering the house and closing the door behind me.

"I can't complain. Everything's going fine," she says. "The food should be done in about half an hour. Trey's up in his room doing whatever it is he does when that ball ain't in his hand."

I laugh as she disappears into the kitchen, and it takes everything in me not to follow her and beg for a little sample of what she's cooking. The smells coming from in there have my mouth watering. I've been waiting all day for this meal, but I control myself and climb the stairs to get to Trey's room. I don't even bother knocking before storming in. He's lying on his back with one arm behind his head and his phone in his hand.

"You're always on that phone, boy," I say, taking off my shoes and jumping on the edge of the bed with a smile.

"Man, shut up and get over here," he says, leaning forward and pulling on my arm and dragging me towards him. "I missed you."